NAIM - Stereo system
NAP-250 DR
NAC-282
Hi-Cap DR
NAPSC PSC-2
British companies producing Hi-Fi equipment have been appreciated by music lovers for years. One of the leading manufacturers of this type of equipment is Naim, founded in 1971. The first Naim product released to the consumer market was the NAP 200 power amplifier designed by company founder Julian Vereker, which has undergone significant upgrades over time.
The British manufacturer uses high-quality, low-resonance printed circuit boards in its products along with anti-vibration legs and a rigid housing that isolates sensitive electronic components from the undesirable influence of microphone vibrations. What distinguishes the British Naim from the competition are its own unusual solutions that introduce difficulties in the compatibility of connecting the Naim with other devices. The DIN inputs/outputs used and the unpopular loudspeaker terminals that accept only 4mm banana plugs have both their critics and supporters. As if that was not enough, some components do not have their own power supply, so we are forced to use external HI-CAP, Super-CAP or digital NAPSC PSC power supplies. By choosing a set of at least two devices, we will be able (if the manufacturer has provided for such a possibility) to power one device by using the power supply of the other device via a DIN connector.
Naim manufactures high-end devices where, during the design, a lot of attention is paid to the power supply, which has a huge impact on the sound of audio devices. The external PSU effectively filters and separates the most sensitive preamplifier circuits from high power supply currents, which effectively brings greater purity and quality to the sound. Similar procedures are used not only by Naim, because the external power supply has been known for many years and used as an (additional element) by other manufacturers, such as CYRUS or the reviewed recently by meONIX. The difference that separates these manufacturers from Naim is the fact that in their components an external power supply is used as an unnecessary additional element that improves the efficiency of the device.
The system used for the test consisted of:
Naim - NAC 250 DR (Power-Amp)
Naim - NAP 282 (Pre-Amp)
Naim - HI-CAP DR (PSU)
Naim - NAPSC PSC-2 (PSU)
The connection of components was in accordance with the guidelines recommended by the manufacturer in the manual Naim Connection Guide page 11
The signal was supplied alternately by two digital-to-analog converters:
The cables used for the test are the highest series of Audiomica Laboratory cables:
Miamen Consequence(speaker cable)
Celes Excellence(speaker cable)
Pearl Consequence(interconnect)
Erys Excellence(interconnect)
ALLBIT Consequence(power cable)
NESS Excellence(power cable)
and cables from The Chord Company that I use in another system:
The Chord - Epic Super Twin(speaker cable - single-wire version)
The Chord - Cadenza Reference(interconnect)
The Chord - Chameleon Plus(interconnect)
The following cables have also been checked with the system:
QED Reference - Qunex Silver Spiral (interconnect)
WireWorld - Stratus 7 (power cable)
The set played with loudspeakers KEF-LS50
The Naim system was connected with many cables in various combinations, all of which I am unable to describe. The test will present the cable configuration with which, in my opinion, the reviewed Naim system worked best.
Sound:
For the first connection between the Naim and the KEFs, I used Chord Epic Super Twin speaker cables I know, which work great in a configuration (Musical Fidelity A3CR / Densen Beat B200 / RME Adi 2 Dac FS with Chord Cadenza Reference/Chameleon Plus interconnects / and powering WireWorld Stratus 7).
What the Naim system presented in the above-mentioned configuration was high dynamics with a depleted lower bass. The sound was firm and perfectly illustrated the stereo balance between the left and right speakers. Maybe a bit of three-dimensionality was missing, but the separation of the instruments was perfect. The vocals had a large scale and conveyed the emotional message fantastically. The colors of the instruments were clear and well drawn on the stage. The snare drum had a slightly reduced overtone, but it provided speed with a large dose of information that it received from the RME Adi 2 DAC FS connected to the Naim preamplifier. The drum kick was fast but decidedly withdrawn. The highs were presented perfectly. The cymbals accentuated the rhythm phenomenally, with a lot of background information.
Changing the Chord Epic Super Twin speaker cables to the Audiomica Miamen Consequence added weight and body to the system. Naim was able to demonstrate its high efficiency of the power supply, which provided high power for demanding KEFs. The sound gained body without losing even the smallest details, and the whole range gained even greater dynamics in which there was no lack of detail. Changing the Chord Cadenza interconnect to Pearl Consequence in combination with Miamen introduced too much bass, which disturbed the midrange. The vocals became less readable and darkened, and the high tones of the hi-hat and drum cymbals clearly went beyond the music. Replacing Perl Consequence with Erys Excellence significantly improved the soundstage and evened out the treble, which matched the music well. The Naim brilliantly and cleanly provided a lot of information in a wide three-dimensional sound that was tonally well-balanced, fast and uncolored. The snare drum and kick drum sounded very clear and with character. A large role was played by the fast medium bass, which was a good dynamic support for the rhythm. The only thing missing from the overall success was the complement of the lowest frequencies, which would add more weight and body to the system, but considering that the system worked with the small KEF LS50s, which have physical limitations in the bass, there was basically nothing to complain about.
The Denafrips DAC that replaced the RME brought more air and a wider soundstage to the Naim system with good bass support and great space. The sound was perfectly arranged and tonally balanced, but it lacked something that the RME DAC had. The vocals lost their body and moved back slightly, the sound although dynamic, wide and not devoid of nuances, introduced a concert atmosphere to a lesser extent. Changing the cables could not show what the RME Adi 2 DAC FS converter with the Naim system had. Going back to the RME DAC in the Naim configuration with Audiomica cabling (Miamen+Erys+Allbit+NESS) provided a fantastic, studio-like sound rich in detail, and what could be improved was the addition of a small subwoofer that I had at my disposal. Unfortunately, the Naim system, by using its unusual loudspeaker terminals (without any combinations), ruled out such a possibility.
Conclusion:
What I personally liked most about the Naim system was the speed, clarity and lack of its own timbre that many competing systems have. The sound was compact, detailed and it was clear that the system had a large reserve of power, which would easily drive even the most demanding loudspeakers. Rather, Naim is a separate premium ecosystem that uses a similar philosophy to that of the American giant Apple. Yes, we probably get a great product, but combining it with other components will be difficult as with the above-mentioned Apple, and you have to take this into account when buying (such a Naim ecosystem). Naim can deliver fantastic sound, but this is a setup that requires careful selection of the source, cabling and speakers it will work with. Compatibility, not only in terms of connecting other elements, but also in checking any possibly damaged cable, can be a big problem.
Technical data:
NAP 250 DR
output power: 80W per channel into 8 ohms
analog outputs: 1x XLR
transformer: a specially designed transformer providing 400 VA of transient power
output transistors: 009 used in NAP 500 and Statement
Power Supply: stable even at 2 ohm load
andinput impedance: 18k ohms
frequency response: -3dB at 3Hz - 50kHz
scales: 15.8 kg
dimensions: height 87mm / width 432mm / depth 500mm
mains power: Yes 100V, 115V, 230V; 50 or 60Hz
Energy consumption: 25VA (idle state)
NAC 282
analog inputs: 4x DIN, 2x DIN, RCA
audio outputs: 2x variable (DIN), 3x fixed (DIN)
variable line outputs: 775mV
fixed line outputs: 75mV, 600Ω
power output: Naim phono amplifier
load impedance: 10kΩ
other inputs: AV input (configurable)
input impedance: 47kΩ
input sensitivity: 75mV
scales: 7 kg
dimensions: height 87mm / width 432mm / depth 314mm
supply voltage: 18V, 24V
power options: NAP 155XS, NAP 200, FlatCap XS, Hi-Cap, Super-Cap
control: NARCOM-4 remote control
HI-CAP DR
power connection: SNAIC 5
power outputs: 2x 24V
scales: 7.35 kg
dimensions: height 87mm / width 207mm / depth 314mm
NAPSC PSC-2
output power: 18V
power supply: mains 100V-120V / 220V-240V / 50 or 60 Hz
scales: 2.1 kg
dimensions: height 57mm / width 121mm / depth 187mm
Elaborated by: Łabędź Przemysław