SN2 vs SN3

Hi-Fi Corner
649

Well Mike, I have watched your journey with interest and am delighted that you truly have maxed out your source (barring 555Ps of course).

I use the NDX2 with Lavender into SN3 but have maxed out my speakers first (Kudos Titan 606). I am very content at the moment but if I had a win or other sudden source of income, I would certainly consider an XPS2 for the NDX2.

3 Likes
650

Although I do not have a SN2 to compare to, my month old SN3 seems very sensitive and I cannot turn up the volume past the 7 oā€™clock mark. At the 8 oā€™clock mark it would be very loud, 9 would be impossible to listen to right now in my listening environment. This is only with a digital source, an NDX 2. When using the phono stage, I am able to bring up to 12 oā€™clock and it sounded amazingly good.

Form what I am reading on this thread, SN2 owners seem to have a little more headroom with the postions of the volume pot.

651

I just got my SN3 running 15 minutes ago. It will be difficult to discuss sonic differences. I say this because I last really listened to my SN2 back in late October. Now Iā€™m running SN3 with Contour C20 in a new home. Very difficult to compare with SN2 with Focus 260 in a old home. Not only that but the setup was broken in and this is all literally minutes out of the box and very very cold. The SN3 was cold to the touch after having been delivered by FedEx an hour or so ago. The Contours were delivered some 4 hours ago!

Immediate observations:

  1. The box looks and feels cheaper than the SN2 box I just sent back to my dealer.

  2. The amp did not ship with caps in the rear speaker holes like my SN2 did.

  3. The new remote is better.

  4. It does need to travel the dial a bit more to get the juice the flowing than the SN2. I rarely went beyond 9:00 on the dial on the SN2. To go up to 12:00 was rare and loud. Never went beyond 12:00 the years I owned it. The SN3 gets going around 9:00-10:00.

  5. My foot is tapping. It sounds lovely with Contour.

Otherwise, canā€™t comment much.

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652
  1. Then we can confirm SN3 need more on the dial to get going compared to SN2. Same experience here. What about the amount of bass and feeling of power? To my ears SN3 feel more nimble and SN2 more powerful. My SN3 will go for repair after holidays. Hope to get it back fast to do new comparisons :blush:
653

GTaudiophile,

Iā€™m glad the SN3 is up and running and sounding good.

However, a little tip for anyone who is keen to get their kit up and running just after having been delivered during this season of cold weather; When you get something delivered at this time of year in the Northern hemisphere, chances are it will be very cold. Give it an hour or two, or even three to warm up to room temperature. Otherwise you can find the components inside can get condensation forming on them and if powered up like this can lead to either immediate or early component failure.

9 Likes
654

I do have a nice set of naim, the SN2 with NDX (1)

Also i have a big speaker which can be bi-amped. => DiY floorstanders for Naim Supernait 2

What will me a nice (read: best) upgrade ?

SN2 => SN3

or

SN2 + NDX (1) + NAP 250 DR

or

NDX2 + NAP 250 DR

For now it is already playing very well :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

655

NDX/SN2/250 doesnā€™t really make sense other than as a stepping stone to NDX/282/250, which would be a good spot to aim for.
NDX2/250 needs a preamp. Itā€™s technically possible to do without one and put the streamer in ā€˜variable volumeā€™ mode, but listen carefully before you commit to that option.

656

I guess might be good idea for dealers to recommend this ?

657

Definitely, although I would hope that they would be well aware and would also be delivering and setting up the kit for the customer.

Itā€™s mostly an issue when distance buying or selling and kit is shipped by couriers who keep it in freezing conditions all the way to your door.

658

Richard, this was also a problem years ago with video recorders being installed when they were cold, condensation would occur and the tapes would stick and break we had a couple of Panasonic VHS recorders that had moisture sensors to indicate this.

659

Even Proac recommend this is their manual for their speakers

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660

This is common sense.

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661

For those knowing electronics yes. The major part will have no idea.

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662

Iā€™ve only had two somewhat brief listening sessions with the new combo. Stuff definitely not broken in. I guess - initially to my ears - the SN3 has dialed in a little more detail/nuance/control and dialed in a little less warmth/bass versus the SN2? Itā€™s hard to say as Iā€™m not doing a apples:apples comparison here. New home, new speakers, and new amp versus old home, old speakers, old amp.

I donā€™t think anything is broken with my unit. Balance works. No hum. Yes, the volume increments on the dial do seem different than the SN2.

More feedback to come.

2 Likes
663

From the Naim stables

Maybe amp 300 dr with 282 pre ?

SN3 would be a lateral move I guessā€¦

My SN2 sounds great too ā€¦

664

Is it worth going from F260 to contour 20?

Contemplating this myself?

Thanks

665

In terms of cables not touching anything (rack, wall, other cables etc) would those foam pipe protectors work, even if they touched?

Thinking about how to rearrange my Gordian knots, without radically changing the room
( read: utmost wifely displeasure) :slight_smile:

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666

Yes, itā€™s best not to be too anal about these things. Hi-fi is for fitting in with your lifestyle and enjoying music, not sweating stuff. Do the best you can and enjoy the music with your wife.

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667

Thanks @Mike_Sā€¦yes, I agree. I put my wife through a lot with all my records, CDs, books, fountain pens, telescopes and Zuni fetishes collections. So itā€™s small beer to not mess herā€¦ourā€¦living room around too much :slight_smile:

Andā€¦just realised I meant to post in the ā€˜tweaksā€™ thread, lol!

668

Callas seems to think so you might want to talk to him