Upgrade advice please

To be fair I think NDX+202 would be equally faf free. Wiring is straight forward and units should come with the right cables. Add a 3.5mm jack and system automation is there too. And if you discover you want more and enjoy swapping boxes you’re all set to upgrade system until you’re broke. With the risk of constant itch to scratch which probably is mostly a matter of character.

But how many boxes are you willing to get ? For me I’ve decided it’s 3 which will be a cd player + 272 + 200.

Does the ND5 XS2 really have the same DAC as the atom? Same chip perhaps, but the accompanying clock circuitry and filtering may be implemented very differently.

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You would connect to a 200 using an RCA phono to 4 pin Din lead. It’s the connection to the right of the two XLRs.

Aah I see now! Thanks!

One for the experts. I’d have thought the NDX / ND5 family separate high end streamers would have better DAC etc than a mighty atom designed as an all in 1 box, but I might be wrong!

certainly a consideration. I have 3 tier HiFi racks, turntable up top, Unitilite underneath, NAP 200 below that. If I get an NDX/ND5 and NAC 202, the streamer replaces the turntable, or the NAP goes on the floor …
I don’t use the turntable much, TBH.

My CDs are all ripped onto the Core - never use the CD in the Unitilite. The Core is great BTW - came with a 1TB SSD - used to use a QNAP NAS with 4 HDDs, took 10- 15 min to boot up, vs 10 sec with the Core.

The idea of a NAS is that it’s left running. It goes to sleep and wakes up when you want to play music. We have 6TB drives, as 1TB wouldn’t be anywhere near enough. A Core is simply a NAS in a fancy box, with a ripper and inflexible software built in.

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The old NDX is in a completely different league to the Atom. It’s an old design, of course, but it’s still very capable, and the design isn’t compromised by squeezing the source components into a small box that also contains an amplifier. If you listen mainly to your own locally stored music it could be a good choice, although the MK2 version is better sounding and more versatile.

IMO the ND5 XS 2 is a superior streamer compared to using the Atom HE exclusively as a streamer—more robust power supply with no excess preamp and headphone amp circuitry to add noise and share power with the streaming system and DAC. Subjectively I think the ND5 XS 2 sounds better as a streamer as well. In the US the ND5 XS 2 is about $200 more than the Atom HE.

As an all in one streaming preamp, the Atom HE is a great product and would work well with your amp.

If I were in your situation I’d seriously consider selling what you currently have (or trading toward) a Uniti Nova.

Or get the Uniti Atom with the power amp built in and see how it compares. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Hi folks
Did the deed, went for used NAC N 272. Wish me luck! Apart from good reviews, another thread helped clinch the decision - seemingly the 272’s pre-amp is better than that a 202, and its streamer is close to a ND5 (not as good as a NDX), with an outboard power supply, sounds even better. And plumbs straight in using no extra space. I also figure I might add an NDX2 one day just for the hell of it….

As to NASs - shouldn’t have strayed off track but … my QNAP is great, backing up CD rips & Macs. But it’s my second (#1 broke after 7 years), 3 HDDs had to be changed and it needs attention for updates, not to mention a whole day swapping from old NAS to new. I know I should leave it on but the waste of electricity grates. By comparison, the Uniti Core is simplicity itself, rips with onboard Cd, easy to use, no effort to maintain, my used one didn’t cost much more than 2 QNAPs and saves sooo much time. Love it.

Thanks again for all the input, folks. I really appreciate it. I’ll let you know how I get on with the 272 if you’re interested. Cheers, Alan

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Sounds like you made a good choice - I am with you in the ease of the core compared to a nas. Considered a 272 myself recently but got a 282 and ndx instead (plus a 300). Mainly to find something to do with a hicap I already have - but previously had a ndx and sn3 which sounded great (better than the atom and nova that I then had). I have no worries about the ndx being out of date - it and the 272 are so much cheaper than the newer options that I think they are excellent value

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Thanks Tim, I agree on all counts.

Feedback on the NC272. It’s here, plugged in, sounding superb. Streaming from the Core and Tidal, it brings out loads more detail, I’m noticing new stuff on tracks that I’ve heard many times. Bass is more solid, drums more punchy, more info, energy, and control. Seconds Out cranked up was like being at the concert, and Greatest Showman soundtrack sounds so much better than on my home cinema system (apart from the sub’s bass).

Vinyl through my ancient STD turntable / SME III and modest new AT cartridge and a Project phono box is transformed! It always sounded flat as a pancake through the Unitilite, like the records were worn out. I remember it sounding so much better with various old HiFi’s back in the day. I invested in the new cart but to no avail, thought the old gear must be shagged. Having switched to digital, I wasn’t going to replace it, gave up on it. Seems there was nowt wrong with it, the pre-amp in the Lite was letting the side down, the 272 breathed new life, unexpected upside.

On the cost question raised by Tim and others, I’m gobsmacked at the price of new gear. Mid range Naim kit seems to have close to doubled in a few years, and the top end has gone crazy! I think 272s were approaching 4 grand before phased out, and my late used model was a chunk of change, so it should be good! In its defence, Naim gear is superb tho, and great to buy British. One day I might well splurge on an NDX.

Final question - my PMC twenty- 23s sound great, and there’s more solid bass now. But it doesn’t blow your socks off - never could, cabinets and drivers too small. What do you think about adding a sub? The B&W ASW 610 in my home cinema system is room-shaking. Or am I being silly …???

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Rather than a sub, it would probably be better swapping the 200 for a 250DR. There should be plenty around as people trade up the the NC250. The 250 will get a lot more from your speakers, and be less complex than trying to integrate a sub.

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Personally I would go for an NDX2, although there are a lot of used NDX’s floating around at competitive prices.

I use Roon, something the NDX does not directly support. I will be auditioning the NDX2, as a Roon endpoint, using DSD128, and comparing it to my current DSD256 DAC. Should be interesting? Hoping for more PRaT.

I have a stageline, some unNaimed employee told me that the phono stage in the NSC222 is not as good as the stageline, nor is it as upgradable.

Read above, he has just received the 272. He will not buy an Ndx2 now.
It doesn’t make sense.

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HH - I see where you’re going. You’re probably right. If only a good 250 DR wasn’t quite so expensive! In the meantime, since I have an ASW 610 to hand I’ll try it out.

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