UNITI ATOM + SONUS FABER LUMINA II + REL T5x

Happy Sunday to the whole NAIM forum. I live in southern Italy and I am a happy owner of UNITI ATOM that I have been using for + 1 year with WHARFEDALE DENTON 85. The time has come for the upgrade speakers in an attempt to improve the listeners but I would still like to stay on compact models with integration of a SUB to complete the frequencies and listen better at low volumes. I read well on the net SF Lumina 2 + ATOM . Thanks in advance to those who want to leave advice or comments from lived experience

ANDREA

In the absence of comments from any SF owners at all, I’ll try to be helpful.

I don’t have SFs, but do have an Atom in my bedroom. I use Shahinian Compass speakers, but we also heard it with my girlfriend’s Neat Iota Alphas before they went off to be powered by her Naim Nova.

None of the one-box players are the last word in detail retrieval or max volume in a big room. To me, what they do really well is present music with good detail, openness and accuracy - while concentrating on making it easy to hear what is going on and hard to stop foot-tapping/ head-nodding/ smiling.

From the numbers and other SF speakers, I’d expect the Lumia IIIs to give you a much sweeter and more airy presentation on female vocals. They would doubtless work even better with something with much more grip and power than an Atom, but I don’t see why the combination won’t work well.

There are other speakers to consider of course, including similar stand-mounts from KEF LS50 or R3 and Wharfedale Lintons to JBL409s, plus literally dozens of others. Before spending that sort of money, I would encourage you to hear 2 or 3 options at least - ideally in your home, but definitely through an Atom like yours.

As a final thought, you could look at small floor-standers too, not least because many give more bass (perhaps removing completely the need for the sub, depending on your room).

If you can, I’d encourage you to hear Neat Iota Alphas, which are 45cm high and happy to be 20cm or so from a rear wall - not because they go ultra-deep but because imho there is nothing that combines detail and musical involvement so well for anything like that money.

Other small and slim floor-standers of a more conventional height (B&W and Tannoy being typical UK examples) will have deeper bass (and are more likely to make the sub redundant), but they take up more space.

Good luck! Do tell us what you buy and how it goes.

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Ciao!

I have a “budget” version of SF called SF Principia 3, a bookshelves speaker that (the only one) SF manufacture in China. Drove it with my bluesound powernode and love it more than my Dali Zensor. Currently is link it with my meek and outdated Sonos ZP120 and still sounds wonderful.

So my simple logic says, if just the budget version I own already sounds wonderful, I guess the Lumina which is several grade higher than my principia should be much better. I think I’ll have SF later for my other system (other than my Naim-Focal).

Greetings

GRAZIE

GRAZIE

I like a lot Sonus Faber, but they really need a lot of power to open . If not they sound dull. Personally I would more go for more efficient speakers with the Atom. Tannoy maybe.

The little Iota Alphas really do work well - big sound form such a small box!

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I read very well about NEAT YOTA ALPHA with ATOM. I saw them live (not tried) and they seemed very small. I also have to get along with the environment and the architect technical wife. The listening position is about 3x3 m . The area, however, is a living room open on one side towards the dining room and kitchen. It should be checked whether they are compatible with the environment. THANK YOU!

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I ran a T5x. It doesnt really go low enough to make a significant difference to speakers . If budget allows look at the T7 or 9, or a pre owned S3.

At only 45cm high, the Iota Alphas should be a lot less noticeable than your existing speakers. They don’t need much space around them but do want 20cm of space behind them - that looks ok to me but I don’t live there. Being fairly close to the sideboard will probably be fine, but that’s probably a good reason to try them at home if you can.

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I tested SF Lumina 2 and SF Sonetto 2 with the Uniti Atom at the dealer. Finally, the Vienna Acoustics Haydn convinced me more. The spatial imaging and the tonal balance seemed better to me and so I bought the Viennas 2 years ago with the Atom. A few weeks ago I also heard at my dealer Marten Oscar Duo with Uniti Atom and Uniti Nova. They are really again a big step better, because they pull you into sound events and are really charming, but also quite expensive (Euro 7000). But the Viennas (Euro 2500) also a good choice and I enjoy the music very much. It is definitely worth to compare speakers extensively, at the dealer or even better as a home demo.
I see you also use Solid Steel SS6 Speaker Stands. They are very good and have greatly improved the sound. I have filled them 2/3 with Aquarium Sand and use them with Isoacoustics Gaia III - both have brought additional benefits. Enjoy the music

Hello and thanks x advice. It is not easy in my part to find the right products nor to auditions. I live in Calabria and I move for work in Sicily where I committed a deposit of € 200 at a dealer in Catania that offers me Sonus Faber + Focal and more … I gave myself a budget of about € 2000 but I can’t go wrong. I have in mind the type of sound I like and where I want to continue my journeys in audio but I have tode fine a pair of speakers that will remain long in the living room and enjoy the practicality and musicality of the ATOM …

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