I'm having some trouble when listening to my tuner on my Nait-2. At low (late-night) volume-level the sound is going to one channel, the more
I turn down the volume. This can be a little frustrating at times. The same with using CD.
With CD the problem is more like this: When I just
turn up the volume about a few millimeters, the volume level is increasing very fast. I guess it
has got to do with the fact that this little amp is designed to be used with a turntable instead of (high-output) CD.

Now,... there was one dealer in my area who said
it had everything to do wiht the cheap volume-pot.
He advised me to let him modify the amp by swapping the volume-pot for an expensive "Noble"
knob. This way the channel sepration would be perfect, also when listening at low levels.
(costs about 200 Dutch Guilders/ 50 gbp/$100)

and... another (2) dealer(s) said they could fix my problem by reducing the input-level for the tuner on my Nait-2. (costs about 15 gbp/$30)
(I hope my English is just good enough to read and understand...)

Well, I hope there are some Naimoholics out here who recognise this problem and can tell me what would be the best choice.

Any advice on this is appreciated.

Alco.

On the past I used to read many articles about stereo equipment and I remember very well many people who gave their Naim's to modification and
recived back the equipment in a worse condition comares to its condition before modification.
Only by reading about it, I'm sure this modifications are dangerous !

I had the same problem with my Nait2 and although it is annoying the only way to get over it is using the balance knob.

I believe the magic nait2 is too valuable to give it to "modification" to an unauthorized people.

Arie

DONT LET THE DEALER ANYWHERE NEAR IT!
You can't just swap components for similar spec alternatives without changing the sound of the amp. You may get perfect tracking but you may also get a lousy sound.

If the tuner output is too high, and you cannot get it reduced, try an interconnect with built in attenuator. Russ Andrews produces the PJB interconnect with tiny resistors fitted into the plugs, which though not ideal, would help with your problem.
Actually, PJB sounds pretty good on Naim stuff, but not between Naim units.

Rob.

It's been back to Naim; and they say that a better quality pot will not fit it.

It sounds great though, so I get on my knees and face Salisbury at the appointed times of prayer and give thanks for it's existence!

A Nait 3 (or the new Nait 5) has a better quality pot; but the sound is different, so don't change without listening first.

quote:

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Output too high for Nait-2

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I think we're talking about two things here - too much pre-amp gain for line-level sources, and more sound from one channel than another at low volumes.
I believe all Naim amps and pre-amps are designed to perform this way at very low volume. Balance between channels only kicks in as the volume pot is turned up slightly. As always with Naim, it has something to do with sound quality. My 52 pre-amp behaves exactly this way at very low volume. So did my 82, 102, 72, and original Nait. So it's really not a "problem" - unless, of course, you have a line-level source that sounds too loud even at low volume.
There I can't really suggest anything, but I did notice, when I moved from an 82 to a 52, that the 52 had rather less gain. This was an improvement for me because my CDX had gained rather too quickly with the 82.
I do have a friend with a Nait 2, though, and he doesn't have this fast gain problem. Maybe it's a design variation during the Nait 2's long and honorable production life. Maybe one of the Pauls at Naim should respond directly to this one

Don

You can build an attenuated interconnect where high-level inputs are the root cause, or buy your own from Chord.

Listen loud.

Rico - musichead

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My Nait 2 had this problem to some degree. After a service at Naim last year, this was completely cured... perhaps it was dirt?

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Rico: I'm still puzzled by this "problem". As I said in the note above, every Naim pre I've ever heard will only give you sound from one channel at very low volume. I tried this with my 52 last night, and sure enough, as the volume went down to a whisper, the right channel was gone, and everything came from the left. Turn up the volume a notch and the right channel kicks back in. This is designed into Naim preamps for reasons that were once explained to me but I've forgotten. That's why I wish Naim people would occasionally kick in with some useful information!!

Don

The level imbalance at low volume levels is purely down to the volume pot quality.

Even the higher quality Alps pots used on Nait3 upwards exhibits some channel imabalance at low levels and it has nothing to do with a 'designed in' effect that is in any way related to sound quality.

Interestingly Naim have obviously found this to be a common complaint, since it has been addressed quite specifically in the new Nait5, by using a resistor ladder network instead of a pot, bringing better matching and reliability.

Alco,

I'll take a look inside my Nait1 at some point, and let you know if the Alps pots will fit in place of the cheap carbon track type that is used in the Nait1 / 2, although I have to bow to Naim's judgement if they say it won't.

There are three other options - buy a shed load of pots and test them to find the best matched ones, attenuate or listen loud!

It may be worth the modest cost of buying 10 pots and testing them, you should get change from £20 and it MAY cure your problem?

Andy.

Andrew L. Weekes
alweekes@audiophile.com

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The level imbalance at low volume levels is purely down to the volume pot quality.

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Thanks for the explanation.

Don

Dave Dever, NANA