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New Naim Forum

Hello everyone I recently changed out of a 5 seperate system and decided I wanted a small good integrated amplifier and a new CD player. I sold of all of my gear and started down the Naim rabbit hole. Don’t get me wrong, I am very glad I made the change. I’m now listening to music almost daily again where as my old system would going unplugged for weeks. There was just no emotion. It was overly warm and slow in the uptake. I honestly believe the 13 year old Mark Levinson no.334 amp needed a refresh to keep up with the new Totem Forest Signatures.

So I kept my Oppo Universal Disc Player as it is virtually new and the Totems 3 years old. I was wanting smaller kit with a good integrated amp and a matching CD player. Less cabling to figure out, just simplify my setup.

Enter the Naim Supernait 3. Wow what a beast. I bought the Supernait 3 and had planned on the CD5si CD player. After reading to the Naim forum discussing it with my fantastic dealer I decided against it the Cd5si. I was informed Supernait 3 would out perform the cd5si as the player was a entry level and offered no digital output or power supply upgrades. What to do? I found a nice Naim NDAC.

I’m running the Naim nDAC fully refreshed with new firmware. Man!!.does it sound good. It has 4 optical inputs, 2 RCA and 2 BNC I puts as well as 2 USB ports. Lossless playback and it charges your phone. It’s a digital hub. It has the ability to except an additional outboard power doubling the performance. (See Below)

I use my Oppo as the Transport playing CD’S through the RCA digital out via a Chord Company Signature Super ARAY Digital Coax RCA > BNC to the nDAC.

The nDac also plays a 2 Terabyte External Hard Drive full of FLAC, WAV and lossless files 192 files. It is connected via HDMI from the > Oppo to a HDMI TV Monitor and I have literally thousands of tunes at my fingertips. The Oppo remote populates the files on screen alphabetically, simply point and shoot.

From the nDAC I’m using Naim Super Lumina DIN5-5 cable to the Supernait 3 CD/DIN input. (Is anyone running the Chord Sarum T between their Naim source and preamp?)

Speaker cables are NACA5 / for now but I’m looking for suggestions from this new post for replacements. Any ideas?

The NACA5 hooked to the Totem Forest Signature Speakers. 12 feet!

For now, all power Cables for now are Naim TibiaPlus12 Deep-Cryo power cables except a Voo Doo Cable low noise 10 awg Digital Power on the nDAC. I’m using a Naim Wiremold power strip except the Supernait 3 is plugged directly into the AC.

Next week I’m expecting a Teddy Pardo XPS power supply for the nDac with included Teddy Burndy and a power cable. We’ll see how that shakes things up.

I have my Totems 6 feet center toe to toe and 10 feet to the listening position.

I would really lime some feedback whether your running Naim or not. I’m looking for alternatives that can propell my Naim system.

Thanks -

N

nutty
painter24's avatar
painter24
212 posts
 

Hi Nutty,

Another Naim owner here 😊

I used to own an Olive set-up in the 1990s, but had to sell it all (new house/renovation 😔). Always regretted it as I am no longer married to that person.

Anyway, after 20 odd years in the HiFi wilderness, I decided to jump back in last year.

I was determined not to go down the Naim rabbit hole again, but after auditioning other brands, none of them were cutting it for me. Sensing my frustration, but without knowing my hifi history, my dealer went out back again and came back with the Nait 5si 😀.

I groaned and smiled at the same time. I really didn’t want to get Naim’d again, but once the Nait started playing, with that same old Naim character, it was game over. I was Al Pacino in that film where he just can’t get away from his old mob-life 😊

My thinking was "ok, you can’t add anything to, or expand the 5si in any way, I’m safe" 👍

Wrong! About a month ago, I found a pre-loved Nait XS2 from around 2020 I believe, in immaculate condition for less than the price of a new 5si. OK, now I’m in trouble! 🤔😜

Thanks for starting this thread, I use the Naim forum too, but like Audiogon for a broader perspective. Nice to have a Naim corner here 👍

 

nutty OP
2,659 posts
 

Hello painter24 and welcome to the conversation. Congratulations on your recent purchases on some very capable and great sounding gear. I’m glad you found your way back to Naim. Their sound is consistent, very musical and their integrated amplifiers certainly do deliver. The Nait XS 2 is a prime candidate for upgrades but then I don’t have to tell you that. Your time with the Olive kit gives you the knowledge you’ll need to move forward if you choose.

I’m excited for you and please let update me on the progress and updates on your system. Please feel free to share any musical interests you have as well. Anyone reading in will be interested in great recordings sounding better on their Naim gear.

I suppose you read my posts regarding the addition of the two pieces byTeddy Pardo. My first choice to fill the key positions was obviously to go with Naim. I scoured the internet since August 2021 looking for pre-loved Naim kit but only found very old or used units priced as new units. So I went with the Teddy Pardo XPS and the TeddyCap SE and I’m not looking back. Yari sent me 2 prototype power cables and stated they are going to begin manufacturing and selling soon. The cables are very well made and sound great. I do need to make some comparisons with others but for now I am leaving them burn in.

How do the new components sound? Fantastic! The best way to describe what they bring to the already excellent performance is deeper, more natural and more robust bass. They bring overall greater clarity and air.

Welcome again l, painter24

N

 

nutty OP
2,659 posts
 

I’m considering upgrading the 4 and 5 pin SNAIC cables that Teddy Pardo supplied with the TeddyCap SE. Does anyone have any experience with The Chord Company Shawline or would that be a sideways move?  I can't stretch for the Sarum T or Music. Shawline is attainable but don't want a sideways move. Perhaps the Signature level.

N

larryi
3,718 posts
 

As far as solid state amps go, I find the Naim gear suffers a bit less from the lifeless quality of most solid state amps when playing at lower volume levels (I am a low-powered tube fan).  
I do like their digital source components. I once owned their 555 CD player (great sounding player) and I now run their ND 555 server, UnitiCore hard drive/CD ripper,  and their 555 DR power supply.  I have about 5,000 CDs ripped to the UnitiCore.

 

nutty OP
2,659 posts
 

Hello larryi - Thanks for writing and welcome! The CD 555 is still an amazing CD playback system. Combined with Naim’s superb power supplies, though I’ve never heard the combination I can imagine the results. I like to imagine I have a small taste of the chain with the nDAC in my system however without their top power supplies I’m confident I’m missing tons of musical satisfaction.

You’ve assembled a Very capable system and I do believe that when I change out the Oppo as my transport I’ll be considering The CORE as well. It has all of the features I’m interested in.

"...As far as solid state amps go, I find the Naim gear suffers a bit less from the lifeless quality of most solid state amps when playing at lower volume levels..."

I agree with your statement. I enjoy my system much better at lower listening levels. It easily manages the music. The momentum and Low frequency drive remains evident. The music is simply more enjoyable though the system is quite capable of more than satisfactory higher db levels.

Last weekend I upgraded from a 2 Terabyte Western Digital external hard drive to a 5 Terabyte Seagate. We transferred over 77,000 files. We're adding more files next week. 

Thanks for posting -

N

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