Uniti Atom
The Atom is the junior of the three all-in-one players in Naim’s Uniti range, essentially what we’ve come to call ‘smart amplifiers’. It offers 40W of Class-AB amplification with a combination of physical inputs and built-in streaming options. Its focus is more digital than analogue, with just a single stereo analogue input on RCA sockets, but then one coaxial and two optical digital inputs, plus two USB slots to which USB storage can be attached for playback. On top is Naim’s established contender for world’s best knob; on the front is a full-colour five-inch LCD display, which is used with great subtlety – monochrome for menus, colour for artwork.
So far, so good — but it is the combination of streaming and amplifier quality that makes the Atom so innovative and accessible. During the Atom’s visit it may have be physically located in one room, but it seemed omnipresent. Wherever we accessed music — on the music room computer, on our Chromebook, the iPhone, a tablet — there was the Atom as a playback device waving at us as if saying ‘Play to me! Play to me!’ Apple users can stream with AirPlay, Android users with Chromecast, Windows users with UPnP. It pops up in Spotify ready to take over your stream. The Bluetooth includes not only the higher quality aptX codec but the newer aptX HD, which can only mildly lossily stream 24-bit files.
We were soon using voice control to address the Uniti Atom thanks to its built-in Chromecast. Our high-res test files sailed through, its front panel showing track information for the WAVs and adding artwork for the FLACs. And how good did it sound! The fairly humble power rating (its Uniti brothers offer more) delivered full control of our main reference speakers, while the file conversion was wonderful. This is real honest-togoodness hi-fi performance, with streaming and multiroom built in.