Not what I meant but never mind.
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Yes it’s an uncomfortable thread from the tone of title and original post onwards.
We did what we could 
Now back to OP for own (research/demo/puzzle) effort.
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I’m a British Rega fan and I think PRAT is a tad nonsensical. Paying attention to the music is what counts. You stream which is fine. I also stream but vinyl is my weapon of choice I’ve never cut short a side of music. As a consequence I find new nuances every time. I just can’t do that with streaming or even CDs because that remote sticks it’s oar in.
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Completely wrong about the Harbeth speakers. Completely.
No please, what did you mean?
Yes, the original owner of my xs3 did say the same about the nd5 xs2. I’m still wrapping my head around how keyed-in the synergies between naim components are. I’m reminded of the recent post about nac a5 cables that blew people’s minds. As a naim newbie I was a bit amused considering I owned a pair.
I also agree with you about the psu upgrade. It might not be enough.
How this thread would cause discomfort slightly raises an eyebrow. I’m just a naim newbie with a quest to experience the much talked about naim prat and seeking sage advice. Thanks though, and take it easy.
I sold a Hegel pre amplifier and a well regarded Italian power amplifier, and replaced it with an XS3
The Hegel always sounded a little thin, and the XS3 was a vast improvement.
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For you sir, who presumably have an ear for the hegel house sound, to say as much sounds very interesting to me. See, this is what i’m hoping to discover for myself. Did you take on an external psu and/or a power amp?
Did you try speaker re-positioning? It always amazes me how much of a difference that can make. On the other hand, I do n’t know if speaker positioning can be different per amplifier.
At some point in my life, I have to find a dealer that can demonstrate the elusive ‘PRAT’ to me I honestly do n’t know what it is and what to expect. I either like what I hear or I do n’t. That is for the most part personal.
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Hi, As per Naim lore, I was tentatively trying to suggest that your Velodyne sub should be connected to the back of your speakers. And then I asked if this was the case with yours? because if not, it may make a difference to elusive prat.
(But I don’t own a sub, have never had a sub, and have never wired one up. I don’t know how significant it is. I have had a minor epiphany in replying because I have realised that I have been ‘contributing’ to the forum for long enough and ought to know better! It possibly does more harm than good to reply either wrongly, or to bring in a red herring, when what posters (maybe you too) really want to read is something written with conviction and certainty. Which is why I said others will have to give you the whys and wherefores about subs.)
I’m seeing your sub as a kind of sideshow, and wondering if your MAs are ill-matched with the XS3 when compared with your Hegel. To give an example, Naim speakers, now discontinued, tended to be a 6Ω load. Possibly more prat inducing.
C.
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What @Christopher_M was referring to is that some subwoofers have a high level input which can be connected to either the main loudspeaker output of the amp, or the input sockets on the loudspeakers themselves. In a Naim system it’s generally preferable to connect to the loudspeakers.
Depending on the sub, a low level connection from a preamp output (usually RCA) is an alternative which I’m guessing is what you are using. This is a perfectly good way to run a sub, but it’s possible that the high level (aka speaker level connection) will sound a little better.
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@Ompong79 Any PRaT yet?
True, and let’s not forget “tune dem” and “source first” along the same lines.
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Yes, but I think “source first” has a lot of merit and still is relevant, which is a bit sad as you see some very unbalanced systems quite often, even on here.
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In my experience the electronics, be it separated or integrated, don’t give prat alone.
For example I heard Nac 282/ Nap 250 with a PS audio cd player. I was not involved.
I wanted to buy the Cdx2 of the dealer but he insisted on his PS audio.
Then, on my own insistence, he connected the Cdx2. All the Prat returned.
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It does within the right context, but it was conceived and it is still peddled as a mantra to sell the more expensive turntable, which will not necessarily translate into the next most beneficial upgrade. Balance is a selling strategy IMO too.
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It’s an interesting question, does spending 50k on a TT or streamer and feeding it in to nac 92/nap 90 give better sq than a 2k TT/ streamer in to a 552/500 system.
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What you are referring to, if I understand correctly, is synergy, and that’s really a thing IME. Synergy is elusive and unexplainable, but likely what carries the most weight in this hobby, way more than just upgrade, upgrade, upgrade…
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The XS3 is not a Prat. It just sounds dammed good.
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