Uniti Atom: first use...and first issues as well

With so many Atom owners reporting exactly the same issue, the odds that it's not software related seem rather low. 

And at this point, my dealer here in Hamburg is - out of sheer frustration - just shrugging it off, saying the Atom is just "buggy" and "hopefully new firmware will fix it". No offers to resolve the issue by sending it to service or (as one might expect after all the hassle) replacing with a new unit like they'd normally do. My dealer has always gone to any lengths to make sure I'm fully satisfied with my system. I'm guessing their hands are tied on this issue now.

And if this is not a software issue, I sincerely hope Naim reaches out to those affected with an offer to replace the faulty units. 

Further heads-up on this, I believe the right channel 'tear' distortion noise damaged my B&W 707 S2 speaker when the issue occurred with the volume was around 60. Dealer replaced my Atom unit and speakers but since receiving the new one i've not reconnected my TV (via optical) until i'm assured the problem is resolved.

Anyone just starting to experience the problem take note, I first noticed it when I received the unit around early November, it became progressively worse until finally replaced in January - but other issues started to occur, including non-responsive device, display showing details for the previous album/track and volume moving in large jumps.

Nova and prior Atom owner the same issues.

Listening since midday and an hour ago artwork freeze on the Nova, all from Tidal no input swaps, figure will power cycle, MISTAKE. iPad found Nova all fine but nothing at all would play, recall same issue last week, so switched to my Samsung mobile and working fine.

Really is beyond Irrating ruins a great experience.

Paul Summers posted:

Further heads-up on this, I believe the right channel 'tear' distortion noise damaged my B&W 707 S2 speaker when the issue occurred with the volume was around 60. Dealer replaced my Atom unit and speakers but since receiving the new one i've not reconnected my TV (via optical) until i'm assured the problem is resolved.

Anyone just starting to experience the problem take note, I first noticed it when I received the unit around early November, it became progressively worse until finally replaced in January - but other issues started to occur, including non-responsive device, display showing details for the previous album/track and volume moving in large jumps.

My returned and new Nova had the same issue - I just gave up on HDMI or Optimal not fit for purpose.

Obsydian posted:

Nova and prior Atom owner the same issues.

Listening since midday and an hour ago artwork freeze on the Nova, all from Tidal no input swaps, figure will power cycle, MISTAKE. iPad found Nova all fine but nothing at all would play, recall same issue last week, so switched to my Samsung mobile and working fine.

Really is beyond Irrating ruins a great experience.

I've had frozen artwork too but via Roon and Tidal.

Paul Summers posted:

Further heads-up on this, I believe the right channel 'tear' distortion noise damaged my B&W 707 S2 speaker when the issue occurred with the volume was around 60. Dealer replaced my Atom unit and speakers but since receiving the new one i've not reconnected my TV (via optical) until i'm assured the problem is resolved.

Anyone just starting to experience the problem take note, I first noticed it when I received the unit around early November, it became progressively worse until finally replaced in January - but other issues started to occur, including non-responsive device, display showing details for the previous album/track and volume moving in large jumps.

Paul, what did exactly happen with your B&W speakers?

Has the unity fried tweeter..?

Did anybody else experience speaker damage due to Unity/Nova channel drop off?

If so, this becomes not only Unity/Nova replace problem for Naim.
Speakers will have to be replaced also. And that would be NAIM problem...

My friend, for example, has Nova with 12K $ speakers .

Yes the right channel tweeter ‘fried’... The speakers were new with the Atom. Noticed the loss of sound quality almost immediately after a ‘right channel crack/pop’ incident. Switched the unit off, listening to something on Tidal later and clear there was a problem. AudioT in Bristol were fantastic, the speakers were only about 10 weeks old so B&W replaced them.

Ouch.., that's not a joke then. If the tweeter "fried", then I think this is very serious hardware problem, not software. And I really doubt if it is possible to fix that with update.

I've just disconnected HDMI cable from NAIM Unity... 

It feels more a software problem. I was connected via optical from my LG 4K screen.

my replacement unit is (and will remain) disconnected from the TV but I’ve not had any of the other freezing display, unresponsive or volume control problems with this one, makes me think these are related to the audio problem.

I am surprised Naim haven’t acknowledged the issue, sounds like there are enough reports and 3+ months have passed since they started to appear.

My main annoyance was the wasted time sorting this out - and that with a less helpful dealer, I could have been left out of pocket.

Would be interesting to hear if anyone else has exerpienced speaker damage, maybe people need to give the right side a good listen with a nice clean clean quality Tidal track. 

Second attempt at posting this so sorry if it comes through twice.   I have experienced something like this with my Atom. Around a week ago my wife and I were listening to music at low level and there was a very loud pop from the right speaker (B&W CM6 S2).  It was the first and only time it has happened and I don't detect and damage to the speaker. At the time I put it down to a curiosity and forgot about it.   My Atom was one of the first shipped in the UK (of the first 3 assigned to my dealer in Clapham anyway) and it's been sonically great apart from this incident.  

I'm not sure if software can control such powerful energy bursts which damage tweeters... Seems that it is some kind of not planned hardware discharge, immediately followed by some kind of NAIM amp protection.

Or, another theory, - maybe the disconnection is because of the extremely big volume level activation (for example 100% or maybe even 1000%). This leads to huge clipping (and this is what we hear). Clipping damages tweeters. Speaker disconnects because of amp protections.

So the new question arises: how to check if the tweeters are NOT damaged by Unity drop offs? Maybe right channel is "half-damaged" and will die soon.

Phil tells me he asked about this with R&D It's very unlikely that the Atom was the cause of any speaker damage in this case.  However, it would be good to get to the bottom of this to be sure.  Paul, have you been in touch with naim directly on this?  

No just dealer as both Atom and speakers were approx. 10 weeks old. I know easy to start pointing lots of fingers at the hint of problems but I'm quite clear that the speaker issue was immediately noticeable the very next evening when listening to a nice clean Pink Floyd Tidal stream. Possible Audio-T in Bristol could connect you with B&W to see if they've diagnosed the speaker and can suggest the cause...

Do want to add something here - I purchased the Atom to listen to music, hooking in my TV via optical was a plus - and seems the cause of these problems. I've not reconnected my replacement unit for fear of further issues and I'm now using it for music only - it is problem free and awesome. I genuinely would not be put off by these forum posts if you're going to use the Atom as a standalone streaming music player. Yes there are some software quirks but I've absolute confidence that Naim will address these in future updates. As an all-in-one device for listening to high quality streamed audio, I don't think anything else comes close.

Ok thanks.  I think Phil will get in touch with you by email.

By the way, has anyone tried unity/nova "analog" (red-white) inputs? Do they reveal the same problem?

It would be good temporary solution for TV audio, until we got to know more about this problem.

I use them for phono and preamp out of my AV amp, no issues although finding the analogue inputs a tad bright.

I use analogue RCA direct from my Sony tv to my Nova - no problems at all. Using analogue because all my other tv outputs are in use for various boxes.

Actually, I did have an issue with my speakers while using the first Atom unit. I can't say definitively whether the two are connected, but I was using the Atom with Kudos C2 speakers while the right channel bug was happening. The right speaker mid/bass driver "failed" (dealer said it was the coil) and was replaced - again as a courtesy of my dealer - the speakers no longer had any warranty. The dealer asked me how it happened and said it normally only occurs at extremely high volume (due to neighbors, I never listen above 50). This feels a little like puzzle pieces coming together.

In the meantime, I sold the Kudos speakers and have new Spendor A4s. 

And now I'm pretty concerned about using the optical in at all. 

Do we all need to disconnect Toslink cables until Naim chimes in on this? 

For what it's worth, my single right channel pop incident was unrelated to the optical connection.  I can't recall whether I was streaming (Spotify) or playing from a USB stick when it happened but it was one of those.  As I said, probably not enough info to connect it to Paul's issue but, if it happens again, I'll update here.

Well, I still have my Atom connected to my TV through HDMI, and the sound dropoff issues is still there. However, my speakers are still working really well, no fried tweeter nor other damages to my speakers. 

I don't believe it has something to do with the volume: i listen to my music at really loud levels and nothing happens when listening to music only, until switching to TV. Then, the issue will appear every 2 hours or so and no matter whether the volume is high, medium or low. 

I second all the comments regarding the Atom's superb sound and abilities to draw you into the music, it's by far the best piece of kit i ever owned. I only feel great frustration that the unit is that unstable and buggy when you connnect it to a tv set. 

I don't have any Tidal account so can't comment on the unit's reliability when streaming from those streaming platform. 

I can confirm though that the app has really serious  issues to find the device, get it connected to my Synology NAS.... setting up precisely the volume using the app is a real nightmare; e.g. you will think sliding the volume bar but you actually pressed on pause, sometimes there is a lag between the app and the device's response. 

To me, the app is the only one to blame for all the above. But when it comes to the annoying sound-drop offs the speakers when watching tv, this to me is the most critical issue. I'm trying to be optimistic reminding myself that it only happens when the source is TV, hoping that Naim will solve it. 

I'm both happy (the Atom's gorgeous sound is second to none of the hi-fi kit i've ever owned, and I owned quite a few) and frustrated (this buggy app makes me mad !!!)