Hi,
Interesting comment about ‘enhanced for a 2023 audience’ as I have heard this phrase many a time and it always makes me wonder what the difference is between a 1973 and a 2023 audience requirement in terms music sound quality?
All the best,
Richard
From my recollection (I used to have a Nait 1 but it was years ago) the balance is centred with the control fully anti-clockwise. Meaning that you can adjust balance only in one direction, unless you switch all input and speaker connectors left/right to right/left. It was a bit mad.
I suspect that Naim would prefer that you call it ‘quirky’, rather than ‘mad’!!
But you’re right, it was a bit nuts.
I always thought it just adjusted one channel (R?) up and down relative to the other, which is why I centred it and left it. I don’t recall being able to hear any difference either way. I’ll have to try it again at the weekend. Actually, I do still have the manual, so I’ll see if that sheds any light.
This may explain why the balance control on the NAIT 50 has been dropped altogether, with a headphone jack now in place where the balance control used to be.
THE FRONT PANEL
Only two brief notes are reguired concerning the controls on the front panel. The button labeled “Mains” (which is the British word for A/C Power) is the on/off button.
The balance control does not function like the typical balance control. It only effects the volume level of the left channel. It will change the level of the left channel by plus or minus 4db relative to the right channel. In order to obtain the maximum usable range of the control, the electronic “zero position” is about 45 degrees to the left of the actual center of movement of the control. Rather than worry about the exact position of the control, it is best that the control simply be set by ear.
That’s pretty much right. This is what the owner’s manual says about the balance control on the Nait 1.
And some people think that early Naim products were ‘quirky’!
I wonder what became of the lost decibel?!
I didn’t know that a deciBel had been lost!
Neither did I
Clive may explain that one to us.
Could the typed one be a preliminary brief?
I think it’s the original nait manual compared with the nait 1/2 manual. The original came before the nait 2 existed, when the nait 1 was simply “nait”.
Well that’s my memory shot! The truth makes far more sense - moving us from mad to quirky 
Perhaps the lost decibel is hiding with a Beatle’s lost Höfner bass guitar.
The lost decibel I was referring to was the difference between the adjustment range stated in @robert_h’s typed instructions (+/-4dB) and my published version (+/-3dB).
Sitting here listening to my Nait 50 fronted by ND5 XS2 into Sonus Faber Sonetto 3s wow this amp rocks. I have been a Naim owner for 30 plus years the sound I’m getting reminds me of the sound I used to get from an LP12 into a 72 Hicap 250 ( I should never have let them go). No channel imbalance at low listening levels, wide sound stage well beyond the bounds of the speakers vocals packed with emotion. Streaming via Qobuz just sounds so good. My main set up is a 282 Hicap 250 DR I am seriously considering moving them on and just keeping the Nait50 it’s that good. If only it had one more input….
I made the switch to Qobuz recently. Much preferred over Tidal. And I agree, the Nait sounds amazing.
With you on all of your comments Scramble
Certainly makes one think about the gear higher up the ladder
What a gem the Nait 50 is - bring on more like it
