Naim Nait 50 Anniversary

[The_Lecht_Rocks]

Apologies. Comments accepted.

 

[Alex1969]

Is it a class A/B ?

 

[RoA]

How can a little, low powered amplifier like this have so much bass control and still sound full? Remarkable.

 

[nopiano]

Is it a class A/B ?

The Naim is, yes, a classic transistor amp, no new fanged technology in sight! That said, they state they set the bias current low, just enough to prevent crossover distortion, which is a distinctive approach.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

NAIT 50 is the best shoebox integrated amplifier Naim has produced to date.

 

[RoA]

NAIT 50 is the best shoebox integrated amplifier Naim has produced to date.

I would hope so too being as the only other two are forty odd years old 😀

 

[davidf]

I would hope so too being as the only other two are forty odd years old 😀

And almost ten times cheaper... (at RRP)

 

[MUSICRAFT]

I would hope so too being as the only other two are forty odd years old 😀

New is not always better though.

 

[RoA]

And almost ten times cheaper... (at RRP)

Using the BoE inflation calculator, the original Nait launched at approx. £250 which would be around £860 today. By the time the Nait 2 launched, it was, I believe around £700/£1950 in todays cash.

Naim clearly over estimated perceived value. I stand by what I said earlier (and what was suggested in their forum). A launch price for the N50 at £1973 plus a more 'loving' package as a whole would have made more sense.

As is I paid exactly todays inflation rise equivalent for the Nait 1 so am (very) pleased.

I highly recommend this to anyone with small/medium rooms.

 

[RoA]

New is not always better though.

Indeed and some prefer the originals.

 

[davidf]

Using the BoE inflation calculator, the original Nait launched at approx. £250 which would be around £860 today. By the time the Nait 2 launched, it was, I believe around £700/£1950 in todays cash.

Naim clearly over estimated perceived value. I stand by what I said earlier (and what was suggested in their forum). A launch price for the N50 at £1973 plus a more 'loving' package as a whole would have made more sense.

As is I paid exactly todays inflation rise equivalent for the Nait 1 so am (very) pleased.

I highly recommend this to anyone with small/medium rooms.

Nait 2 was just over £300, and around £398 at its highest, if I recall correctly. There were no annual Naim price rises back then.

 

[The_Lecht_Rocks]

Considering the following, it’s an absolute bargain regardless

Nait 50 has a full Naim active pre-amp section, like a classic series pre-amp, in miniature. The most sensitive components are kept large, such as the custom filter capacitors. The first section is a filter, made from single ended class A buffers. On to an ALPs blue velvet volume control (as per NAC 202, 282, 252, 552, except no motor). Then the volume feeds the pre-amp gain stage, that feeds the power amp section. The gain stage doubles as the headphone amplifier. As per NSS 222, NAC 332 that it is based on.

Nait 50 uses the LM317 and it’s negative complement, the LM337. These linear regulators power the phono stage and pre-amp.

It shares the NAP 250s amplifier topology. It does not have the DR regulators or the NA009 power transistors

 

[Gray]

detail, soundstage and punch !

Detail and punch are my absolute priorities for music.
I'd have been more than interested in this Naim had I not long ago bought another Cyrus - which, on paper, has twice the output - though I'd expect the Naim to sound at least as lively.
My Cyrus too, was a case of overpricing at launch, meaning that it was discounted by £1000....the retailer then knocked off a further £100.

Some of these price reductions (e.g. Black Friday season) make a mockery of RRP.
Back to this Naim and the owners here are doing nothing to make me any less tempted 🤨