I just got a set of Neat Sx5i and looking to beef up my amp which is a Nait xs. Anyone have experience in adding a Nap 250 to a xs? It would give me the same power as a supernait but not sure on the performance with the preamp etc in the xs. There’s also an option to get a sn1 but I don’t need the dac (I have an ndx). If anyone has experience with adding a 250 to a Nait xs or how that might perform vs sn1 I would appreciate feedback.
Do you have a long term goal of 282/hicap/250? As id say the 250 makes most sense in that arrangement (or indeed 272/250).
Else id say sn2 to replace xs.
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You’ll also need to factor in the cost of a power supply (Flatcap / Hicap) too if using the 250 with the XS. I’d suggest a 200 would be a better match with the XS unless, as Robert says, you have longer term plans to replace the XS.
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The Nait XS is shown connected to a Hicap and NAP200 in the manual, if that helps.
DR tech has arrived on the scene since the Nait XS’s launch. Your XS with a NAP200DR might be a neat way forward. But as others have said, it depends where you want to go.
C.
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Thanks James and @robert_h I wasn’t considering that. I’m a noob to the upgrade path with the amp so was thinking the 250 could be connected same as the 200. My ultimate goal isn’t the 250 per se I’m just looking to beef up power to be a better match with the Neats. My question is specific to the Sn1 or 250 as each is available at reasonable prices on the used market at present. I’ve since done some reading on the forum and consensus appears to be the SN2 is way ahead of the SN1 so perhaps I’m better holding off until a Nap 200 or Sn 2 comes up on the market.
A Power supply is not needed, you can add a power amp by itself if you want to an integrated. The diagram mentioned is a bit misleading in that regard.
CORRECTION hicap is needed to power the preamp section.
202/200 is another option to consider, and could be reached in a couple of stages. Add 200 with xs as preamp, then swap xs for 202.
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@dave709 A NAP250 or above will require a power supply with a Nait XS. A NAP200 or below will not. Others will be able to tell you why.
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Do what i did, speak to James @ tomtom and let him know what you are after. You might have to wait but something will come up.
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Actually thinking about what Robert says, the XS is a slight oddity here and so perhaps the manual is not misleading. If you use the XS as a power amp then you can connect a Snaic4 between the power amp in socket and a suitable Naim pre-amp. The XS will provide a single 24v power rail to the pre-amp.
Used as a pre-amp, how would you connect it to an external power amplifier without needing to use a suitable power supply in the chain ? The XS doesn’t have a DIN4 pre-amp out socket, only the DIN5.
Using the 200 for example, this has a suitable 24v output to power a pre-amp, There are no Naim Snaic5-4 cables available anymore so you’d need a Snaic5 from XS to power supply (flat / hi / super) and then a Snaic4 from power supply to the 200. With this in mind any power amp upgrade for the XS would need a power supply added too, whether the power amp had a in built preamp supply or not.
Happy to be corrected if this is wrong.
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The xs used as a power amp can power a preamp.
[figured it out myself]
maybe i’m wrong (its not part of naim factory induction week which is a shame) but i assumed Xs as a pre doesn’t need to be powered as it has its own power unlike nacs.
Aaaahhhh.
The power amp section of the xs also sends power (electricity) to the preamp section. The preamp when isolated has no power (electricity). Hence the hicap.
however you can use the subwoofer out instead.
“The NAIT XS provides an unfiltered analogue stereo subwoofer output via a pair of RCA phono sockets. Note: The subwoofer output is a duplicate of the preamplifier output. No low-pass filtering is applied.”
There must be a way of feeding that to a nap. Perfect for nap100. Nap200/250 i assume interconnect with rca to appropriate din plug would suffice.
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That’s right. On the XS, the link plug connects the CH1 and CH2 pre-amp outputs to the power amp input. It also takes the 24v rail from the power amp input and connects that to the two 24v inputs on the pre-amp output socket. Part of the improvement when you add a power supply to the XS is not only taking a load off the internal power supply but providing a true dual rail supply to the pre-amp section too.
I suspect in the upgrade path, it was seen as more beneficial to add a power supply as an upgrade path first and then a power amp, hence the socket configuration on this particular amp. As you suggest, you could use the sub output, but although that would work from a connectivity point of view with the appropriate RCA to DIN4 cable, I don’t think it would give best bang for buck.
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I’m sorry Dave, I have probably mislead you with the suggestion of a NAP200DR and no *cap. My excuse is that is now ages since I owned an XS.
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I thought the same Chris as it applies to nearly all the range. The XS seems to be the exception here.
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No worry @Christopher_M I’m learning a lot reading the exchange and analysis from the thread!
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Agreed, but it does allow a “one box at a time” path to pre/hicap/power.
Add 250
Add hicap (and configure per the book)
Swap xs to pre
I would be tempted to vary by:
Swap xs to sn
Add hicap
Add 250
Swap sn to 282
Takes longer but a more linear upgrade path.
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