Naim amps automatically shut down when the internal sensor reaches 70 degrees C. The case, despite being used as a heatsink, obviously doesn’t get as hot as that, but some warmth is to be expected.
When people have problems with excessive heat it’s generally down to inadequate ventilation when there is inadequate space around the box, especially if there are other heat producing boxes nearby. Digital sources often run hotter than amps, even in standby, so keeping them close won’t help. My Chord Dave is always quite warm, more so than any Naim box I’ve had, and I certainly wouldn’t be stacking it on top of anything.
Other things that can affect amp temperature are room temperature, volume level, speaker load, and use of poorly matched speaker cables.
If you want to determine whether or not your amp is running excessively hot, stick a thermometer on it. My definition of ‘toasty warm’ may be different to yours.
Thank you Chris.
That covers my temperature question.
At the moment I use drive TT2 to drive speakers. However I also have a Rega Brio, that I plug my speakers and DACs into. ………… On hot days maybe 25’C or a bit more, the class A/B Brio can get a bit hot. (I use an air-conditioner if my room gets too hot anyway.)
It doesn’t quite get too uncomfortable to put a hand on. However it’s best to keep anything off it, like I will sometimes put a couple of remotes on top. Wouldn’t want to make it hotter. … I suppose my definition of tasty-warm would be, ‘I didn’t think it would get that warm/hot’. Not hot enough to be uncomfortable. It’s OK on its own, but makes staking tricky.
I do fully appreciate your points about stacking. Plus Mr M’s points about getting the best from an SN3 of equipment in general.
My approach would be to make some spacing between an SN and anything on top. I am thinking about putting my DAB tuner over an SN3. I would make some spacer though, if I could not find anything suitable. I’d want maybe 8cm spacing to allow for air-flow. That’s just an arbitrary figure of 8cm. More might be unstable and less be not enough.
It’s coincidental that in the latest edition of What HiFi, they ran an article about spacing. Their article was about vibrations though. They actually suggested putting squash balls between equipment that is stacked. Honestly, it’s an article right at the back of the magazine, after the buyers guide. What HiFi magazine edition October 2020. … Anyway that was just a fun fact.
ChrisSU
I think since you said your Naim is cooler than the DAVE, I could make the SN3 work. (With care and attention to spacing.)
My TT2 doesn’t get as hot as my Brio can sometimes. If Naim is cooler then it should be good.
I think if you can get an 8cm gap you should be fine, a typical equipment support is probably less than that. If possible though, I would try to get a shelf that bridges the lower box rather than sitting it directly on top.
Hi Greenbow, do you have a photo of your current rack? It amazes me that people spend this kind of money on equipment, but can not possibly space the components out properly.A basic low budget rack only takes up the same amount of space on the floor as one piece of equipment would. Maybe it is a British thing, but in my one bedroom apartment, there are numerous places I could fit a single stack of Fraim.
My Rega gets very warm, it is designed for a certain amount of heat. More so than it’s Naim predecessor
All amplifiers have heat issues, the important thing is do as the manufacturer intended and that is to have clear space between them . Please, please don’t stack them . I am a Naim user of 30 plus years from simple Naits to a Classic system of five boxes
If I were you I would invest in a decent stand/rack rather than an upgrade to your box.
It depends also of your speakers, if they are easy or not to drive. If you listen at 11 o’clock for a long, it will run hot.
Sorry Chris, I pressed wrong button and replied to you.
Should have been to OP
@frenchrooster,
I would not be listeing with an SN3 at 11 o’clock. … 11 o’clock with higher volume recordings, is loud on my Rega Brio.
Generally by the way, I came across some pictures of the SN stacked. Although they may just be photos of equipment for show since they are in reviews.
Things have changed a little, and I am curious about the last details about the Supernait 3 performance.
When they say the Supernait 3 is fast, do they mean set hair on fire fast.
Is the tonal balance very close to neutral, or just what we could call neutral.
I have scoured the reviews. However one aspect in the descriptions of the Supernait 3, that does not get mentioned is the detail level. E.g. the What HiFi review said “detail level is good”.
That’s a bit vague. What it means is that I get the impression that the SN3 may be a bit full sounding. Sort of thick, rich, sounding. If that were the case though, a reviewer would have covered that. … I think they just assume we know the top of the line Nait integrated is detailed.
The reason I aske is because I bought a Chord Electronics Ttoby, on a 30 return. I know that seems out of character after this thread. However it was reduced from £2,900 to £2000. Since I had been giving the Ttoby some though, as I said somewhere above.
The short of it is that the Ttoby is mind-bending. Speed, talk about speed. I remember the CNET review of the Chord TT (previous version to TT2), and the Ttoby. They said notes stop and start instantly. It’s really like that. Notes sort of have no start or stop, because they start and stop so fast. You have just moved on to the next. Detail level and soundstage are electrifying, plus it does subtle and delicate too. It’s so good, I would net even consider driving speakers directly from the TT2 anymore. It may even be better given the fairly low quality adapters I made.
There’s a problem though. I can hear the fans. It’s possible to get them replaced under warranty. However I could get it back, not much better. I can hear the fans about 3m away in the silence of night. Not loud, but I can hear them. I can sometimes hear the fans when I am set next to the Ttoby in the day.
I think it’s time I trusted what I thought my gut feeling was originally, and buy the Supernait 3.
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