GROUP TEST
Naim Uniti Atom
There comes an age where it’s no longer a compliment to be told you look older than you are. Generally, it’s not long after you’re legally old enough to buy a pint.
We doubt Naim will be overly disgruntled when we say this about its previous line of all-in-one streaming systems – the Uniti Qute 2, for example. But that’s only because when we sit one next to the Uniti Atom, it looks more than one generation behind. And, truth be told, that’s the case with just about anything you place alongside it – the Atom is a little like that annoyingly good-looking friend who commands all the attention.
A triumph of design
While often we tend to prefer a unit that blends into the room, there’s no averting our gaze from the Uniti Atom. It is truly a triumph of design. From the coffee-coaster volume dial on the roof – the pleasure of playing with it is almost enough to justify buying this system – to its full-colour LCD front panel display exhibiting album art as it plays, Naim has nailed the crossover between lifestyle product and premium hi-fi.
You may see the Uniti Atom being described as a streamer, but that does it something of a disservice. In effect it’s a system, to which you need attach only a suitably talented pair of speakers. The onboard amplifier is Class A/B, derived from the NAIT integrated amps. Naim says this presents a number of technical difficulties in terms of production and integration, especially in so small a unit, but its efforts are evident in the musical performance liberated.