Until a month ago , I knew nothing about Naim Products and now I know enough to be a little dangerous.
The Nait 3 astounded me, but I think I can upgrade it within the realms of what I am prepared to spend and keeping everything vintage.
I don’t need phono cards , so I would like to convert my Nait 3 to a preamp only to power a serviced NAP 250 which is either a bolt down , chrome or olive (the latter being my preference). I understand I will need to buy a power supply.
I have two questions:
Can I have the Nait 3 converted to be a preamp but also be able to separately use it as a Nait 3 simply by adding cables or a link.
Would there be much difference in the sound between a serviced Bolt Down, Chrome bumper or Olive NAP 250s - if so what and as well much difference in actual sound quality.
Yes, but I’m not sure of anyone is still offering the service. You will probably also need a flatcap or hicap power supply. Ask Darran at Class A audio, an approved Naim service agent.
If you’re going to start upgrading my advice would be to start with the preamp: get the best one you can afford and then worry about power amps. A lesser preamp with a higher level power amp just doesn’t work as well.
My system is based on a number of what I would describe as iconic hifi separates.
Sources : a new LP12 (bespoke build Karousel bearing, Lingo 4, but with some second hand parts), AT MC cartridge and Rega Fono 4 phono stage; and a Marantz CDA 94 Dac with TDA 1541A S2 chip & upgraded Black Gate Capacitors, Hugo2 DAC (not much used these days)
Digital inputs : Marantz CD65SEii and WiiM streamer
Three Amplifiers : Fatman Valve 202 SET Class A with carefully chosen best in class used 60s and 70s Tubes, Marantz PM 75 recapped and Nait 3 (unserviced).
Speakers : Yamaha NS1000Ms ( these are amazing ).
I don’t have fancy speaker cables (ex Linn K20s for the Naim) or power cables - no interest - but I did ensure thar I have single line sourced electrical sockets to my music room from the fuseboard when we had new electrics put in the house.
Room size - 14ftx14ft
In my view , I have a beautiful sounding system which still continues to amaze me at times in a very cost effective way.
Of course , it can be improved but I have got to a stage where I am 100% happy with everything, except perhaps the Amplifier part. My Class A Valve amp is sublime - so that will be kept. But I felt I need more oomph on the Integrated side to drive those Yamaha speakers hence buying the Nait 3.
The Nait 3 has astounded me as to how good it is and it gets plenty loud enough. But I reckon having done some research , I can get a better amplifier set up using more iconic Naim units for a reasonable price.
I am particularly interested in opinions on the NAP 250 and my original question in that respect.
The nap 250 Olive and CB are on the same level for me, and are a sound investment as best value for sound quality. You can improve on them obviously but at a cost. Anything less is fine, but once you have heard a good 250 set up you can hear that for a little more money you have a peach of a system. Proper set up for me would be hicap, 82, 250. Anything less than that and you aren’t getting the best from the system components.
The Nait 3 preamp really isn’t good enough for a 250, and you’d end up wasting half the Nait anyway. If you get a CB 250, a 32.5 is the best matching preamp. If you get an Olive, then choose between a 72, 82 or 52.
Nigel (@HungryHalibut ) is right. Whilst across hi-fi generally a better power amp will often be seen as a smart route to getting an improvement, the old pre DR 250 was somewhat of a fussy old sod, in the right system with good preamp it would make beautiful music but it demanded what I can best describe as an articulate pre stage which in effect meant at least 282 (or CB/olive equivalent) upwards, and even then with my at that time my Dyn 1.8s it didn’t work for me to the point that I reverted to my NAP 200, with different speakers it might have been different.
Noted ! What if I combined a Nac 32.5 to the Nap 90/3 (and presumably using the built in power supply ) of the Nait 3 instead , as an initial step - I could add a 250 & separate power supply later.
Would that be a better improvement and a better starting point ?
The NAP90 can power a Naim preamp so you wouldn’t need the Nait at all. In fact you couldn’t use the Nait in the way you suggest even if you wanted to. I’d be inclined to enjoy the Nait 3 for a while, save up and then decide what to do.
I’m a little confused. What is your end game aim? If it is a 250 based system then chose either olive or Cb and go from there. 250 with either a 32.5, 42.5, 62 or 72 plus a hicap will work well. Best for me would be an Olive system with hicap, 82 and 250.
If you want to go in incremental steps and have a Nap 90 available then go for a Flatcap and matching 32.5 42.5, 62, 72 which can then be moved into your end game system later. The Flatcap will enhance the 90 and is cheap enough to replace later with a Hicap.
The Nait 3 isn’t really a contender in your 250 end game set up. It is a good amp in its own right but it is what it is.
The end game would probably be a NAP 250 , HiCAP powersupply and a 32.5 or 82 preamp.
But I would like to go on a journey to get there, hence the initial suggestion to use the preamp of the Nait 3 into a 250 (plus power supply). Someone suggested that the preamp of the Nait 3 wouldn’t be a good enough match with a 250 ; hence they suggested a 32.5 ….
So as part of my journey towards “my Naim utopia”, I thought why not buy a 32.5 and feed that into the power amp of the Nait 3.
My Nait 3 is a 1996 model and has never been serviced , so I fancy getting it serviced and hopefully splitting the pre and power to be able to use it separately and ideally be able to use it as a combined Nait 3 model as well for a bit of fun ……
Within a vintage context most Naim’s magic comes from a preamp and power supply, that’s why everyone recommends to get the preamp first.
A 250 alone doesn’t really have a sound to be honest, besides sounding more powerful, solid and dense than your Nait, yet the imaging would sound a bit stretched due to preamp’s limited bandwidth, probably disappointing.
And as you are into Nait 3 I would recommend 72+HiCap as starting point, and 82 being the end game preamp for future and HiCap reusable.
And ultimately you want to aim for Naim’s sweet-spots (i.e. matching pre-power) for maximum sound quality and least disappointiment
For examples: 12/160, 32/Snaps/250, 62/140, 72/HC/250, 82/HC*2/250, 52/135…
Thank you for your explanation and the importance of the pre-amp improving/colouring the sound but also how to combine the right NAC/NAP units.
I would prefer to go on a journey with this, and would prefer to defer getting a hi cap immediately.
I realise this might not be the preferred combination but could I initially have the Nait 3 serviced & split in order to use the Power supply in the Nait 3 to “power” up both a NAC 70 and the existing 90/3 power amp found in the Nait 3. (I find the power supply options eg hi cap, snaps, flat cap units rather confusing, so apologise if my suggestion is a stupid one).
BE CAREFUL NOW 
Watch out for the rabbit hole…