Switch to Atom HE in second system

Hi-Fi Corner
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I don’t know what it is with my second system, but it’s like a love hate relationship. I keep moving things around from my main system to the second system to think I have it right and then it just doesn’t do it for me. I’m wondering if a move to an Atom HE with some Focal Utopias would be a good move? I’ve never been soley into headphones, with the exception of my Walkan days! I have an LP12 I can run with it as well. Anyone else ever just go to headphones in a second system or office/lounge?

Big day in the U.S… Time to see the Chiefes finally get defeated!

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We are all different but I do wonder if you would miss speakers albeit in a second room.

I like occasional headphones sessions but much prefer the speaker experience.

The HE is a good piece of kit and I guess you could get some active speakers later down the line should you wish.

And goes without saying getting the “right” headphones is key, comfort and sound!

Gary

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Yeah, I wonder as well. It is the room that gets my listening attention more than any other as well because the living room is the focal point of our house but with two kids and a wife that works from home, I’m not listening there that much anymore. We are always playing music in the living room but certainly in the context of background, not pure listening.

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I don’t have a streamer in that second system either. Perhaps I could connect the Atom HE to that system and see how it goes and if I find myself using headphones at all?

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I use an Atom and ATC 11’s as a second system which I bought in the used market plus some nice stands for c2.5k and it sounds great, the Atom has a headphone socket too.

The HE has a better pre and is optimised for headphones but for me on,y makes send if you a) add active speakers b) want headphone only.

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Thanks!

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Hi @Katmaimatt, I have an Atom HE/Focal Utopias in my second system in the living room, sounds fantastic, a nice discreet system. As @Farthings-cat advises adding active speakers is a good option if headphones prove not to be your thing.
The Utopias are great headphones but fairly expensive, it may be worth considering something like the Focal Clear MG until you’re sure about headphones.

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Was looking into this some more yesterday. Would a pair of the ATC SCM19AT be a good fit with an Atom HE? My room is fairly small and currently have YG Carmel 1’s in it. The Atom HE would replace a 282/300 combination. I’d still have my LP 12 as an input into the the Atom HE as well.

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I think the ATC SCM19A would be a good fit with the Atom HE, I have tried my Atom HE with my ATC SCM40A, sounded great, my room is about 5.2M x 3.5M. Not sure about your room size.
Other ATCs worth considering are the SCM20ASLT and the standmount SCM20ASL Limited Edition. Both of these speakers are more expensive than the 19A. Also the recently introduced active PMCs are worth a listen.

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Thanks. Close in size, just a bit smaller. 4.5M x 3M.

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I have an HE with Active PMCs and it’s excellent. I have never tried it with headphones, but as a streaming preamp it’s very good indeed.

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…or add a power amp. I have Atom HE, a nice old chrome bumper 250 and ATC SCM19 in my 2nd system Very pleasing.

One caution re the Focal Utopia. I have heard them briefly but had a long home trial with the similar Stelia. Didn’t gel with me. Very technically impressive but a bit too detailed and analytical. I found them fatiguing and alternatives from Grado and ZMF just more enjoyable. Definite try before you buy, but that applies to all headphones to be fair.

The HE headphone output is pretty good by the way. I have a Trilogy 933 headphone amp in my main system and it is not that far behind.

Bruce

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Thanks @HungryHalibut Which active PMCs do you run and how big is your room?

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My experience as well with their higher end loudspeakers.
Too analytical and detailed, the prices are very high to put it mildly.

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I have the Atom HE in my main system: had it with active Elacs, now with Dynaudio C2 II via a separate power amp. I love the HE for its sound, its form factor and the excellent user interface.

In a few months it will move into the second living as a pure headphone amp. I use it like that as well today with a Focal Elegia and Elear and it sounds absolutely stunning.

And I did buy a pair of active Elacs again, just in case, as you never know what might happen in the future. :upside_down_face:

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I have the twenty5.21i. The room is 4.5m by 3.6m, with the speakers on the longer wall.

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I use the Atom HE with a NAP100 into ProAc Tablette Signatures. Room is 5.5 x 3.5 and I love how it sounds.

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Atom HE with Focal Clear Mg and active PMC twenty5 23i’s here - very happy with it all.

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Maybe if possible, you could consider reversing the locations of your systems.

I did this. In the center of my house which is 80m2 of dining room + family room + kitchen, I placed a Nait 2 with full range speakers, as the preference here is background music fed by an iPad and Sony Discman.

In my 40m2 music room, I have my primary system which I enjoy without affecting others in the home.

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I did think of that but the Wilson Sasha’s I have in the living room are just too big for the small room downstairs. Plus on the occassional times we could sit down and listen, it would be a bummer not to have it in the main room.