Absolute newbie here, and not sure whether this question belongs in the hi-fi or streaming section.
I have a Cambridge Audio Topaz SR20, the straight stereo receiver, driving a couple Golden Ear Triton 7s. I am feeding it analog input from my Sony HAP-Z1ES. The Sony is a little old now, not being updated or supported anymore, and beginning to behave quirky. While it holds much of my music, I am not adding more to it, and I use it almost entirely for streaming audio. I love that its app has allowed me to add SomaFM channels, other TuneIn sources, Spotify. SomaFM sounds fabulous through this system.
If I have to replace it, I want something that would afford the same level of streaming quality or better, and let me add the channels and sources that I am used to listening to. I am such a newbie that I don’t know if I there is NAIM streaming product that I can simply replace the Sony with. Advice would be so much appreciated.
Naim make a few streamers which you can see on the website, but one possibility would be to use an Atom HE as a streaming source. The Atom RCA preamp outs can be connected to one of the pairs of analogue inputs on your Cambridge amp, balance the volume on the Atom against the Cambridge tuner or another line input, and off you go. I’ve done this with my own Atom HE (I don’t even have headphones - I use it as a streaming preamp). The Atom HE is something of a bargain in Naim terms.
You can later switch the Cambridge receiver to a Naim power amp, say a used NAP 250, and that would be a great way into the Naim family.
Thanks for these replies. I have looked at this Cambridge audio unit. I don’t know whether this would be enough, or how to judge whether getting something like the HiFi Rose RS250A would be noticeably better. Why spend over twice as much? I connect streams from TuneIn radio, and use a lot of Spotify. Requirements.
If it’s TuneIn and Spotify predominantly, neither of which are hires (unless there is hires radio?) then personally I wouldn’t go for an ultra expensive streamer. Spotify isn’t even cd quality. Radio paradise is I think cd quality flac streams.
I do have a big birthday coming up. Crossing another decade. This will be early October. I’m thinking I will dedicate between 10 and 15 grand to replacing my entire system from amplifier to speakers. The majority of this going into Integrated amp and speakers.
If that were me I’d go to a good dealer and give them my budget and ask for suggestions as a whole system. Much as it can be fun choosing and buying piecemeal you can end up without system synergy or with an unbalanced system via a staggered DIY route. Can cost you more too
If you intend a complete reset for that sort of money I’d expect a dealer to give you options that work well together and also to try at home. Might get some discount too!
