Entry Naim System: Nait 5Si & CD5Si Review
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- čas přidán 16. 06. 2024
- For a similar price to a Naim Uniti Atom you can purchase a Naim entry separates system. I find out how good the Naim Nait 5Si and CD5Si are.
Link to manufacturers' webpage:
www.naimaudio.com/range/integ...
Link to my Patreon:
/ abritishaudiophile
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Time stamps:
0:00 Intro
4:05 Design & features
6:57 Sound quality
14:10 Setup & partnering equipment
16:51 Conclusion
Great to see you today really enjoyed it, you gave us some great tips and played some great music. Also thanks to Wilkinson HiFi for asking you give us a talk, especially Stuart David and Andrew and not forgetting Hilton!! Cheers Gary.
Probably the best review I've yet to read of an assessment of Naims house sound.. I've owned olive series kit from new that you mentioned, back in the day, and your summation of the sound quality was right on the mark. Excellent review and a reference piece regarding Naim.
Thank you kindly. Much appreciated 😊👍
Thanks for this video, well done. I have had lots of kit over the years but my Naim Uniti will be with me for a very long time. 👍🏆🇬🇧
Cool 😎
Excellent review once again Tarun .. brilliant way to explain things with your own experience.
Thank you Atri. Much appreciated 😊👍
Yes I agree, what a good review of these entry level Naim separates. I think we can say these units have this brands in house sound. With components further up the range you do get more. The comment concerning not much width is often the case with lesser products. To attain width & depth think of spending considerably more money.
Hey Tarun I really like the way you conduct your audio equipment reviews, very educative and informative, really enjoy your CZcams channel by the way I have a SuperNait 3 paired with Dynaudio Heritage Special and the combination is Superb. Thank for your time.
Thank you Daniel. Very much appreciated 😊👍
Congratulations! You’ve crossed 55K subscribers 👏🏼
Thanks Jeremy. Steady progress 👍
Beautiful looking equipment. You can never go too minimalist IMO. Great review. 🏆
Thank you 👍
Outstanding review, I’ve learned a lot, Tarum. Thank you!
Thank you kindly 😊👍
Good review and down to earth insight again. Looking forward to your Neat Petite Classic review!
Thank you my friend 👍
Love your Reviews and you speak very well and very calm. Most reviewers are in a hurry. I have the original Naim 5i and would never sell if. It’s 50 watts and just so dynamic. They build them to last and they are so simple inside. I just need plug a Wiim Pro into the tuner RCA and it’s amazing. Thanks again for your Review. Gavin from Australia
Thank you Gavin. Much appreciated. Great to learn about your experiences 😊👍
Tarun, thank you for the Naim 5Si review. I have owned this integrated amp for two + years. It is driving Zu Omen speakers. I am still using my 22 year old Rotel RCD02 connected to a Denafrips Aries ii DAC. Your comments on the amp are spot on. The bass response is great with out being overwhelming. Midrange is natural sounding and the sound stage is fine for my listening. I expect to use this set up for many years.
Thank you. Good to know my experiences match yours 😊
Best shots of these components, I’ve never seen them in person but now I feel I have. Texture on front for instance.
They have a very nice textured finish 😊
Another excellent review. Thanks, Tarun.
Thank you Jim 😊👍
I’m digging that watercolor behind you. Cool review and good to know my Wilsenton is hanging in there.
Thank you Doug 👍
I’m writing this sitting across from my nair 5si, a great review and I couldn’t agree with your points more
Thank you Brando. That is great to know 😊👍
The Pioneer A400 was a giant killer. My first ever amp partnered with a PHILIPS CD850 MKII CD-PLAYER and Rogers LS3/5A speakers. Magnificent
Cool 😎
The Pioneer A400 was very good, so I bought one. However, my original Mission Cyrus 1 phono stage was so good that I used it as a phono stage for the A400. The Cyrus phono stage beat the CA, Rega, and others without issue, the CD input on the Cyrus 1 was harsh. When I got a Nait5 and a stageline, I found something that was as good as the Cyrus phono stage. My Naim amplifier is now a 202/250.2 combination after a number of upgrades over the last 20 years or so. I had a British built Naim CD5, but I stream now. The CD5si/Nait 5si I believe have the PCB's made in China.
@@davidhaslett9777 thank you for sharing your experiences 😊
Thanks, Tarun, another enjoyable and informative review.
I love the fact that you take off the cover off to show us the internals. As an amateur amp builder, it is fascinating to see what goes into commercially built gear. I started my building decades ago with kit amps. The kit designer lives a mere half hour from me and he once demonstrated two identical power amps: the only difference was that one had a mains transformer nominally twice the VA rating of the other. The one with the bigger transformer showed more control and poise throughout the frequency range. I am not even slightly surprised that Naim do the same.
Thank you John. Very much appreciated 👍
Loved my Naim amps back in the day. Old school silver and black!
Cool 😎
Great honest review as always Tarun. Never been a fan of the Naim sound myself but interesting to understand what they are doing
Thank you buddy 👍
Tarun, great review. I'm a longtime Naimie, and my observations of the Naim sound are almost exactly yours. (I began 20 years ago with a CD5i and Nait 5i). I remain committed to the brand -- despite its shortcomings -- because it still presents music in such a unique, lifelike way.
Another reviewer (I forget who) once said, "Most hifi kit tells you in detail how a recording sounds; Naim kit tells you what it means."
Thank you Bruce. That is a great quote. Glad to know my experiences mirror yours 👍
Hello. Have you seen the inside of the naim CD5Si ??
It is an extremely poor and super cheep and simply built CD player with no quality! Almost nothing inside!
Almost looks like my cheap DVD player inside!
If you buy these two Naim products, you've just done something really stupid. You have bought low quality components!!!!
I never really liked NAIM.
@@ford1546Bear in mind I'm not advocating the brand or otherwise, but in my assessment any CD player that you buy under $2,000 is going to be mostly devoid of componentry. I mean if you don't believe me simply look at any brand on the market that sells CD players for under that amount and you'll see that virtually all of them are hollow and empty with no real substance.
I mean I think that comes down to a optimization of componentry over time.
Think about it, take a CD player from the early '90s that sold for let's say $700 and look inside it and it's filled with stuff. So you might be thinking to yourself" oh well that means it's great quality ", conversely look at a modern CD player at around the same cost and it'll just be basically a hollow empty shell when nothing but a small circuit board and the drive mechanism itself, and one could be forgiven for assuming and saying to one self " oh well this thing's low quality because it has no parts in it versus that '90s player which had a ton ". But you see it's really just optimization of parts, back in the 90s it took 15 circuit boards and 35 transformers to do the job that a tiny circuit board and one tiny transformer will do today.
Not necessarily to say that one is better than the other but I have never owned a vintage CD player that was worth a damn in terms of longevity and quality of manufacture. On the contrary the majority of them that I've had from the likes of Sony or Rotel or Arcam or Marantz has been flawed and riddled with problems, in spite of them being crammed with componentry that represents supposed " quality".
Good review especially when you confirmed the different presentation of music between the Naim Amp and Exposure amp....
Thank you buddy 👍
Great review. I used to have the Pioneer A400 that you mentioned and the PD-8700 CD player back in the early 90s. I then moved to Linn. Had the Classic DI (the one with DVD player) and upgraded from there. I added a pair of LK140s with activ cards into Ninka speakers. I then replace the Classic with the Akurate Kontrol and Akurate Power amp. I loved all those amps. Since then I have got a Linn LP12 which is the only piece of Linn I have left these days.
Thank you Paul. Great to learn about your experiences 😊
I’m a huge fan of the vintage LK140 / 85 amps. Love the small chassis and great sound with my Thiel CS2, Bang & Olufsen RL6000 and KEF LS50 speakers. No need for me ever to upgrade. I bought into “Linn For Life” except for speakers.
Thank you, Tarun, that was interesting. In the 1990s I decided that there were compatibility issues between Naim equipment and my ears - it would be quite nice to have a listen to the recent gear and find out what's changed. My system is very British, with a couple of the other classic names: Quad and Royd. Since you ask for viewers' experiences, I'd say that a powerful Quad flux dumping power amp (606 Mk1 in my case) is a friend for life - great big unflappable brute of a thing it is, but unobtrusive too. As for Royd, my Minstrel SEs were only meant to be an interim solution, but they're still here and thriving in an improbably large room. There's nothing state-of-the-art about my set up, but I must have got lucky with the synergy.
Thank you. Great to learn about your experiences. Quad and Royd are legendary brands in my opinion 👍
Another great review and presentation of this 'entry' level system. Is it wrong to say that the Naim CD player is so 'sexy'. Perhaps I should probably say the tray system is really appealing. Thank you again for your time, effort, and very smooth delivery. Your words carry a quiet authority that compels me to listen to your reviews longer. All the best, Sir.
Thank you kindly Simon 😊👍
Excellent review! I purchased a used 5Si when you first started your channel. You recommended it as a step up from the iota. I love the amp! I had a habit a changing amps every 4 months or so but I’ve stuck with this one. I would love to hear the supernait though.
Thank you. I would like to review the Supernait. The 5Si is a very good amp. Glad you are enjoying yours 😊
Hi Tarun, thanks for a very informative review of this Naim combo. In the late 1970s I bought an Armstrong 626 AM/FM receiver which served me well for many years though I don’t think that this brand ever received enough attention to earn it a “legendary” label. Years later, in the early 2000s I bought a Musical Fidelity X-150 integrated amplifier and some years later I added a pair of XP-200 power amps running essentially as bridged mode mono blocks. I’m still using this setup though I’m now seriously considering an upgrade. The main contenders are the Quad Artera Pre and Artera Stereo power amp. I’d love to see a review of those!
Thank you. I appreciate the suggestion 😊
In love with my Linn Majik i (old version).33 watts per channel of great sound.Alternating with Unison Triode 25 and Nuprime Ida 8.Great times for audiophiles !!!
Thank you for sharing 😊
Thanks for a very interesting review! I'm very much looking forward to your review of Neat's Petite Classic speakers you mentioned before your conclusion. I auditioned them recently and liked them very much.
The review is out now. I hope you enjoy it 😊
Good to see an accurate review that mirrors my views. I own a Naim Uniti 2 which is basically a more powerful Naim Nait 5si and the CD5si in one box as the Uniti uses tweaked versions of these inside the casework.
The thing I like about the amplifier is the outline or sharp edges of all notes and voices that appear to give it more speed and one of the main contributors of the PRAT.
I had a Hegel H95 and found myself looking out of the window whilst playing music, it just didn't stir the senses. The Nait does that and really gets your toes tapping. Most Naim fans (Myself included) don't really have soundstage width as main priorities as that's a false impression anyway, the Naim makes you think you are at a gig enjoying the music rather than listening for low level detail. The CD player is a little lean in the bass and a little small in scale compared with their older CD5 but eminently listenable through the amp. It's a pity Naim are sticking with the analogue only inputs though as I'm sure it would appeal to a much larger audience if it came with several digital inputs
Thank you. Great to learn about your experiences 😊
Tarun listening to Naim. My goodness, I never thought I’d see the day. 😃 I had an 8000A. Loved it.
Thank you. I got there in the end 😉👍
Great review, you were spot on with the naim 5i and CD player
Thank you Ricky 👍
Good review, I have the CD5si and your comments are fair. I have had it a few years and is one of the bedrocks of my system as it is nice to use and no fuss. I find the sound engaging and even handed.
More Naim reviews would be good.
I suspect my next purchase is a matching steamer, ND5 XS2.
Thank you Richard. Good to know that your experiences mirror mine 👍
Hello. Have you seen the inside of the naim CD5Si ??
It is an extremely poor and super cheep and simply built CD player with no quality! Almost nothing inside!
Almost looks like my cheap DVD player inside!
I never really liked NAIM.
@@abritishaudiophile7314I have changed my amp to MFA/ Quad 405. It has revealed just how good the CD5si is. Strange hobby.
Great detailed review Tarun.👍
Thank you Shane 😊
Enjoyed your review Tarun! On the legendary brands: I had the Revox B795 turntable - extremely short ‘arm’, rock solid stable aluminium platter with direct drive. Really good sound in the 80s with an Ortofon VMS20 cartridge. I replaced with a Project Classic - less than half the price around 2005 which was much better sounding but lacked the rock solid Revox platter stability.
Another famous brand I owned: Nakamichi - over the years 2 cassette decks- LX3 and later the ZX 5(?) with 3 heads. Both with linear frequency response 20-20kHz at -20dB and negligible difference in direct and recorded sound. Also great for live classical music recordings.
Thank you WK. Ooh… Nakamichi cassette decks, I used to dream about owning one when I was in my teens 😊
Superb analysis, mate.
Thank you my friend 😊👍
About 20 years ago ( an estimate) I spent hundreds of hours in hi fi listening rooms before buying my system. I quickly settled on the electronics, that being the naim entry level pre / power amps, the cd5 and a separate power supply feeding the pre and the cd player. Most of the time was spent trying to find the right speakers. I listened to lots and lots of them. My opinion at the time was that speakers priced at about twice the single electronics component price gave the best solution. I ended up with the Naim Allae's which all my friends said were too bright, but to me they offered unbelievable realism for human voice. I still have the system today and still love it to bits. I have still never heard any system (at any price point) to offer greater clarity and realism. Listening to Tracy chapman's first album still astonishes me,
incidentally, the system has been running non stop for all this time, never gets turned off. I guess I should get the electronics serviced by Naim. but can I be without it for a few weeks......no.
Thank you for sharing your experiences Barry 😊
Another wonderful long term, happy owner story. Remember, the only review that really counts is your ears in your room. Vintage Naim and Linn kit rock! No need to chase new gear and spend lots of unnecessary money. Be happy, focus on the music and enjoy as you are doing. Kudos!
Thanks for the review, having recently sold my CDS5Si which I regret, I felt the sound was superb, like listening to real people in the room on a good recording, every disc sounded unique, mastering etc., revealed in all their glory. It does take a while to run-in, sounded good from new but some compression in midrange which went after about a month to reveal a glass like clarity from bass to treble. You need to use it in display off mode and fixed output mode on din or phono.
Mine sounded better on a glass topped isolation frame that was decoupled from the main frame, rather than the more common now wooden ones {bamboo}. The Interconnect I used was the superb QED reference 40 £100 in UK absolutely stunning cable! The cheaper 40i cable is like fog!
I tried it in my friend's system which has Martin Logan Panel Speakers, PS audio player/Dac and mega expensive cables and the Naim sounded awesome!
I briefly tried the Naim 5Si amp not run in but was not happy with the loud switch on thump it produces which no reviews that I have seen ever comment on! I cannot comment on the sound as it was brand new and I did not keep it, however i did have a Naim original 5XS which was silent and superb very P.R.A.T.!
Thank you for sharing your experiences Paul 😊
Call me old school, conservative and and I still drink my coffee without hot milk but, of the systems that I have owned and still own I prefer my Naim/lp12/ATC system. I use Naim streamer and phonostages all powered by Hi-Cap/Flatcap and Natsc because I somehow get it from the Naim sales organisation. But it is somehow complicated at times. For instance I listen to a Systemdek II/Musical Fidelity/Kebschull (tubes) and Proac speakers in our Swedish summer cabin I sometimes are convinced that this system is better performing than the Naim driven system. But, when I come home and listen again to the Naim system, I get this little foolish smile on my face and I again love the naims/LP12 and ATCs. I am not complaining. It seems that I am always the place that I want to be :-) Thanks again for these lovely structured reviews where you share your deep knowledge and enthusiasm together with some of your background. Brilliant!
Thank you Kjeld. Very much appreciated. Great to learn about your systems 😊👍
Love my Naim 5Si Long live the CD. Very well made. very good remote. easy to use and great sounding.
Cool 😎
That very Linn Majik you pictured is playing background music for me as I watch this :)
Cool 😎
I like to see you review British gear. I’ve been doing this for almost 50 years, and in my early days owned McIntosh, Conrad Johnson, and Audio research. I found myself swapping gear every year or so until my early 30’s. Then, I opted for a switch to gear that was more neutral, albeit less warm. Over the years I believe the choice has better stood the test of time and has always delivered fine sound. My switch was to Linn. When switching to British gear, I simply couldn’t find a naim dealer. Linn seemed to be more ubiquitous. Fast forward 30 years, and I’ve managed to upgrade my linn, about as far as one can go. I do love it. But I’ve frankly never understood why the gear, on the whole, doesn’t get reviewed. It seems ignored across the reviewers channels, including British ones. I’d love to understand why.
Thank you Jim. Some of the established brands such as Linn aren’t too concerned about having their products reviewed. They know they have a loyal following anyway. That said, I do need to find out who to contact at Linn and see if I can get them to send me their Selekt DSM Streamer/amplifier 😊
Always loved the Nait 5 series. I recommended a 5i to a friend years ago and he loves it.
My first love is the Linn LK140 and 85 amps with Linn Kolektor preamps. Love the small chassis and great sound. Linn and Naim are both bullet proof and classic UK audio brands. One can’t go wrong with either.
Nice review!
Thank you Michael 😊
Another great review Tarun . I have always been a great Naim fan, agree about the 'Olive' brightness but there was something magical about them..just drew you into the music..emotional.. not a hifi term exactly . Yeap Naim have always been on the pricey side but you can't fault the build quality and they last and last. Can't really see the point of a CD player these days, rip your CD's onto a drive and use a streaming Dac. So many British hifi brands have disappeared or have been 'badged' . Despite being merged with Focal Naim are still doing a good job tinkering down in Salisbury. I had an old Rogers A75 (s2)Amp for many years hooked up to some Quad ESL 57's. I think the truth is that manufacturers are compromised by cost these days and sometimes the old stuff is just better..take your Proacs for example. My favourite turntable is a Manticore Mantra .
Thank you Mike. Great to have your perspective 😊
Thank you for the review - really insightful. It's quite rare to see a review of Naim equipment - not sure why?
Thank you Gary. I guess Naim don’t actively try to get their products reviewed like some brands 😊
Excellent and helpful review
Thank you 👍
I still have the early nait xs amp & cd5 xs cd player along with the flatcap xs . I still use my old monitor audio gs10 speakers too with this set up. Perfectly balanced & still very musical after all these years.
Thank you for sharing 😊
Love it! Absolutely nothing wrong with the old stuff. I should last decades and provide much enjoyment.
love Naim equipment - have the NDX2 and SN3 - great combination
Cool 😎
Interesting as always. I, like you just, never “got” the Naim sound.
I had a few demonstrations back in the day, one was actually a Naim showcase playing their top tier(£K’s!) system. I still left shaking my head wondering what other people were hearing. Ha
The A400 was my first taste of something special and what Tom Evan’s could produce under the discipline of a big brand. I eventually managed to get one of his Michell Argo pre amps which I partnered with a Quad(another classic British brand) 606 power amp. Ah, great days.
Thank you JE. Great to learn about your experiences 👍
I’ve always aspired to a mid-range Naim system. One day, when I retire….In terms of iconic brands, Musical Fidelity. Often overlooked, but back in the 80’s I bought their A1 amp and it changed my life. Have stayed with their amps for years (some not as good as others) and am currently running a MF Nu-vista 800 amp. Love it.
Thank you. Musical Fidelity have made some great amps over the years. My friend had an A1 and loved it too 👍
You beat me to this one! In the budget category, I owned the X-150 which is a mini classic. They virtually never surface on eBay but I’m sorry I sold it.
I now have the A308 which is a 150wpc, 23Kg beast with simply effortless sound. In my second system, I have the Elektra E200 preamp which exudes sophistication too.
Being a perpetual tinkerer, I’ve spent a good deal of time fettling these amps and whilst they sound amazing and look incredible, I’m not wholly convinced that some of the internals are all that they should be at the price. I’ve pulled apart much more prosaic kit with higher quality circuit boards.
If the new owners have addressed this niggle, I can see me being very hard pressed to switch away from this brand in the future.
@@markcarrington8565 thanks Mark. There should be some MF reviews from me next year 😊
@@markcarrington8565 which classic MF pre Amps would you recommend? And do they pair well with non MF power amps ?
@@mrsinghsstereos6662 Most MF preamps of the period are good. Even the Typhoon. But they do add color to the sound and their gain is not same as other preamps. Would be great to audition - in your system if possible - whatever preamp you are interested in....They also have pretty decent phono stage if that interests you.
Nice review Tarun. Pretty much on the money. The soundstage aspect really moves up a gear when you listen to the Naim XS3 or Supernait 3. I have recently upgraded my “lifestyle” Uniti Nova with a NAP250DR power amp from Naim. Night and day difference! Using the Nova as a preamp retains the flexibility of streaming/app use whilst giving a real taste of the Naim amp sound and is a joyful musical experience when driving my Proac Tablette 10 Signatures with a REL sub. Isn’t that what music listening all about.
That is great Adrian. Thank you for sharing 👍
I was wondering about this combo with the Nova. Does the NAP250DR replace the 80watts provided by the Nova, or add to it? (I'm an easily confused newbie). Do you have a CD5si as well?
I’ve always wanted a 250dr but just bought a good deal on a used Nova. Did I choose right ?
Demoed the NAIT 5 against Roksan & NAIT XLS2 amplifiers a decade back.
Supernait way out of budget.(still is today @ £4K!)
I thought the XLS2 sounded best for my pop tastes & more detailed than the other two.
Just went with a mid range Onkyo cd player as Naim was around £1K. Then added Focal Floorstanders after listening to several brands. This was before the Naim/Focal partnership
Still my main system today 👍
Let's not forget the Cyrus, let's not forget the Cyrus ... The Arckam 290, Audiolab 8000 and Cyrus III were a trio of British musketeers in '90 that competed at around the £500 level, with the Cyrus being "to taste" somewhere between the previous two, and could be instantly upgraded with a power supply and climb to a much higher level (from around £800) and even beat the Naim Knight... So much for "HI FI history". Cheers!
Thank you for sharing 😊
Another thorough and pleasantly engaging review. Shopped this and the Musical Fidelity M5si for my nearfield setup (LS50 Metas and Denafrips Ares II). Ended up going with the M5si and for many of the reasons that are in line with the findings in your review and am quite happy with the result. For me it came down to balancing the synergy with the Metas along with the added albeit non-fatiguing detail retrieval and increase in soundstage width and depth. Curious if you’ve had any experience or interest in the Musical Fidelity offerings, but I would definitely give them a listen if the opportunity presents itself.
Thank you James. I am due to review some MF amps next year 😊
Great and honest review!
It would be nice to see your review of the Uniti and Classic series as well. Agree with you on the soundstage and perhaps even imaging. Naim have historically and still do tend to have a forward presentation, although they have made some good progress to sound more hifi in that regard. However there are better options for soundstage and this is not what people buy Naim gear for, IMO. I speak as an ex NAP 500/NAC 552/NDS/ND 555 owner; my current set up is a Uniti Nova with some gigantic floor-standers. I’m quite happy with the Nova, which, to me atleast punches way above its weight..
Thank you Shankar. Great to learn about your experiences 😊
Well balanced, highly informative, intelligent review. (As far as I am able to judge...)
Thank you Hans. Very kind 😊👍
Hi Tarun, great review and finally of some Naim gear. I had an opportunity at a fellow Naimite recently to hear these components in his second system paired with Falcon LS3/5As in a 2x3 metres room. From a sheer musical perspective it was terrific, and I must admit I forgot to listen out for the inadequacies from a hifi point of view. To me it summed up, why I’ve been with the Naim brand for 35 years (active & passive). Now even at the top level it thankfully never stops the foot tapping 🥳 Keep up the good work Tarun, best Peter
I can see how it would be a great nearfield setup. Thank you for sharing 😊
Hello. Have you seen the inside of the naim CD5Si ??
It is an extremely poor and super cheep and simply built CD player with no quality! Almost nothing inside!
Almost looks like my cheap DVD player inside!
I never really liked NAIM.
Cheers and thanks Tarun,, 🍻😎👍👍
Thank you Irene 🍺👍
Hi Tarun, that is a great review as usual. The CD player may not be the most scalable source you have listened to, but wait until you see how the CD drawer opens :)
For me, the number one legendary brand that is still standing it's ground is Technics. It may not get the pulse racing of every audiophile (that can be said for every brand) but no audiophile can dismiss it without loosing credibility. The KPIs are: Herritage; track record; cultural impact; past real performance; today's real performance.
Thank you Hugo. I still own an old Technics amp 😊
I remember that hera mid 80s to mid 90s.. I had the ESB series 7 as speakers and a Luxman hybrid LV 105 and matching cd player. That match was made in heaven.
I remember ok the Nad 3020.
The Naim Nait.
The Dynaco amplifier 30 watt el34 tube amplifier a champ at his game.
I remember that we had hifi stores.
Thank you for sharing 😊
I had this Naim combo some time ago (in the "i" version), and I completely agree with your findings. BTW, I have a suggestion for a record to help you test your gear - fantastic music and fantastic recording: "Malia & Boris Blank - Convergence"
Thank you a1. I shall check it out 👍
Last 2 tracks Tarun 👍🏼 ATB Peter
I have a Nait 2 (Olive, cd model) that I use as a preamp with an NAP 100. Love this combo.
Cool 😎
Good review. Back in the late 1990s, when I was putting my first real system together, I listened to both Naim and Linn and found them to be very different. The Naim had great pace and timing, but it was just too forward for me and I thought too fatiguing. The Linn system was much more laid back, some say dry and clinical, but I found I preferred that sound. I put a Linn Activ system together and I still have it 20 years later. My brother, on the other hand, has a Supernait and Harbeth speakers and he loves it.
What speakers were you using with the Naim ?
@@davidthom7127 I can't remember for sure, but I think I auditioned an all-Naim system, including Naim speakers. I have Keilidh's in my Linn system.
Thank you Jim. My experience of old Naim and Linn system pretty much mirror yours 👍
Hi Jim…who knows what anyone hears? I would never say my Linn gear is dry and clinical. But to each their own. It’s all personal preference. Like you, I love my vintage Linn. I’m sure your brothers’ Supernait / Harbeth combo is sweet too. What’s not to love with any classic / iconic brands? And in the end, its all about music enjoyment….exactly why I never suffered from upgrade fever. Cheers!
Thanks Tarun, superb presentation as always. I too had the Delta 290 and the matching 290 power amp, but sadly never got the speakers quite right. I have tried Linn but not Naim. I didn't have the ideal speakers when I got my wonderful Exposure 2010S2, but kept it. Eventually put it with my Exposure MCX CD and then 2 years ago with the Neat Motive SX3 speakers. Finally I have a small room system that will play absolutely anything. Really looking forward to your review of the Neat Petite Classics. They may sing with your Exposures?
Thank you buddy 👍
Good review Tarun.
Like you, my first proper hi fi amp was Arcam but was Alpha 8 paired with Marantz CD63 KIS. I later added the 8p power amp but it was too much for the limited size of my listening space. Too much of a good thing I guess!
Thank you Andy. I remember the Alpha 8 fondly 😊
Hi Tarun, thanks for the great videos. I first heard the Nait 5si two years ago when I was looking for an upgrade on my Yamaha AS 501. I demoed several amps at just under or about £1k (through Kef LS 50’s which are my speakers) with a very patient dealer but was totally undecided. He then suggested that I listen to the 5si even though it was just over the £1k spend limit.
Wow! Thirty seconds in, I loved it! It just seemed to really kick a#*e in comparison to the other amps. The Naim was the one and it came home with me that day. A second hand CD5si soon followed. Whilst I have a Bluesound Node 2i I like owning my music on CD and vinyl.
I can’t tell you how much I have enjoyed this system. So much so that a few weeks ago when I was offered a fantastic deal on a used Supernait 3 I was compelled to do some frantic eBaying which sadly included parting with the 5si to fund the Supernait 3. Thankfully it was a good move. The Supernait 3 provides everything the 5si did to the power of 10.
I’m really interested in your observations on soundstage Tarun as I really value that and now can’t help but wonder if the sheer body and excitement that the 5si delivered at the dealership caused me to overlook the soundstage. All I can remember is that it was no contest the moment I heard the Naim. The other amps auditioned were: Arcam SA20, Roksan Atessa and Rega Elex R.
Thank you again for your great videos and also for your help in the past when I reached out to you and you kindly helped me locate a connector I couldn’t source.
Hi Gibbo, don't be afraid to experiment with power cables and conditioners to enhance the performance of the supernait. Naim discourage this, but I have had great results myself. Especially in soundstage depth, width, and clarity. With the forward nature of the naim sound, I've achieved a holographic 3d room filling sound without loosing any of the naim tendencies.
Just my 2 cents. I have a supernait 2, ndx streamer, naca 5 cables, b&w 802d2's. Get a used ndx, price is right for the quality and performance.
Hi Mike, thank you very much for your suggestions, I’ll definitely look into them. I have some second hand naca 5 cable I have yet to try with the system and as soon as time permits I’ll be giving that a go to see how that affects the sound. I also think I have a lot of experimentation to do with speaker placement as well.
Thanks again. John
Hi Mike, thank you very much for your suggestions, I’ll definitely look into them. I have some second hand naca 5 cable I have yet to try with the system and as soon as time permits I’ll be giving that a go to see how that affects the sound. I also think I have a lot of experimentation to do with speaker placement as well.
Thanks again. John
@@gibbolp7618 I just picked up a used Transparent Powerisolator Reference 4 outlet conditioner and it does wonders for naim equipment. In itself, the improvement was more evident than one single decent powercable at the same price point of $1150. I did have 3 decent powercables to get it running at the next level though. There's that cost also.
Thank you Gibbo. Much appreciated. Great to know you enjoyed your Nait 5Si and are enjoying the Supernait even more 😊👍
It was a pair of Quad II / 22 driving the original electrostatics playing Dire Straits "Tunnel of Love" on a Realistic (Sharp) CD that got me hooked into the hobby and I've always enjoyed valve amps since. The guitars sounded so amazing....
That is great 👍
Bloody amazing track...
as a completely irrelavent aside, I've always used vintage Naim naits with my Quad electrostatic speakers. I've moved through the speaker models, deace by decade, I've now rested on their 2nd and 3rd generation - one pair for my digital music and a pair of 63s for my LP setup in another room. I've tried sundry Quaddie amps but always come back to using early naits... !! They're just such a great combination working with the electrostatics :-)
Thank you for sharing 😊
Great to see this review Tarun, I was considering this pairing when I bought my system last year.
I’m looking forward to your review of the Neat Petite Classics, I really like my Motive SX3s and I’m curious to hear your thoughts on these new reissues. To me, Neat speakers just sound “right” and I end up just enjoying the music rather than analysing the hi-fi.
That is great! The Neat Petite Classic review should be done soon 👍
I too have the SX3's and concur with your just sound 'right' opinion. They are musical, not hi-fi, and I listen to more music on them than my previous speakers.
One brand that I have always had somewhere in my systems since the 1990's is Tannoy. Partnered with the correct components, these speakers for example Revolution XT series, scale so well that in blind audition you can be fooled into thinking they are worth multiple times their actual price. I have a pair of XT 8f powered by Willsenton r800i. The combo is something to behold. When you power this set of Tannoys with a high quality tube amp like the r800i it would not be hard to believe that you were listening to a set of speakers in the 5000-10000 price range. In my opinion Tannoy are legendary in a way very few other audio company's can ever aspire to be. They know how to make speakers at most price levels. Ps. My mate has 10k worth of Naim amps and 7k worth of Sonus Faber speaker and it sounds artificial and flat compared to mine.
As far a legendary brands, they don’t come much better than Tannoy 😊
Hi Tarun thanks for the Naim review. My hifi experience has taken me many places, mostly through buying used gear. I once had a Sugden A51/P51 set up with the matching tuner. It was a stunning combo for the time, but keeping in good repair proved difficult in Toronto in the 80s. When I moved to Winnipeg to work in television I downsized considerably going with a NAD, then a brute of a vintage Marantz which kept the room warm in winter. Now I have a Naim Unitilite and a Uniti-Star with the Core for ripping and FLAC storage. The bug is always there to try something "new", but in retirement I have to be more frugal with my audio fetish.
Thank you Neil. One of the great things about having this channel is that I get to play with different gear all the time 👍
Sugden - a very under rated company. All handmade equipment and no hype like Linn.
Long time NAIM owner, having upgraded from my Audiolab 8000A /EPOS system to a NAIM 72/90 olive shoebox, then to 82/180 with Ruark’s then finally to 52/135’s/CD-S. I’ve downgraded since back to an 82/HiCap/CDi and kept the 135’s. Love me some Olive, they’ve kept me well entertained for three decades. I recently added a Unity Core and XS2 streamer as the CD player and Nakamichi Dragon are reaching the end of their serviceability - time to digitize the collection.
Thank you Mandy. Great to know you are enjoying Naim products old and new 😊
Legendary brands? In the early nineties I was astonished/shocked by the sound quality of the Rotel 840BX series, combined with entry level Focal (JM Lab) speakers.
Cool 😎
At one time my brother had a set of AE2's which he used the older olive Naims. He had a pre, power combination with additional power supplies. If you know the AE2 then you can kinda imagine how fast this sound was thrown at you. Fun days.
Thank you for sharing 😊
Interesting discussion, thanks
Thank you 😊
Great review Tarun ! In the same price range i prefer the roksan k3 amplifier. It sound almost the same way but far more powerful and wider sound stage. Have a nice day.
Great. Thank you for sharing 😊
That was a trip down memory lane for what hifi readers.I had pioneer a300,mission 760 and the wonderful marantz cd52ii.Was on a yts so couldn't afford an arcam pairing.I too err on the warm side for components.Found Rotel,Cambridge audio fatiguing,bright.
Thank you for sharing Robert 😊
I've had both Naim Nait 5Si and the CD5Si, Loved them. I now have the Naim ND5XS paired with the Leben CS300XS Amp and the Harbeth 7ES-3 speakers - great combination. I had the Harbeth's when I had the 5Si pairing, Harbeth's and Naim go well together, as do Harbeth and Leben... You may want to try the Auditorium 23 speaker cable also, I've had them for 10 years now, throughout the Naim Harbeth and Leben journey, I like them a lot, and I think it is the longest time I have had any speaker cables! Anyway that is my 2 cents.
Thank you for sharing your experiences David 😊
I haven’t heard any recent Naim gear, but back in the mid 90s I fell for the much vaunted upgrade path often written about in the HiFi media of the day. I bought a new Naim “olive shoe box” series NAC/NAP pre-power combo. I’d fallen for the marketing hype! However once the novelty wore off I was unsatisfied with the sound. I added a hi-cap to the pre amp, then upgraded the power amp from the NAP90 to the 180. The latter was much better but still left wanting for me. Finally I traded it all in for the newly launched Krell KAV300i and never ever looked back. The ability of a power amp to double power output as impedance halves appears key. Bonus, I finally found out how good my Meridian 206B could sound. As for P.R.A.T I’ve found that regardless of what equipment I use the tempo and rhythm of the music stays the same😉
Thank you for sharing your experiences Jerry 😊
I own a Supernait 3 with a Hicap DR. It’s an excellent combination for my Proac’s D20R. I’m sure you will love it!
I hope to find out 😊
Brought a Naim 5si for $ 2250 [au's] new I extremely happy with it The sound is great and you can listen to all day without feeling fatigued. The NAIM is hooked up to a set of Spendor A2 Speakers ; Rega Planet cd player @ Kenwood KT - 815 tuner
Nice system 😊
Never commented here before... I have the exact combination, and synergy is the key. Started out with the CD player, and a Marantz amp, later a Rega IO amp. But, things came right with the matching Naim Nait amp. Have used a bunch of speakers (together with a REL tx5i sub), from Mission LX2, KEF LS50, Castle Richmond IV (Chinese made), Neat Motive SX3 - but found some old "Vintage" UK made Castle Stirling 3's, and wow... Don't care for pinching highs as some modern loudspeakers and/or amps aim for, it gets fatiguing quickly. I like the intimicy and forward sound this combo gives me...
Thank you for sharing your experiences KF 👍
I own these two and really (was) happy with them until the CD5Si stopped playing CD's. I can still play vinyl thru the amp with a PS lll phono preamplifier attached and it's chugging along. All in all, I will be overjoyed if I can get the CD player repaired reasonably and my system back in full function. Also have the 5 pin proprietary connector and Niam speaker-cable ( not mentioned here! ) paired to KEF iQ5 All in all, it is a nice system that didn't break the bank it just broke my heart...
Thank you for sharing. I hope you get the CD player fixed 😊
I must have been some kind of amplifier deviant in the mid 90s then, I auditioned the Audiolab, but ended up going with the Cyrus III, later adding the PSX-R psu. Loved that amp. 🙂
Cool 😎 nothing deviant about that 😊
Cyrus amps were amazing value & sounded Great!😃
Solid review as always. Never owned any Naim but familiar with some in bits - including these. Agree re the lack of air in the CDP in particular, but at least it makes things easy and relaxing to listen to which can be a bonus.
In terms of other brands I've had some recent-era Quad and Audiolab products and to be honest there have been some build quality/reliability issues which have put me off going there again.
I also see very little innovation or originality in so many new mainstream products - closely related or very similar stuff coming out with latest claims and casework, but little progression once you get used to a slightly different sound. Especially re foreign/conglomerate ownership trading on established names. Sorry if that sounds a bit cynical.
Been very happy with the Exposure amps I've had. Croft too; and various Audio Note bits. Chord DACs have been a personal game-changer also.
Thank you for sharing Rob 😊
Nicely done Sir 👍.
Jim 🏴🙂
Thank you Jim 👍
the old Naim sound was based on the power amps that were "ringining" , the overshoot on transients was part of the Naim sound
Switching between speakers, I bought a pair of cheap secondhand Neat Critiques for temporary until I buy the speakers I was saving up for. But to my surprise, this little speaker in combination with my Naim Nait XS2 sounds great. I stopped saving, and I am now just enjoying listening to music.
Thank you for sharing 😊
I got the next level up models (XS CD + amp) 9 years ago. Still happy with them. I might look for a matching DAC and or power amp at some point. I wish Naim still offered simple, stand alone CD Players at the higher level instead of only cd ripping / storage / streamers.
Thank you for sharing 😊
Hey Tarun great review my friend. Naim amps have always sounded a bit brighter than I normally like also, but their recent gear is a bit better. A friend of mine is a Naim and Proac dealer and I've heard these two products paired together many times and they seem to match well. Saying that I would probably choose an Exposure/ Proac partnership over the Naim, as it's more to my taste. 😊
Thank you Steve. If go through Naim/ProAc route, please let me know how you get on 👍
Another great review!. Had the chance to purchase a pair of Musical Fidelity MA65 monoblocks and Preamp 8 preamplifier (from 1996) in immaculate condition. These were a Tim de Paravicini design. Took them to the Musical Fidelity distributor and had them fully recaped with upgrade capacitors and serviced. They are high bias (think 0.8-0.9A, 65W 8Ω, 115W 4Ω) and after a month of burn-in I was in for a treat. They have deep mids but are very revealing. Not bright or forward though. Don't know exactly how they would compare to the Exposures or Naim...but plan to keep these for a long long while!
Musical Fidelity has of course changed a lot since Antony Michelson sold company to Project...
How has it "changed a lot"? The sale only happened recently, most of the product line up is exactly the same.
@@Grrrr3FKAGrrrrGrrrrGrrrrFirst of all when you send an email to MF you get a response from Austria. So physically, the organization has changes. But what is notable is the usage of project circuits - exact copies of those used by project in its line of products, re-packed in a new case and then price bumped up by 20-30%. E.g. the "new" MF MX streamer, which is exactly the same as the Project S2 Ultra. And this trend may continue. I dont know what the future holds. May turn out for the better for MF, or may not. But certainly changes are there. I say this being an owner of both MF products and Project products (Project Pre Box RS2 Digital)
Thank you AM. I am planning to review some MF amps and find out how competitive the current designs are 😊
@@razisn I agree with you , there are some subtle changes...but what ticked me off was this...The S2 Ultra was a Westlake design released back in 2018? OK, they have changed the power supply. But I hope you agree that they re-packed the (more or less) same circuit, from a product from 4-5 years ago, and re-branded as MF with a higher price. I have seen this ttrend ONLY on Project/MF products which overlap....DACs, Streamers. I hope that amplifier segment, where Project does not have a mainstay, shall remain solidly MF..
Cool! I was just googling Creek. They have some new projects including a cdplayer. I’m looking forward to you reviewing one if it becomes available to you.
Thank you Bradley. I did contact them some time ago. Time for a follow up 😊
For what it’s worth, in 2003 I owned an Arcam Delta 290 and a Naim Nait 5. I preferred the Arcam for its extension, openness, clean nature, but the Naim had nice drive to it but it was more closed in in regards to soundstage. I now have much higher end stuff but still miss the Arcam.
I still miss that amp too 😊
Your review was incredibly useful for me. My CD2, bought around 1997, was highly regarded at the time and has provided great performance over the years. Sadly, this will inevitably die at some stage and is no longer supported by Naim. I called Witch Hat servicing this week and they too would be unable to service the unit., so with a large CD collection I'll be looking at a new player within the foreseeable future. I have a NAC 202 / Hi-cap into 135's with Linn Isobariks, which have been updated with newFalcon / Scanspeak drivers. It's a shame that the CD5si is the only standalone player produced by Naim now and, from what you are saying, I don't think this is going to be the successor. I'll keep looking and thanks again.
Thank you Nick. I am planning to review more CD players 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks Tarun. Inclusion of some in the £2k - £3K price bracket would be very useful. I would be interested in your opinion of the Rega Saturn 3 player and DAC. Regards Nick
Moving parts make extra long life a challenge. I feel your pain and also understand very few manufacturers are able to stock parts and support their products forever. I hope you can at least make the 30 year mark. Unfortunately nothing is forever.
In the 90’s had shoebox size pre-power nac72/nap90 Naim amps and a Meridian 506 CD player.
But at the time of writing this looking at upgrading to Rega elex-r /4 that has had over a number of years excellent reviews and recently been updated. I think could definitely be an improvement over my Musical Fidelity M2si.
Thank you for sharing 😊
A Bryston B60R Integrated is my choice, its amplifier section has a true, dual power supply, based on the legendary 2B LP and its preamp section on BP6. It has finesse and it rocks. Mine came with a built-in Phono module, something the Nait 5Si lacks. It only has remote volume control and sadly the B60R is is no longer in production.
Cool 😎 thank you for sharing 😊
Thanks for the video - wish the cd player had digital outputs 😥 Love the look of Naim they do have a very good Rep for reliability . 😆
Thank you Tee-Jay 😊
I had the amplifier and it was really nice, bass and pace and midrange were great. To me, it fell mostly short in soundstage and top end openness. I’ve since moved to the Audiolab 8300a and it really improves on staging, air and top end articulation while still having good British sound. 8300a is less money and quite a bit more amplifier, feels more powerful too, fully balanced.
Thank you Rob 👍
very interesting, Rob,. I am orientating on amps and speakers, and was very interested in those two amps. Remarkable to hear from you that you would prefer the 8300A. I haven t heard them yet. Taking my time I was watching reviews on them. Which speakers do you have?
I had a audiolab 8300a too but for me nait5si is better. It has more punch and it is more organic sounding from bottom to top. Yes 8300a has more resolution but it is slower and kind of flat. Also it is thinner overall and more analytical. Naim is like hear to your music and dont think about hifi.
@@enjoyunreality thanks for your view on those
@@enjoyunreality definitely not thin or analytical, what speakers and source do you have?
I’ve the nac 202 , nap 200, hi amp , nspc , Naim mm phono stage with various different types of speakers love it with a chord dac
😎 thank you for sharing 😊
I have the naim nait 50 and a Denon CD 900NE Playing through Monitor Audio 7 Silver - wonderful 👍🏽👍🏽
Cool 😎
Great video, really enjoyed hearing about your early hifi journey. I have never had a chance to hear Naim equipment, bot I adore the aesthetics. There are lots on the second hand market too. I am moving from the UK to the US, so will he giving up my 30 year old equipment and building a 110V system over there. I’d love to use as many UK built components as possible. The Naim amp as a secondhand buy is very high on my list. My question is how does it sound driving good headphones? As for the CD player, we’ll for me, without a digital output I just wouldn’t consider it. That feels like built in obsolescence.
Thank you John. I didn’t test the headphone output. Good luck with the move 😊
Not been able to find a replacement for my Naim CD2, I love that to bits. I left behind other Naim gear long ago though, Naim Nait 1, 2 and 3 and their IBL speakers. Maybe I will try a CDS3 system or equivalent in the future.
Thank you for sharing 😊