Fanciful design choices...

[insider9]

I know the speaker terminals seem to be the wrong way round but in the studio days the amp faced you that way for easy cable switching..so if you look at the amp from the rear the terminals are actually the correct way round.my nait xs had hum now and again,didn't worry or bother me much as it couldn't be heard once the music was played.but my superuniti has none.oh and keep the amp on then you won't worry about on /off thump.lol.I have never had any hiss though unless volume was right down and my ear was to the speakers.quirky...but still sounds darn good.

Yes it does sound wonderful. I'll give you that I'll do a bigger write up at some point.

The problem with hiss is that at present it's used in a bedrom system so any hiss will be heard in compltely quiet room. If I do turn it off over night I'll be waking up to a thump...

 

[chebby]

... used in a bedrom system so any hiss will be heard in compltely quiet room. If I do turn it off over night I'll be waking up to a thump...

Some people would pay for that.

 

[insider9]

...Third... Hum/hiss, audible hum/hiss that goes up and down with volume. White noise like. How is that acceptable with an always on amp? Still slightly audible at minimum volume. My system is the bedroom so keeping it on with it hissing/humming is not an option. But I'm not looking forward to switching on and off either.
Above are apparently design choices and not issue. I know it's ultimately all about the sound and I'm still to listen.

Come on... out with it what other design quirks have you come across with other kit/brands?

The first two are acceptable as they don't affect the sound quality.

The volume dependent hum hiss is unacceptable in anything other than an ultra budget amp.

Sell it and buy something else for less money that sounds at least as good and doesn't have the annoying hiss and hum.

I can return it based on the unit being faulty. If that's what it is. It's just a bit of fun and really wanted one for a while. I never expected so many "quirks".

By the way once you play music it disappears and only what's on the recording is being reproduced. No noise, no hiss or anything else doesn't matter what volume.

 

[insider9]

... used in a bedrom system so any hiss will be heard in compltely quiet room. If I do turn it off over night I'll be waking up to a thump...

Some people would pay for that.

:biggrin:

 

[insider9]

I can't actually think of anything else so quirky, aside perhaps from the Linn LP12, which has also changed completely despite retaining the overall look.

What was so different about LP12?

 

[chebby]

What was so different about LP12?

A teetering column of bs about 45 years high and dwarfed only by the ego of the man who ended up inheriting it.

 

[Al ears]

What was so different about LP12?

A teetering column of bs about 45 years high and dwarfed only by the ego of the man who ended up inheriting it.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Well I would not be happy with the noises that you are getting even though some are normal and considering how much Naim stuff costs in the first place that would put me right off .

And considering that you can buy a cheap amplifier like a Marantz PM6006 and get no noises as standard the normal expectations from a well put together amplifier that's well built I would send the Naim back and buy something that's well engineered and doesn't make any noises only music .

And you could send the Naim for a service but why as you shouldn't have to spend anymore money at this stage I would seriously send it back and buy something that has none of theses issues .

 

[insider9]

Well I would not be happy with the noises that you are getting even though some are normal and considering how much Naim stuff costs in the first place that would put me right off .

And considering that you can buy a cheap amplifier like a Marantz PM6006 and get no noises as standard the normal expectations from a well put together amplifier that's well built I would send the Naim back and buy something that's well engineered and doesn't make any noises only music .

And you could send the Naim for a service but why as you shouldn't have to spend anymore money at this stage I would seriously send it back and buy something that has none of theses issues .

That's the thing, I'm not happy about that. If this is by design I think it's stupid.

However after couple of hours so far I'm really impressed with the sound. I don't think it's fair to compare the two.

Edit
Or any other budget amp I've heard

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Well I would not be happy with the noises that you are getting even though some are normal and considering how much Naim stuff costs in the first place that would put me right off .

And considering that you can buy a cheap amplifier like a Marantz PM6006 and get no noises as standard the normal expectations from a well put together amplifier that's well built I would send the Naim back and buy something that's well engineered and doesn't make any noises only music .

And you could send the Naim for a service but why as you shouldn't have to spend anymore money at this stage I would seriously send it back and buy something that has none of theses issues .

That's the thing, I'm not happy about that. If this is by design I think it's stupid.

However after couple of hours so far I'm really impressed with the sound. I don't think it's fair to compare the two.

Edit Or any other budget amp I've heard

I was trying to make a comparison but did not do a very good job of it but I do not get any of the noises with my Yamaha or the abrahamsen 2up or a Marantz PM8005 that I've had in the past they are all well put together amplifiers

so if that's the normal thing from Naim with the Naim stuff I will not be interested in buying a amplifier of them in the future that would put me off but saying all that I bet the Naim sounds good music wise

 

[jjbomber]

but saying all that I bet the Naim sounds good music wise

And that's the bottom line. It's hard to find anything that is so musical. It just sounds live, far more than other amps. I have got 3 Naim systems and they drive you mad at times. The UnitiLite doesn't play CD-r discs, the N-Vi screens never last long, the Mu-So doesn't do gapless, customer service is non-existant, servicing is expensive and so on. Then you sit back, relax, and actually listen to some music. Game over, it's a winner.

 

[insider9]

Well I would not be happy with the noises that you are getting even though some are normal and considering how much Naim stuff costs in the first place that would put me right off .

And considering that you can buy a cheap amplifier like a Marantz PM6006 and get no noises as standard the normal expectations from a well put together amplifier that's well built I would send the Naim back and buy something that's well engineered and doesn't make any noises only music .

And you could send the Naim for a service but why as you shouldn't have to spend anymore money at this stage I would seriously send it back and buy something that has none of theses issues .

That's the thing, I'm not happy about that. If this is by design I think it's stupid.

However after couple of hours so far I'm really impressed with the sound. I don't think it's fair to compare the two.

Edit Or any other budget amp I've heard

I was trying to make a comparison but did not do a very good job of it but I do not get any of the noises with my Yamaha or the abrahamsen 2up or a Marantz PM8005 that I've had in the past  they are all well put together amplifiers 

so if that's the normal thing from Naim with the Naim stuff I will not be interested in buying a amplifier of them in the future that would put me off but saying all that I bet the Naim sounds good music wise 

 

I think we're on the same page. And I probably didn't explain it well either. I'm disappointed with the issue and neither of the amps I've used i the past had anything like that also. Neither of the amps I've used also had these sonic traits in that combination. Is it perfect? Not quite but that's to be expected from what's after all a budget offering for Naim. I think second hand it's a bargain regardless as there's a lot I really like about it.

For now I'm trying to keep an open mind. I want to understand what makes Naim sound.

I've emailed Naim and waiting for a reply. If they say it's to be expect than ok. I will be keeping it until I get fed up or simply love it. If it's an issue it's going back.

 

[insider9]

but saying all that I bet the Naim sounds good music wise 

And that's the bottom line. It's hard to find anything that is so musical. It just sounds live, far more than other amps. I have got 3 Naim systems and they drive you mad at times. The UnitiLite doesn't play CD-r discs, the N-Vi screens never last long, the Mu-So doesn't do gapless, customer service is non-existant, servicing is expensive and so on. Then you sit back, relax, and actually listen to some music. Game over, it's a winner.

The one thing I didn't expect is the richness of the timbre. Instruments, vocals all sound superb. Primare A30.1 was similar but at a cost of being slow. Nothing like that with Naim.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

but saying all that I bet the Naim sounds good music wise

And that's the bottom line. It's hard to find anything that is so musical. It just sounds live, far more than other amps. I have got 3 Naim systems and they drive you mad at times. The UnitiLite doesn't play CD-r discs, the N-Vi screens never last long, the Mu-So doesn't do gapless, customer service is non-existant, servicing is expensive and so on. Then you sit back, relax, and actually listen to some music. Game over, it's a winner.

The one thing I didn't expect is the richness of the timbre. Instruments, vocals all sound superb. Primare A30.1 was similar but at a cost of being slow. Nothing like that with Naim.

I was interested to no how the Naim sounds as I've never owned a Naim stuff myself or heard a Naim amplifier and a couple of months ago I nearly brought a flagship Naim amplifier secondhand but changed my mind and brought a home cinema setup instead .

i am very happy with my Yamaha as my main setup but was thinking like your self having a small setup upstairs and Naim was what I was thinking so will be interesting to no what Naim says about the sounds your getting from the amplifier .

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

Hay Sabbath...obviously you don't know what a naim flagship amplifier is.lol.

" STATEMENT "

 

[lindsayt]

I can return it based on the unit being faulty. If that's what it is. It's just a bit of fun and really wanted one for a while. I never expected so many "quirks".

By the way once you play music it disappears and only what's on the recording is being reproduced. No noise, no hiss or anything else doesn't matter what volume.

The hiss and hum will still be there. It will just be drowned out by the music, especially when playing compressed recordings.

One of the things that can separate world class amplifiers from OK ones is the noise floor.

 

[jonathanRD]

They say that Exposure is the poor man's Naim.

Fancy having to pay extra for hiss & hum! *smile*

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Hay Sabbath...obviously you don't know what a naim flagship amplifier is.lol.

" STATEMENT "

Hi Mark

The Supernait 2 I was looking at lol that's Naim's flagship amplifier I thought *smile*

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

No the supernaits are the flagship integrated amps but naim have a unique combination of pre/power setups that let you gradually climb the ladder if that's what floats yer boat with the naim statement being the top of the tree at somewhere around 150k for the pre and two mono blocks or should I say towers.lol.

 

[insider9]

I can return it based on the unit being faulty. If that's what it is. It's just a bit of fun and really wanted one for a while. I never expected so many "quirks".

By the way once you play music it disappears and only what's on the recording is being reproduced. No noise, no hiss or anything else doesn't matter what volume.

The hiss and hum will still be there. It will just be drowned out by the music, especially when playing compressed recordings.

 

One of the things that can separate world class amplifiers from OK ones is the noise floor.

Sure can't disagree with that. But I'm a curious individual and want to try them all

All I can say it's after midnight and all I did is turned the volume down. Got to make the best of last week before kids go back to school

It's actually as good at low volume as at my usual listening volume.

 

[rainsoothe]

My system has a very light hiss, that's only audible with my ear against the speaker.

I get no hum through the speakers, but that sounds like one of two things:

1. mains noise (either bad mains, or you have some bad wall wart power supply or some home appliance stuff plugged into the same circuit). Naim stuff is pretty sensitive to that, and some go to great lengths to provide a clean mains supply WITHOUT using mains conditioners and such. Just dedicated, isolated circuit for their Naim.

2. It is positioned close to some device that transfers noise, maybe via magnetic field or whatever - when my TV is on, you can hear this tizzy sound - the brighter the image, the stronger it gets. So maybe something like that.

I have also owned a bare unitiqute 2, UQ2 + Nap 100, Naim dac C1 + Supernait 2, and home demoed Nait 5si, Nait XS2 and Supernait 1. Out of those, the lowest (or even absent) hiss was from UQ2, SN2 and Nap100.

Oh, and amongst other things, all but the UQ2 and nap 100 picked up radio waves from a nearby radio station (so I could hear whatever was on that radio station with my ear against the speaker). With the SN2 I could even hear that on the couch.

But
But
But

I have yet to hear a brand that does what Naim does to music. Some are better in certain aspects, but the cohesion and... joy, I guess, of the music is, imo, fantastic.

 

[insider9]

My system has a very light hiss, that's only audible with my ear against the speaker.

I get no hum through the speakers, but that sounds like one of two things:

1. mains noise (either bad mains, or you have some bad wall wart power supply or some home appliance stuff plugged into the same circuit). Naim stuff is pretty sensitive to that, and some go to great lengths to provide a clean mains supply WITHOUT using mains conditioners and such. Just dedicated, isolated circuit for their Naim.

2. It is positioned close to some device that transfers noise, maybe via magnetic field or whatever - when my TV is on, you can hear this tizzy sound - the brighter the image, the stronger it gets. So maybe something like that.

I have also owned a bare unitiqute 2, UQ2 + Nap 100, Naim dac C1 + Supernait 2, and home demoed Nait 5si, Nait XS2 and Supernait 1. Out of those, the lowest (or even absent) hiss was from UQ2, SN2 and Nap100.

Oh, and amongst other things, all but the UQ2 and nap 100 picked up radio waves from a nearby radio station (so I could hear whatever was on that radio station with my ear against the speaker). With the SN2 I could even hear that on the couch.

But But But

I have yet to hear a brand that does what Naim does to music. Some are better in certain aspects, but the cohesion and... joy, I guess, of the music is, imo, fantastic.

Thanks for that!

I'll have a look tomorrow whether there's anything that can be done in regards to mains noise. It's not no 2. I've taken acoustic measurements and they look spot on. Any noise is at least 40dB below the sound and THD of a whole system is what I'd expect, below 1% from 40Hz upwards.

I agree in terms of the sound it is really enjoyable. I'll try to write something cohesive in a couple of days and see how it feels to live with it.

 

[insider9]

Could it be a ground loop I'm hearing?

If so what would be a way to deal with it?

 

[jjbomber]

Could it be a ground loop I'm hearing?

If so what would be a way to deal with it?

Off the top of my head, the Naim equipment used to earth through their own CD player. If you use another non-earthed CD player, then you get a buzzing sound. The answer was to plug an earth into the a spare input on the amp.

Try your local Naim dealer. They will probably have an up to date answer that matches your equipment.

 

[Pedro]

I'd try to connect the amp to another power plug.
Still, low level hiss with no music is ok. The music will mask that gain.