32.5/90 vs Nait

Posted by: garth on 25 May 2002

I have a 32.5/90 - apparently lightly used - which I picked up a few years ago for $800CDN - a little over $525US. Pretty good value for money IMHO. the amp is 1987 or 88 vintage. Naits of all vintage seem to be very highly regarded on this forum but NAP 90s looked down on by comprison. Shouldn't a 32.5/90 offer comparable performance to a Nait of similar vintage? Which Naits - 1, 2, 3,? - would be comparable to my 32.5/90 and how might they compare/differ? And yes, as funds and availability provide I will at some point look to upgrading to a FC or HC and a 110 or 140.

Cheers,
Garth

Posted on: 25 May 2002 by Justin

I had a Nac 3.25 and a nap 90.2 (shoebox, new cosmetics). This was better than the nait 2 (new cosmetics with MM stage) that I had at the time.

I'm on record here saying that my favorate Naim systenm is the 72/hicap/250 followed closely by by the 72/hicap/140.

The 32.5 is almost a 72, and differs only in the areas that don't matter that much (of course, I'm pretty sure my 32.5 had the time aligned boards in it--yours may not).

I think the shoebox 90's are spanking good amps. For the money, so is the 32.5.

Be happy, buy a chrome bumpered hicap when you can afford it, a 72 after that, and live forever in bliss.

(oh, and recap old things--it's worth it.
Judd