The performance benefits of a separate power supply go above and beyond the DR elements, but it would be an interesting head-to-head to do!
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The hicap dr does improve the sn3 but not to the same extent as sn2 so assume the dr in the three is more comprehensive
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If you will forgive me butting in, I was tempted to upgrade from xs3 to SN3 as a touch of retail therapy and the only thing that put me off was the inclusion of the balance control and now notice a number of people are having issues with this control. Any thoughts?
wich kind of issues?
There is a thread currently running on this. Volume imbalance on SN3. Hi fi corner.
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Not to denigrate any individualās experience - in an ideal world, everything would be perfect! - but as ever with Forums/the internet, a few cases can appear to be an āissueā, when it isnāt. I recommended one of my best friends buy a Supernait 3 in full confidence - i would say the same to anyone.
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There is a mute button in the app too, even with system automation. It seems frequently overlooked because it is on the Play Queue screen and is the tiny speaker icon. (Does not & cannot show current state with sys automation, but works)
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Well, from what Claire has listed, it sounds like there is a substantial and appreciable difference between the two integrated amps. So if youāre not planning on moving to separates in the future, I would think an upgrade to the SN3 would be a good idea.
If I was eventually planning a separates system, then I personally am not a fan of single step upgrades due to the extra costs, and would sit tight and save my funds until I could move to a 282/250dr system.
This is basically what Iām doing at this point in time. However, my NDS/SN2 set up sounds so darn good, it will be a good while before I make an upgrade.
Anyway, this is just specifically the way I think regarding these things, and Iām a little weird (just ask my wife). LOL
Best of luck with whatever you decide to do, and as long as it says Naim on the front you really canāt go wrong at all.
Cheers.
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you are absolutely right: separates would be my own target, but who knows when? thatās why, on the contrary, I was thinking of an āintermediateā upgrade in the next future.
regards.
Stefano
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As for compare amplifiers, I remember back then I had to replace my 250/72/hicap for a short period.
By luck I had a Nait 2 as spare and promptly experienced the difference , the little Nait didnāt have quite the same control, bas-tightness, power and organic performance.
However I concluded later, that my ears very fast got used to the ānewā sound.
In fact important things like musicality, involvement, timing etc. didnāt lack much if anything.
Its been decades since that experience, later on Iāve tried loads of Naim amplifiers, my ears can adapt happy to most of them, new, higher or lower hierarchy is not always by default better.
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Mr Everard interview states a separate PS for pre and power sections in the SN3 is it the case also with the SN2.
Re: Supernait3 phono stage - at launch it would have been great if Naim had reintroduced a new range of factory / dealer swappable plug-in phono boards covering different loadings for MC and MM options, making it the most versatile amplifier in the range.
Iāve not had the opportunity to hear the SN3 as yet (look forward to comparing it to my Nait2 at some point), but if as good as the reviews and owners describe, then it surely must be good enough for this option.
Perhaps for the Supernait4 and the refreshed Classic pre-amps? Yes please.
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Well yes, if you think it will be quite a while before a move to separates, then an SN3 would be really nice. HH has one, and he loves it.
You may actually find that itās good enough, and you wonāt require the upgrade to separates, which frees up more funds for speakers and sources.
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I recently took to listening to my SN3 with the displays all dimmed, same on my Cdx2-2, now I know itās probably the fact that they are now both less visible but really prefer both the sound and the look in stealth mode.
I have got a Rega Ania in front of the amp for my turntable, but I have to say on the occasions Iāve run with the native phono stage it is very, very good.
I swapped from a Rega Ania (MC) to Ortofon 2M Black (MM) when I bought the SN3. Itās great to just be able to plug the turntable into the back of the amp without phono stages, more wires and general faff. The Ortofon into the SN3 sounds just as good as the Ania and Fono MC ever did. There are some very good MM cartridges around.
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Couldnāt agree more, for me the Aria just edges it on all round versatility on music type, BUT, on dance music there is a certain something that the straight SN3 phono brings to the party.
Ultimately I think the inbuilt phono is pretty special in its own right.
The aria may still find its way into the second system of the Densens again, but that would mean admitting I shouldnāt have gone and bought the Densen phono stage over Christmas ā¦
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Sorry, my bad, I meant Aria, not Ania, so Iāve got Exact into Aria. So yes, I could run native into SN3.
I blame Rega for product names with only a letter difference and fat thumbs.
That combo will beat a Supernait 3 if itās all serviced.
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I have moved from
NDX2/202/200/NAPSC/HCDR
to
NDX2/SN3/HCDR
The 202/200 sounds slightly better.
But I am happier owning the SN3 because:
- SN3 has lower input sensitivity and hence I have a wider (and more precise) operating range for the volume knob
- my 202/200 has more pronounced left channel to right channel imbalance at very low volume. SN3 doesnāt but this could be sample to sample variation
- occupies less space and looks neater.
- wife is happy and hence I am happy too
If sound is very important to you, go 202/200.
If your appreciation of music has other factors like those I have mentioned, SN3 gets my recommendation.
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all serivced on december 2020
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