A couple of years ago I asked this forum about my SN2 crackly volume knob. The HH Twiddle did temporarily get rid of the crackle but it fairly quickly came back.
For well over a year now it is also accompanied by my the left channel losing sound. Turning the balance knob to left and doing the twiddle fixes it for a few weeks.
I’ve lived with this as it isn’t hard to fix. But it does make we question whether I am unknowingly losing some SQ due this issue.
I think I should probably get it fixed but I’m reluctant to spend a few hundred quid given it’s a 2018 model and not really due for a full service for a good number of years.
Although the ALPS pots are quite well sealed it is possible to try to get some squirts of Servisol contact cleaner in there. Worth trying before going down the replacement road. Obviously only do this when power has been off and mains lead out fora good 10 minutes or so before you remove the sleeve. Squirt it anywhere that looks like it might allow some ingress and then move the pot back and forth. Repeat if necessary.
I had this problem on a Nait5i.
My dealer told me to power down, then rotate the volume control from zero to max and back a dozen times. This solved the problem but it occasionally returned. I now do this whenever I have to turn off the system. I do it on the 252 as well.
It’s one of my little rituals when I power down now, along with pushing the on/off buttons in and out a dozen times and the occasional removal and reinsertion of power cables, interconnects and speaker cables.
And I wrote all that without using the word knob!
@thebadyogi I have the same with my SN3 and know of others too. Perhaps you could work out if it is a pre-amp or power amp issue. Maybe a dealer could take a look at it. Initially Naim thought my balance issue was with the volume attenuator and they replaced it, but that did not fix the issue. After doing lots of checks, we narrowed it down to an issue at the power amp stage. As mine was within warranty, Naim finally agreed to replace the unit.
You may try:
-Unplugging speaker cables at amp end and switching the connections (to see if the imbalance switches sides) and also then try switching the cables themselves
-Try using different interconnects
-determine whether it occurs at any volume level
-see if same thing happens in AV bypass mode
-see if same thing happens in power amp mode
-rule out an issue with your source
