Nait xs 2018 to Nait 50

I have a xs1 with flatcap 2 they are old and I thinking of buying a Nait 50. I read in the forum that the 50 needs very good source and speakers. I am using naimcd5x with hicap chrome and LP12 Armageddon aro benze ruby3 and prefix. I also have a garrad 401 morch arm and linn k18. Are my cdp and tt good enough. Speakers are Harbeth C7 es3 and Dynaudio DM 2/7 naca5. Room very small 10 feet by 10 feet although i can move to my rectangular hall which is 2.5 times bigger. i heard the 50 at the dealer using streaming and floorstand Proarc with 7 inch woofer and ribbon tweeter. It is good with very clear detail transparent sound good bass too. The 50 has better detail and clarity compared to my setup. A home demo is not possible.

The CD 5x Is a very good one and not so fare from CDX 2. I think Is well up to the job

All ampliers do, beware of forum conventional wisdom.

Absolutely.

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You will need to power up the Prefix (Flatcap ?) if changing to Nait 50 and use its MM stage for K18 (isn’t that stylus very old ?)

Guess both your speaker pair will work with Nait 50 amp, though a good dealer which already have a Nait 50 on shelf ? should offer a home loan.
If boxed only I understand home demos not possible.

My local dealer have a demo Nait 50 at reduced priced - it seems as retail network didn’t manage to sell all 1973 pcs.

Have the Nait XS and the FC2 been serviced?

And if they have, surely you would be interested to know how they sound with Proacs? (Perhaps this is also not possible.)

But maybe you just fancy a Nait 50 :slight_smile:

I thought that all 1,973 Nait 50s had been sold. Perhaps they have all have been delivered to dealers, some of whom may have unsold stock.

Flatcap and hi cap is all I have. When I want to use the LP12 prefix I remove either one from the amp or cdp. Have not been using the tt for months due to convenience of CD and limited space in my small room. XS and fc2 have not been serviced and hi cap has been recapped around 7 years ago

Have you tried the serviced HC on the XS?

Either of your speakers and sources should be great with the Nait50. Your limiting factor might be your speakers in your room, but that is not specific to the Nait50.

I would also remember of course the Nait50 has no remote, so you need to be prepared for that if you are used to remote volume control

I don’t believe so, but when they are gone they are gone, I understand there will be no more from the factory… other than pre loved / ex demo models via dealers or private sales. But put into perspective in this sort of market 1973 units is a fair few units of this sort of product to manufacture.

My local dealer basically sound had not sold a single 50 so still had two when I spoke to Tony a few weeks back. He is a bit mystified I think!

Hopefully the world has not reached Peak Nait :slight_smile:

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I suspect they are bit of a hard sell against the competition. 3 inputs, analogue inputs only, no remote and quite a high price…

Performance wise, it’s a little cracker, as quite a few of us have found.

Indeed, I think it will only be punters who definitely know what they want that will be buying them… performance over lifestyle convenience to a high degree… which probably fits me :grinning:

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I bought the NAIT 50 yesterday from the Naim dealer , paid a deposit and will collect it in a few days. It is in its unopened box. Will post a feedback . Of course I have used the hc on my xs and it is better than the fc2 but it is best on the cd5x. Room is very small no problem without remote. My tt also no remote when I set them up. I will see whether my old K18 still good, it was when I last use the Garrad tt ten years ago. I am curious how the 50 will work on my Dynaudio Dm2/7 as I suspect the xs1 is not a match as the tone is sometimes too bright and sharp and the bass is not warm and full. I have to listen with the grill on. Due to small room with a single bed I listen mostly sitting or lying on the bed or other location off axis. It is unusual position but the music is still good. I can always shift them to the hall but my mother is always there watching tv.

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Some appear to be still for sale, but I am very pleased with mine

Naim have it on their website :scream::scream::scream::face_with_peeking_eye::face_with_peeking_eye::face_with_peeking_eye::zipper_mouth_face::zipper_mouth_face::zipper_mouth_face:



I had the Nait 50 for six days now. It is clearly better than the XS1; more details, transparency and clarity. It’s seems to be more powerful than the XS1 because of the better dynamics; at times the music swells and explodes from the Harbeth speakers. The XS1 do not have such dynamics. This applies to both the CD5x and the Sony 3 head cassette deck. Bass is different from the XS; not as punchy and extension is the same. However, it is meatier and more liquid with the better dynamics as mentioned. Treble is less extended without loss of details and clarity. The XS has more treble extension but can sound too bright and piercing at times.
The Nait 50 makes listening much more enjoyable as it conveys the feel and emotion of the music better. In this area, the XS is poor by comparison.
So far have been listening with the CD5x and the Sony tape deck.
Can someone tell me when using my turntable with the Nait 50 phono input is it possible to do recordings with my Sony tape deck.

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I wouldn’t have thought so as the input for the phono stage is at a much different setting to line inputs,

Unfortunately not with the NAIT50. The DIN input sockets are input only so there is no tape output provision on this amp.

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I tried the Nait XS1 on Harbeth SHL5 about 14 years ago. It’s the worst sounding Naim amp on Harbeth. I used 202/200 on the Harbeth for 7 years before moving up to 282/250DR.

I’m not surprised the Nait 50 sounds much better than the Nait XS1 on the Harbeth that you own.