NEW! Uniti Atom Headphone Edition – and streaming pre-amp!

Just to be out of the box, i bought a P20 at 80€ on amazon to try. The Atom HE is really better with this little tubby thing :grinning: Feel free to try and to leave your commentary.

Yeah I was looking at that. Seems like you need to replace the power supply and the tubes to get the best results. And also use in balanced mode, which isn’t an issue with the HE balanced out. I know cost isn’t everything but still have a hard time believing bypassing the internal amp with a less than a $100 amp would be the right choice. But it’s also not a lot of investment either just to try. I have my Naim HE on an end table, have limited space and also like the clean look. Plus like the one box solution, so don’t think I’m giving this a try. Also not sure how it would do with planar headphones.

I changed the tubes and the alimentation but i prefer the originals tubes at this time. for the alimentation i took my eensive one teddy pardo and it’s just a little better. out of the box the P20 is great with the atom. It can change the flavor netween ss and tube as you will.

Could someone please confirm which app the Naim system uses for internet radio? It’s just referred to generically as ‘internet radio’ on the Naim website.

I’m interested in buying the HE but the reason for asking is that here in the UK the Tunein app is no good for listening to foreign stations. For about two years they’ve been blocked because of a copyright issue. I’ve read conflicting comments in reviews, where the app is referred to as Tunein, VTuner and iRadio. Very confusing. I don’t mind what it is as long as it’s not Tunein. I realise that I could use various apps through Chromecast, but I like the idea of doing as much as possible through the Naim interface.

Naim use VTuner as the aggregator. For example, see this comment from Naim’s software director talking about their relationship.

Excellent, many thanks!

I would like to use the preamp output of the HE to feed a MiniDSP SHD, which in turn will drive active speakers and a subwoofer. The MiniDSP will apply Dirac room correction. Because it drives the main speakers and a sub, my understanding is that it has to be the preamp.

It’s unfortunate that the HE does not offer fixed level line outs. However, as I’ve read that the HE remembers the output settings on each output separately, could I just set the preamp out to maximum, and it would remember that in future? Otherwise, I would be juggling two volume controls.

It seems the maximum is too high. Most have said get best results around 70-80 on volume. But ideally you set the amp at proper level and then using the Naim HE as a preamp volume control.

Thans for the reply. The problem is that as the MiniDSP is also controlling the sub, it should really be the preamp volume control so that it controls the main speakers and sub simultaneously. Having said that, maybe if I set the MiniDSP to a fixed level on the main speakers and the sub, the HE can then be the preamp controlling the volume for both. I will experiment with this.

A bit off topic but what is your experience between the Atom pre and the Atom HE preamp does it make a big difference in combination with the Purifi amp?

Yes, it did make a big difference. The Atom is an excellent preamp, but the HE sounded more open, more dynamic and more relaxed at the same time. No night and day differences, but for me well worth the upgrade. And I discovered headphone listening as a bonus. :smiley:

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Ah, thanks for your respons. If it’s not night and day i’ll stick with my Atom with HDMI since I use it with the TV also…

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The headphones experience, on the other hand, is night and day.

So depending if you use that. FWIW I went from HDMI on my Star with television to using optical on my Atom HE and the result has been much more stable. You do lose the ability to control the Atom using the TV remote this way but depends what is important.

Hi @afgverhart , thank you for your feedback. It is also interesting for me. I am currently also considering an upgrade from the Uniti Atom (Headphone Edition + Nap 250 or SN3+NDX2). I would be interested to know if you have heard the new NSC222 preamp and how it ranks in relation to the Headphone Edition as a preamp. As far as I can see, there is only one voice in “The new Classic Range” thread that ranks the NCS222 clearly above the Headphone Edition without further explications (there is also a massive price difference).

I won’t use the headphone output unless it would stand beside my bed instead of in the livingroom. Using one remote is wanted by the wife and kids….

I may have been the one voice, but the 222 is massively more capable as a pre, as you would expect for the price. Whether you need that is another matter and wil very much depend on personal taste and the rest of your equipment.

Then it definitely is not the right choice. Especially if you already have an Atom.

The entire unit is built around serious headphone use.

You can run long heapdhone cables with it. I listen to the HE in my living room with a 3 meter XLR terminated cable to solve the distance thing. But if you are not that into headphone use it is all overhead.

I have not been in the position to compare the two. A friend of mine ordered a 222 the day it was released. He now uses an HE as well. I can report back as soon as he gets the 222 delivered. Another friend is going to a demo this weekend. I was invited but can’t make it unfortunately.

BTW: I am now using a Classé CP-800mkII since New Years Eve and I love it. The HE is now in use as streamer for the Classé and as headphone amp. I love it so much it will stay. Also the family was against selling the HE since they love the ease of use.

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Thank you very much for your answer. You are a long-time user of the Uniti Atom Headphone Edition who has also tried out various power amplifiers and active systems with it. Therefore, I (and I think others as well) would be very interested in your impression and comparison with the new NCS 222. It is also interesting that you have switched to a Classé preamp in the meantime, which is obviously a bit better than the Atom Headphone Edition as preamp.

Thank you very much for the feedback. If you want to explain the differences a bit, I would be interested to see. Here in Switzerland there are now also presentations of the new NSC 222 and NAP250 system, but a direct comparison with the Atom Headphone Edition as a preamp is hard to come by. My dealer sees the Headphone Edition as a headphone amp and recommends NDX2 and SN3 as alternatives.