Nait 5 as a pre-amp

The Nait5 adds a new flavour to the Naim sound. It's a bit cleaner and more communicative than the old Nait3. However, the pre-amp section isn't as good as the 32.5 and 72.

BTW, if you want to put a 250 on the end of a Nait5, you'll need a power supply in between (either a Flat-Cap2 or Hi-Cap). Also, I don't think this is a good system. You would be much better off with something like a 102/NAPSC/Hi/140.

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

Hi,

first i would say buying a nait5 as a startup
sounds like a good idea. If you buy a good source and speakers you'll gain enjoyment for many sessions...

Next, i would see no problem using the nait as
a preamp, so i also don't see why you need an
extra psu. Mike can you please enlight me in this point?

I thought that the nait5 is an integrated, with
the possibility of connecting other (or a second for biamping) power amps without the need of an extra X-Cap.

Hope you enjoy the music.

( Take care of the purple people. )

Regards
-mb

well the source is a rega planar 3 with goldring 1042 and the speakers are Intros (late model with external crossovers) they load at 6 ohms I believe.

I didn't know one could use the nait 5 as a power amp - but I wouldn't have thought it would have made a good power amp (lower power compared to other specific power amps). However I thought it may make a good pre-amp as it uses the newer electronic control circuitry which the 32.5 and 72 do not (but that is not to say it is definately better than those preamps).

Anyway I have seen a Nait 3R as new for £459 with warranty so I'm going for that, along with a bit extra for the Phono. Quite a bit of saving off the RRP (thanks to Nait 5) and only £150 more than what it sells for secondhand. To boot I could use this as a pre-too!

considering I picked up the intros for £250, I think I have a pretty good bargain system. Next up though will be a s/h Linn, something for £400 that I can upgrade with over time.

Another thought hmmmm CD3.5 or a DVD player?? Sound quality-wise I know the 3.5 will trounce over the DVD, but on the other hand I prefer vinyl sound so don't care too much about the sound quality of CD's anyway. So the ability to watch movies could be handy (1st up Underworld live!!). Any recommendations for sub £500 DVD players welcome.

£459 could get you a used 32.5 and 140 (I got a 32.5 & 110 for £250 used and a 140 for £300). Given my experience with those v my 92R/90.3 then I'd expect that the pre/power would kick the 3R up and down the place, particularily with speakers like Intros (I use Credos). £250 for used Intros is a good price - I wouldn't mind a set of them for my bedroom system.

I've got a Pioneer 525 multi-region DVD player in my home cinema system but I haven't tried it against my CD3.5 in my main music system. I might give it a go just for a laugh though. Playing music CD's in the home-cinema system it sounds vague and the bass is overblown - this is probably mostly down to the amplifier (Kenwood 7070) though.

Regards
Steve

I know what you mean - but actually finding it is turning out to be a mission! I bought the intros about two months ago. So I have my records, I have my TT, I have the speakers. But no amp no music. I'm sitting at home twiddling my thumbs mate - listening to Faithless' Insomnia on my ghetto blaster kills me each time, esp when the big riff kicks in, then you realise diff between HI-fi and ghetto blaster (even with speakers seperated). I'm tearing off ghettoblasters with my teeth, and I just can't get no sound!

I did manage to see an advert for 140 (£399) and 32.5 (£179). Phoned up Sheila in service and she told me both had not been serviced and would cost me £240 to get them both done. So I would be looking at £800 approx + delivery and service times - just not worth it! I have tried other adverts, either similar story or already sold. It could be months before I find myself a decent enough pre/power combo (I'm not a fan of the 90's - I don't think anyone else is too considering the numbers on s/h market). So I get my amp this week hopefully! and at last will be able to play the records I have bought over the last two months (in the hope that 'it will only be next week that I get a bargain pre/power' - unfortunately not).

I should be able to use the Nait 3R for a year or two and still be able to get a good price for it. The intros I believe are worth £350-450 s/h (£250 what a bargain), so that kinda balances any loss on selling naits later on ;-)

Keep me informed of your DVD v's 3.5. don't expect a dvd player to win. just would like to know weather it comes through reasonably.

[This message was edited by Haroon on TUESDAY 19 June 2001 at 11:50.]

I'm not convinced servicing needs to be an issue - I'm pretty sure none of my older amps (32.5, 110, 140) have been serviced but they still sound better than my fairly new 92R & 90.3.

I'm sure the Nait will sound fine with your Intros but I think you'd be surprised just how much better a pre and bigger power sound. When I bought my 92R/90 I also demoed the Nait 3R but the improvement in sound quality with the pre/power was clearly audible.

Regards
Steve

I like my kit to be in good shape, so if naim says it neeeds servicing I would get it serviced.

Still its a matter of wait till I have a pre/power or buy a nait 3R and have music (also I can then take my time to buy a good pre/power, rather than rush into buying un-serviced overpriced kit!). I also think with the Rega a pre/power *may* be a little OTT. My next upgrade will be the Linn LP12, once I have that then I can make a seriouse consideration about pre/power - 32.5/250 hmmmmm niiiiice :-D. with a 140 I would only be upgrading yet again. Plus I could always keep the nait 3R as a bedroom ssytem.
In fact more I post messages about it, the more I am convinced that going for the integrated is the right choice for *me*. Which must prove that there is a naim to suit everybody huh!

H

Get yourself a Tescos DVD player (100 quid) or a Woolies one (60 quid) and then get a used CD 3 or even an Arcam or Rega CD player for the other 400. I have Tescos DVD and it's fine - multiregion too.

Regards

Stephen

I want to get something that I will not need to upgrade. A secondhand CD3.5 (or Marantz CD63KI whatever - the one for £500) is as high as I will go in RED BOOK CD territory - sorry but I don't think spending more money justifies the return I would get. Much better for me to spend what money I get on 1. more music 2. on a decent turntable - LP12, and to keep upgrading it.

Like the post before says DVD is in early developments and we are still to see the best - I still can't work out whether I should have something that does SACD or DVD-A.

I also like the idea of one box does all, lets keep the digial nasties to a minimum (BTW I work as an IT consultant, so like to keep as far away from digital stuff at home as possible - thus turntable and analogue wristwatch (self-winding no quartz :-))

So a DVD player cum CD player that does both decently would be great as:

1. I'm not planning to buy many DVD titles, I for one still prefer to see films at the movies and would mostly buy music DVD - so sound quality would be important in this case (would love to hear Underworld live DVD again)

2. I don't buy many cd's in the last year the only ones I have bought are mix cd's by DJ's - perfect to crash out to at the end of a saturday night out to - this is when sound quality doesn't matter.

I dug my Pioneer 535 DVD player out of our home cinema system and slotted it into the main audio system. I'm using the BNC Aux inputs on the 32.5 for the DVD and there is a CD3.5 hooked into it's usual 5-pin DIN tuner input. Power amp is a 140, driving Credos.

After running various modern stuff through it (Eminem, Limp Biskit, Craig David, Massive Attack, Beth Orton) initial impressions are that the player sounds reasonably ok in isolation. Back to back with the CD3.5 however it gets it's backside seriously kicked! The CD3.5 has a lot more "drama" in its presentation, and the DVD player lacks bass weight and snap, detail and speed in comparison. Waking up one of the kids put paid to any further serious comparisons tonight (and I'm probably going to get _my_ backside kicked when I go to bed and have to explain myself to Fiona!) with other musical genres. I'll spin some jazz, blues and classical stuff tomorrow and see how it gets on.

After this listening session though my conclusions are that the DVD player would probably be ok for "casual" CD listening but no match for any reasonable CD player. I'm listening to Massive Attacks Teardrop off the Mezzanine CD at fairly low volume(!) through it at the moment and it's certainly listenable enough. The DVD player seems to work best on simpler acoustic music - Beth Orton sounds quite good on it.

When I get some time I'll also try plugging an external DAC (Meridian 203) in and I'll also wire a spare Arcam Alpha 1 CD player into the system for comparison.

Regards
Steve

Jeremy--(mostly)

You are right on in suggesting a better preamp/power supply vs a bigger amp. At the store I worked in we hooked a 52 to a 90 several times--the results were stunningly good. The 90/3 is a very capable amp when matched to appropriate speakers, and it can do a good job with Kans if mated to a 52/82 type preamp.

No end to the possibilities.

Cheers,

Bob

Ride the Light !

Haroon,

The Nait 5 is a very capable amplifier, I've had mine for 3 months now. It needs to be left on all the time. If you ever have a power cut it seems to take a week to get all its magic back. I use it with a Micromega Stage 6 CD player I've had about 5 years. I'm being surprised by the involvement it allows with the music. I'm looking for ways to reduce the number of CDs in my collection, so I'm digging out recordings I'd ignored for ages. I'm finding that a lot of recordings I'd overlooked now have so much more to offer.

I'm persuaded that a Nait 5 provides the basis of a system that can support some very high quality sources, i.e. CD players in the CDX realm (and with the XPS), this is my next upgrade. With a Stageline you'll be able to enjoy the sounds of an LP12 until you can find a real turntable to replace it ( ), ok so a lot of people like the LP12.

I've spent a lot of money learning that I didn't need to spend a lot of money to get a great system.

enjoy the quest

Peter

first - thanks folks for replies!

tesco's DVD players seems tempting, but I'm gonna have to get some chord chrysalis to hook it up to the nait 3r which would prolly cost nearly as much :-)

the only thing is status! tesco's branded box - prolly give the naim the hump :-)

to tell the truth first heard the naim in a mates set up 5 years ago - Linn LP12/Rega RB300/K9, 32.5/250, Royd Apex. my friend didn't have a cd player with him, but we wanted to listen to some cd's I had, so we connected up my portable philps cd player and it sounded very good. better than some good seperate cd players with weaker amps! (I know Ivor will be turning in his grave now - sorry Ivor, but its true).

A trip to richer sounds bargain basement is called for - well at least for some blank mini-discs.

Haroon,

As your original post is a couple of mths old, I don't know whether you've soreted out a NAIT 5 or pre/power combo for yourself.

If not, I have a 92 / 140 that I'll be selling in the near future. If your interested drop me a line :

steve.cownden@bt.com

Cheers,

Steve

Steve C 00