Forthcoming domestic changes will mean that music in my living room will probably come from a Muso and my records and Rega P8 relegated to a spare bedroom.
Originally my idea was to listen solely through headphones and to that end I’ve bought a Darkvoice 336 SE headphone amp and some HD650’s main source will be my P8 into Trichord Dino.
After selling my Supernait 2 and Dynaudio speakers the reality of having no speaker set up isn’t really filling me with joy so I’ve bought a used Nait 3 for a ridiculous amount which I’ve just discovered has 552 MM boards inside even better. I will pair it with Dynaudio Audience 52 speakers using Nac A5.
So what should I expect? It feels very lightweight will those 30 watts drive my Dyns and will it do the P8 justice?
I’ve been driving my ProAc Tablett 50 signatures with a Nait3 for many years. The Nait3 has a wonderful midrange. They are a bit midrange forward but the bass/detail folks complain about the bass and treble. I think it’s similar to listening to vinyl compared to digital. So it works well with digital and wasn’t really setup for vinyl. I think the ProAc’s are about 85db efficient. So pretty much middle of the pack. Not hard to drive but not as efficient as horns etc. The toroidal transformer in the 3 is as big as your fist. It only has 30 watts but it has plenty of current. I picked up a used Nait 5i recently because of the remote. I’ve recently moved to a condo and wanted remote volume control. That amp has extended bass and treble with a little more control in both. But the midrange is just dead compared to the 3. I only use the 5 for AV while watching movies. It just can’t compete with the 3 for two channel listening.
I don’t know about the Dynaudio’s even though my dealer carries them. But my ProAc’s want to be at least 8ft or 244cm apart with that amp hope you have the room.
I think the Nait 3 is very good; I owned two of them and would buy them again in a heartbeat. I don’t find it any worse than the Nait 1 or 2. And it sounds more musical than the Unitis or Superuniti, which can also reproduce somewhat deeper bass, but not musically.
Thanks GreyGhost I’ve always wanted to try a Nait 3 my all time favourite system was
an 82/SC/250 so I’m really hoping some of that Olive sound I loved will come through the
Nait 3 the midrange you speak of and that PRAT is more important to me than anything else.
The Dynaudios are 4ohm 86db and like all Dynaudio speakers I’ve owned are an excellent match with Naim they where made in 2000 and the Nait I have is 1998 but of course there are things beyond just numbers that make these things work.
Adding a dedicated power supply is tricky to do on a standard NAIT 3 if it hasn’t already had the required extra socketry fitted. It’s a bit easier on a NAIT 3R though.
@Bobthebuilder my first Naim setup was a Nait 3 with Dynaudio 42s, no issues what so ever driving the Dyns, fantastic foot tapping setup. Source - Marantz 63KI sig CD player. Dont go by the 30 watt spec, the N3 sounds far more powerful / muscular
Nait 3 olive slimline, is a great hidden Naim secret, not often mentioned, lower prices than earlier Naits while more powerfull - in fact its a Nac 92 + Nap 90.3 in one cabinet.
Has more bite and forwardness than say a Nait 5.
The 522 cards are sought after as most 3xx/5xx cards are.
Looking forward to getting it set up in a couple of weeks. I’m not looking to add anything in the way of PSU’s to the Nait I’m into a simpler set up these days if I get a bit of that legendary Olive PRAT for the £200 I paid i’ll be a happy camper.
I already have a Trichord Dino/NCPSU for the P8 and also own a Rega A2D for an upgraded P1 I was originally going to use for uploading vinyl so I may end up selling the MM boards which will make the Nait an even bigger bargain.
But the Rega Planar 1 is a fantastic starter deck I put a metal sub platter and an AT Mono cart on it and it sounds so much better than it has any right to I may even leave it set up for mono and try it with the MM boards in the Nait.
That’s good to hear. When BobtheBuilder mention the Dynaudio’s were 4 ohm I was a little concerned. I originally had a floor stander that was too much for the Nait3. That’s why I ended up with the ProAc T50 sigs.
Sometimes it’s something more than the numbers that make these things work I’ve driven big Dynaudio Contour s3-4 floorstanders with a Unitiqute in a room just 12 meters squared and at the correct volume it sounded beautiful.
I’m using a Nait 3 (522 cards fitted) with a P8 and Neat Motive 2s. I was previously using a Rega Brio amp, but had my old Nait 3 stashed away and not being used. One day, I thought I would do a side by side with the Brio - the old unserviced Nait 3 actually sounded way better (to me). Since then, I sent it in for a service to Class A and it now has a new full time job. My system is now spot on and at a point where I feel ‘I’m not touching that!’ I did consider a 50, but I think the money will just go on LPs now. Enjoy your amp, it’s a good ‘un.
Well so far using the WiiM Ultra/Gustard A18 as the source playing Tidal and TuneIn the Nait 3 Dynaudio Audience 52 is proving to be a real winner even at reasonably low volume it’s an exceptionally musical and enjoyable set up.
Using Chord Cobra 2 RCA-Din and Nac A5. Really very happy this entire set up cables and all cost less than £1000.
