Oh well, I guess I’m not ‘normal’ then 
First part, second part or both please?
Just wondering why you are suggesting Wilkinson stores mains blocks?
I’m surprised that people use cheap mains blocks with high end audio components… 
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That’s interesting. I was told at the North-West HiFi show by the Naim salesman that it was the same as the Atom. Perhaps they are all the same. But presumably even though the Headphone amp is the same as other devices, presumably there is also reliance of the rest of the electronics, so may well sound different, hence the question on Atom v Naim50 (+ perhaps v NC 222) headphone output
I picked up my NAIT 50 today. I can happily join the chorus of satisfied users. First I attached my headphones (Dan Clark Stealth). These are amazingly good ‘phones and very revealing, but as they are relatively insensitive and of only 23 Ohms impedance, they are hard to drive. My Atom (standard edition) sounds anemic when trying to run the Stealths, but my Atom HE works just fine. The NAIT sounds very similar to the Atom HE, (it may have the same electronics), which is to say “very very good”!. The volume knob needed to be at about the 1-2 pm positions, but the Atom HE needs to be about 60, so I think comparable. So if someone is looking for a state of the art headphone amp, this is it.
I then connected the NAIT to a pair of old B&W bookshelf speakers of about 81dB sensitivity (those are due to get replaced soon) in my second system. I listened to radio, Tidal, and my Uniti Core (opera, jazz and more). It sounded better than my standard Atom that was in this system before, but I am using a separate (and better) DAC on the front of the NAIT, so that could be the reason.
The NAIT is easily my lowest powered amp (next lowest would be the Atom, and the most powerful is my Simaudio Moon that can put out 250 wpc into 4 ohms) so I was a bit anxious that the power would be insufficient, but I needn’t have worried; driving my 81dB speakers at quite loud levels, the vol knob is at about the 9.00 am position, and it sounds just excellent. It sounds like a very competent and much more powerful amp than the specs suggest. I have no idea how this was done. Interestingly, it stays cool to the touch, and it’s a closed box with no vents. Even the Atom gets warmer than this. Overall the engineering of this little box is impressive!
My only complaints: That damn light! It is so intense you could find your way to the bathroom in the dark at 3am! I had to put a post-it note over it so I could go on listening! Other gripe: Why not use RCA sockets for inputs? My dealer had no RCA to DIN connectors, but I solved that problem with a $12 connector from Amazon.
Bottom line: Whatever the limits of the NAIT are, I have yet to find them. I suppose if you want to run a disco in a hall with 200 people, this is not your first choice (but could be interesting to try!). This is a very good sounding amp and worth a place in any system where you don’t need extra features (balance control, remote, etc.).
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I seem to be in a minority in having a Nait 50 which does not have a blinding light.
(Someone ought to key up that Manfred Mann/Bruce Springsteen song!)
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I may have this wrong, not having seen a Nait 50 in the flesh, but I thought the light was dimmer in ‘standby’ mode (on but not playing) and only goes full-on searchlight when ’ active’ and music is actually going through it?
Would you expand on this point please?
What is a standby psu?
Is this a function of the main transformer in the ND5XS2, or some other component in it?
I can hear the click when I first plug the ND5XS2 in, and see the light come on on the front.
IIRC, the manual for the Nait 50 (and also the manual for the 135s and many other Naim products) recommends installing a dedicated radial.
Are you saying a dedicated radial cannot improve sq in a good Naim system?
And are you claiming that a good quality extension block cannot have a better effect on sq than a cheap one?
Hi Jim - The ND5XS2 has to comply with the latest regulations on power consumption (as do all the latest Naim products) and still stay connected to the network. It has a high efficiency switching power supply that keeps select parts of the digital electronics powered when in standby, rather than needing the bigger, less efficient supply to be on.
When you want to play music, the large linear PSU is switched in and the standby PSU switched off.
The NAIT 50 has a similar power supply setup. This allows it to go into a low power consumption, standby mode after a certain amount of time if no music is being played and the auto standby switch is set to allow this.
In the NAIT 50, the switching supply and sequencing relays are under the black cover to the top right next to the mains inlet, with the toroidal transformer for the conventional linear supply sitting further down.
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I always find it a bit unnerving when I plug in the iec from the switchless radial socket and the unit clicks into life.
But I suppose it’s ok as it’s designed to work like that.
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Correct, so when listening to ‘music’ it is very bright…less so when not…
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@anon17748768 if you don’t mind, which white did you get (I read that there were different whites)?
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The reference is on the packet in the piccy above, not a good piccy…
from RS Comp…
pt/no 501-7132
A-48068L-KC-D2
The ‘D2’ seems to be the best one/most dense…I tried 3 different ‘whites’ in total.
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Hi Graham, this amp switches automatically into stand- by mode after ten minutes which means the light dims . If I press my Sky Box to hold (say I am in the kitchen ) then after ten minutes the Nait 50 goes into stand-by mode and the light dims .
When you are feeding the system with a signal (say from a tuner or CD player ) the light will be bright .
best wishes
Ian
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Quote
" Other gripe: Why not use RCA sockets for inputs? My dealer had no RCA to DIN connectors, but I solved that problem with a $12 connector from Amazon."
Hi Cephas, I think you dealer does have access to an RCA to DIN lead, Naim make one ( you really have to dig deep) into their web pages to find it . In the UK it costs the same as a lavender Din to Din.
Chord also offer higher quality than Amazon RCA to DIN and if you wish to push the fiscal boat out there is a Telluriumq
I’ve used a cheap rca to din connector as a stop gap and the lavender Naim cable will take it to a new level.
It’s one of the best value upgrades you can make.
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