Naim Supernait 2

[Romulus]

I am planning to build a new HiFi system and one of my thoughts for an amplifier is the Naim Supernait 2 Integrated Amplifier. Has any one heard or even own this amplifier, I would be interested in your opinions of this amplifier and its sound. At the end of the day I intend to listen to all the HiFi components before I make a decision to purchase but I would welcome your imput in advance as a form of reconnaisance.

Ideally I am looking for an amp (approx £2,750.00) which can drive many speakers and give a good account to Rock music, Classical music (orchestras and small chamber music) and reasonable in all other music (blues,pop Arabic, Indian, Greek and other types of music).

 

[CnoEvil]

Other options you might consider:

Electrocompaniet ECI-5

Musical Fidelity M6si

Ayre AX7E

Sugden A21 SE

Maybe something like this ex-dem Pathos Logos: http://www.audiooasis.co.uk/en/prodinfo.php?productid=SH-PAT-INT-LogosmkI.

I would advise demoing with an open mind and not getting tunnel vision for a single brand.

 

[Romulus]

Thank you Cno Evil, I am well aware there are other options (which are alot more and varied internationally than the usual old suspects you have listed in your post), but at this moment I just like to take it a little step at a time starting with Naim.

 

[CnoEvil]

What other amps have you heard?

 

[Macspur]

The only other person I've known to have a Supernait2 had reliability issues and in the end had to settle on something else, the Electrocompaniet I believe.

Mac

www.macsmusic.blogbubble.net

 

[Philim]

I own the SN2 plus a hicap Dr.

No reliability issues.
I really like it and could quite happily live for a long time with it.
However as others have implied there are plenty of other options out there at perhaps better value. Teddy pardo perhaps.
Sound wise is a fairly neutral perhaps even a touch warm. I run in a 6 x 4 room into focal 1028 with no issues.
From my experience:
1 If you are uk based then shop around. I got £500 off a new one.
2 the hicap makes a nice improvement in SQ.
3 consider 2nd hand. Most people look after their kit well.
4 if you are ok with 2nd hand maybe consider 282 / 250.2 which you could get for about 3.5k. This is still a better combo and upgradable in future.

 

[Frank Harvey]

I'm not aware of any SuperNait 2 reliability issues, and it has been quite popular amongst our customers.

It is a capable amplifier, even to the point of driving the new KEF Reference 1 speakers when we put them in the demo room to start running them in. The SN2 was there so we used it. I wasn't expecting it to sound as good as it did with such a speaker, as usually KEF Reference and Naim aren't usually that great when partnered.

Alternatives at a similar price would be the ATC SIA2-150, Musical Fidelity M6si, and Sugden A21se. You could even lok at the Cyrus Lyric as an all-in-one system, which will give you a CD player and streaming capabilities, with amplification that is similar in nature to that of their new Stereo 200 digital power amplifier. Unless of course you alreayd have your source components.

 

[Macspur]

I'm not aware of any SuperNait 2 reliability issues, and it has been quite popular amongst our customers.

It is a capable amplifier, even to the point of driving the new KEF Reference 1 speakers when we put them in the demo room to start running them in. The SN2 was there so we used it. I wasn't expecting it to sound as good as it did with such a speaker, as usually KEF Reference and Naim aren't usually that great when partnered.

Alternatives at a similar price would be the ATC SIA2-150, Musical Fidelity M6si, and Sugden A21se. You could even lok at the Cyrus Lyric as an all-in-one system, which will give you a CD player and streaming capabilities, with amplification that is similar in nature to that of their new Stereo 200 digital power amplifier. Unless of course you alreayd have your source components.

Good to know, as I used to like my old Nait5i... must have been an isolated incident for Singslinger.

Mac

www.macsmusic.blogbubble.net

 

[Sospri]

I have a Naim Supernait 2, and its an excellent amplifier.

It has power in spades and drives my speakers with ease, I cannot see me changing it for a very long time if ever.........

 

[mpapo]

The Ayre AX-7E is the best amp I've ever owned.. If your speakers are not extremely power hungry it's a no-brainer.

 

[rainsoothe]

Hey - I'm running a SN2 with Martin Logan Motion 40 and for my taste it's a kick-ass combo. For classical/jazz alone, class A stuff like Sugden or Accuphase is a bit more adequate imo, but for an overall sound that's warmish and rhythmic and rocking I can't think of anything I liked more then the SN2 at the price.

 

[Singslinger]

I'm the unfortunate person who had reliability issues with the SN2 - one channel kept going on the blink and even after swapping for another unit, the same thing happened. Managed to extract a refund from the dealer - who also suffered the same fate with the swapped unit - and bought the Electrocompanient ECI-5Mk2 amp, which is working fine and which I'm very happy with. My speakers are mainly the Spendor SP1/2R and sometimes the ProAc D2.

I think my experience was a very isolated (and unlucky) one and that it shouldn't put anyone off from wanting to own the SN2. It's a fine amp, one that sounded much nicer than the SN1 (which I also owned) in that it has a warmer, more analogue-like sound.

Well worth a listen, though I should add that I've found the Electro to be a tad more detailed and sharper.

 

[Romulus]

Thank you to everyone for their input. I will be arranging to listen to the amplifier at the local dealers in Devon in the near future. I have other amplifiers on my list to try out (Peachtree Audio 220SE and Hegel H80) but arranging to listen to them will be a long journey (only a spare few HiFi Dealers in the whole of UK!)

I like the reports on the Supernait 2 in that it can drive a lot of speakers, its Dynamic, can be delicate, can do low level detail and is good at revealing rythms. I hope all proves true at the listening session.

 

[Romulus]

Thank you to everyone for their input. I will be arranging to listen to the amplifier at the local dealers in Devon in the near future. I have other amplifiers on my list to try out (Peachtree Audio 220SE and Hegel H80) but arranging to listen to them will be a long journey (only a spare few HiFi Dealers in the whole of UK!)

I like the reports on the Supernait 2 in that it can drive a lot of speakers, its Dynamic, can be delicate, can do low level detail and is good at revealing rythms. I hope all proves true at the listening session.