Naim Nait 5si much better, but is it worth 1000 quid?

[CnoEvil]

Wasn't aimed at you, Cno.

Afterall I've had a few issues with the 5i amp, only in respect of trying to match one with my RS6s and the Arcam 73. To my ears (and sanity) it was an awful match up. On the flipside, have heard the same amp with PMC and MonoPulse speakers and it sounded impressive for the money.

I know that, but just wanted to show that it seems to have a marmite like quality that divides opinion.

 

[arashid]

all the negative comments are nonsense.

first of all the nait doesn't consume much power at all when idle. Yes, true, it seems to sound better when switched on. But you leave your fridge on too don't you? and your wi fi? and your phone charger? and your nas? and your home security alarm? etc etc etc.

secondly naim is all about bringing the music to life.

3d imagining is fine, but what's the point if the music is lifeless due to timing errors.

in naim the bass is in time with the treble and midrange.

how many systems can do this. not many.

as Naim themselves say : music is about people. If you can't hear what the people on the recording are doing, then there isn't much point.

Buy with confidence. You should be able to hear, clearly, what each musician and instrument is doing. that's what it's all about.

I own a naim separates system and it is worth every penny I spent on it.

 

[stevebrock]

I demoed the Nait XS2 and in all honesty there wasn't much in it between it and the Elicit R - I just preferred the Transparency of the latter and I thought the Naim was a bit thicker on the bass, not forgetting the Rega box has a phono stage. Both great amps though

 

[CnoEvil]

all the negative comments are nonsense.

first of all the nait doesn't consume much power at all when idle. Yes, true, it seems to sound better when switched on. But you leave your fridge on too don't you? and your wi fi? and your phone charger? and your nas? and your home security alarm? etc etc etc.

secondly naim is all about bringing the music to life.

3d imagining is fine, but what's the point if the music is lifeless due to timing errors.

in naim the bass is in time with the treble and midrange.

how many systems can do this. not many.

as Naim themselves say : music is about people. If you can't hear what the people on the recording are doing, then there isn't much point.

Buy with confidence. You should be able to hear, clearly, what each musician and instrument is doing. that's what it's all about.

I own a naim separates system and it is worth every penny I spent on it.

Enjoying your system is what it's all about, so other people's opinions don't matter.

What did you compare Naim with, at the time you bought it?

 

[mitch65]

all the negative comments are nonsense.

first of all the nait doesn't consume much power at all when idle. Yes, true, it seems to sound better when switched on. But you leave your fridge on too don't you? and your wi fi? and your phone charger? and your nas? and your home security alarm? etc etc etc.

secondly naim is all about bringing the music to life.

3d imagining is fine, but what's the point if the music is lifeless due to timing errors.

in naim the bass is in time with the treble and midrange.

how many systems can do this. not many.

as Naim themselves say : music is about people. If you can't hear what the people on the recording are doing, then there isn't much point.

Buy with confidence. You should be able to hear, clearly, what each musician and instrument is doing. that's what it's all about.

I own a naim separates system and it is worth every penny I spent on it.

:clap:

 

[ErwinC]

They can not be turned off and use electricity 24/24.

They have a switch on the back so not quite true..........actually not true at all :shame:

And what if you have several pieces of Naim equipment? And what if you can not reach to to back of your components (like in my case)?

I certainly don't hate Naim. I like the Naim sound but as long as they don't provide an ON/OFF switch on the front, i will not buy Naim equipment.

If you have a setup of several Naim components, the standby usage is easily 100 Watt. That is 2,4 KWatt each day for doing nothing. I can not live with that.

 

[mitch65]

They can not be turned off and use electricity 24/24.

They have a switch on the back so not quite true..........actually not true at all :shame:

And what if you have several pieces of Naim equipment?

I should be so lucky

 

[nopiano]

Naim always had a switching thump, going back to the late 70s when I had their first NAC12/NAP250 (was that it?) on loan for a few weeks. Amazed they haven't learned a workaround for something so basic, which I'd far rather have sorted than a new smartphone app! But they sound more mainstream these days, though still more about excitement and musical drive, than acoustical accuracy (i.e. of the venue) to my ears.

Would happily live with their latest series of Unitis though haven't heard the 5si yet.

 

[Peptdi]

When i had my old NAIM pre-power CD and Flat cap system driving some Monitor Audio MA3's, you could close your eyes and i swear you could see the smile on the bass players face. The same cannot be said for my current NAIM X series system driving MA RS5's though

 

[Sospri]

Naim always had a switching thump, going back to the late 70s when I had their first NAC12/NAP250 (was that it?) on loan for a few weeks. Amazed they haven't learned a workaround for something so basic, which I'd far rather have sorted than a new smartphone app! But they sound more mainstream these days, though still more about excitement and musical drive, than acoustical accuracy (i.e. of the venue) to my ears.

Would happily live with their latest series of Unitis though haven't heard the 5si yet.

My Supernait never had a switch on thump, it mutes the speakers for a few seconds then unmutes them so you never get any noise,

I think a lot of people on here get on the bandwagon without ever hearing the equipment in question, those i mean that opine on everything whether or not they have any knowlege of the subject..................

 

[Peptdi]

Wasn't NAIM's moto we give you the music, worts and all? i.e. if its a bad recording thats what you will hear. Thats why i threw my Oasis CD's in the bin, well one of the reasons anyway, i just got off the Kings new clothes wagon and realised that Oasis were in fact actually crap.

 

[NHL]

Auditioned Naim Nait XS 2 today!

Superb control and really good stereo image. Don't know if there's any thump since it was already running at the dealer. Slightly coloured midrange, but in a pleasant way. Given the price delta, I would go for the 5si!

 

[Skraggy]

I have had 3 different 5si home in last 2 months and all buzz/hum. Not what you expect when paying just under a grand.

 

[plastic penguin]

I have had 3 different 5si home in last 2 months and all buzz/hum. Not what you expect when paying just under a grand.

Have you questioned the dealer? Ask him/her why is it buzzing or humming?

 

[Skraggy]

Yes. Dirty electricity. Tried amp in mates house same thing.

 

[nopiano]

Yes. Dirty electricity. Tried amp in mates house same thing.

That sounds like bad design then! What solution do they suggest? There are various powerclamp type devices on sale, but should not be necessary.

 

[Skraggy]

Yes. Dirty electricity. Tried amp in mates house same thing.

That sounds like bad design then! What solution do they suggest? There are various powerclamp type devices on sale, but should not be necessary.

Steve technician from Naim said it was dirt in power supply and there is nothing they can do about it.

 

[NHL]

Yes. Dirty electricity. Tried amp in mates house same thing.

That sounds like bad design then! What solution do they suggest? There are various powerclamp type devices on sale, but should not be necessary.

Steve technician from Naim said it was dirt in power supply and there is nothing they can do about it.

Does a mains conditioner help, like Belkin-not-as-expensive-as-a-refrigerator?

 

[plastic penguin]

Yes. Dirty electricity. Tried amp in mates house same thing.

That sounds like bad design then! What solution do they suggest? There are various powerclamp type devices on sale, but should not be necessary.

Steve technician from Naim said it was dirt in power supply and there is nothing they can do about it.

Does a mains conditioner help, like Belkin-not-as-expensive-as-a-refrigerator?

So where are you at now as regards amps? Is the Naim still on your radar or have you ditched the idea?

 

[NHL]

Yes. Dirty electricity. Tried amp in mates house same thing.

That sounds like bad design then! What solution do they suggest? There are various powerclamp type devices on sale, but should not be necessary.

Steve technician from Naim said it was dirt in power supply and there is nothing they can do about it.

Does a mains conditioner help, like Belkin-not-as-expensive-as-a-refrigerator?

So where are you at now as regards amps? Is the Naim still on your radar or have you ditched the idea?

My Audiolab 8000a also used to hum, can be annoying . The explanation is that to get the best possible sound, it needs to be wideband and produce sound far from high quality.

 

[plastic penguin]

Yes. Dirty electricity. Tried amp in mates house same thing.

That sounds like bad design then! What solution do they suggest? There are various powerclamp type devices on sale, but should not be necessary.

Steve technician from Naim said it was dirt in power supply and there is nothing they can do about it.

Does a mains conditioner help, like Belkin-not-as-expensive-as-a-refrigerator?

So where are you at now as regards amps? Is the Naim still on your radar or have you ditched the idea?

My Audiolab 8000a also used to hum, can be annoying . The explanation is that to get the best possible sound, it needs to be wideband and produce sound far from high quality.

So is that a yes or no?

 

[NHL]

Yes. Dirty electricity. Tried amp in mates house same thing.

That sounds like bad design then! What solution do they suggest? There are various powerclamp type devices on sale, but should not be necessary.

Steve technician from Naim said it was dirt in power supply and there is nothing they can do about it.

Does a mains conditioner help, like Belkin-not-as-expensive-as-a-refrigerator?

So where are you at now as regards amps? Is the Naim still on your radar or have you ditched the idea?

My Audiolab 8000a also used to hum, can be annoying . The explanation is that to get the best possible sound, it needs to be wideband and produce sound far from high quality.

So is that a yes or no?

i trust WHF, if they selected it as the best sub £1500 amp then I'm definitely in.

 

[Skraggy]

Yes. Dirty electricity. Tried amp in mates house same thing.

That sounds like bad design then! What solution do they suggest? There are various powerclamp type devices on sale, but should not be necessary.

Steve technician from Naim said it was dirt in power supply and there is nothing they can do about it.

Does a mains conditioner help, like Belkin-not-as-expensive-as-a-refrigerator?

So where are you at now as regards amps? Is the Naim still on your radar or have you ditched the idea?

My Audiolab 8000a also used to hum, can be annoying . The explanation is that to get the best possible sound, it needs to be wideband and produce sound far from high quality.

So is that a yes or no?

i trust WHF, if they selected it as the best sub £1500 amp then I'm definitely in.

Have you bought the amp yet? If so what do you think?

 

[NHL]

The dealer can give 10% off the recommended price.

What does XS stand for, Xtra Smooth? More valve like sound according to reviews, 5si and SN should have a more digital sound.

It is only XS2 which have sounded really good, a pity that WHF only awarded it 4 stars.

 

[florencenightingale]

I heard over on Naim forum that they don't fit a muting relay to the loudspeaker outputs of the Naim Nait 5Si amp as it is seen as a potential source of degradation of the signal - better to tolerate the odd low level thump at switch on/ off 8)