With the current amplifiers you can wire them to a streamer and control the volume and sources from the app or the streamer’s remote. It makes operation much more slick.
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Do you know what your friend’s system is? It might be useful to have some idea, as if it was a well matched, well set up Classic level system it may have been a great deal more expensive than the separates you are considering, so you might end up disappointed. Or not. Perhaps you can find out. The same applies to speakers.
Another thing to remember is that Naim separates really need to be set up properly, on a dedicated rack with a separate shelf for each box. You can’t just shove them in the corner with cables rammed in behind them like a spilt bowl of spaghetti and expect it to sound great.
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Or … you could begin to upgrade with an SN2, which are very cheap these days. Then add an also pre-owned NDS … very cheap these days.
Anyway, that 's what I did, and the SQ is quite incredible for the amount of cash outlay. I’ll add a pre-owned ND5 XS2 when I want Qobuz. Excellent value all 'round.
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Or stick a Raspberry Pi on the network running Bubble UPnP Server. It’s how I added Qobuz to my NDS (and other legacy streamers). It also transcodes to .WAV for a small quality improvement.
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Oh there’s no way I’ll be able to match his system for a while. He spent many years collecting and upgrading his gear. But between his system and mine is quite a gap, and I hope I can get a bit closer. Basically walk the same route he did 
So if I understand you correctly: SuperNait 2 with the Atom and my turntable as sources, and then later replace the Atom for a NDS or ND5 XS2?
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Well yes, that would be what I would suggest. Digital sounds amazing, and your TT sources will too.
And the SN2 would be great with an eventual NDX2 upgrade, to the new tech at a higher level.
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It all depends on the budget you allocate for the purchase of audio components, and no less important - consideration, with the management …
Separate components of medium level and above (NAC72 + NAP90 / 3 or NAP160) will sound much better than the ATOM.
You can aim up the ladder for direction of
(NAC82 + NAP250), but as I mentioned it all depends on the given budget.
In general you can get pretty good results, with the OLIVE series.
The cost of service for the devices must be taken into account, if they have not been treated.
P.S
Do not forget the gun under the pillow …
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Thanks everyone for your thoughts and advice, I’ve got a better idea of what I may want to aim for. Regarding the olive boxes, they were sold a day after I posted 
So what I’ve learned: Using the Atom as a pre-amp with a single power amp like a nap250 isn’t smart, best would be pre- and power amp as separates or as single box like (super)Nait. Next step would be to replace the Atom with a DAC. Add a Hicap. And after that, I will most likely want to look for speaker replacement. That’s a multi-year timeline 
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Hi, Mny guess is that if you go down the upgrade route you are unlikely to be happy stopping with olive kit. Might be better jumping to classic, and for where it hurts DR units. You can try them and if no good to you sell them on a year later with little cost. That said, you could do the same with olive, but just more of a pain if it’s not your end system. And this is a Naim forum… other manufacturers out there that are way cheaper 2nd hand. Cyrus springs to mind.
As you started your post, you like the sound of a “proper” setup. Maybe not necessarily all separates being your wish, but the sound.
I agree with hungryhalibut, have you considered separating streaming and integrated amp, thus perhaps auditioning a Supernait?
In fact there’s a Nait XS2 ex-demo box for sale at my Naim dealer, but they still want €2k for it. I might go and have a listen anyway.
Get a used SN2 & NDX2.
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mmm… I prefer how we usually don’t tell anyone to “buy this” but keep to suggestions.
I would second Hungryhalibut’s suggestion too. To gain an appreciable and decent upgrade from your current system, I think you need to be looking towards something like his suggestion.
I say this because years ago, I made many incremental changes with my system which brought about minimal improvement and this always made me think about what I should do next and kept draining my ‘hobby’ finances. The best thing I did was wait and then jump up to the 282 preamp with a NAP 200 (the NAP 200 will power the 282 so you don’t necessarily have to buy a power supply straight away, but thereafter you have many options).
Again, I never bothered with a Hicap and jumped straight to a Supercap DR when funds permitted and that was a fantastic upgrade.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that, in the long run, bigger jumps up the Naim ladder gave me much more satisfaction and saved me money overall. Yes this approach may initially take longer to get to the next stage, but in the long run, I think you’ll get to where you want to be quicker. You already have a great system so, for what it’s worth, my advice is enjoy what you have and if you want to upgrade - go big, but not as often!
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Excellent advice …
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What are your speakers and your friends speakers out of interest?
Completely different, I have Sonus Faber bookshelves and he has Totem floorstanders. To my ears it seems like my Atom has to work much harder to drive my speakers, his sounds effortless.
I think there’s mileage in a power amp first, then gradually upgrade the front end. I have in one room a Uniti 2 playing through 135s and it sounds awesome.
So a used olive 250 would be fine, not v expensive, and certainly your speakers would enjoy all the extra power.
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I connected to qobuz using an NDX by going through the mconnect app - and the NDX is a lot cheaper than NDS. So this is another possible move - I had an NDX and supernait3 which sounded a lot better than the Atom I now have (traded down to help finance upgrades in main system). I started with 102/180 21 years ago but moved on about 11 years ago so cannot compare the separates with Atom
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