Naim Amps

Sat here listening to the 72/140 and I should add that it does inject more drama at times, cos of the much greater dynamic range and grunt.

Alba1320 posted:

Remember that the signal ground reference is not just about hum, but (potentially) about optimum performance of Naim amps, for the reason outlined in my previous post.

Remember also that, IIRC, the Nait is serviced, whereas the 72 is not?

Good to hear that you are getting on quite well with the 72/140, though (possibly as result of it warming up)?

As for the other amps you are keen on trying, you have identified some of the 'classics', IMO, so interesting comparisons ahead, if you can get hold of them.

It seems that you are still rather keen on the Nait, though, and nothing wrong with that. 

I don't know what to do about the single ground reference, as regards the Radikal. Perhaps my dealer could help.

Yep, the 72 has not been serviced. I think I've pursued it as far as I'm willing to. I could get the 72 serviced but would then make a loss on it, assuming I didn't hang onto it.

Yes, rather keen It makes me want to play more music rather than play something to see how clear and clever my HiFi sounds  Same goes for the 72/140 in that regard too. Working from home, I do get through a lot of vinyl each day.

I don't wanna bore everyone with my comparisons so will wrap it up here by saying the Nait 1 beats the LK Majik-I, for my ears anyway. Majik-I is definitely more tuneful, so it's easier to follow an individual instrument and appreciate any musicianship. However, in regards to the key area for me, I can follow multiple instruments with greater ease using the Nait, so the music as a whole makes more sense, which seems to be more important to my overall enjoyment of music. Each to their own and all that. Long live the Nait 1   Thanks for everyone's input. Really appreciate it.

Great Thread! Not boring at all. I Wonder what you would make if the nait 2: )

I have been through many amps as well: Nait 5i, Nait 2, 202-200, supernait 1, Nac 12-160 and now 82-250.2.The Nac 12-160 is really something when it comes to nerve and prat. It was JV favorite when it comes to musicality, I think. The 82-250.2 is really something. It has a very energetic and leading edge style, like the naits, but it also offer enormously more insight than the others. The 82 is newly serviced by Darran. I did not think it would be as ‘warm’ sounding as it does. I power the neat Iota alpha with them, which I truly love.

regards

Fred

Thanks Fred. Not looked at the NAC 12 before. Tiny little thing.

Very small, indeed. You will find a lot to read about it online. The 160 is great, very natural flowing amp.

Fred

Fred11 posted:

...It was JV favorite when it comes to musicality, I think...

I'm sure it was, when it was current, yes.  

And if in good fettle it's still a great sounding combination, as I can attest with my own factory serviced vintage set. However, let's not get too rose-tinted and think that was the apex and it was all downhill from there. The kit got better and better, otherwise there wouldn't have been much point in further development.  What is remarkable though is just how good it is amongst other kit of the time, and how it still does its thing.

In my world of professional mucisians, 'musical' or 'musicality' is not a real good word. It means that there was 'soul', but too many technical glitches. I assume the same can be applied to Amps?

OK, I failed, just one last update.

Got an unserviced Exposure XV and really like it, tuneful but not analytical like the Majik-I. However, the bass seemed a bit odd, perhaps slightly out of tune with the rest, or slightly behind the beat. Good sound and quite a lot of grunt, although not up with Nait 5i.

Today I borrowed an unserviced Creek 4140 S1. This is like a poor man's Nait 1 in a way. It's the only other amp so far that seems to really wants to boogie like the Nait 1. It doesn't bring the music together in such a magical way and seems slightly out of tune compared to most, but for £100 on ebay you can't really complain  

No more amps coming, thank god. It looks like a 2nd hand hifi store here.

I'd love a CB Nait 2 but can't really justify the cost to myself. If only I'd realised all this 10 years ago

What's NVA like?

Thanks Alba!

I recently aquired an unserviced red LED nait 1. The timing/rhythm is a bit better than my serviced green LED version, but overall, I couldn't live with it. It couldn't hold a tune quite as well, but the real issue was a kind of 'full-on' attacking quality all the time, similar to the unserviced 72/140 and unserviced Nait 2. Just too much for me, but no doubt perfect for some folks.

I'll probably send this red one off for service and double check my assumption that this is indeed the main cause of their differences.

trunkmonkey posted:

I recently aquired an unserviced red LED nait 1. The timing/rhythm is a bit better than my serviced green LED version, but overall, I couldn't live with it. It couldn't hold a tune quite as well, but the real issue was a kind of 'full-on' attacking quality all the time, similar to the 72/140 and unserviced Nait 2. Just too much for me, but no doubt perfect for some folks.

I'll probably send this red one off for service and double check my assumption that this is indeed the main cause of their differences.

It does sound like it needs a bit of TLC. That doesn't sound like my (serviced in the last couple of years by Naim) red LED Nait 1.

James

james n posted:

It does sound like it needs a bit of TLC. That doesn't sound like my (serviced in the last couple of years by Naim) red LED Nait 1.

James

Good to know - thanks James. I was really hoping (and expecting) it to be better, being an older red LED version. Maybe it still will be once it's had a service, although Darren keeps saying they all sound the same once they've had a service, including 1s vs 2s.

Finally got some second hand NAC A5 cable to compare to the 2.5m of Linn K400. The Naim cable is only 3m long instead of 3.5m but reading old posts by Julian, 20 odd years ago, he stated 3m as the minimum back then. It's seemed to go up to 3.5m in 1999.

Anyway, The K400 is more tuneful but that's no great surprise. The NAC A5 has a LOT more bass, but it's also much more controlled, which is really useful with my Majik 140 speakers cos the Nait has always struggled to control them (more a reflection on the speakers than the amp). There is also some sense of greater ease with the NAC A5 even if the tunes are less easily followed. I will leave the NAC A5 in place for a while, then go back to the K400. I suspect the Naim cable will stay though.

Trying some PMC speakers this week which are more sensitive (90db) than the 140s (88db) so hopefully the Nait will have a slightly easier time with them. That's been the only problem so far - finding the right speakers to go with this wonderful amp.

The more I listen to the NACA5, the better it gets

Yes it is precisely the right cable. Longer pieces sound better to my ears. 5 meter plus - I don't know why.

LK400 is a tremendously revealing and tuneful bi-wire speaker cable. I use it on a professional AV system with a Rega Brio, Keilidhs and H&K sub, and it really sings. Bloody ugly though!

I've found the perfect matching cable for my ears, 5m run of K20/NACA4. It has broadly similar tunefulness and boogie of the K400 but, like the NAC A5, it also sorts out the sound issues I've been having.

I know it's longer than the A5 run, but I've had enough of cables now and just need something I can enjoy music with.

Ardbeg10y posted:

In my world of professional mucisians, 'musical' or 'musicality' is not a real good word. It means that there was 'soul', but too many technical glitches. I assume the same can be applied to Amps?

I think that regarding hi fi hardware, sometimes "musicality" can mean the same thing. I was talking to a hi fi dealer about speakers I was auditioning, and he did contrast 'very accurate speakers' vs. those with 'musicality.'  He I believe meant musicality to mean both 'more forgiving of slightly off program material,' and 'slightly warmer in presentation via a somewhat enhanced midrange.'  At least I think that's what he meant!

Got my red LED Nait back from Class A. I like the results. It's no longer occassionally out of tune and the tiresome/relentless/full on nature is gone, or 90% gone at least. Interestingly, it's still got much of the original character when compared to my green LED version, also serviced by Class A. The red LED has more snappy timing and slightly better rhythm. The green LED is more organic and less obviously a Hifi. Really not sure which I prefer. Anyway, just wanted to report back that, for me, servicing is a good thing

That's good to hear. Lovely little amps

Thanks James. Must say Kan 1s are proving to be very addictive with the Nait 1, despite massive shortcomings. I've had no desire to plug in the floorstanders these past few weeks. Just been a happy chappy

Do any folks have a favourite Kan iteration with the Nait 1 or 2?

I suppose there are several versions of the original Kan really, but the step from 1 to 2 seems to have been the biggest change.