Nat01 or Nat05

SQ only is NAT-01 - zimples. 

However, you need to weigh up the following 

If you're really only interested in the quality that BBC R3 offer & the rest is neither here nor there &/or casual listening;   NAT-01 is the only one to go for,  if not I would go 05. 

Finding one is the problem,  you might get lucky but they are not 2 'a penny & if you do find one, has it been serviced at Naim.

If you want the best FM with NAT-01 you need a good aerial & best not too far away from the transmitter - fringe area's would better served by the more sensitive 05.    

Good luck, let us know how you get on

David, also there is  no 'switch off' of FM VHF transmissions in the UK, however there might be removal of the BBC national stations off the band to be replaced by local/regional stations only. Personally I think that is a long time away.. At least well into next decade, and possibly after the UK DAB network is technology upgraded... It's a bit creaking and long in the tooth at present.

I think politically the broadband not spots will need to be addressed first, and from what I was hearing yesterday that could be via subsidised satellite access.. which could be interesting.... Possibly from 2019.

Oh yes NAT01 is best in absolute terms, NAT05 certainly no slouch. I use the latter currently.

Simon

It's got to be an O1 for absolute sound its fabulous.Its got a smooth detailed unprocessed sort of sound.Its magical !

I haven't heard a 02 but have heard the 101 which is also bloody brilliant.You might be able to get a 02 or 101 for £500 so you could save the money for other upgrades elsewhere.

Good luck 

Cheers Ian

I questioned Jason a couple of years ago,

about which tuner was best, his choice would be 

NAT05XS powered with a Hi Cap,

haven't yet had the opportunity to hear this combo,

but you should put it on you list to dem.

hilz

I've owned the 01 and the 05. The 01 is clearly better. But I would buy neither, I'd get an 02, which is pretty close to the 01 and comes in a single box. It's also appreciably cheaper. You absolutely need a good aerial on the roof to get the best from any of these tuners. 

Before reading this post I was listening to CD review on Radio 3, using the £300 FM module in my 272 and was reflecting on the astonishingly natural sound quality. It's a shame that the module is not standard, as I'm sure most people don't pay the extra and are thus missing out on the enjoyment that FM can bring. 

Anyway, back to the question: I'd suggest an 02. 

i bought a NAT 01 second hand 12 years ago and Naim serviced it around 4-5 years ago. It's in daily use but R3 is the only station its tuned to. Personally I would'nt use it to listen to local radio stations as there's way too much compression. It really comes into it's own with a live R3 broadcast. I use mine with a Chord Indigo mains lead and a HiLine. They need a fair signal to drive them into full quieting. I use a six element aerial  which does the trick. Ron Smith aerials are often cited as the aerial of choice but living in a country cottage I didn't want a rig the size of the house on my roof! NAT02s are excellent but if you can I'd go for the 01 every time. Displays can fade on the early ones and the tuning head is no longer made but that said, mine has never given any trouble over the years. As with all such things pull out the aerial during thunderstorms/ when away etc unless you fancy fried electronics! A certain auction site has a NAT02 and an 01. the NAT 01 normally goes for £900 to £1000 for mint examples. A well known Naim dealer in Hertfordshire seems to have Naim tuners in stock on a regular basis.

I am often praising the NAT01 on this forum. I honestly believe it to be one of Naim Audio's best ever source components. As Ravenswood says, a live broadcast on BBCR3 FM can sound spectacular through the NAT01. I purchased mine new from Grahams when I was living in London. There the signal was so good that I used just the 4 or 5 element yagi aerial which was already on the house. I then moved to Wiltshire and discovered how critical the aerial was to its performance. I ended up with a Ron Smith Galaxie 20, which is a monster! Having moved house again, fortunately I can get a great signal from just 17 elements with the aerial hanging in the loft space. It might be worth your while having an aerial survey done before choosing which tuner (and aerial).

Thanks guys, food for thought. 

After reflecting on your feedback, and considering my antenna and location, I was unable to resist the opportunity to purchase a Chrome Bumper NAT 01 which will hopefully be with me on Wednesday.  Looking forward to playing with it.

Nice one David. Enjoy. 

Good one David. Looking forward to reports.

Best,

Chris

Thanks guys, have to admit I'm quite excited for it to arrive. Its partly an early 50th birthday present off my lovely wife which makes it all the more special.

Probably the best tuner ever made, I'm sure you'll love it!

Enjoy.. Hmm quite envious

Your in for a radio treat dayjay......radio will never be the same.

Look foward to reading your report

If it's the one I've seen on line it looks to be a gem so well done and welcome to the 01 owners club. Your other sources will now gather dust! Might be worth checking when it was last serviced/aligned. Mine was done 4 years back by Naim for circa £460 at the time.

It arrives tomorrow and is supplied by a reputable dealer with a warranty which gives some comfort as I haven't been able to test or see in the flesh.  I'll set it up and have a good play and report back but it will be nice to have access to the radio back which I lost when I sold my Qute 2.

My ownership has proven short lived at the device turned up in poor condition and with a distinct smell of smoke from the power supply!  Currently arranging for it to go back to the dealer and for a refund.  Have to say that this has put me off quite a bit and I may need to rethink my next purchase (providing there are no issues with my refund!)

Oh thats bad news.I would have thought the dealer would have tested it prior to sending it.

Hope you get a refund.

That's a shame - really shouldn't have happened as the unit should have been given a complete check before it was sent to you. Mine came from an excellent dealer and re-seller in St Albans so you might want to keep an eye on his stock going forward (let's hope yours didn't come from this source!). My late Olive NAT01 was sold as mint and indeed it was when it arrived all those years back.

I'm sorry to hear about that, it's such a shame. It may be a blessing in disguise - maybe you'd be better with an 05, which would be plenty good enough and would match your supernait cosmetically. 

All being well I suspect that that is where I will end up Nigel.  Still, could be worse, the dealer has responded quickly and it gets picked up by UPS tomorrow.

That's good - though it's most worrying that they were trying to palm off poor condition goods on you, having given an inaccurate description in the first place. 

Don't give up Dayjay.  Nat 01 is so much better than any alternative, if you have a perfect/good signal for BBC radio 3, that the quest is worth it. Live BBC 3 broadcasts are magic. 

It may be heresy, but I think that the Internet Radio route might be better than any other Naim tuner now. I can only access the BBC 3 128 stream (as Irish Resident), but via NDS it is pretty good. 

I have tried to get UPC to pay attention to the FM feed, without success. Anyone else in Ireland getting a good BBC 3 FM feed? .... Do tell !

Don't let that bad experience put you off. The NAT01 really is worth the wait. I have just had a look at 'completed listings' on the auction site we all love to hate and it would seem clear that they do come up reasonably frequently. Different styles too. Be patient and I'm sure you could find a good one.

Additionally, there's a Naim Audio dealer in St Albans who sells new and secondhand items who may be able to help. He even sold me a sealed-in-box Aro earlier this year!