I am listening now in NOS because you made me curious
I cant believe any dac sounds better... its just unbelievable how the sound compares to what I know
wow!!!
and please ladies and gentlemen - I never heard a Naim Dac/streamer in my listening room - I am not comparing…OK
but I am in love now - wow Denafrips Ares II is truly a pleasure to listen true
Who knows the gauge of Naca5?
Maybe 11 ?
Just took delivery of this Rega Ear. A few weeks back I unboxed the Apollo with the intention of selling it along with some other amps and speakers. Once I hooked it up in the shed to a Leak Stereo 30 plus and Richard Allan CG8T’s I began to wonder if I should be selling it. I was playing various discs just to be sure it was going to be reliable for the new owner…
I always wished I could have heard a full Rega system from that era. Long story short, I withdrew the Apollo from auction and decided to build a headfi rig around it. Brief early impressions with Senn Momentums are rather satisfying. Ive got a pair of HD58xx coming from Drop that will be a better match. The Ear continues that lush engaging Rega sound. And I’m back in love with the Apollo.
Beautiful Speakers!
I speak under correction here but believe them NACA5 to be 4mm. (12 AWG)
I’d like to try one of these or the M400 I had the SU-8 briefly which was excellent and great value.
Unfortunately my other half wasn’t in the mood for music last night and I don’t have the luxury of a dedicated listening room but what I did do was try out the headphone amp and what a revelation.
I’ve never been a great lover of headphone listening so have never invested heavily in them I did try an Olive Headline once but was unimpressed. I only have ‘Budget’ cans but my Phillips Fidelio X2 the earlier British built ones are still the most expensive ones I’ve tried.
The headphone amp inside the Hegel is head and shoulders over anything else I’ve heard including the ones inside the UQ2, Unity and the Quad Artera. The sound is the most immersive I’ve ever heard from a headphone and for the first time ever I actually felt like I could sit and really enjoy music played through headphones. It all makes me quite excited to hear what the amplifier can do driving my speakers.
That sounds very promising! Same situation over here with the combined living/listening room. It has advantages but sometimes also disadvantages. 
The weekend is about to start, so I hope you will find time the coming days for some serious listening.
Wait till you go to terminator or Pontus, my friend have an area 2 and a terminator. Returned the Pontus cuz he bought a terminator. He told me if you want a terminator, beware of your amps and speakers cuz it is very unforgiving, if your amp is very bad it will punish you for it. He stated that he kept the ares2 because it is the most analog sounding one out of the Pontus and terminator.
Just agreed a part ex of my SN2 against a SN3.!!!
… loner one should be here later today. Thanks to Tony @BasicallySound 
I have bought a Bluesound Node 2i, it is a very nice bit of kit, functionally excellent and very well made given the asking price.
Playing with it as a streamer in my main stereo system at the moment.
May later move it to the office if I can live without Tidal Connect in my main stereo.
I’ve just replaced the XPS DR with a 555PS DR for my NDX2. Although I’ve only used it for a few hours it’s a noticeable improvement in SQ and I’m happy with the cost after trade in.
Like most Naim upgrades it improves every facet of the sound rather than one specific over the rest.
SN3 in place and warming… it’s a very different animal from the Sn2 to my ears. More authority, weight , speed and openness than my Sn2 with a psu . Bass drive is epic… she’s a keeper.
Crikey Hifi-dog, you seem to be going through them. 
Enjoy your new amplifier. SN3 is fantastic!
It looks that way! Should have gone from 5si to SN3, would have been cheaper but the journey up through the ranks has been worthwhile… the sn3 was in my thoughts to be had in a year or so but funds were available. Couldn’t make the financial jump to ndx2 and as my sn2 is 8 yrs old this seemed a better longer term step… and it delivers in spades.
to me thats a perfect british hifi amp - the best integrated Amp Naim ever build
I keep the Nait2 CB anyway
but come on - the SN3 is pur love to the sound
I missed the SN3 by a few weeks, stuck with a manky SN2, unless a trade in is worth it?
Can u elaborate on the improvement?
Currently have ndx2/xpsdr
H Mike- in my context yes but my SN2 was a 2013 model so possibly needed service soonish. Not demoed a fresh Sn2 so can’t say… demo required for you I think!
It may be difficult to spot, but the shelf the Star is perched upon is new today. Can’t afford eight hundred+ per level for Fraim, but I doubt it would be noticeable with a Star and the Atacama is good looking and well made. Moved the Graham Slee and Michell gear onto their own shelf. Absolutely no difference in SQ, but not having to balance little black boxes on the edge of the shelf or leave them on the carpet is like the Swiss flag. A big plus.
