I’m not very familiar with 500 Series amps but still, that’s quite a turn up, and will certainly help your Hi-Fi balance sheet
I’ve just put mine back in today - triggered by some changes in the other system. I’m more on the fence. In some ways it’s more engaging that the bolt down 12/160 and in other ways less so, which is kind of annoying as I’d rather have a clear winner. Either way, it’s good fun and I’m enjoying listening to it again.
About a week or so after Naim the launched the Nait 50 I decided to buy one. Whilst waiting for it to turn up I boxed up the 500 kit and connected a Nait 2 from the second setup with a Chord Dave as source.
I glanced over to the boxed 500 kit and thought I could easily live with the Nait 2 as my primary setup
The Nait 50 arrived, disconnected the Nait 2 and for 12 hours I sat there grinning unable to pull away (Vicki, kids, dogs at the caravan house to myself)
Several weeks later the Nait 50 ended up in the second setup, 500 back up and running.
The 500 setup is easily the best I’ve heard, all the reviews, people on here who praise the 500 (except Dunc ) are right its SUPERB… but I kept stressing with the two stack Fraim (room looking like an audio shop), cable dressing etc etc and found myself more concerned with burndies touching.
Woke up last Saturday boxed up the 500 - Nait 50 returns.
I haven’t stopped listening, love this amp with no thoughts on cables, racks, room etc works exceptionally well with the SL2s
In terms of freeing up cash on the eventual sale of the 500 kit, okay the extra cash is nice but this wasn’t the end goal and reasoning behind the change.
I replaced my Uniti with a Nait 50 and Emerson Analog DAC/Streamer streaming Qobuz HiRez content. The sound upgrade was huge. I may have said “Wow” out loud.
Never tried the new 2MR, but told they are same cartridge with lower bodies.
On that basis I’m sure they sell like hotcakes, even they didn’t apply the third hole.
I put an Audio Technica AT-VM95SH on my Rega P8. Fits nicely with no spacers if a hair tail down. Once again surprised at how good these cartridges in this price range sound. I have a P10/Aphelion 2 and so aware of the AT’s shortcomings. Still, very nice and absolutely does not commit the worst sin that I can think of: dullness.
Has anyone heard an Ortofon 2M LVB cartridge? One gets a boron cantilever, shibata, and 5mv output. Tempting…
Had no idea about a shorter 2M series for Rega tonearms!
The way I have viewed it is this … the higher the end product the cleaner the path … except for shielding the pass through is better the higher up the stack you go … the SN3 is still probably top of the heap, at least from my experience, and thus needs extra effort to allow that transparency maybe?
I have not A B ed them so cannot comment for sure … but always found the SNs to have superior pass through which means the most to me than the spec sheets. But the 50 I have not heard a bunch so still could be wrong … plus I love the SN creation so my bias could also be at play.