Sound

Price

The Nait is probably the best hi-fi amp for under £2,000. If you've got more to spend then you can probably do better than this in terms of power, but the Naim makes such a good case for whatever music you put to it via your CD that one simply can't help but want one for oneself. However, like all good things, it has its problems: DIN plugs are a pain, the speaker terminals are the wrong way round, it's really damn ugly with its '70s exterior (I make an exception for the little "naim audio" light which is a lovely touch!), you can forget your tape player (unless it has DIN connectors) and if you'd really like to spend all your money on a full Naim system then this is certainly the big First Step - if you think that's a good thing. It's a very angry little amp, in a nut shell: ugly as hell, over-priced, but english and great-sounding, powerful, neutral, reliable, well-made, upgradeable, sexy... and english. I think it probably has periods too, in its permanently powered-up monthly life, just for added realism! It's a real rock-chick!!!! It lives and breathes and menstruates just for you!

In terms of performance, I can best describe it as being "a Naim". Its power seems infinite, it loves music, detail is wonderful, speaker control is sensational, accuracy is as good as hi-fi gets - which isn't always good - control of all but the most recalcitrant of speakers is 1st rate...

Even those dimbos who write for UK HiFi Magazines seem to think it's OK: Khhhhrist! It MUST be a gud thing.

If you want a great englishmen's amp, and you like a bit of flavour, then place an order: it loves and lives and passes blood just for your amusement!!! A real Lady of an amp!!

Similar Products Used:

lots

Musicality, ryth. and pace, the naim sound

none

I have used this small int.amp on and off for two years. I moved away from it when I upgraded to a fullblown Naim active system IE Naim 52, two 250's, power supplies, active crossover, naim CDS, SBL's ect. You folks that know Naim know what I am talking about. 40 to 50 K. US. I now have a Naim Nait 3, a naim CD 3 and a Pair of highly undrrated Chapman T-7 speakers. For 15% of the cost of the Active system I believe I have 85% PLUS of the sound. And better "imaging and soundstage with the new non Naim speakers; The Naim sound is the best. No comparison between the Krell and the Nait.

Period!!

Similar Products Used:

Krell 300 I

Well, it's been almost 3 years now since I purchased my Naim Nait3 Integrated, and I am still enjoying it as much as I did when I first brought it home. In the process, however, Naim has managed to cause me to lose sleep, ignore friends, annoy neighbors, dance like an idiot in my house, and laugh with joy at the amount of high-end sound coming out of a "slimline" box costing less than $1500.
For those of you that generally shun integrated amps, it should be worth mentioning that the Nait3 is actually their entry-level preamp and entry-level amplifier simply housed in a single container. Placing their preamp and amp in one box has many major advantages, regardless of your level of sophistication. It allows you to eliminate a great deal of distortion and coloration attributing to interconnect cable runs, not to mention the amount of money you save from not having such cables. It also frees you from the task of trying to match components, since the preamp and amp are already 100% compatible. Finally, I should note that with a simple modification at your dealer, the Nait3 can be converted into just a preamp, allowing you to add a different and more powerful amp to your system. You can even add a separate power supply to power such a "Nait3 preamp only" configuration, an enormous improvement in sound. All this means that it is the perfect component for those of you just getting into high-end audio, or those of you with high-end tastes but limited budgets; it allows an upgrade path that continues into the stratosphere!

So how do I think this amp sounds? Rhythmically, the Nait3 is spot-on; it's sense of timing was superb, with a strong sense of "snap," without becoming overly fatiguing. The imaging is extremely precise, though not quite as sharp as larger, more expensive Naim set-ups, but then again, such set-ups easily cost 4 to 5 times more than the Nait. The images the Nait put forth tended to seem "whole," startlingly realistic with their sense of placement, soundstage, and overall presence. When listening to a recording of Paquito De'Riviera (live), I was amazed at how his trumpet section appeared right where it should be: behind the band, slightly elevated, with the clear sense that they were 4 or 5 players playing together, as apposed to a congealed sound. Likewise, the notes themselves seemed exceedingly accurate, and the harmonics were downright fantastic, if not exactly like live sound! Listening to Brazilian singer Ana Caram, for example, I felt as if I could hear every possible aspect of her voice, to the point that you would swear she is in your house for real. Especially on contemporary jazz and rock recordings, the Nait3 also imparted a sense of authority, an almost unbelievable attribute given it's 30-watt rating. Don't be misled by this figure; this amp is capable of delivering tremendous amounts of power in short bursts, and is able to drive just about any speaker at loud to extremely loud levels. To give you an example, I own a pair of Diapason Micra's with a fairly average SPL of 88 dB, and yet I have never turned the volume knob past 12:00 because I am unable to bear the resulting deafness!

When considering the Naim Nait3, though, you have to realize that you are not only buying a solidly constructed, outstanding piece of audio equipment, but you are buying into the "Naim sound." This is not surprising, since the company takes a wholistic approach to audio design. Building everything from amps to tuners to loudspeakers to power supplies to active crossovers, you could easily buy an entire Naim-only system, with superb results. Therefore, if you are an audiophile that primarily enjoys tinkering with new combinations of equipment, mixing and matching components on a fairly frequent basis, a Naim product may not be for you (with the exception of their CD players, perhaps). But if you care more about what music should and does sound like, a Naim component may be just the ticket. For only $1500, you too can have that fantastic Naim sound with the Nait 3, with the chance to get even BETTER Naim sound by upgrading it and adding other Naim components as finances allow. As for me, my next purchase will be a Naim CD Player, followed by conversion of my Nait 3 to preamp and adding the NAP 180 amp, and adding a Flatcap power supply. Such an upgrade will be accompanied by a steep increase in price, but the result, I'm sure, will be just like my first day listening to the Nait: a grin from ear to ear, a tiny trickle of drool at the wonderful sound, and the knowledge that this component is worth every single penny, even at twice its price.