Official Naim Addict

Hi-Fi Corner
21

Yes I have considered going to that next level of pre/power separates.
Rather like the smaller footprint of an integrated.

Looking at specs on the NAP155XS power amp. It has 60Wpc.
I would actually be losing 10Wpc to my 6ohm AE509s that I currently get from my 70Wpc XS2.
I know I would probably benefit from the stand alone Pre Amp.
But then I suppose a separate Hicap DR powering the pre amp section of the XS2 would almost be a similar situation?.

Not really happy on the idea of more boxes (neither would my wife be :slightly_smiling_face:)

22

Lots of preconceptions there.

And not much experience of the 152XS and 155XS.

But look, itā€™s only hi-fi :-)))

23

ā€œwatts per channelā€ is of little relevance. A NAP250 is 75wpc but is much better than a Nait XS.

24

Yes your absolutely right and at some point in the near future I will look into demoing Naim Pre/Power separates.

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25

Yes obviously when you are comparing a ā€œRelatively High Endā€ Ā£4000 75Wpc NAP250 Power Amp to a Ā£2000 70Wpc XS2 Integrated. And of course there is lot lot more than just Watts Per Channel going on between the two.

Christopher_M had mentioned a much lower end 60Wpc 155XS power amp v the same ā€œXSā€ line 70Wpc XS2 integrated.

26

And the thing I mentioned before that was getting back to first principles.

Itā€™s getting late, 'night all.

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28

I had a 122x/150x at one time, and it was a terrific upgrade over the original 5i that preceded it, especially once a Flatcap 2x was added. The slimline pre and power amps are very good and I was never convinced that the 202 and 200 were really that much better, or at least not sufficiently better to justify the doubling of cost.

Iā€™ve used Naim pre and power amps ever since my first one in 1983 - thatā€™s setting aside the brief time with the 5i, which was necessary for various reasons.

I believe the nickname for the Nait XS while in development was ā€˜Speedā€™, and that excitement is what you clearly enjoy. The fact that youā€™ve tried others and prefer yours says a lot, and the best action now is probably to do nothing.

I downsized my system last year and was torn between a Nait XS3 and Supernait 3. In the end I went for the SN as itā€™s a bigger beefier amplifier, and thatā€™s ideal for small sealed speakers, which really benefit from the greater current. You may find the SN3 worth trying at some point, preferably at home for a few days. The thing to look for is engagement with and insight into the music; something that can be hard to assess in a dealer dem in a strange room and in your case with different speakers.

Chris mentions first principles, in this case, I imagine, Naimā€™s long held belief in the benefits of splitting pre and power. But as you know with your XS2, and I know with my SN3, these integrateds can actually be extraordinarily good.

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29

Hi @EazyRyder , I should have said I came to the NAC152XS and NAP155XS from the wonderful NAIT XS. No regrets.

I know how tedious it is on the forum when people bang on endlessly about their own gear, so I will bow out now, except to wish you the best with it and hope it works out. The fact that you have rejected a series of chunky, spunky integrateds should tell you something.

Cheers, C.

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30

Hearing this about the xs3 has made me rethink my next purchase. Sounds like a really good value amp.

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31

ā€˜Humble Naitā€™ is an oxymoron.

32

Please donā€™t place any weight on my comments as Iā€™ve never heard a Nait XS3. With your wonderful speakers Iā€™d gently suggest that you should be aiming considerably higher. But thatā€™s really for another thread.

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33

Point taken. Sometimes i am tempted to go for the quick fix but it would probably end up costing more in the long run.

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34

For me, and after home and store demoing way more expensive speakers than my final choice.
(And the 3 more expensive Integrateds detailed here).

I have most certainly found more expensive does not always, automatically mean better. And sometimes cheaper can be quite the bargain.

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35

Have you tried tubes amps with your efficient speakers?

36

The Nait XS is one of the best VFM amps came out from Salisbury so not a great surprise for me

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37

Really? Analog, yes. But true speed and punch except for that one time when I bought a HiLine - but when I gave up and used the Lavender again the fun was back!

38

I wonder if finally we agree together. I feel we agree in fact.

40

No, I havenā€™t. They are not high efficiency so would still need a fair few watts. 91db. Problem isā€¦ I have never enjoyed music as much as I have with Naim so itā€™s hard to think about getting something else.

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41

Hi SRO, What did you notice when you upgraded your XS3 with a HiCap?

42

The HiCap DR to me provides a more expansive soundstage, tighter bass, enhanced details but I didnā€™t lose the XS3 sound character. The character I mention that made me like the XS3 over SN3 was that it seemed less clinical and more emotional and analog like. It is different for everyone and really hard to tell preferences unless you can give a listen to each amp on exactly the same components.
The same is true with the HiCap DR. I didnā€™t have a chance to listen to a HiCap DR in advance to purchasing but I investigated and the characteristics people were talking about seemed to be exactly what I was looking for. I am very pleased with the outcome.
Donā€™t forget no matter what you hear at a dealer the sound signature will usually change, even significantly, depending on your listening environment at home and the components your matching either amp to.

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