Sure, but the second generation was a huge upgrade over the first in almost everyway, not so this time around apart from an added phono stage being it’s main point. FWIW - I heard a SN3 a week ago at my dealer and very sweet sounding it was too…
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Are you running a PSU on your SN?
No.
There have been significant upgrades to the power amp part as well. This is probably the most significant for users.
You noted you are 95% satisfied with SN, I was told that SN benefits hugely from HiCap. From what I understand much more than SN 2 would. I wonder if thats all you need to get it humming 100%. Perhaps consider a home demo.
I had an SN1/HC for several years and preferred it (marginally and after exhaustive comparison) to 202/200/HC, but only with the HC in play. Eventually I had the HC upgraded to DR and this was transformative. I strongly recommend you try a HCDR on your SN. If you can pick a pre-loved one up for a good price and don’t like it (unlikely I think) you could move it on for little loss.
Roger
Old vs new Naim been done here many times Snarly. All i can say is that some of the analytical nature that could creep in with the SN2 has been much reduced. More ‘musical’ than a Nait 1 or 2? no, but that is their forte, and if you want more than that in terms of timbre, soundstage and control then the SN3 will give you that and then some. If however you want that old school groove and engagement the early Naits still better in that particular area. A step up from the early Naits whilst retaining what’s good about them, well a cooking 32/Hi/110.
All in all the SN3 is a very well rounded package with a more than decent MM phono stage to boot and improves in all areas over the ‘2’ but most importantly loses some of the glassy edge that could spoil the SN2 for me. Would i swap a good early Nait or 32/Hi/110 for one, not unless my speakers were breaking their balls.
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Did the SN2 have more glassy edge than SN1? I do prefer a less glassy analytical sound and in general strive for a neutral sound “straight wire with gain”. I wonder if the SN3 is the best one of them three if so…
Yes the 3 is better than the 2, and for me the worst was the 1. I owned that when it first came out and thought it completely dull and overblown, however i know it has its followers.
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I have a SN2 - bare at the moment
a.
If i run a subwoofer off the sub out of the SN2 - would it load the pre-amp of the SN2 ?
In this case is a HCDR recommended strongly ?
b.
If is rub the subwoofer off the speaker terminals of the speakers - then the SN2 sub out will not be used.
Therefore will this case be of a lesser recommendation for HCDR - as compared to the earlier case ?
I really enjoyed my SN1, especially with a HC-DR added.
The integrated amp that I have had that was just “meh” for me was the Nait XS - good, but not great at anything for me. I just didn’t find it engaging at all, and adding a FC helped a little, but not enough. It was for me very analytical, and had no balls at all. When I moved to a pre-loved SN1 I felt like I was back listening to music again, and then adding the HC took it up another notch as well.
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Yes I managed to read the review today, albeit very briefly. By all accounts the SN3 improves in all areas over it’s forbears. Seems like a very nice amplifier indeed and i wish I had the money to purchase one but I haven’t, harrumpth…
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I’m still running mine from the Nova whilst waiting for NDX2 to arrive, it’s really easy to do A/B tests between both, initially they sounded fairly identical to my ears and the SN3 dident sound at all bad out of the box despite what you’d expect. Now with about 150 playing hours up and been left on 24/7 for the guts of a month it has gradually overtaken the Nova in terms of detail & nuance, sound stage and bass, it’s really rather nice and still very early days. Credit where credit is due though to the Nova, it’s not a night and day difference but certainly appreciable
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The reviewer claims the SN3 has a more muscular bass “A naim with bass!” . Since I prefer an amp that doesn’t color the signal I wonder if the SN3 color the bass with more of it or if the SN2 lacked bass meaning the SN3 is more source correct?
Bass is certainly not over accentuated just a little more present but very controlled, but that’s just with the Nova as a pre/streamer
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A question about the remote control.
Does the new SN3 use an identical remote to the SN2?
Is it similar or a different design?
I don’t suppose someone could put a picture up here - I cannot find on anywhere on the internet.
Thanks
1GL
The NARCOM 5 remote control.
Yes, its the same.
Thanks Hollow. Appreciate that.
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Because it could offer you the same, or more, at a significantly lower, or much more reasonable, price…?
I’ve owned Naim for a decade now.
Pace rhythm and timing is what I look for in my Hi fi
Not particularly something that Hegel specifically has devoted some 40 + years in a single minded pursuit like Naim.