Uniti Atom Speaker Plugs

They include plugs designed to match the sockets on the Atom. Naim provide plugs with all their power amps for that reason. At the speaker end, the best plug might be different (some use spades rather than bananas, for example) so best to choose some that are a good match.

Will normal banana plugs work on the Atom?

Yes. 

If you already have some suitable cable wired with bananas, they should be fine. If you can use a soldering iron, or have a friendly dealer, you could replace these with the Naim supplied plugs, but if not, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. 

???? JACK911,...Naim's bananas sound best into the Atom,..but let someone who can really solder do it.

You hear a difference between a good or bad soldering.
If you do not have Naca5,make sure you have the right direction on the cable before you soldering Naim's bananas.

/Peder???? 

If you do use the Naim plugs you’ll need to remember to flip one with respect to the other or one will have the “pos” label on the positive wire and the other will have it on the negative wire, leading to out of phase speakers. (Flipping the case top of one and keeping the positive wire nearest to the “pos” tab is all you need to do). And good luck - it’s tight for space behind the Atom to get A5 cable in there and not touching something. 

Should it be NAC A5 cable?

i thought that wasn’t such an issue with the newer electronics. 

I was thinking of using QED XT-40.

TallGuy posted:

If you do use the Naim plugs you’ll need to remember to flip one with respect to the other or one will have the “pos” label on the positive wire and the other will have it on the negative wire.

Sorry, are you talking about using Naim connectors on both ends?

i was only going to use a Naim connector on the amplifier end, with a normal banana plug on the speaker end. 

Jack911 posted:

TallGuy posted:

If you do use the Naim plugs you’ll need to remember to flip one with respect to the other or one will have the “pos” label on the positive wire and the other will have it on the negative wire.

Sorry, are you talking about using Naim connectors on both ends?

i was only going to use a Naim connector on the amplifier end, with a normal banana plug on the speaker end. 

No, just the amp end. If you look at your two Naim plugs you’ll see they are identical with positive on one side (the tab) and neg the other. So placed side by side they run + -, + - . If you look at the back of the Unitis you’ll see they run + -, - +. So if you solder your cables into the plugs  to match the tab to + you’ll end up with one of you plugs being reversed; the + on the cable will go into the -  of the Uniti. 

The solution is to turn one of the plug tops upside down so that they are now + -, - +

The Atom is different as it’s sockets aren’t in a row but ate two vertical pairs very close together so it will be difficult to connect NAC A5 with both cables going the same way, hence reversal of one plug top will allow correct labelling as well as the cables to run with each cable going a different way. 

You do what the speakers require on the other end. 

As for me, I didn’t use Naim’s plugs as cable dressing is easier with standard 4mm plugs where my Nova is sited. 

Jack911 posted:

Should it be NAC A5 cable?

i thought that wasn’t such an issue with the newer electronics. 

I was thinking of using QED XT-40.

The traditional approach with Naim amps was to use low capacitance cable. NACA5 is 16pF per metre. XT-40 is somewhat higher at 59pF per metre, so may not be ideal. Just how important this is with the new Unitis is hard to judge - Naim have little to say on the matter, which I suppose is not that surprising, as they are not in the business of selling other people's speaker cable. You could always ask your dealer. 

Thank you for that.

Is there anything else which comes closer to the capacitance rating of the NAC A5?

Jack911 posted:

Thank you for that.

Is there anything else which comes closer to the capacitance rating of the NAC A5?

AVOptions, a long-established authorized Naim repair firm here in the US, sells “Twisted 56” cyro-treated speaker cables that match the capacitance of NAC A5 cables. They are much more flexible than the NAC cables, can be made to any length and termination you require, and are substantially less expensive. I think they can ship outside the US, but check out their website for further info. I’ve used them and have been very happy with their products & service.

???? JACK911,....Naim Naca5 plays very good with Naim Atom,if you should have another speaker cable,..you should really listen before you decide.

The wrong cable can completely destroy the soundquality.

An example: Linn's K200 speaker-cable, completely kills the music along with a Naim Atom.
So listen properly,before you decide on another speaker cable.

Do not trust all traders,some sell Linn's K200 to Naim Atom.

/Peder ????

Jack911 posted:

Thank you for that.

Is there anything else which comes closer to the capacitance rating of the NAC A5?

DNM Resolution also has almost the same electrical characteristics as NAC A5.

It's is somewhat 'lighter' in presentation of the bass, but achieves better detail resolution; it also gives the same overall presentation of dynamics as A5.

I would think carefully how long you intend to keep the Atom, as if you move to anything else Naim you will have to resolder and change to the classic connectors, my dealer was nice and each step offered to resolve.

Someone here did say to me just solder to the Naim Atom pins and then heat shrink, but i did not try this as with the Atom plugs the A5 needs to be solder head on, not at a right angle like the classic Naim plugs.

I would say don't waste time trying other cables (i did) the NACA5 is the best match and at the AMP end with Naim plugs, at the speaker end if Non Naim the Chord Ohmic.

Huge, interesting I am a fan of DNM and their cables, both interconnect  and speaker and to my ears the NAC A5 gives slightly more useful detail and flow as well as you say weight, and to my ears more punch and dynamic feel. The same with DNM DIN interconnects and DIN Hiline... I used DNM interconnects for quite a while until I discovered Hiline... but I could have lived with the DNM interconnects.