Nait 3 for present to my son

Hi-Fi Corner
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I have a main set up of 82, Supercap 2, 2 x 135s CB, NDS, 555PS, CDS3, XPS, LP12, Lingo 1, Graham Slee Phono stage into Focal Aria 936.

Anyway, I am looking at setting up a system for my 12 year old son to get him into audiophile systems. I already have an old Marantz CD player and a Thorens TD160 knocking about. I also have an unserviced Quad 303 power amp which needs a service if I use it.

I have some speakers knocking about as well. I am thinking of buying a Nait 3 to go with the Thorens and CD player. And then selling the Quad 303.

What do you all think?

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Lucky son and well done.

Personal choice but I’d swerve the 3 and see if I could find a 5 in budget.

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I had a Nait 3 and loved it

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The 5 is nice but I think you’d need an external phono stage. The 3 has this built in.

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Sounds like a great plan. Love the NAIT 3 and of course it has the facility for internal phono cards. If you’re looking for one, then maybe best to find one already with NA522 boards inside.

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Nait 3 or Nait 5 (original) are great bargains these days. Nait 3 of course has option of internal cards. Nait 5 has option to plug a Stageline straight into Aux2 powered socket, which works extremely well.

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That is what I was thinking, I am on a budget and don’t want to spend much over £300!

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Thanks. I had a 5Si and it was very good. Sold it to make way for 82 and 250 and hicaps a few years ago. Am considering all options at the moment.

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What do you think sounds best the 3 or the 5?

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Both my Nait 5 gave my 5si a good lesson in playing music. Had all at one time, kept both 5 s and moved on Si.

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There’s always the option of a brand new rega io, has built in mm stage £379.

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Hi Robert,

It looks like a great buy. Is it going to be as good as the Nait 3 or 5 though?

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For £300 you sometimes see the 92/90 as a bundle in the usual places essentially a Nait3 in two boxes.

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Also the remote version of the Nait3 or 92 sounds better than the none remote version.

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Just to say that if you were going to give him a Quad amplifier then the 303 is not the one to choose. Apart from being very old now, it was completely outclassed by the 405 that replaced it. I know - I had both in their time.

But anyway I agree with the emerging consensus here.

Best

David

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I have only heard one on demo at the bristol show in the context of the £999 rega system (amp tt speakers and all cables). Quite astonishing at the price. Naim could never match that price, we wondered how they were achieving that level of rrp. Could be wrong but I believe made in UK.
For brand new i wouldnt consider anything else. versus older nait 3 and other combos then i imagine the naim would be better but personally if you need a capable amp and don’t need to worry about condition and possible servicing then i wouldn’t hesitate to buy the io.
I have a broken cyrus iii amp and frankly there’s no point me paying £ to get it fixed.

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Or, a MF Xa-1 or 2 from usual sites. Cracking small amps.
Still look fantastic to me.

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I have just bought a Nait 3 with phono stage for a cracking price of £310. Have ordered Naca 5 cables. Just pondering whether to use some existing speakers which are AE home cinema speakers or TDL bookshelf speakers. Or maybe but some some nice bookshelf speakers used around the £200- £300 mark.

This is a second system so am on a budget. Any advice very welcome!

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If you want to buy some speakers that would be a great match for a smallish room against a wall i can recommend a pair of mk1 or 1.5 versions of the Rega ELA. For around the £100 mark these floorstanders are a fantastic match for a Nait 2 or 3.

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Thanks @GaryYeowell. The room is small 5’ x 8’. It will be used as my study/son’s gaming and music room!