Non-Naim pre to NAP500dr

Hi, anyone with experience using NAP500dr with non-Naim pre? Naim said it is possible to connect NAP500dr to non-Naim pre but they are unable to provide advice concerning what interconnect to use. Any insights or suggestions? Many thanks.

You would need custom leads. What’s the pre-amp. Is it a single ended output (usually in RCA Phonos)?

Non-Naim pre into a Naim power amp is potentially more problematic than the other way around, mainly because Naim design their pre and power amps to work as a whole - i.e. two parts of an overall “amplifier” - and so introducing an unknown, particularly up front of the power amp can cause matching issues, especially if the pre-amp does not limit the bandwidth somewhat by filtering the frequency extremes. It can work OK, but you need to be a little bit cautious.

A certain audio journalist posted here a couple of years ago that he had swapped a 552 for a Townshend Allegri passive preamp paired with a 500. I recall that he commented that the Allegri was ‘not the weak link in the chain’ in that system, or words to that effect. So it can be done, but as Richard says, you need to be careful to ensure that the cable is made up correctly.

i see on your profile a Nac S1 preamp. Are you wanting to downgrade or are you thinking of something better than the Statement pre?

i had a nap 300 dr and now nap 250 dr with my ear yoshino 912 preamp. Chord made me the appropriate cables.

I may upgrade my power amp from NAP500dr to Statement NAP S1. Then I will set up a second system with NAP500dr and a non-Naim preamp but I have yet decided which preamp at the moment. I tried connecting the NAP500dr to my XLR balanced output of my Statement preamp to see if the 500 can work fine with XLR balanced output from the pre. I modified the stock interconnect of the 500 by replacing the Din connectors with XLR connectors with the ground terminal/pin of the XLR connectors unconnected. However, the system discharging humming noise. I also tried connecting the ground terminal/pin of the XLR connectors to the negative terminal/pin and humming noise reduced but still clearly audible. I emailed to Naim support team and my dealer about this issue but they are unable to offer me any solution :sweat:.

I believe you should use the Din outputs on the NAC-S1 when connecting to an amp like the NAP500.

Hi Richard, I am currently using the Din outputs on NAC S1 and no issue at all. But I am testing if the NAP500 is working fine connecting the XLR balanced outputs on the S1 pre or XLR balanced outputs on other non-Naim pre which the 500 will eventually be connecting to in my second system after upgraded to Statement monoblock.

Hi FR, are you using the XLR outputs or the RCA outputs on your pre to connect with the NAP300?

rca. rca to 2X din/ xlr if i remember well.

the nap 300 seems to have the same imputs as the nap 500. However my dealer told me that nap 300 has not really xlr ( symmetric in french).
My ear 912 has real xlr.

The Cannon XLRs on the Naim amps are single ended. Where XLRs are used elsewhere they’re usually balanced.

so i could have connect the ear 912 with nap 300dr with xlr cables, in true balanced mode?

No, because as I say, the XLRs on the Naim amps are single ended, not balanced.

Statement aside, the only amps made by Naim that have balanced inputs are the old NAB300 from 1979 and the NAP250PRO; both being amps specifically made for professional studio use.

ah ok, i didn’t understood well, the why i asked. Now it’s clear and the same what my dealer told me when i had the 300dr.

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