Naim NAIT
[1] Hi-fi critic Lucio Cadeddu recognised its legendary status, referring to it as "one of the most controversial and famous integrated amps in the history of HiFi".
[2][6] The Naim Audio Integrated amplifier (or NAIT) was created by Julian Vereker as a minimalist black shoe-box design that includes a phono and two line-level inputs – one for tuner and one for tape recorder.
[2][8] In terms of styling, the NAIT, priced in the UK at £253, was housed in a small black aluminium "chrome bumper" case[7] shared by other "half-size" Naim components at the time.
[Note 1][2][7] On the left side of the front panel, a plastic volume knob is adjacent to a small-diameter rotating potentiometer that controls the balance.
[5] Some of the models provide an upgrade path for their equipment by allowing the simple insertion of an external power supply unit.
"[9] In its product manual, the NAIT is said to have "low continuous power output ... balanced by a very large peak current capacity so there are no restrictions on the size or type of loudspeaker that may be used.
[13] Hi-Fi Journal wrote that "the NAIT excelled in musical terms ... and would comfortably drive loudspeakers that caused other amplifiers to sound lumpen and distinctly unmusical".
[11] And for that reason, many people who owned the Quad Electrostatic Loudspeaker (ESL) – which are known to be a very difficult load for amplifiers[14] – would choose the NAIT to drive their speakers.
[16][17] The SUPERNAIT benefits from a fully active line-level preamp developed for the NAC 552 pre-amplifier, and its output section is derived largely from the NAP 200 power amplifier.
[17][18] Non-audio circuitry for controlling the amplifiers are optically isolated from signal sections, and are designed to power down when not in use, to avoid interference.
[17] While reviewers criticised the styling of early NAITs of having a distinctly cottagey feel,[19][20] Ian White observed that the typical Naim product is "meticulously laid out, clean, and well put together".
[17][24] Banana plugs,[25] the absence of tone controls,[26] the tendency to harshness when cold[11][18][24][25][27] are family traits inherited by the NAIT.
[17] Inside, circuit boards float, and the rear-mounted mains switch and IEC socket are decoupled to reduce microphony.
[28] Techradar noted that the XS, launched in late 2008, is the first Naim device to use a new bayonet PCB-mounting technique to float the circuitry.
[28] Strong and polarised opinions about Naim amplifiers led to the NAIT being called "one of the most controversial and famous integrated amps in the history of HiFi" by Lucio Cadeddu.
[2] The balance control unusually only attenuated the left channel by up to −3 dB;[2][7] the lack of obvious markings to indicate a central position was criticised for being "slightly confusing".
[10][16][25] The NAIT 5i (italic 'i') has an additional 3.5mm jack for portable devices on the front panel, reviewers noted sonic improvements "from the first track"; it is demonstrably better at handling higher sound pressure levels than the '5i'.
A powered input, provided for turntable users, is designed to supply one of Naim's external phono pre-amplifiers.
[17][35] The SUPERNAIT 2, the flagship integrated amplifier in the Naim stable individually decoupled inputs and no digital circuitry.
[Note 6] He remarked that the NAIT 2 resembled his Krell KSP-7B / KSA-80 combination sonically, but lacked "ooomph, kick, balls in the bass".
[9] Although his colleague Robert Harley disliked the NAIT 2 for its styling, connectors, price, and poor performance on paper, he found it to be the most musically satisfying of several amplifiers in his test.
Reviewers of NAIT rarely fail to mention their characteristic PRAT (pace, rhythm, and timing) sound of Naim.
[37] Matthew Masters remarked about the 5i amp and CD player that "it didn't seem to matter how complex or demanding the music was, the Naims would sort out the elements then present them in a perfectly-timed and coherent musical picture that helped me understand – and feel – precisely what the performers were on about".
Supernait-with-Hi-Cap has greater poise and dynamic range, is better at getting feet tapping, has less 'character', a bigger soundstage, and the bass is tauter with less 'thump'.
