Supernait 3 upgrade options

Why don’t you enjoy what you have and wait until a good used 252 or 552 comes up.

The One Truth is to be content with what you have and don’t have.

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I never give advice on Naim equipment because i don’t know what i am talking about (thankyou for the applause!) But my personal understanding would be Supernait 2. was a
very good amp however in some situations depending on the speaker load and volume
level required the power supply had been under specified by Naim and the solution was
to spend more money on a separate supply if your speakers were as i just described.
Supernait 3. has a inbuilt upgraded power supply which rectifies the previous deficiency.
So what makes you think the power supply is lacking?
Or do you think that adding boxes some how gives you a better sound!
I have no idea why you do not find S/N 3. sufficient as it is but would suggest if you wish
to improve your system you look at another area entirely after you have explored that if you
require further advancements some of the complete amp changes others have mentioned
would be the most logical if you can afford them - but do you Really want to go down that path?

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If you admit that you do not know what you are talking about, how do you arrive at the conclusion that Naim deliberately chooses to offer products that are badly specified and contain inherent deficiencies?

While many owners of Naim products choose to invest in additional power supplies, not all of them do and still seem to be happy with what they have.

Have you actually listened to the products concerned, both with and without an additional power supply? If you have not, then I struggle to grasp how you can develop an informed opinion and achieve a better understanding, rather than post what I see as baseless conjecture.

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I think you may have misunderstood. You are certainly not shy in giving advice on Naim equipment, despite your protestations to the contrary. By any measure, the power supplies that Naim use within their equipment are at the very least more (much more) than adequate for their purpose. Now, if you had argued that Naim over specified their power supplies, you may have more of a point. However, one of the main keys to high performance is the quality of the power supply, so I think Naim could be forgiven for placing so much importance on the power supply, to the point where they offer you the option of adding an even bigger and better power supply should you so wish.

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It’s worth noting that adding a power supply to the SN2 improves the preamp, not the power amp, so it really doesn’t help with driving difficult speakers. There may be a very marginal gain because the inbuilt supply no longer has to power the preamp, but any impact on the power amp will be very marginal.

For what it’s worth I have no power supply on my Supernait 3 and it’s perfectly fine just as it is. It’s got more extensive DR than the SN2 and by all accounts benefits less from a Hicap, something I’m more than happy about.

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well, I just wonder … do people not find it a bit strange and anachronistic in this day and age to have a rack, half of which is sometimes duplicate boxes containing redundant or extra power supplies? I just don’t find the importance of power supplies (no question about it) a good enough excuse not to come up with better philosophy and designs.

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Rather a strange comment on a forum run by Naim to imply their philosophy and designs are behind the times. I think other forum members and @Richard.Dane and @Naim.Marketing may wish to comment!!

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I find the extra boxes expensive, but redundant? Not at all.

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Power supply is 75% of every design. Naim just had the genius to make most components upgradeable.

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I disagree here. First of all; the DR module is the same as it always has been, regardless of model. Secondly - the pre-amp section has been ever so ‘slightly’ revised from SN2 to the SN3. The main differences are in power-amp section itself. The HiCap is still, as ever as it has always been, the true upgrade path for both the SN3 or the SN2 -but with a added Phono-Stage in the SN3 too boot.

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It is strange and anachronistic but that is exactly the reason of its appeal :slight_smile:

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Maybe just turn the ‘power’ off and hope for the best… :laughing:

Actually no. The DR functionality is increased in the 3, so the impact of the Hicap is commensurately less.

How so?

I don’t know but that’s what Naim said. It’s all beyond me.

As far as i can tell, the DR module in SN2 is the same as in SN3 - same as the ‘Alps Blue’ potentiometer(s) - and so is pretty much the rest…

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Tend to agree Stephen - DR is DR

“Marketing blurb” perhaps , who knows

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I can not agree i am a giver of advice on Naim equipment as i am not currently practised in it. Also i put it the way i did so people would know the post was not from a experienced person and could weigh or value it accordingly - it seems others like me cant comment?
(1) If the person wants to change his equipment he can go with the recommendations as i said.
The point i am making is that i am Praising the Power Supply!! so perhaps he should look
else where in his system first, it seems others disagree.
(2) I said the power supply in SN2 may be lacking ONLY in a specific circumstance of use
with low impedance speakers, this is common with ANY amp.
(3) Has the P/Supply not been upgraded SN2 to SN3?
(4) Martin Collums review of SN2 gives the exact P/Supply points i have stated in more
detail. Personally i find the replys to my post to be petty.

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Personally, I find your reply to those posts evasive, but I do not wish to feed a potential troll and I try avoid ad hominem comments. My apologies to the forum if my comments seem antagonostic.

However, I will repeat my question: Have you tried or listened to any of the products that you describe as poorly specified and deficient?

Why would Naim claim DR better in SN3 vs SN2, lower the price, and possibly lose some hicap sales?

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