The new NAIT 50 Limited Edition

Don’t want to sound like a party pooper, but other than the nostalgia factor are there any valid reasons to choose to spend x 3-4 over let’s say a 50w Rega Brio?
I read a few comments where people picture it with small low sensitivity stand mounts. I too must admit that it would look nice paired with some white Proac Tabs or Harbeth P3ESR but on paper at 25w this sounds like an expensive recipe for nice design but mediocre sound.

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LOL. None what so ever, but that is surely the point.

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In the right room, my Nait 2 with the small Harbeths or Kudos was magic. Nothing mediocre about it. But the Rega Brio is a great little amp too.

I’m justifying my purchase by comparing the price of the Nait 50 to the Atom - the Nait is slightly less here in Canada. Price wise the 50 slots in between the 5i (si?) and the XS3.

Rega makes some very attractive amps with appealing features. I was thinking of going that route before the 50 arrived. The nostalgia piece tips it over the top for me.

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In the UK the nait 50 is £200 more than the xs3, and the atom both £2499. Nait 50 £2699.

Or roughly 6 x rega io.

I would have trouble justifying that difference.

Well Naim have come out and publicly stated:

So if it doesn’t, we can all point the finger at Richard…

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I’m sure that Naim always say to use NACA cable. You would hardly expect anything else, surely/

Like paying more for a Mini Cooper vs a BMW. But still, those Minis are darn cute.
In Canada the xs3 lists for the equivalent of £3100 which means the Nait 50 should cost about the equivalent of £3300 + 15% taxes = £3795
Ouch!

in comparing the Nait to the Atom, what are your thoughts?

The difference is the manual says don’t use other cables.

Supernait 3:
Naca5 is best performance

Nait 50:

Maybe I’ve been too strict on my interpretation.

I did as Julian Suggested. :+1:t2:
Supernait 3 here.

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Using cables from other manufacturers………( as written) but also can put your system at a higher level , not suspected when using Naca5.

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“Fully regulated 25W of power per channel“

Thanks for mentioning @robert_h . Fascinating to see a fully regulated integrated amplifier from Naim and with it, RIAA faithful to the original NAIT. Love it!

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Why do you come to that conclusion? There are $40k tube amps out there with just 5wpc. 25w will drive a larger high sensitivity floor stander in a large room.

In fact, larger bass drivers are easier than small ones so I’d expect this amp to drive speakers suitable for the size of room. Thinking JBL, Omega, Zu etc.

For example, I have a 10w amp in the SN3 price bracket. It drives appropriately matched speakers in a good sized room as well as my 250dr drives a pair of PMCs (that the tube amp can’t even get moving hardly).

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That’s awesome. What memories!

Can’t fault the logic of the argument. However the ulterior motive here is for me to upgrade my TT to an LP12, and if I loaned my Rega, I’d have to do that, also for the Nait to be appreciated not stored - so the speakers might be the missing part. Your plan makes economic sense. I won’t be putting it forward to the capex committee!

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As you mention in other words…the standard formula is usually: low powered amp with easy to drive (ie large) speakers and high powered amp with hard to drive (ie small) speakers.
Therefore unless the Nait 50 is an extraordinarily capable 25w it would probably be best paired with large, easy to drive speakers or maybe with small inefficient speakers in a very small room or in a near field setting.

Correct. But what’s the problem there?

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There is no problem. I’m just mentioning it because a few members were considering it for small, inefficient speaker pairing. Aesthetically speaking I too could easily picture it in my office with a pair of white Proac Tablettes. Unfortunately that setup is out of my price range for a secondary system.

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Just like in the days of the Nait 1 - isn’t it?