Nam Atom with Power Amp

There is no setting for this on the Atom like there was on the Qute, so just unplug the speaker cables from the Atom, plug them into the power amp (noting that the L and R terminals on the 250 will be the other way round to those on the Atom!) turn on, and you’re sorted. 

Granthar posted:

I have just bought a Naim NAP 250 (Chrome) to use with my Naim Atom.

Havent connected it up yet, on the Unitiqute 2 there was an option to turn off the internal power amp, doesn’t appear to be that option on the Atom. Is it ok to leave the Atom with no load on the speaker terminals?

Sadly no option on the Uniti devices to turn off internal power amp.

I often run my Nova with an olive 250 and nothing connected to the Nova's speaker terminals, shouldn't be an issue, though I've not tried to see if both are active and you could effectively run two pairs of speakers.

Does the internal power amp draw power when there is no load?

Granthar posted:

Does the internal power amp draw power when there is no load?

Good question!

Alley Cat, is there a noticeable improvement using a 250 over the Nova power amp?

I am using an Atom myself and just recently paired it with a NAP200. This is a major improvement over the Atom internal power amp with my Dynaudio Countour S 3.4 LE speakers. Especially the ‘grip’ the amp has on the speakers massively improved. 

Not using the internal power amplifier of the Atom is no problem at all. It will just run idle and consume the amount of power necessary for that, probably not much. I did not notice any difference in the operating temperature of the Atom with or without the internal power amp section being used.

I hope this helps.

Interested too, in what a 250DR might bring to the Nova party. Mind you, seems to have pretty control and grip on its on - a mighty piece of kit.

Granthar posted:

Alley Cat, is there a noticeable improvement using a 250 over the Nova power amp?

For me there is, and this is using an olive 250.

The Nova sounds fine, but the 250 adds more control and authority with my Epos ES14s.  I had a 250DR on demo and I think that’s even better, though the old 250 had more warmth but is likely in need of a service.

A lot depends on the music being played too, the 250s add scale and boogie factor that can be lacking in some tracks with Nova alone, though the Nova internal amp I’d say has a more detailed clinical sound vs my old 250 and I think this may reflect older vs new Naim sound to some extent or need for a 250 service.

I’m not sure I think adding a new 250 DR to a Nova is necessarily a particularly good vfm upgrade however as you waste the internal power amp, but I have no doubt it’s an upgrade.

Richi posted:

I am using an Atom myself and just recently paired it with a NAP200. This is a major improvement over the Atom internal power amp with my Dynaudio Countour S 3.4 LE speakers. Especially the ‘grip’ the amp has on the speakers massively improved. 

Not using the internal power amplifier of the Atom is no problem at all. It will just run idle and consume the amount of power necessary for that, probably not much. I did not notice any difference in the operating temperature of the Atom with or without the internal power amp section being used.

I hope this helps.

hi

thinking of doing the same thing

does the adding of the nap 200 change any of the tonallity of the atom?, does it get warmer /darker than the atom alone?

what kind of interconnect do you use? ,been looking at the gotham rca-din4

best regards

peter

[@mention:77314878621985977]

I would not say it changes the tonality so much: the Naim character stays. But the sound is more insightful, cleaner, more dynamic and much, much easier. Not being a native English speaker makes it difficult for me to express in words. I am now playing Eva Cassidy and the sound with the NAP200 is more powerful, yet more gentle. If that makes sense. Voices sound more natural and open, the balance between instruments and voices appears to be better as well. My system is now more playing music instead of making sound.

Currently I am using a self-built solid core silver interlink plus flashback sales RCA to DIN converter, but I have ordered a 1m RCA to DIN interlink from flashback sales last weekend so I hope to soonhave one interlink between the Atom and the NAP 200.

Richi posted:

[@mention:77314878621985977]

I would not say it changes the tonality so much: the Naim character stays. But the sound is more insightful, cleaner, more dynamic and much, much easier. Not being a native English speaker makes it difficult for me to express in words. I am now playing Eva Cassidy and the sound with the NAP200 is more powerful, yet more gentle. If that makes sense. Voices sound more natural and open, the balance between instruments and voices appears to be better as well. My system is now more playing music instead of making sound.

Currently I am using a self-built solid core silver interlink plus flashback sales RCA to DIN converter, but I have ordered a 1m RCA to DIN interlink from flashback sales last weekend so I hope to soonhave one interlink between the Atom and the NAP 200.

hi

i understand what you mean perfectly!,,,maybe because me neighter are a native english speaker =)

many thanks for your reply,im now truly confident that the nap 200 is the way to go

best regards//peter the swede

I'm running my Atom with an ATC P1. The improvement was fantastic. As Richi said above, the naim sound remained and the clarity and insight improved. I am very happy.