Hi @Adam1
Very helpful - thank you.
My gut (and nothing more) says I’d prefer the warmer SN3. And that the SN3 is likely to drive the 25.23i’s better.
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More than welcome, and don’t get me wrong, I really rate the 50 but sometimes something new isn’t always better, just different.
It does have a grin inducing speed to it and I’m happy I bought it, but I do love a cracking integrated.
- Densen Beat B100 - genuine all time great, on loan with a mate who has just been bewitched by it but she ain’t for sale. Just lent it to him to show what something decent can sound like with him bouncing round options.
- Technics Su-g700m2 - the little bro of the majestic R1000, pure digital amp so we shouldn’t like it should we, pah, this thing is the most neutral thing I own but that doesn’t mean dull, stunning soundstage.
- Musical Fidelity A1 (latest one) - couldn’t afford one first time round but when this came out has to have it, fabulous punchy energetic but liquid delivery.
- SN3
- N50
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I have mine connected to my Kudos 606s at the moment. I’m also only using a Raspberry Pi and Dragonfly dac as a source with Roon. I can’t really comprehend how it sounds so good.
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I am using Harbeth P3ESR and they are rumoured to be very hard to drive
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Hi @Marq
Awesome. Love a minimal set up that sounds waaaaay better than it has any right too.
To be fair, you could fart through 606’s and they would sound musical - they’re a great pair of speakers. Really pleased you’ve got some synergy going with your kit.
Mind, looking at your set up you have a glorious system there: NSC 222, NPX 300, LP12, NAP 300DR. Very nice.
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Mine too.. my lovely 52 has already gone, SC and 300dr to follow. Crazy..
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I had an SN3 & HiCap. Swapped it in and out with the Nait 50 and preferred & kept the Nait 50. Small room, Graham LS5/9 speakers.
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Thanks @1GiantLeap, that is in line with my thoughts. Swapping out the SN3 for the Nait50 could also lead to different speakers as I assume the combination will not be great. Another option is to upgrade to the 222 250 combi which I initially planned for.
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Spend all your might and ability on a good revealing speaker first. Nait 50 play very well on my Scala. Before that I am rocking a Dynaudio S40 and consistently disappointed even with a 500 series.
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Coincidentally, I have recently bought a Chord Dave and am running it into a Nait50 enjoying the remote operation you describe here. Its been interesting figuring just how much better it is and the differences between this and my previous CD3.5 player and its so clearly better you start to wonder how much more is possible
The N50 is still performing brilliantly but I can’t help wonder it could be the weakest link holding Dave back. and so I’m resurrecting the 52 I have on the rack with a NAP250 I’m hoping will arrive tomorrow. It should be an interesting comparison, part of me wants the little N50 to be just as good as the separates I can’t help but think it just isn’t feasible…
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Also own Dave and enjoying it currently with the Nait 50 is the combination transparent enough to sound very good yes.
Do I notice I’m mising information with the Nait 50 that I’m used to hearing? Annoyingly yes mostly it’s macro level textural clues from materials of instruments and nuances and inflections in vocals.
With Dave + Nait50 I am conscious that I’m listening but enjoying the N50 signature and that for me is different to listening and revelling in the transparency the Dave is capable of.
If listen to girl/man singing and acoustic guitar or small ensemble string quartet violin cello brass instruments etc it’s very noticeable. If your listening to Metallica or Motorhead not so much 
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Most of my listening is music founded vocals and/or instrumental detail, so the good bits of Dave really seem to lend themselves to what I listen to, though I’m not averse to Metallica as well as a fairly wide range of other kinds of stuff so I suspect the result may be as expected and the 52 will be staying
Can I ask what your alternative kit is please, which makes you aware of the missing detail when using the n50?
The last three or four years I’ve used the
Upgraded version of Elekit TU-8900 300B/2A3 tube amp (this a high specification DIY kit which costs around £3.5K-£4.5 depending on tubes used) extras to standard version are amorphous transformers, TDK volume potentiometer, V-cap cutf and Duelund silver foil capacitors and a few strategically place Audio Note resistors in the signal path.
Stereophile awarded the amp their Class A rating Class A" represents the highest tier of recommended products, signifying the best attainable sound quality for that type of component.
I bought a N50 some weeks back with a view to replacing my SN3/HC or perhaps forming the building block of a second system. My room is 7x7m and speakers Kudos Super 10a.
Three weeks or so, I plugged in the N50 aiming to swap back and forth. In short the SN3 bless it, hasn’t had a look in since. The N50 is a special piece of kit.
But you need to listen for yourself. Outside of your combination of equipment, you’ll need to think about your listening volume levels (regarding the amps ability to fill a large/small space). At the lowest levels the SN3 would hands down win in a larger space. What I realised is that my listening levels make this a non issue for me. My listening level is typically 8.30 to 9.
I won’t be swapping back and I have thought about buying another. In the short term I’ll be upgrading source (555ps probably). I do wonder how good a new SN5 or whatever the SN3 replacement might be given the quality of the N50….
Reggie
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It’s not! I run a Dave into 52/250, and have a Nait 50. As good as it is, it’s simply not on the same level as the 52/250.
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Yes. The SN5 or whatever will be on its way, but won’t be £1400…
I’m also keeping my eye on remaining N50 stock levels
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And to add the SN5 will most likely bring features that I don’t want or need. I would have a listen though.
I would also like to compare my nd5 xs2 & nDac (and planned ps555) with a Dave in for the nDac. I like my super 10s enough to buy them again for a second system but perhaps I just lack imagination…
Yes it’s interesting, we understand the N 50 uses several of the amp design improvements associated with the new products.
I also wonder whether the simplicity, relatively modest average power envelope (using high power driver transistors) and nearly no extraneous control electronics is part of why the N50 performs so well in terms of timing, timbral presentation and nuance.
Certainly some other high end manufacturers look at things in a similar way.
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Even though I have no need of it… wouldn’t it be a thing to hear the N50 design in a bigger box (for the heat sink) with a larger transformer…
yes - but I would take bets that it would lose some of the extreme performance of the current N50
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