SN2 vs SN3

My dealer offered to exchange mine,however as I’ve read several forum members have had more problems,I decided to keep it,after all the little green light not being centred is hardly a major fault.

Anyone compared the power handling between SN2 and SN3. Do they seem to be identical or is SN3 a bit stronger on tough loads?

Don’t worry! I am the one who reported problems at very low volumes. Naim changed my first SN3 but refused to change my second one stating it was a characteristic of the ALPs volume control.

I reluctantly accepted the situation and continued to burn the amp in 24-7.
After about a month I now find that the balance has fairly much sorted itself out. The balance remains biased to the left but only at extremely low levels and I mean extremely low!

Instead of having to adjust balance at reasonable levels I now only have to adjust at whisper quiet - I listen at low levels but the problem is at whisper quiet levels - no-one would ever listen this low!!

Buy with confidence!

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The balance control on my SN2 is slightly left of centre. This has never bothered me, I have never altered the setting, whatever the volume - and I like listening at low levels.

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My SN3 is fine and sits at 12

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I think the best solution would be make sure to check the unit that I would actually take home.

I do listen very quietly sometimes. I have the sort of setup similar to a very small home studio. What I mean is speakers in front of me and not very wide apart. At the moment they are hooked up to the RCA output ports of a Chord Hugo TT2. (The sound quality is beyond words, but that’s another story.)

The volume levels that I run are sometimes very low, but on occasions I need more power. The TT2 can output about 9W onto my six ohm speaker load, from single ended RCA. It’s class A, and can go louder than I need with normal music. However quiet music, or other uses than music, sometimes need more power.

I could use balanced out and get up to about 20W. (If that makes no sense then the TT2 manual explains it.) However the TT2 can get a bit hot when pushed. It’s fine with single ended, but maybe not quite so with balanced output and pushed. Therefore I am reluctantly thinking about an amplifier. Additionally, in summer, the TT2 gets a bit hot even without being pushed.

It means the amplifier that I would buy must be still have plenty of life at low volumes. Also it should not increase volume too quickly with the remote. What I mean by low volume levels is this. Preset line-level out on the TT2 is 2.5V. I use quite a bit less than that sometimes. (TT2 single ended output can swing from 0V to 3.3V. (Or be preset to 2.5V.))

For further context, I have a Rega Brio (new type) which I can use at minimum volume. Luckily it’s plently lively at low volumes. Just that if I am going to keep an amplifier in my system, I would prefer something with more quality.

I also need an amplifier because sometimes I use another DAC, a Chord Qutest. (There isn’t the means to drive speakers directly with the Qutest.) I use Qutest for more menial tasks and sometimes music. Whereas I prefer to keep TT2 for just music. Thus I need an integrated amplifier.

However Bjm, you weren’t the only person saying they had balance problems. It’s good to hear that yours is settling though. I hoped it would with running the amplifier in. Am still apprehensive about the SN3 though, I will admit that.

By the way, thanks to:

Lorro1
SamClaus
Hollow
JNelson2000

for input.

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My SN3 balance seems fine @ 12 o’clock, although work has limited a long in-depth listen on speakers, and on 'phones I’m much too wrapped up in the music to experiment much…

I’ll have a play on my day off next week :slight_smile:

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As you can reduce the TT2 line out down to low levels this should mitigate against any slight channel imbalance at very low amplifier gain levels by enabling you to run the amp gain slightly further up the range of the ALPs pot, no?

I might have to do that anyway. I have the feeling that the SN3 gain would be a bit quick between steps on the remote buttons clicks. Might have to reduce line level in to 2V. That’s what most lower end gear runs at anyway, so won’t be a problem. Would be better for sound quality to run a higher line level from DAC though. (DAC has higher S/N ratio, although we don’t know the SN3 S/N ratio.)

Really good suggestion of yours though.

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The Supernait 3 just got reviewed by HiFi Choice, in their December edition.

It only got a Recommended badge, while the Nait XS3 got an Editor’s Choice badge.

Also the reviewer (Ed Selley) said stuff about the SN3 that, sort of disagrees with other reviews.

  1. That the SN3 headphone port is good rather than great, and hardens up when volume is increased. He recommended use the Naim Headline headphone amp.
  2. That the phono stage was bettered by the Naim Stageline. Leaving the SN3 phone stage only OK for medium budget cartridges.

I don’t think that HiFi Choice were saying that the phone stage was bad. However other reviewers were saying it’s the best built in phone stage they had heard. The headphone port discrepancy puzzles me too; I read it was excellent on one or more reviews.

However overall it’s giving the SN3 on a ‘Recommended’ that has my sitting back and wondering. Firstly the reviewer said he moved his resident SN2 to make place for the SN3 review model. Then said how much the SN3 was an upgrade. Well why be a resident SN2 user then? Why not give the SN3 an ‘Editor’s Choice’? Also, why have a resident SN2 if the SN3 is only ‘Recommended’? It doesn’t add up. Is he saying he doesn’t really like his ‘resident’ amplifier?

Why not say why the SN3 failed to make Editor’s Choice, so we can make out evaluations? I suppose the SN3 didn’t get Editor’s Choice, because of what I said above. Seems odd that other reviewers disagree, and it appears this is why only a ‘Recommended’ rating.

What I don’t understand overall is why the vagueness over the SN3 in all pro reviews?

I’m sure the SN3 is excellent but I’m not surprised by the review. The headphone out on the SN2 was ok but a long way from excellent, and I think its reasonable to suggest a specialist headphone amp and phonostage is likely to outperform built in ones in a reasonably priced integrated amp isn’t it?

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You assume that the reviews are conducted under strict conditions with known control gear for comparison, which also has measurements to support the audible findings. It has been a long time since I have seen such consistent reviewing!

Also, what does an editors award actually mean? I suspect that any of us on this forum who had a resident SN2 for comparison would have produced a better review and would award based on actual merit.

I do miss the reviewing style of years ago!

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Is super cap much better than hi cap? With SN3

A specialist phono and a head amp is a must for those seriously into playing vinyl and using headphones.

IMO… At a price point… There is only so much a multi-featured amp can do I suppose.

That’s not to say SN3 is not good… just that in the opinion of the reviewer… The new XS3 is more bang for the buck.

There is no confusion here I think

Regards

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Hmm…I’ve not noticed any hardening at volume on my Audeze phones, using the headphone out.

But…I’ve not heard a Headline.

So far, quite happy with SN3’s headamp.

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No idea, but i never liked the SupercapDR on the SN2.

From the review that Mon posted,

Quote, “I’m familiar with a certain harshness at volume or extended plays ……”.

What! Does that mean don’t play your Niam loud, or for long listening sessions?
(Sorry this was a rhetorical question.)

Has anyone done a real comparison with the SN3 with and without the Hi-Cap DR? (Only asking for SN3 users please, i know it improves the SN2 for the majority of people)

Thanks