Nait Xs mk1 facelift query

Hi-Fi Corner
4

what i assumed then guys… ill hang on. prices seem to be suppressed at the moment also which helps!

5

If you don’t go for it, I can hear one of my old West Yorkshire grandmas saying, “There’s more for 'em as do”.

6

I heard both, the XS was definitely better to my mind.
More refined, greater detail, although the 5si was by no means a bad amplifier. I finally got the XS, and a FCXS a year later - and a Supernait 2 three years later, but that’s a different story.

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7

I’d be inclined to keep an eye out for a SN2 either a recent ex demo/dealer stock unit or a used one.
You should be able to get one for around £1800-2000 easily enough.

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8

so was that the original xs or xs-2? thanks

9

I’ve owned both the XS-2 (facia revision Mk1) and a XS 2 and found both capable especially with a HiCap added to them. I moved from a NAIT 5 to the XS-2.
I found the improvements worthwhile and expect would be along the lines of moving from your 5 Series NAIT but found things really all gelled together once I had the SN2 + HiCap DR which is where I stayed till very recently.

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10

The original post face lift one (XS-2, as some call it - which I find a bit confusing). The SN2 was certainly an improvement, but the XS was perfectly capable of driving PMC 20.23s. The upgrade urge made me get the SN2… but there was no real need.

11

That’s what the label on the back of it says - Naim made a bit of a mess with that one…

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12

Personally I found the Xs (first one) a big upgrade on a 5i-2, and even more so once I added a Flatcap.

I agree with mr m though. A SN2 is an upgrade again and there are some excellent deals out there at the moment. I got a year old model from an authorised dealer for an excellent price

13

The original XS was 60W at 8 ohm rising to 100W At 4 ohm

The current one is 70w at 8 ohm and 100w at 4 ohm

I would think the original XS had more headroom

Regards

14

Ta folks!

15

This gave me the impression that you are not interested in spending more than the price of a used facelifted Nait XS…is that right?

16

You might be right… :wink: but can wait until later in the year for xs2 as my little NAIT 5si is singing away happily . I just saw a cheap one on an auction site but it’s gone now…

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17

First thing I would do if this at all possible and that is to send off your NAC A5 cables to a really competent dealer and ask them for a ‘Naim standard’ termination done with the correct plugs soldered on either end. The differences to the overall performance can be quite startling even to a unaware pair of ears if not quite done right to begin with?:ear:

18

Yep I was going to drop my dealer a line thus weekend to see if I can sort something out over Easter beak… social distances observed of course…,

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19

I’m curious on this one as I’ve typically used either Chord or for a period of time, QED banana plugs, redid mine recently with Chord ones, apart from the Naim ones spacing the cable termination correctly and the plugs being hot soldered is there a big benefit other than it being the ones they supply with their amps.

20

Yes, at Naim amp end the perfect plug is the Nsim SA8 speaker connector. Use them.

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21

Perfect in what sense, other than it having both 4mm connectors in one “box”
Is it because it’s a right angle connector perhaps?
It’s a genuine question btw, over the years I’ve never bothered to use the supplied plugs and just used regular banana plugs and never found them lacking.
Also in my case my SN3 is on the Fraim base shelf so the NAC A5 exiting the amp at 90 degrees would make them harder to run out towards the speakers I expect.
Is there any expectation of what is used at the speaker end other than any suitable spade or 4mm banana plug?
I expect if the amp is higher off the ground it may have some benefits!
I’ve got Chord ones with the spring “bar” on and they seem ok to me anyway.
Thanks for feedback as always.

22

It’s a perfect metal to metal match as Nd the housing is all part of the design. It means the pins can as m find the best contact into the sockets without being dressed or pulled away from best contact path. Simple, elegant and really rather cool.

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23

That sounds like a good plan. I think you will be rather pleased with the end results. It’s not subtle either. I have been caught out on a few occasions in the past where the soldering was not done quite right (lack of experience, rush job, wrong tools), so this is where an experienced dealer is worth their weight in gold.