Fifty Something - How Naim's New NAIT 50 Captures the Spirit of the Iconic Original

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  • Опубліковано 24 лис 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 129

  • @bigblueocean
    @bigblueocean Рік тому +9

    New Gold Dream is an under appreciated classic. It still sounds fresh today. Well done boys.

    • @MrVinylista
      @MrVinylista Рік тому +4

      I think it's one of the best albums of the 1980s. It still sounds brilliant today, musically. And the recording quality just seems to get better as your replay equipment improves.
      I bought it on the day of release and it reminds me of very happy times, being 16 with so much ahead of me. What a great soundtrack to that!

    • @scottthompson5004
      @scottthompson5004 Рік тому +2

      Have to say guys love your channel love your content,
      I wanted a change of direction after having a Naim unity 2 for the last 7 years & you have switched me onto Exposure! So I’ve traded in got myself a 3510 couldn’t be happier fantastic amp!! unfortunately spent all the money on the amp & didn’t leave myself for a source so clawed back my old 33 year old NAD 5220 CD player!! Wow never sounded so good!! Running with some ATC SM11
      Speakers & now saving for a streaming source 🙏

    • @gaetancharbonneau3902
      @gaetancharbonneau3902 Рік тому +1

      So true @@MrVinylista

    • @sbwlearning1372
      @sbwlearning1372 Рік тому +1

      ​​@@MrVinylistaColours fly and Catherine wheel is my go to audio test track.
      Sadly to these ears it shows up naim as unpalatable

    • @Kouros-t6d
      @Kouros-t6d Рік тому +1

      the new one from Simple Minds is almost at the same level

  • @paulwhite1109
    @paulwhite1109 Рік тому +5

    Great stuff as always guys. Obviously I like the hi fi chat but its the way you deliver it and the banter that makes it.

  • @robertleitch2016
    @robertleitch2016 Рік тому +5

    Deserves an encore. Not just the riff, but the revival of Naim's best style epoch. Perhaps a NAC42/NAP110, or a half-width CB streamer. I can't imagine that Naim will have any bother shifting all 1973 of these NAIT 50s, but the money they're asking would still get you a decent NAC32.5/HICAP/NAP250 with enough left over for re-capping and servicing.

  • @razisn
    @razisn Рік тому +7

    D Industrie Normen (German Industry Standards).

    • @robertleitch2016
      @robertleitch2016 Рік тому +2

      I remember walking aimlessly around West Berlin on a student visit in spring 1982, and my heat leaping on finding the actual Deutsches Institut für Normung building down a quiet side street. Essentially the equivalent of the BSI, but made far more exciting by exotic audio and photographic connectors, as well as the most respected standards for measuring the horsepower and torque of internal combustion engines.

  • @stevehollingbery9744
    @stevehollingbery9744 Рік тому +1

    Highly entertaining riff and up to par chaps. Not a Naim lover but horses for courses as they say. I do note that over the years Naim have changed their sound and moved from left field to more centre based.

    • @MrVinylista
      @MrVinylista Рік тому +1

      Thanks Steve - yes, the Naim sound has certainly mellowed over the past 20 years but it is still distinctively 'musical'. Characterful and fun, I would say, but with wider appeal now.

  • @cremersalex
    @cremersalex Рік тому +3

    On New Gold Dream Jim Kerr's voice is buried in reverb and echo. Kick drum is really loud. Have those Asia and Kraftwerk albums too from my vinyl days. And the Supertramp album of course.

  • @oliverbeard7912
    @oliverbeard7912 Рік тому +2

    Banter! 😀. Are you guys keeping score on who's delivered the greatest "burns"? Another nice review.

  • @garth56
    @garth56 Рік тому +3

    New gold dream reminded me of my system years ago, this is so funny so a Roksan Cognoscenti,piano black marble finish just stunning, with an original Well Tempered tonearm, can't remember the cartridge, sitting on a Rata Torolyte stand on two paving slabs separated by a inner tube from a mini and just to keep the miss's happy draped in black cloth. The to slabs was the idea from the seismic sink which had just come out at that time fro dear old Max. The amp was an original Audio Innovations 800 with the stupidly priced choke power supply added, but hell it was incredible, for good measure and a Rotel Michi phono stage. So the point of this was both of you mentioning bass. The 800 with the choke in triode mode pushed only 18 watts and the final bit of the puzzle were the TDL Studio 1's. So when I originally bought them I thought yeah they're okay great bass and reasonable imaging. When I did all of the above to the amp and TT the bass went so low, concrete floor, the windows rattled and not only that the imaging was electrostatic. I had a friend who measured 25hz in room. I played Yello's The Race only once loud because not only at the time did I think a race car came into my room and left but the bass was the incredible. I have fond memories of this but the point of this is watts really don't equal power. Valves are always better at this but if you stuck the Naim on some 102db 8ohm speakers they'd take out some windows. The only thing I found about the original was it was a bit 1 dimensional. Sorry for this very long winded response. My speakers are 105db and driven by 8watts you def would need a pair ear defenders if I turned them up to 11 :-) Love the channel guys

    • @MrVinylista
      @MrVinylista Рік тому +1

      Great story, thanks. I'm running 94dB efficient Wharfedale E70s in my second system and can go nearly deaf with 10W; 1W is loud enough for most occasions!
      The NAIT 50 should definitely be used with sensitive speakers, and/or relatively easy loads. Not really an ideal match for a pair of BBC LS3/5as, electrically at least.

  • @tonyjedioftheforest1364
    @tonyjedioftheforest1364 Рік тому +3

    Great riff guy’s, I would definitely buy one if money wasn’t an issue.

  • @dougg1075
    @dougg1075 Рік тому +1

    A right proper British review gentleman. And I should know, I’m from Birmingham.
    Roll tide!

  • @numptification
    @numptification Рік тому +3

    10cc's How Dare You was/is another early seventies production master class.

  • @razisn
    @razisn Рік тому +1

    Putting this against the new MF A1 should be interesting. My money is on the A1 which is not limited edition and is only about 1.5K... Disclaimer I was lucky to have been given the opportunity to listen to the A1 at home for one week and was impressed all things considered. I haven't listened to the Naim. My impression is that if one isinclined to spend 2-5k on a push pull tube amp of 20-40W one should do himself a favour and listen to the A1 first. I also bi-amped the A1 with a current MF solid state amp and all I can say is wow! Sweet treble plus robust bass. If you do manage to listen to the A1, please DO check out its performance using the DIRECT function which bypasses much of the pre stage gain.

    • @MrVinylista
      @MrVinylista Рік тому +1

      Thanks, great info. I'm sitting here looking at a new A1. Review coming soon.🙂

    • @razisn
      @razisn Рік тому +1

      @@MrVinylista DIRECT function should provide enough gain for all but the measliest of MC cartridges and phono stages. Direct function provides about 32db of gain. MF power amps happen to provide similar gain so they are emminently suitable. Bi-amping with a lower gain amp should be no problem since the A1 volume control can be used to compensate.

  • @yippie6862
    @yippie6862 Рік тому +2

    Are you two considering reviewing the 2023 Musical Fidelity A1? Another low powered retro remake. That one may be special at half the price of the NAIT 50.

    • @MrVinylista
      @MrVinylista Рік тому +4

      Hi - yes, I have one in front of me now. This will likely be our next review. As you say, it's going to be interesting to compare it against the NAIT...

    • @yippie6862
      @yippie6862 Рік тому +1

      @@MrVinylista Thanks, looking forward to that review.

  • @lxduc
    @lxduc Рік тому +2

    I Love mine with the Audio Note AN-K Lx speakers Rega RP 3 and MXN10 network player, lovely little system

    • @MrVinylista
      @MrVinylista Рік тому

      Interesting combination!

    • @lxduc
      @lxduc Рік тому +1

      ​@@MrVinylista

  • @LyndonSoulGroove
    @LyndonSoulGroove Рік тому +1

    Nice, Din sockets too. remember them well into mid 80's my 1st mono cassette deckin 1983..1st time I Knew about the Din origins. Good to read your article Dave in the latest edition of Russ Andrews, so true about listening to music as you get older..

  • @sh00kac
    @sh00kac 10 місяців тому +1

    So nice !

  • @martinrose2833
    @martinrose2833 Рік тому +2

    That would be me !

  • @scrunts666
    @scrunts666 Рік тому +9

    2700 pounds, you have to be kidding me !!!

    • @45calypso
      @45calypso Рік тому +2

      This is outrageous who’s forcing you to buy this amp against your will? Name and shame I say.

    • @MrVinylista
      @MrVinylista Рік тому

      Highly likely to be worth more than that secondhand, in a few years, such is its rarity.

    • @gdwlaw5549
      @gdwlaw5549 Рік тому

      And 50 p

    • @briang530
      @briang530 Рік тому +1

      I guess listen to one? I just demo'd the thing. The price is interesting for a 25w RMS, (but actual cap enabled 225 peaks are properly impressive).
      Based on a recent demo, It won't likely replace my Rega Brio in powering my Dali opticon 5s but It's no slouch. At 25rms it powered a set of notoriously hard to power (well for bookshelves) 2001 AE AE2 signatures very well. Vs the current Brio it seems overpriced, and one could buy a NAIT XS3 or a used Rega Aethos for the same price.
      Would I buy a NAIT 50? Probably not, although if my equipment were different, I might. I guess I'd say that if everything else makes sense with one, though, it does seem more resolved, clear, and entertaining to listen to than some competing products at a similar price.

    • @scrunts666
      @scrunts666 Рік тому +1

      @@briang530 There are so many options at that price, and anywhere up to it, that it makes it a bit of a joke to anyone who knows their gear. As a massive fan of Rega I would definitely agree with you on the Brio, solid amp, I have one that I sometimes use to drive my RS-3's. If I were spending anywhere near that much I would just go got a pair of Rotel RB-980 power amps, bridge them and drive anything at all. I could probably even get four of them and quad amp my most demanding speakers if I felt insane enough and have change for the matching pre-amp.

  • @basementfortyfive
    @basementfortyfive Рік тому +1

    Nice. Still trying to get a review sample ...:-) Thank you.

  • @gaetancharbonneau3902
    @gaetancharbonneau3902 Рік тому +1

    The Simple Minds New Gold Dream album is indeed a hard test for a speaker woofer, the bass is very, very heavy. For the record... the inspired keyboard solo on the "Hunter and the Hunted" song is a courtesy of Herbie Hancock. It's barely readable on the back of the cover gold typo but it's there.

    • @MrVinylista
      @MrVinylista Рік тому +1

      Absolutely, that record is full of surprises - and succeeds on so many levels. It's one massive ear worm, just gets better the more you play it. Much of it was recorded just down the road at Manor Studios, close to where Mike and I grew up near Oxford. It will be 41 years old next week, and still sounds achingly beautiful to my ears.

    • @sbwlearning1372
      @sbwlearning1372 Рік тому

      Colours fly and Catherine wheel is my audio test track for any new thing that arrives
      Magnificent

  • @timothyfreeseha4056
    @timothyfreeseha4056 Рік тому +1

    I was wondering about the Din cable. The one you show has phono termination on one end? Does the Din cable work better or ideally with Din terminations on both ends, and does it operate like a balanced cable? And- by the way, Thank you!Eye Candy for me! I just love looking at the Nait. Definately a great product- even tho I have never heard one...just sure about that..against all reason.

    • @MrVinylista
      @MrVinylista Рік тому +1

      It's not a balanced cable, but Naim fans would tell you that a DIN to DIN works better than a DIN to RCA due to the allegedly superior sockets. I'm not so sure, but as ever I think the truth is in the execution. Naim certainly does DIN sockets really well, and hasn't abandoned its faith in this socket type, despite it being a pain to non-Naim aficionados. It's kind of like having a car with special wheel and tyre sizes!

    • @timothyfreeseha4056
      @timothyfreeseha4056 Рік тому +1

      @@MrVinylista thank you.

  • @attrktmarketing4582
    @attrktmarketing4582 Рік тому +1

    I saw one in the shop and was sooo tempted.

  • @Kouros-t6d
    @Kouros-t6d Рік тому

    New Gold Dream Sparkle in the rain Once upon a time ara all masterpieces and even thier last album is very very good.

  • @drumman154
    @drumman154 10 місяців тому

    Greetings from Florida!
    Regarding the Nait 50: I’m using one in a small room fed by a Naim ND5XS2 connected to a pair of Neat Iota Alpha and let me tell you there’s nothing small about the way this puppy sounds. Synergy and all that…
    Thanks for the wonderful content and happy new year!

    • @Hi-FiRiff
      @Hi-FiRiff  10 місяців тому +1

      Oh yes! We are on our way for a listen!

  • @kobush18
    @kobush18 Рік тому +1

    Great review 👍
    Can you clarify the term " musical " , it's little vague ,what do you mean by that?

    • @MrVinylista
      @MrVinylista Рік тому

      Sorry, it's hi-fi shorthand for 'engaging and involving' - in other words, the amp has fine dynamics and great resolution of the music's timing nuances. The sound is the opposite of homogenous, drab and boring.

    • @kobush18
      @kobush18 Рік тому +1

      @@MrVinylista don't be sorry,you explained it very good,so it's all about engaging sound that makes you want to listen more and more regardless of resolution and Dynamics and other technical terms.👍

    • @MrVinylista
      @MrVinylista Рік тому +1

      @@kobush18 Absolutely. I do try to avoid hi-fi reviewer jargon, as it's not always self-evident. The Naim is certainly a 'musical' amp, more so than most of its price rivals.

  • @martinrose2833
    @martinrose2833 Рік тому +3

    The knob is machined metal !

    • @marcse7en
      @marcse7en 5 місяців тому +1

      Should be machined GOLD for that price!

  • @kjbunnyboiler
    @kjbunnyboiler Рік тому +2

    The most obvious technical compliance is the addition of the mains switch on the front as opposed to the power/volume control on the original. (Looks like I’ve a faulty memory on this) I’m an old fart which is my excuse🤣🤣🤣

    • @gotham61
      @gotham61 Рік тому +2

      It's exactly the same in that regard. The right hand button on the original is the power switch

    • @kjbunnyboiler
      @kjbunnyboiler Рік тому +1

      @@gotham61 You’re right gotham61. I must be thinking of some other amp from that era, I remember old Pioneer receivers had a similar integrated volume/ mains switch. I’ll be pondering this for a while!

  • @andrewweis5857
    @andrewweis5857 Рік тому +1

    I came into the Naim world post-DIN (Nait XS-3). No regrets.

  • @simonjones8111
    @simonjones8111 Рік тому +1

    Great to see NS1000’s!

  • @robertosacchi689
    @robertosacchi689 Рік тому +1

    Hi David, what do you think about Guru Q10 to go with it ? I have one coming next week, joining my 500 & Classic Naim systems. Cheers from Italy

    • @MrVinylista
      @MrVinylista Рік тому

      Gosh, now there's an eccentric speaker! Should be big fun with the NAIT 50, although not exactly hi-fi in the conventional sense.

    • @robertosacchi689
      @robertosacchi689 Рік тому +1

      @@MrVinylista Thank you for your feedback, i also much appreciated your records analysis witch i totally agree. Staying on such theme, i'd also include F.Mac- Tusk, Steely Dan - Gaucho and Talk Talk - Spirit Of Eden, bearing in mind that sound can vary considerably from edition to edition. About loudspeakers, i also spotted a nice pair of N.A. SBL

  • @philiprichardson5645
    @philiprichardson5645 Рік тому

    Can anyone comment on whether the Nait 50 sounds full at low volume levels and would it plsy well, at low volumes, with the Falcon ls3/5a? Additionally, is the phono MM / MC, or MM only?

    • @frankdemita7049
      @frankdemita7049 8 місяців тому

      The phono stage is MM only, but it's a brilliant one. My Nait 50 drives a pair of Harbeth 20.1 monitors, not the most efficient speakers and very much in the spirit of the Falcon LS 3/5a. Not a problem. I rarely listen above about 10 o'clock on the (metal) volume knob and it's great with Electronic, Nordic Jazz, Classical Chamber. Big orchestral stuff and heavily produced rock will require a bit more welly.

  • @robertmarshall7712
    @robertmarshall7712 Місяць тому

    Hmm not sure about the idea that these will automatically go up in value just because they are limited edition. There's a few on ebay one year one for a lot less than rrp. Best Supertramp album for me, less well-known than Crime of the century or Breakfast in America, is Crisis what crisis?

  • @wcg66
    @wcg66 Рік тому

    The price put me off immediately. At $4500 CAD, it’s too much considering it’s performance, even if it captures the “spirit” of 1970s technology.

  • @njalbrekke4861
    @njalbrekke4861 Рік тому +1

    It isn’t cheap this amp! I can get many amps that will produce sound that is not just trying to deliver.

  • @owenoneill5955
    @owenoneill5955 Рік тому +1

    I bought and still have an original, green led, nait as my bedroom system driving Alexander metal enclosure speakers, 🙂

  • @sensational_cellar8606
    @sensational_cellar8606 11 місяців тому +1

    The volume knob is machined from solid aluminium, it’s not plastic. Also the front and rear panels are metal too.

  • @lakoumentasnick
    @lakoumentasnick Місяць тому

    A little pricey as are so much of Naim’s offerings these days. Noticed quite a few still available worldwide, so they haven’t sold out.

    • @Hi-FiRiff
      @Hi-FiRiff  Місяць тому

      Interesting! I would have thought they would have been snapped up.
      Mike

    • @lakoumentasnick
      @lakoumentasnick 29 днів тому

      @@Hi-FiRiff A dealer I know got the first two, sold them off almost immediately then ordered more and is now stuck with them as no one is buying. Would love one but already have too many components and I still think the price should be halved. It’s great but not worth the asking price.

  • @robertgough5804
    @robertgough5804 Рік тому +1

    Cd source please

  • @petermartin9494
    @petermartin9494 Рік тому +1

    Deutsche Industrial Norm

  • @SuperMcgenius
    @SuperMcgenius Рік тому +2

    Din plugs are a pain in the a**

    • @timleelim9930
      @timleelim9930 Рік тому

      You mean they can be used as butt plugs too? 😂

  • @Scan_Speak
    @Scan_Speak Рік тому

    The volume dial is aluminium. Having said that, with the great phono and headphone amp section this was an easy buy for me. No upgrade paths (;

  • @timleelim9930
    @timleelim9930 Рік тому

    Looks like the little Nait 50 seized the Heat of the Moment

  • @m.i.blotto7578
    @m.i.blotto7578 14 днів тому

    Hello Mike and Dave. I am wondering how the Nait 50 would work with my ATC SCM 7. On paper and ATC recommendation it would not fit. But what would you think ( Its a little Room and i do not challenge my Neighbours)

  • @simonjones8111
    @simonjones8111 Рік тому +1

    Deutsche Industrie Normen, there you go

  • @patthewoodboy
    @patthewoodboy 21 день тому

    if it sounds anything like the original Nait , it will be harsh and nasty

  • @zjzozn
    @zjzozn Рік тому

    👍

  • @pitfisch1
    @pitfisch1 Рік тому +1

    D eutsche
    I ndustrie
    N orm

  • @neilgaydon5430
    @neilgaydon5430 Рік тому +1

    A vision less product for Naim to celebrate its 50 years designed for nostalgic old Naim codgers ‘when winters were warmer’, not new customers. British Kef launched the ground breaking LS50 for their 50th anniversary which they thought might sell a couple of thousand but orders blew the doors off. They sold tens of thousands globally and set the world on fire by looking forward not backwards with true innovation. For the British Audio industry to succeed the likes of Naim, Mission etc need to stop looking back to their original founders for inspiration and have the confidence to move forward if it plans on being relevant.

    • @stevesells8294
      @stevesells8294 Рік тому +1

      To be fair, Naim's 'New Classic' range is Naim's 50th 'product'. With state-of-the-art streaming, wireless inter-product coms etc.
      The Nait 50 is a very limited edition production run that will sell out forever in a few months and never be made again.

    • @neilgaydon5430
      @neilgaydon5430 Рік тому

      @@stevesells8294 Exactly…for the Naim die hards who will pay over the odds for nostalgia with no R/C in search of reliving their past. Think Morgan and Bristol. And Naim haven’t even developed their own DAC…tut tut. A sad backward looking product with a couple of bells and whistles others did years ago.

    • @MrVinylista
      @MrVinylista Рік тому

      @@neilgaydon5430 If you're going to criticise Naim Audio for launching an anniversary product to celebrate 50 years in the industry, then you've got plenty of other companies to criticise too. The NAIT 50 is unashamedly a nostalgic design - that's the point - and is clearly aimed at fans of the brand. On those terms, it succeeds admirably - and for those who don't want to buy it there are plenty of alternatives. Perhaps the Technics SU-G700II with 2x250W RMS is more up your street?

  • @mediascapes2011
    @mediascapes2011 Рік тому +1

    Deutsche Industrie Norm

  • @michaelb9664
    @michaelb9664 Рік тому +5

    The power output and SINAD for £2.7k is very poor.
    25 watts at 0.1% THD. Damping factor of 36. I’d expect better for £270 let alone £2700 in 2023.

    • @gdwlaw5549
      @gdwlaw5549 Рік тому +3

      We don’t care😂

    • @MrVinylista
      @MrVinylista Рік тому

      To be fair to Naim, they make much better measuring amps than this for less money. This was more about making a modern NAIT 1, than a benchmark modern amp to compete with 2x250W Technics designs! Also, the NAIT 50 sounds way stronger and feistier than the specs suggest. In this respect it's similar to many valve amps I've auditioned.

    • @michaelb9664
      @michaelb9664 Рік тому +1

      @@gdwlaw5549 I wonder if ‘we’ wouldn’t care if we bought a modern car for £50k that only had 60 BHP. It’s a similar comparison.

    • @owenoneill5955
      @owenoneill5955 Рік тому

      The power output on the original was ''very poor'', and they weren't cheap way back then, people still bought them by the thousand because they loved the sound of them. If you don't get it you don't get it, stop reading and start listening maybe?

    • @gaborozorai3714
      @gaborozorai3714 Рік тому +2

      Power output and measured distortion have little bearing on sound quality as long as used in a sympathetic environment (speaker and room).

  • @marcse7en
    @marcse7en 5 місяців тому

    Crappy Din connectors? My god, I thought I'd seen the last of those? 👎🤣

    • @Hi-FiRiff
      @Hi-FiRiff  5 місяців тому +1

      😁

    • @marcse7en
      @marcse7en 5 місяців тому

      @@Hi-FiRiff Literally, I haven't seen a Din socket for DECADES! ... Naim must be round the bloody twist? ... I'm all for nostalgia, but in my opinion, there are certain aspects of the "iconic original" that should have been FORGOTTEN!

  • @ianringstead2420
    @ianringstead2420 Рік тому +1

    Sorry guys, overpriced . Naim know only too well that the limited allocation will sell out quickley. Like a Rolex watch the kudos factor and too much money to spend lures people. Poor value in my opinion.

    • @1jhnpennington
      @1jhnpennington 6 місяців тому

      Except it hasn't. You can now get an open box one for £1000 off at Sevenoaks.

  • @revamp777
    @revamp777 Рік тому

    Deutsche institute fur Normung.