I have a Naim-serviced NAT02 that we greatly enjoy and use a lot. It has a lovely whole real sound, dynamic and engaging, better than anything else we have (which includes several top tier tuners from Pioneer, Kenwood, Yamaha, and Nakamichi).
An Naim-serviced NAT01 recently came into my dealer (Hawthorne in Seattle) and of course I had to check it out. It had been run in for some hours, but perhaps not fully burned in? I did have it on at the house for a week before I did my serious listen. After 24 hours on or so I didn’t notice a big change however.
Given our location I don’t want to subject my neighbors to a lot of view clutter, so our antenna is just a Magnum Dynalab ST-2 whip mounted on top of our chimney. It does seem to work well however.
I would say the difference was a matter of degree. The NAT01 was somewhat tighter in the bass, and had a clearer soundstage. Interestingly, it had a bit less hiss, even though I believe the actual tuner is the same (?). The NAT01 demanded more attention with complexity and detail. Given that we don’t listen critically via the tuner that much, in an odd way I preferred the NAT02 given its more relaxed presentation. The one caveat was perhaps it wasn’t fully burned in or warmed up? I decided it wasn’t worth the cost to find out (the serviced 01 was quite expensive).
I did really like the serviced NAT03 we had previously, but the step from that to the 02 is bigger than the 02 to 01. The NAT03 is more linear and propulsive - sort of like Rega vs Naim.
I did previously have a chance to compare an unserviced NAT01 with my serviced 02. In that situation, I definitely preferred the 02…the NAT01 didn’t really gel, even though you could tell it had more information to was trying to present.
Just sharing this for posterity in case it’s helpful for others.
Like my CDi (long gone sadly) I bought the NAT02 because you couldn’t add a power supply/it didn’t require a power supply. Zero temptation. 30 odd years later, never regretted the decision.
I recently sold my NAT-01 to a guy who lives in Detroit that has access to great FM station (so far there are no tariffs on the Canadian CBC broadcasts).
He also has a serviced NAT02 side by side with it.
Antenna is the near mandatory G17.
He rates the 01 considerably above the 02.
He only bought it after testing the 01 for several months.
I have a preloved NAT01 that I have had for about 5 years. I am not sure of the service history as I haven’t looked into it as I have had a lot of other equipment serviced. Sounds great into my 252/SCDR/300DR system. Lovely analogue sound with wide stage. I have an external aerial but not a G17. Once warmed up it is very stable and locks onto BBC Radio 3 and 4 FM broadcasts here in the UK very well. I haven’t had a NAT02 so can’t compare I’m afraid. Best way to listen to radio I think!!
In the days I had a CDS1, NAT01 and LP12/Geddon/Aro/Prefix/Supercap as my sources, I spent 95% of the time listening through the tuner. The LP12 had a tedency to get fatiguing after a while…but the tuner was always warm, inviting and totally musical.
The CDS1 was far closer to the NAT01 than it was to the LP12, and had I not had the tuner, it would have been my primary source.
So yes, in many ways the NAT01 IS Naims best source…ever.
I did borrow a NAT03 for a day, and also ran it using the G17 antenna.
The NAT03 sounded like a miniturized version of the 01, being less in every possible parameter…dynamics, clarity, frequency extremes, soundstaging and ultimately listenability
The NAT01 (and probably the 02 also) requires at LEAST 1mV of signal strength.
Any less than this and it becomes a pale shadow of what is truly capable of doing.
It also doesnt handle multipath very well, so really needs a Yagi antenna with a narrow acceptance angle.
Without that the NAT01 is merely good, but not trancendental.
Helpful to see everyone’s responses. I think the bottom line for my situation, where a monster antenna is just not in the works, perhaps the NAT02 is the right choice…though admittedly I’m real curious about what I’m missing.
If I were out in the country it would be a different story.
I didn’t feel any difference in sensitivity between NAT 01 and NAT 02 .
I now use Tandberg 3001 A which have extremely good sensitivity and also NAT 05 XS which I feel have the highest sensitivity of the Naim tuners.
I’ve owned many excellent tuners over the years ranging from a Marantz 10B, Magnum Dynalab Etude and Day Sequerra FM Studio to a McIntosh MR65B. I’ve also had a few Naim tuners: NAT 101/snaps, NAT 01, NAT 02 and NAT 03. I’ve heard live studio broadcasts through each of these tuners that made me feel as though I was sitting in a broadcast studio with the performers. What these tuners need to perform their best is a quality electronically adjustable outdoor mounted roof antenna. Something that your neighbors might not be too thrilled about you installing.
Without such an installation you will never truly hear what these tuners are capable of.
You seem to have used the majority of excellent tuners ever made. Only a handfull are missing from the list…Meridian 104, Quad FM3, Sugden T48, TOTL 1970s Yamaha/Sansui and Nytech.. And the Naim clone Ion.
Even high sensitivity tuners need a Yagi, not so much for gain, but to reject the inevitable multipath (and other distant stations that may broadcast on the same frequency).
The only tuners I have heard that sounded live were the NAT01 and the FM section of a Nytech 252XD.
I mentioned the best sounding tuners I’ve heard. I’ve also owned some others that were very good but IME not quite in the same class as the ones I previously mentioned. They include an SAE MkVIB (sans nixie tubes), Revox B261, Marantz 125, Meridian 204 and 504 and Leak Troughline 1 using a Fisher MPX 100 stereo decoder.
One tuner that I’ve always wanted to try, but never got around to buying, was a monaural REL PRECEDENT. This was a cutting edge FM tuner back in the 1950’s that to this day is still highly regarded for its excellent sound quality.
Since most radio stations now use Internet streaming for their programs the FM tuner seems to have become an antique. I remember my first receiver, a Marantz 2230 that I received from my parents as an early 16th Birthday present in 1975. Back in those days who would have envisioned the Internet or how it would eventually become the global hub for connecting people?
Have you tried the legendary Tandberg 3001 A,
it’s spectacular and regarded by many as the best ever made.
For me it’s even better than NAT 01, when the reception isn’t good .
