I bought a Nait XS2 brand new from my (not local) dealer Moorgate Acoustics a few weeks ago to pair with my Rega P8 (into Rega RS3’s) with NAC A5 cable.
It’s great - but has led to many hours pouring through forums, history, systems, experiences and I am going to upgrade out of an AV amp for my second system (with a Rega P3 on there) and have bought, after much research an Olive shoe box pair of NAC62/NAP140 from the original owner, who bought them in 1991 from Lintone, complete with cables and even the user manual. They were both fully serviced (but not tweaked) by WitchHat in 2017 so look like they are in great shape. Hopefully get them by the middle of the week.
I’d be really keen to hear anyone’s ownership experiences and other tweaks, speakers used etc who have owned this or a similar pair. I was looking at both the CB and Olives but this pair were too good to pass up, and there is something really cool about the Olive boxes lit up and looking sleek that really appeals.
Who knows - the next stages will be an Olive HiCap and if they stay a while, maybe a 250 one day…
I started with a Naim Nait 5si and CD5Si and from then on caught the Naim bug. It sounded good but I knew it could be better. Within a year I moved on and bought an 82, hicap and CB 250. I then added a streamer ND5 XS and swapped my Linn Axis for a Linn LP12.
Upgrade upon upgrade followed:
An off board Dac for the ND5XS
A 2nd hicap
Swapping the 2 hicaps for a Supercap
Changing the CD5Si for a CDS2 with XPS
Changing the CB 250 for 2 x CB 135s
Selling the Dac, ND5XS and CDS2 with XPS to make way for an NDS and 555PS
Adding a NAS drive which also rips CDs
And then full Fraim, LP12 upgrades, speaker changes, interconnect, speaker cable and mains lead upgrades, Cisco switch, separate radial circuit, and so on. Have had pretty much everything serviced that needed it too! Spent a fair bit of money needless to say!
All happened within about 2 years. Am now very very happy with my system. Do I want more? Always!
However, there comes a point when it’s best to leave things as they are and I am at that point right now. I am enjoying the music, buying vinyl and am happy with what I have.
I had some nice Linn Kelidhs when I started my Naim system and sold them for Focal Aria 936 speakers which are a big improvement for my system, providing alot more power, drive and detail.
It’s been an amazing journey. No regrets at all. Don’t be afraid to mix and match olive, CB and black. I have bought used, new from various places including dealers and the bay. Don’t underestimate the value of servicing especially if you are keeping a component long term.
Remove any boards that are not being used like the tape buffer boards (325s?) so as not to use power unnecessarily. There are other tweaks that cannot be mentioned here as they involve replacing other boards with non-Naim boards.
Error- I thought I read 72!!! Only phonos can be replaced.
It’s a fantastic amp, I used it for a year between 1988 and 1989 replacing a Nait, then I replaced the 62 with the newly launched 72. I had a Roksan Xerxes/Artemiz/Shiraz up front, and the 140 drove Epos ES14 speakers. (Yes I was very source first.)
I loved the Nait, but found the 62/140 gave me all I loved in the integrated and more of all of it. You’ll have a ball listening to music.
The RS3’s I have had forwards and backwards and the positions I have them in now seem to suit them really well as they are front ported.
There is at least a metre of excess cable too at/behind each speaker - the NAC A5’s are way longer than K need to get them to Naim’s recommenced length
It was a long time ago, but my memory is that the 72 was like a slightly more grown up 62, it kept the excitement, but high and low frequencies were better controlled. Worth the upgrade I felt, and there is a reason both 62/140 and 72/140 are seen as classic combos, they were (are) so good.
Piece by piece will get them adjusted into their new home (includes cutting rear parts of cabinets for cables with a jigsaw etc!) and some high quality cabling for them both.
Apart from not being olive, this is the pre power (62 and 140) system I started with in the late 1980’s, and I have kept these units ever since, and they are still in daily use. However I soon added a second hand hicap about a year later, and also added a NAT02. These also have stayed in my system to this day.
Everything was serviced, for the first time , last year and all sounds fine, - I hope for the next 30 years!
I hope you find lasting enjoyment with your 62 and 140 (maybe add a hicap), and decide to be content with a fine and well balanced system. The upgrade path is well trodden on the forum, and will be costly, and cause endless debate deciding way to travel.
I have remained content, and it has been mentioned this is a good place to stop, as they say “in the sweet spot”.
(I was tempted to add a photo of my chrome bumper boxes, but you can find them if you want.)
These are my second system and I think they sound utterly impressive, I love the look of them and I will certainly be keeping my eyes peeled for an Olive HiCap (and not for £500 that some seem to be asking) which I ensure is serviced appropriately.
As a non-serial HiFi upgrader, I intend to keep these with me for many years to come
