Some (hopefully) illuminating thoughts on a demo I enjoyed at my local dealer recently comparing the UnitiStar to the ND5 XS2 + Nait XS3 and the Supernait 3, all through the same speakers and cables.
These observations are certainly self evident for many, however, I do think it’s still worth a quick synopsis for others who are possibly in a similar position I am -that is, starting with something from the Uniti range and thinking about what improvements might be had with a step up to separates. Within an hour, I had some pretty clear answers.
For reference, I’ve been living with the Star for over a year, and I’ve been enjoying Naim gear for 20+ years. I’ve also spent a lot of time tinkering with gear, building tube amps and speakers, and listening with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Starting with the Uniti Star through a pair of Totem tribe floorstanders, I heard the same good things I was used to at home: strong all round performance, good PRaT, decent bass control and detail, and a good sense of space and scale. For the money, I still think the Uniti range is incredible. The deficiencies are only relative… don’t listen to the higher end gear if you don’t want to know what you’re missing…
Switching to the Nait XS3 + ND5 XS2, everything was just better fleshed out, better detail, more space, better attack, better bass control, nicer treble, everything just sounded a bit more real. The differences were clear and obvious, but not extremely different from the Star, just better. I was already sold on the ND5 XS2 + Nait XS3, this was what I came in expecting to hear.
As a bit of a wild card, and against my better judgement, I asked to hear the SN3 with the ND5 XS2 Now, I’m not prone to hifi hyperbole, but the change to the SN3 was genuinely surprising. Tracks that I’ve heard many, many times were being played with so much new information, space, and emotion, I was genuinely taken aback. There were layers of decay in the background, more texture to voices and instruments, and an overall sense of composure and control -particularly in the bass- that placed the SN3 well ahead of the XS3 for me. What clinched it for me was the uncanny way the SN3 brings life and energy to music in a way that I haven’t heard since I was listening to active olive series gear 15 years ago. The olive kit, while fantastic in conveying the vitality of music, it lacked the spatial sophistication that this new gear does. The SN3 brings these elements together in an exceptionally cohesive, musical, and enveloping way that manages to preserve the life of the music while still delivering the space, depth, and air that good hifi does.
I can see how some may prefer the sound of the Nait XS3; there is a mellowness to the delivery that is, in a way, easier to digest compared to the SN3. But, if you’re looking for a system that really draws you into the music and challenges you, in a sense, to participate and engage with whatever it is you’re playing, the Supernait 3 with the ND5 XS2 genuinely hits the mark.
The Supernait 3 + ND5 XS2 is, to my ears, one of the rare combinations that sound as much like music as it does HiFi. Somewhat annoyingly, I’m now quite smitten with this set up… I’m also glad I didn’t stick around to listen to the new 200 series.
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All great but best compromise was the Nait 2.