Interesting audition results thus far
Posted by: billgpdx on 26 April 2004
Last weekend I brought home a Nait 5i with a pair of Spendor S5e speakers to audition. I thought the combination sounded rather stunning.
This weekend I brought back the S5e's along with the NAC 112/NAP 150 combo.
Surprisingly, thus far I feel that the 5i had more emotional impact. I recall the 5i's quantity and quality of bass to be very surprising - not that the 112/150 is lacking in this area, but the 5i did seem to have a bit more "grunt". Also the high end seemed to have a bit more sparkle with the 5i in place - cymbals just sounded so right. This also had a positive effect in revealing more details in the recorded piece.
More listening ahead...
All the best,
Bill
This weekend I brought back the S5e's along with the NAC 112/NAP 150 combo.
Surprisingly, thus far I feel that the 5i had more emotional impact. I recall the 5i's quantity and quality of bass to be very surprising - not that the 112/150 is lacking in this area, but the 5i did seem to have a bit more "grunt". Also the high end seemed to have a bit more sparkle with the 5i in place - cymbals just sounded so right. This also had a positive effect in revealing more details in the recorded piece.
More listening ahead...
All the best,
Bill
Posted on: 26 April 2004 by joe90
A 112/150 is a lot more refined than a 5i, tho i agree the 5i is great fun.
Make sure your source is up to the 112/150. it's quite a revealing amp. Ultimately it will have a lot better timing and poise. It should deal with complex dynamics better and not sound so cluttered.
But hey, if you've found balance, believe your ears!!
Joe90
Make sure your source is up to the 112/150. it's quite a revealing amp. Ultimately it will have a lot better timing and poise. It should deal with complex dynamics better and not sound so cluttered.
But hey, if you've found balance, believe your ears!!
Joe90
Posted on: 27 April 2004 by greeny
This could be a psychoacousic effect. The Nait suprised you with it's quality and you really enjoyed it. You then thus expect more from the 112/150 and are thus more likely to notice any issues.
However if you really enjoyed the Nait5i then thats the way to go, why spend more than you need to?
However if you really enjoyed the Nait5i then thats the way to go, why spend more than you need to?
Posted on: 27 April 2004 by Geoff P
Not wishing to trap you too early into spending more money but you are at a crossroads here.
If you were to add a HiCap power supply to the 112/150 I think you would find it would be better than the Nait 5i by quite some margin. The HiCap will bring out the detail in the signal and strengthen up the bass sound.
Try to get a demo of this (or alternatively using a Flatcap 2 power supply) before committing to the 5i which of course cannot be improved because it can't take a power supply upgrade.
The thing about the HiCap is it can be bought later on when funds permit ANd there are loads around second hand.
sorry to confuse
GEOFF
If you were to add a HiCap power supply to the 112/150 I think you would find it would be better than the Nait 5i by quite some margin. The HiCap will bring out the detail in the signal and strengthen up the bass sound.
Try to get a demo of this (or alternatively using a Flatcap 2 power supply) before committing to the 5i which of course cannot be improved because it can't take a power supply upgrade.
The thing about the HiCap is it can be bought later on when funds permit ANd there are loads around second hand.
sorry to confuse
GEOFF
Posted on: 27 April 2004 by billgpdx
quote:
Originally posted by Geoff P:
Not wishing to trap you too early into spending more money but you are at a crossroads here.
If you were to add a HiCap power supply to the 112/150 I think you would find it would be better than the Nait 5i by quite some margin. The HiCap will bring out the detail in the signal and strengthen up the bass sound.
Try to get a demo of this (or alternatively using a Flatcap 2 power supply) before committing to the 5i which of course cannot be improved because it can't take a power supply upgrade.
The thing about the HiCap is it can be bought later on when funds permit ANd there are loads around second hand.
sorry to confuse
GEOFF
Good points. At the dealer I was able to A/B the 5i with a 112/200/Flatcap combo. The combo setup did sound better, but at quite a multitude of the price of the 5i. Even then the 5i held its own quite respectably. The 112/150 combo is not such a clear winner to my ears. Of course I could add the FC later on, I'm just not sure if the percentage of sonic gain warrants the additional percentage of cash outlay. In the meantime I'm enjoying working it all out.
All the best,
Bill
Posted on: 27 April 2004 by ben r
hello the nait 5i is a good value, the real step up is to a 202/200
Posted on: 27 April 2004 by J.N.
Hi Bill
I haven't done a side by side comparison of 5i and 112/150, but it wouldn't surprise me if the 5i did some things better.
Its an evolution of the '5' of course, and lessons learned from it and the 112. Those two older models have the 'digital' resistor-ladder volume control that Naim have decided can be acoustically improved upon, with an analogue pot and simplified passive pre-amp in the 5i.
Go with your gut instincts - I reckon Ben has nailed it with needing to go to 202/200 to get a meaningful difference.
And I use a 112/150 by the way.
I haven't done a side by side comparison of 5i and 112/150, but it wouldn't surprise me if the 5i did some things better.
Its an evolution of the '5' of course, and lessons learned from it and the 112. Those two older models have the 'digital' resistor-ladder volume control that Naim have decided can be acoustically improved upon, with an analogue pot and simplified passive pre-amp in the 5i.
Go with your gut instincts - I reckon Ben has nailed it with needing to go to 202/200 to get a meaningful difference.
And I use a 112/150 by the way.
Posted on: 27 April 2004 by billgpdx
[QUOTE="Originally posted by J.N.:"]
_Hi Bill_
I haven't done a side by side comparison of 5i and 112/150, but it wouldn't surprise me if the 5i did some things better.
Its an evolution of the '5' of course, and lessons learned from it and the 112. Those two older models have the 'digital' resistor-ladder volume control that Naim have decided can be acoustically improved upon, with an analogue pot and simplified passive pre-amp in the 5i.
Go with your gut instincts - I reckon Ben has nailed it with needing to go to 202/200 to get a meaningful difference.
And I use a 112/150 by the way.[/QUOTE]
J.N.
Thanks for the input. Yes, the 5i has turned out to be quite the surprise for me. Interestingly enough, I probably fit the target range quite nicely - while I would consider my sources to be a notch up, my amp is an Arcam A85.
I'm not sure that I would have purchased the Nait 5i over the A85 at the time of my original purchase (over two years ago) as the A85 offered a phono card. But knowing that Naim will be offering a standalone Stageline for the 5i later this year makes things much more interesting. If that combination would have been available at the time of my A85 purchase I'm sure I would have ended up with Naim to begin with. Either the 5i or the 112/150 combo manages to make my A85 sound a bit lifeless. Live and learn I suppose.
_Hi Bill_
I haven't done a side by side comparison of 5i and 112/150, but it wouldn't surprise me if the 5i did some things better.
Its an evolution of the '5' of course, and lessons learned from it and the 112. Those two older models have the 'digital' resistor-ladder volume control that Naim have decided can be acoustically improved upon, with an analogue pot and simplified passive pre-amp in the 5i.
Go with your gut instincts - I reckon Ben has nailed it with needing to go to 202/200 to get a meaningful difference.
And I use a 112/150 by the way.[/QUOTE]
J.N.
Thanks for the input. Yes, the 5i has turned out to be quite the surprise for me. Interestingly enough, I probably fit the target range quite nicely - while I would consider my sources to be a notch up, my amp is an Arcam A85.
I'm not sure that I would have purchased the Nait 5i over the A85 at the time of my original purchase (over two years ago) as the A85 offered a phono card. But knowing that Naim will be offering a standalone Stageline for the 5i later this year makes things much more interesting. If that combination would have been available at the time of my A85 purchase I'm sure I would have ended up with Naim to begin with. Either the 5i or the 112/150 combo manages to make my A85 sound a bit lifeless. Live and learn I suppose.
Posted on: 27 April 2004 by ben r
Hi I have gone from a nait to 112/150 to 202/200 to 282/250 cd5 to cdx2 to xps2 and I have the hicap. I plan on posting my complete thoughts soon(want everything to burn in) but what I have found is the new nait 5i is more akin to the newer gear(which is good) and I feel is a sound value. the 202/200 would be a def step up and gravitates to the higher end naim gear.