Naim Nait 3 or Rega Mira 2000

Posted by: Nuno Baptista on 24 March 2002

Hello
I´ve got the chance to buy a Naim Nait 3 second hand, or a new Rega Mira 2000!I know Rega sound and I like it,but I don´t know anything about Naim!My friend Steve Toy told me that Nait 3 was superior to Mira!I´d like to have your opinion,and if it is superior why?Remember that Mira 2000 is more recent!
My sistem:
VDH CS 122
Kimber Hero
Nad C 540 cd player
B&W 601 S2 speakers

Posted on: 25 March 2002 by Mike Sae

Age counts for little in our hobby. The Nait 3 is a far better amp than the Mira2000 (which is pretty good, by the way.).
However, the Nait "expects" to see certain things upstream and downstream. If you're planning to buy a new amp and leave it at that, then the Mira is a better choice, as it will complement the rest of your system.
If you've never heard Naim before, the Nait 3 may whet your appetite for more- before you know it, you'll be perpetually thinking up of new schemes to acquire more of the stuff.

best,

mike

Posted on: 25 March 2002 by Frank Abela

I actually prefer the older Mira to the new one. In my view, the new Mira 2000 has a very weird gain such that the volume pot has to beturned round a great deal before getting decent volume. It just doesn't seem to have the grunt of the old machine. Therefore I'd go with the Nait3.

Of course, the Nait3 would mean you'd have to change all your cabling since only the Naim stuff will do. The vdh will be positively awful.

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.

Posted on: 25 March 2002 by Mike Sae

quote:
the new Mira 2000 has a very weird gain such that the volume pot has to beturned round a great deal before getting decent volume

this is what my dealer would call a "very linear volume pot"

Agreed, I also prefer the older Mira. In Nuno's case, the 2000 should sound fine however, as its leaner and cooler sound should match well with the rest of his kit (conjecture).

If Nuno is willing to embark on a potentially fantastic and rewarding hi-fi journey, then the Nait is an excellent starting point.

Posted on: 25 March 2002 by Steve Toy

Unfortunately, Nuno can't make his mind up, and will continue to go round in ever-decreasing circles on the subject.

Nuno, just hear the Nait and make your own mind up!

Regards,

Steve.

The proof of the pudding...

Posted on: 25 March 2002 by Jonas_Bj

Ofcourse it's your own ears that decide, and you. It's important that you will feel conftible with the music not someone else. But rega desn't always got that much swing or bet in the music as Naim got. That's the biggest difference. Listen for your self and see.

/ J

Posted on: 25 March 2002 by plynnplynn

quote:
Originally posted by Nuno Baptista:
Hello
I´ve got the chance to buy a Naim Nait 3 second hand

I was introduced to Naim on the day I bought my Nait (had never heard any Naim equipment before). It took me two minutes after hearing the Nait to know what I had been missing. I suspect that you will not be disappointed with the Nait if you buy it - but if you do - listen when people tell you to buy Naim cabling - the difference is tremendous.

Posted on: 30 March 2002 by Nuno Baptista

Thank you Guys:
Naim Nait 3 was sold!And my dealer advice to me to go to another amp instead Mira!But I think I will wait a months and I´m buying Nait 5!It´s high end stuff,Mira no!

Posted on: 30 March 2002 by Nuno Baptista

Hi guys:
Thanks for your advice ! Nait 3 was sold!I can´t buy it anymore!But I think I will buy Nait 5 instead Mira 2000!It´s high end,Mira no!

Posted on: 31 March 2002 by seagull

have you listened to a NAIT 5, it sounds VERY different to a NAIT3. I had a demo this week - I was actually auditoning CD players, the shop set up a system with a NAIT 5 in the middle, the sound was, to my ears, terrible

.I was very disappointed with the noise the system made (CD5, NAIT5, B&W 603, chord cables and QS rack).

No definition or separation of the different instruments and the bass and drums sounded like they were being played next door.

We replaced the NAIT5 with a s/h NAIT3 - normal service was resumed!

Only my opinion, but make sure you listen to it properly before buying.

Posted on: 31 March 2002 by Scott Mckenzie

quote:
Originally posted by seagull:
have you listened to a NAIT 5, it sounds VERY different to a NAIT3. I had a demo this week - I was actually auditoning CD players, the shop set up a system with a NAIT 5 in the middle, the sound was, to my ears, terrible .I was very disappointed with the noise the system made (CD5, NAIT5, B&W 603, chord cables and QS rack).
No definition or separation of the different instruments and the bass and drums sounded like they were being played next door.
We replaced the NAIT5 with a s/h NAIT3 - normal service was resumed!
Only my opinion, but make sure you listen to it properly before buying.

I would have thought the Chord Cables could have contibuted to that...plus the B&W's are pretty horrendous....

Quite shocking that a dealer should use non Naim cables in a Naim system...

FWIW I prefer the Nait 3 sound too. I had never really considered using the RCA outputs on the back of my Nait 3R - I assumed they were for phono?? In fact IIRC they didn't work as I tried them once. Should they work? And if so will they sound any different to the Din sockets??

Scott

Posted on: 01 April 2002 by Steve Toy

quote:
have you listened to a NAIT 5, it sounds VERY different to a NAIT3. I had a demo this week - I was actually auditoning CD players, the shop set up a system with a NAIT 5 in the middle, the sound was, to my ears, terrible .I was very disappointed with the noise the system made (CD5, NAIT5, B&W 603, chord cables and QS rack).
No definition or separation of the different instruments and the bass and drums sounded like they were being played next door.

The Nait 5 sounds like a bag of shite when its cold - usually the case at dealer demos.

It should be left to warm up for a minimum of six hours.

Also, NEVER use any cable other than Naca5!!!!

However, the Nait 3 is still a better amp, imho.

Nuno, keep your eyes open for any more second-hand Nait 3s. Next time, don't waste any time...

Regards,

Steve.

The proof of the pudding...

Posted on: 02 April 2002 by seagull

Scott, I agree about the non-Naim cables and about the B&W's (I'd say disappointing rather than horrendous) - swopped these for a pair of KEF's - much better.

Steven, I've not heard a properly warmed up NAIT5 but the sound from this one was sooo un-Naim-like that I'm not sure that leaving it switched on for a few hours would change the sound that dramatically - The NAIT 3 was similarly cold but sounded better instantly.

I've since borrowed the CD5 over the week-end. Its certainly a proper grown up cd player, played through my own 42/140 it sounded great. I shall be buying one as soon as funds permit (annual bonus time . ). If CD players had been this good when they first came out I might have been converted sooner, rather than reluctantly buying CDs when the vinyl is not obtainable.

I was originally interested in a Rega Planet, and asked for an A-B demo with something in the same price range (expecting an Arcam) but got the CD5 instead - the rest is history.

Posted on: 02 April 2002 by Frank Abela

Christian,

The RCAs are for phono (turntable) connection provided you have the boards in there. A turntable's input (0.2 - 2mV) is much lower than a CD player or tuner's is (2V), so the gain would be all wrong if you plugged a CD player into those inputs and it would get distorted.

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.

Posted on: 02 April 2002 by Nuno Baptista

Hi:
Good news .This week I will have a demo for Naim Nait 5!I will tell you something then
thank you guys

Posted on: 05 April 2002 by king

quote:
Originally posted by seagull:
have you listened to a NAIT 5, it sounds VERY different to a NAIT3.

I prefer Nait 3 to 5, and 2 to 3...............

King