Congratulations, that’s a great problem to have.
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That’s what I like to hear, not the rain but the demand.
The bulging order book goes to show that Naim got the design and feature mix of the Atom HE pretty spot on, despite the gripes on here.
Keep up the great work!
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Thanks Claire, I guess all good things come to those that wait.
I’ll get one pre-ordered and just go cold turkey whilst I wait it out 
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Glad I got mine when I did. I’ve seen one dealer that has got some in, 1 to 3 days delivery.
Can I connect my Stax headphones/energiser to the HE?
I’m just going to add a quick note I received my unit today.
Initial impressions are strongly positive!
The Naim HE has a typical NAIM sound signature. It is a Class-A headphone amp and sounds as such. Neutral with a slightly warm tonality.
It is very well built, the software/firmware well implemented. And to be honest, I’m rather impressed. Not much of my equipment pairs well with every headphone I throw at it. But the NAIM does. I’ve tested it with my HD800S ; Meze Empyrean and Focal Utopia today out of the balanced outputs. And be thoroughly happy with how it sounds out of each one.
No, it doesn’t have the detail retrieval, airy transparency and soundstage of the DCS Bartok. But it’s a fraction of the price and cost.
For a transportable set-up I have the Chord 2Go/Hugo2 → Cayin C9. The NAIM is cheaper. Whilst the DAC isn’t quite as detailed a Hugo2, I’m splitting hairs and find it still perfectly acceptable. And most importantly, enjoyable
This is my first NAIM product so no conflict of interest other than my wallet!
There will be many happy headphone owners. I cannot think of another unit, in this price point that does the ‘all in one’ as well. And I’ve been looking for a very long time.
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Thanks for that review. Its definitely something I am saving for now.
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Thanks for the review. I think I may pick one up to compare to my Focal Arche and keep the one that sounds the best. I like how you describe the sounds as being slightly warm and enjoyable.
I came from what some would call an end game setup of the Chord Dave/mscaler and found I had no problem living with the Focal Arche because it’s a very enjoyable amp. All the extra resolution doesn’t necessarily make for a more enjoyable listen and I’m not into classical where it would probably matter most.
I’d only be using this with my Focal Utopia with balanced Danacable Reference Lazuli.
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I would think so, my Stax energiser, a 006ts, I think! can accept either balanced xlr or unbalanced RCA inputs, you might have to tinker with the volume settings of the Atom HE and Stax energiser to get the optimal / required result.
You could, although that would rather defeat the whole purpose of the Atom HE as a headphone amp and you would be juggling two volume controls. You might as well spend the money on a dedicated network player.
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Quite so Richard, some like myself will be smitten by the form factor of the Aton HE. although I doubt if this is a widespread problem, not sure how many people use electrostatics requiring a specialist energiser.
Will the Nova (edit, I mean Atom of course!) play music from a dedicated Music drive that does not contain a server?
I used to have music on a NAS drive that contained Twonky Media Server and my Av Amp, phone apps, everywhere on network could access. I now have a Transporter i5 that while having a Roon server inbuilt, had trouble setting up a general music server.
My current NAD M10 network player, alongside being a Roon endpoint, uses its software to build up its own database without the need for a server on the music drive. Can the Naim do the same?
Reason I ask, is I do fear in the long term for Roon, should Tidal struggle in the face of CD or high res from Amazon, Apple and possibly Spotify at half the price of Tidals stream. So an ability to play from Naim’s propriety Streaming App is needed.
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Not sure what this has to do with the Atom Headphone edition, but yes it can if you attach a USB drive/stick with music files to the Nova, then access it by the Servers > Local Music input of the app. (Not through the USB input, this only shows the files and folders). If you enable Server Mode in the app settings, it can then also serve this music to other Naim streamers on the same network.
(It will take a lot more to replace Roon though, so let’s hope)
It has to do with the fact I’m interested in buying the Atom headphone edition! (Sorry, old age mixing names!) I’m not going to attach a USB drive, I have bought a dedicated networked music storage similar to a Roon Nucleus, which has two external SSDs. My question is will the Atom HE be able to play my music via Wi-Fi like the Nad M10 does (without server software like Twonky on the storage)?
Not sure if you are kidding, but there is no Nova Headphone Edition (yet?). And you were asking about “the Nova” originally, so forgive my question what it has to do with the Atom headphone edition.
Edit: Saw your edit, clear now 
I don’t know what the NAD does and you didn’t say specifically that you have a networked music drive. I am guessing the Transporter i5 that you mentioned is one, but it was less than clear originally.
I think the answer is no to “are Nova/Atom able to use a networked drive as music storage”, they need a USB drive or else a UPnP server on a NAS or similar (or Roon)
I corrected above post soon as posted, I blame old age on me confusing naims😀
The Sonic Transporter i5 is a NAS drive but propriety for music with ‘allowable’ installable Apps. As explained I currently use it as a Roon endpoint. As I also explained, the Nad M10 doesn’t need a ‘Twonky’ as it sees the networked drive and builds its own database. I’m merely asking if the Naim Atoms work the same way, or like my Yamaha AV receiver, need server side software on the storage device.
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Yeah, sorry, I got it now with the names 
Also got now that the Ti5 is networked but has no UPnP server like Twonky, and I am quite sure that no Uniti can use that as a music source. I believe they need a UPnP on the NAS (or a cabled USB).
Edit: However, as it’s a Linux-based computer my guess would be that Naim could provide this in an update. I suppose it would have to mount the drive via smb protocol, so this would probably have security implications
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The Transporter i5 runs Plex Media Server, which acts as a UPNP server. When visiting my mum I use Plex on a laptop with my USB hard drive backup attached to serve the Muso Qb I keep there and it works well.
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Thanks for that. Plex can be installed, I did try it briefly years ago for movies in a few boxes, before settling on Infuse. That would be useful as Minimserver, the allowable music UPnP server on the Sonic Transporter wouldn’t install correctly and didn’t seem user friendly.
Puzzles me how my NAD M10 or 8Player Pro App on IOS doesn’t need any of these; my lack of networking knowledge! But if I get the Atom HE, seems i’lll be covered. Been a long time since my last Naim gear, the fine 72/140.
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You mentioned ‘Roon endpoint.’ Why not just use Roon into the Atom HE from the STi5? The HE is Roon ready. You don’t need to worry about UPNP.