Is there a quality difference between the pre, power and phono sections in the SN3?
I am thinking soundwise.
Why would you care? If the amp sounds good to your ears why does it matter?
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Because I am curious.
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I don’t really know, but when thinking about how I might improve my XS3 amp, it was the phono stage I upgraded. Those delicate little signals need to be looked after 8)
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It’s kinda like asking, “Which part of my Honda Accord is best - the transmission, the motor, or the power steering pump.”
It’s a sum of its parts.
The obvious way to address it is that if you want to start “improving” on some of those parts, an external phono stage will give you many options. You can let your ears and budget decide.
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When the original SN was launched at Bristol quite a few years back @Richard.Dane explained that the design was in part some 282 and 150 but of course back then with a DAC. I should imagine that the pre stage would have had greater priority. Richard will explain far better than me!
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IIRC, the pre-amp section of the original Supernait was essentially similar to the NAC282 except with a lot more surface mount components rather than through hole. The power amp was a more powerful variant based on the NAIT 5i.
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Traditionally it was the pre section being the most inferior- hence the power supply upgrade.
The power amp side heavily taking from the equivalent separate NAP. in the case of the supernait it was originally taken from the 200. (At the time being promoted. 202 + 200 being equivalent in some sorts, as far as I was made aware of the original supernait.
The 112/150 being similar to the XS integrated)
But that’s all water under the bridge.
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Thats a pretty darn good spec … no wonder it has such a following…
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To confuse things further there was the nac152xs and the nap155xs. Which when bought together cost the same as the XS-2 integrated.
No wonder the separates were shortly discontinued
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My understanding is that the pre-amp stage is good and even better with a separate Hicap power supply. The power amp is at least as good as the un-Hicap-ed pre-amp or as good as the smaller separate power amps on which it was based.
The phono stage is good (for MM of course) but the number of people using SNs with a separate phono stage suggests that it is the easiest bit to beat.
Does that look right to everyone who actually has a Supernait?
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I think the pre amp is 1% better than the the power amp. Or do i have that backwards? Its a great piece with some of its own magic that stands up to delivering some great natural music when paired with the ndx2. The fact that the ndx2 is more relevatory that its lesser streamer thru the sn3 should tell u something. Yes more boxes equal more sound, and i think its interesting that old classic starting point is ndx2 sn3 versus nsc222 with new 250 for a 2 box starting point new classic. Single box streamer pre plus power vs the old pre power in a single box with external streamer. Yes it costs more, is it better? Maybe. What i want to know is when the super duper nait 4 is coming out?
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Is the green light considered and outside or inside part?
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