Good Day All,

I looked around in the forum history and do not find mention of this pairing.

I have a great friend who wants to give Naim a shot. He is looking at a Nait 1 (recapped in May) and will be pairing with Totem Rainmakers.

He is a little unsatisfied with the performance of this 20 watt Cayin Integrated tube amp, with the Totems. It doesn't seem to drive them as well as could be.

Has anyone tried this combo, or something similar?

Does anyone have any reservations about using the Nait 1 with this slightly demanding stand-mount?

On another note... If he soes get the Nait 1 (it DOES have MC phono boards), can he add a stageline later on? Or are the external pres not used with the old CB Nait?

Many thanks!
-Patrick

quote:

Does anyone have any reservations about using the Nait 1 with this slightly demanding stand-mount?

The Rainmaker is a very nice speaker; however the little Nait is likely to struggle, and a Nait 5i might be more appropriate. That said, the Nait is a surprising amp and I have heard a Nait 2 driving Neat Motives quite happily, so as ever it's try before you buy.

As to the phono issue, adding a Stageline is possible, via the tuner input, but may not be entirely sensible given that the internal boards are very good and that the stageline would need a power supply. Something like a 122x/150x would be a lot better and can power a stageline.

Nigel

hH,
thanks for the comments and suggestions.

I am trying to steer him towards a 72/NAP combo, but i think he is enamored with the "one-box" integrated idea.

Also, his budget is currently not quite up to a 122/150 set.

If not a Nait5i, are there any other showbox integrateds that would be more suitable?

thanks again,
Patrick

It will be ok at low volume but will be very hard work for the Nait at the end of the day.
A Nait2 might might fare better.
If he has a tt it might be worth going up the range a bit as HH Say's.
They are not a easy speaker to drive.
Munch

Thanks Munch,

He does live in a very small NYC apartment so low level listening is probably what the neighbors would like.

He uses a Pro-ject (not sure which model) and is his source for 95% of his listening. He currently has a low-end Pro-ject phono pre but is looking to improve on that.

In the very least you would recommend the Nait5i then?

thanks,
-p

quote:

Originally posted by pcstockton:
Thanks Munch,

He does live in a very small NYC apartment so low level listening is probably what the neighbors would like.

He uses a Pro-ject (not sure which model) and is his source for 95% of his listening. He currently has a low-end Pro-ject phono pre but is looking to improve on that.

In the very least you would recommend the Nait5i then?

thanks,
-p

Yes if he is going with a Stageline.
But they are a very hard load to drive,if they are the speakers i am thinking of.

I have a Supernait with Totem Sttaf floor standers. They seem to be quite difficult to control. I had a Meridian integrated before and have tried them with my AV amp. Neither controls the bass - which boomed a lot prior to getting the Supernait. The Supernait has made a significant improvement, the combo sounds very nice now.

I would suggest you try the possible combo's to see what you get. I would not buy before try.

Regards,

Huw

Huw,

With apologies to the Patrick, are you 'over-speakered'?

I only mention it because a change to n-sats in my room from something slightly bigger, eliminated the boom I was getting.

Regards, Chris

I had a Nait 1 driving some Totem Mites and the combination didn't work sound wise or electrically. The Totems much preferred a 250 on high mass stands to get them going.

Andrew.

quote:

I had a Nait 1 driving some Totem Mites and the combination didn't work sound wise or electrically

I once had the chance to try Totem Mites on the end of a Nait-2...same result.
(unfortunately, as I heard them the day before sounding lovely on a Rega system at a dealer)

I had a Nait 1 driving Dynaudio Special 25s very handily at lowish volumes - given that it was when I was switching out a 250 for a 300 I was a little gobsmacked at how good it sounded. IMHO he won't lose on buying the Nait and then selling on if it doesn't work BUT I am surprised at the comment that it has MC boards, I thought it was only ever MM with a 1 but am happy to be proved wrong.

Totem are a notoriously difficult load but in a small apartment, who knows? The Nait 1 has always punched seriously above its weight, think Roberto Duran if that says anything.

Happy Nait 1 owner of at least 20 years

Christopher,
No apologies needed. I never mind a little thread jacking.


Andrew,
Thanks for the info. It seems the RM is even tougher to drive than the Mite. I am not positive why that is, though. Maybe I can push him towards a 42.5/HC/250 kit???


Alco,
Also, thanks for the comments.


Huwge,
Thanks. That is encouraging to hear. Your Dyns aren't the easiest speaker either, correct? I told him he could EASILY resell it if it does not do what he wants.

But the Nait 1 it seems will at least outperform his underpowered tube Cayin.

MC vs MM in the Nait 1? Not sure. The seller says it has MC, but they could be wrong of course.

The Nait1 in question was serviced in May 2008, perhaps they also put in a different board?

Ill look into it.


-patrick

There is no MC in any of the NAITs except the NAIT3(R) as an option ("K", "S", or "E"), though this also requires a special mu-metal kit to be applied to the chassis, so as to reduce induced hum through the phono stage.

I'd go for a NAIT5i / Stageline myself, especially with the Totems.

quote:

Totem are a notoriously difficult load but in a small apartment, who knows? The Nait 1 has always punched seriously above its weight, think Roberto Duran

The "No Mas" of Leonard-Duran II applies, unless the Rainmmaker is punching in a undersized ring.

Patrick,

I've no experience with the Rainmakers but my experience with the Mites leads me to believe that if the Rainmakers are in anyway similar they will need gallons of power and high mass stands.A 250 would certianly be more appropriate than the Nait 1, which is one Naims best ever products in my view, but it's much more comfortable driving Royds, Regas and the like.

I was never convinced of the Naim/Totem synergy but that's something you have to try for yourself,

Regards,

Andrew.

patrick. I have the project entry level with the Rega bias cartridge. I sounded good through the nait5i. I was just using a NAD Phono pre also. I cannot say on the speakers but the TT was good for entry level. Where does he want to go with all this? Just to listen, or will he get hooked?

rega1

Hi Patrick,

I have Rainmakers at the shop but don't have a nait 1 to try them with. My nait 2 is back at the mothership for repair/recap and I hope to see that soon.

My experience with the rainmakers is that they do require a bit of power, Totem recommends 30-100 watts and they are a minimum 4 ohm load.

My first naim system, which I still have set up at home, is the Nait2 with Epos ES11. Still sounds great after 10+ years.

At the shop, every time the rainmakers get in a match, they loose to the Epos M12.2 (now the M12i) which have a more natural and dynamic presentation with the same entry level of amps.

Maybe he should look to change speakers.

But really, the Nait1 will work with the Totems and probably better than the Cayin.

Let us know what happens.

Totems speakers match well with Bryston amplification. I have the Model 1 Signature driven by a 4B-SST with absolute control.

I would be very surprised if the Nait 1 had enugh power to make Rainmakers sing. Rainmakers are a more difficult load than both Mites and Sttafs by a fair way. Really and truly I'd normally specify the minimum as being a 180, 140 at a pinch in a smaller room with restricted volume.

Thanks again everyone.

I have him looking into a CB 42.5/HC/250...

he really likes the look of the older stuff. especially the shoe boxes.

A 72/HC/250 would be sweet!