Dear All,

The bug has struck! My existing system...sources:

Pink Triangle LPT TT (with OL motor upgrades) Roksan Tabriz-zi and Goldring 2400 into hi-capped stageline.

CD5 with FC2

Nat 03

All into a Nait 5 powered by the other half of the FC2 and pair of n-sats with Naca5. It sounds good in my small room but I'm scratching an itch....Such is the marketing power of the forum that I hanker for Naim's system 2 or 3 as far as CD goes. But how to get there...?

I auditioned the 122x/150x at home which sounded better but not necessarily more involving than the nait 5. Likewise the nap 200 using the nait 5 as a pre. Slightly underwhelming in both cases considering the cost. Around this time, Peter (user34) contributed to a Nait 5 upgrade thread by saying that my nait 5 could be used as a power amp with a better pre, the idea being that in my small room, the 30W of the Nait would be enough of a stop-gap if supplied by a better pre. I thought 'fine, this is interesting news, thanks for that but I'd need a CDX2 minimum to feed in a better signal wouldn't I?'

Then I noticed George's contribution (no moniker required!) to the 'Source first' thread, where he said that in his opinion the CD5 had the essence of the CDS2 or 3 (I'm paraphrasing). So maybe my ardour for a CDX2 was misplaced...

This is all a very long winded way of saying I've got a Nac202 on home dem and it sounds brilliant, so much more communicative than anything before. This is the way I'm thinking of going, with the later addition of maybe a CDX2 and either a Nap200 or a Nap150x.

Am I making sense? Given what I think will be the downloadable future and the CDX2 v MacBook thread, I think I will audition the SuperNait too. Unfortunately, financially this is more of a massive single hit.

Thanks to George and Peter and best wishes to all.

Chris

The advantage of the Snait seems to be the DAC and the single box. If we accept that the Mac/Snait doessn't work as well as the MAC/Lavry then bang goes the Snait-as-DAC argument.

202 is good - what about a 200 to go with it?

I upgraded to the SNait single box with the DAC. I prefer the one box does all. I have a SONOS sytem that works well with the Snait, and I would like to start ripping my vinyl to 24/96.

I have smaller jumps for upgrades in way of FC2x, and the stageline that can be powered through the Snait. Separate components has its advantages and sound quality, and the Snait has its qualities, but the cost for the single box Snait and what it offers was in my realm.

Have a listen to all. I will be using a Konnect8 entry level converter to play my 24/96 through, and have a dedicated laptop for that use with a server. Based on your future download comment, the Snait may be your best bet.

Yes, source first, but the cost for source will vary based on your needs, obviously......

rega1

Have you tried a CDX2 with your Nait? it may do a lot of things you want. I used a CDX2 in to a Nait 5i and thought it was excellent.

Even tho I have quite a few boxes I think a smaller elegant one box system could be great. I'd be very tempted to go with the Supernait if I were starting out again.

Thank you all for your replies. I feel that I am at least on the right lines!

The SN is appealing without doubt for its one box elegance but you say Svetty, there's a question mark over the dac compared with the Lavery (which I know nothing about and have only heard of on the recent thread). And yes the 200 would be the obvious amp to complement the 202. But can you have too much muscle to power a pair of n-sats in a small room? (My guess is yes you can but not from the 2oo).

The nait 5 doesn't inspire anything like the passion of other naits. The thing that has astonished me having borrowed the 202 is how broad and muscular the system sounds when fronted by a better pre. And from only 30W. Yes, I know, they're Naim watts.

But it's about more detail too, so the a dem of my existing system fronted by a CDX2 will follow. In fact more home dems are the only thing that I can predict with any certainty right now.

One thing I have noticed - with the loaned 202 I'm enjoying my music more than I can remember

Thanks again and would love to hear any more comments and suggestions.

Regards, Chris

past thread on the Snait opinions.

http://forums.naim-audio.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/4801938...602911517#3602911517

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
A Dac is a Dac is a Dac.

rega1