Save £2,298 on this multi-award-winning Classic Combo; the Naim Supernait 3 Integrated Amplifier with the Naim NDX 2 Network Player. Still considered amongst the finest 2-box systems on the market.
SUPERNAIT 3
In the six years since the last NAIT integrated amplifiers were released, Naim’s research and development team have worked on a range of amplifier improvements. The result is upgraded power amplifier sections for SUPERNAIT 3, delivering greater pace and intimacy to their musical delivery – whether it’s driving a pair of loudspeakers or your favourite pair of headphones.
SUPERNAIT 3 has received significant performance upgrades, including a built-in phono stage, making it a perfect partner for turntables, as well as for streamers, CD players, or any other music source people want to enjoy with the signature Naim sound.
It also includes a Class A preamp output stage which doubles as a headphone amplifier and ceramic heatsink technology that minimises capacitive coupling between the chassis and output transistors for optimum sound quality.
Its inputs are each individually decoupled and hand-wired to minimise noise and interference while internal switching employs ultra-low-noise, constant current sources which are derived directly from the electronic design of the flagship NAC 552 preamplifier.
The SUPERNAIT 3 can be upgraded with their external power supplies, power amplifiers and even cabling upgrades to get the best from all sources.
Features
With their typical obsessive attention to detail – all in service of achieving the most authentic musical performance – the SUPERNAIT 3 benefits from the following features:
- Class A headphone amplification
- Alps Blue Velvet volume control
- Reed relay input selection
- Ceramic insulators for the power transistors
- Galvanically isolated microprocessor control section
- Microphonic-isolating PCB mounts
Step up from the NAIT XS3 to the SUPERNAIT 3 and you benefit from a range of superior features, all designed to deliver even better sound quality:
- Full 24V DR module built-in: enjoy the purer power and performance improvement of Naim’s Discrete Regulation technology for the entire pre-amp stage.
- Larger toroidal transformer in the power supply: provides greater power and speed of recovery
- Additional leaded through-hole components in the signal path: further minimise the negative effects of vibration and transient thermal conditions
- Chassis-mounted input sockets hand-wired to the circuit boards: offers enhanced vibration isolation
- Full Alps Blue Velvet balance control
Technology & Craft
The upgrades in more detail:
Naim’s R&D team has found a way to more than double the speed of the voltage gain stage, which in turn doubles the rate at which the speaker output stage can react.
The second gain stage transistors have been optimised, so they no longer need to be shielded by a cascode stage transistor. Removing the cascode means less amplifier stabilisation is required: that doubles the slew rate and delivers an uplift in sound quality.
The phono circuit topology comprises 3 stages: the gain stage, passive equalisation and final gain and active equalisation. This enables excellent noise performance, extended RIAA equalisation beyond the audio band and great overload headroom.
All RIAA equalisation capacitors and the RIAA resistors are ‘through-hole’ mounted film designs, with low microphonic pickup and excellent transient performance. As phono stages are 1000x more sensitive than other inputs, this greatly benefits the sound quality.
Input impedance is 47kΩ in parallel with 470pF capacitive loading; the gain is perfect for 5mV moving magnet cartridges.
Technical Specifications
| Weight | 14 kg |
| Dimensions (HxWxD) | 87 x 432 x 314 mm |
| Shipping Weight | 17.25 kg |
| Shipping dimensions (HxWxD) | 240 x 590 x 500 mm |
| Power output | 80W per channel into 8 ohms (4mm sockets) |130W per channel into 4 ohms |
| Input impedance | MM Phono: 47k parallel 470pF input impedance | 47k input impedance, suitable for 2V |
| Analog inputs | 1 x MM Phono Input | 1 x Line Level Inputs |
| Digital inputs | 1 x USB mini-B |
| Analog outputs | Pre-amp (DIN), Bi-amp (DIN), Sub (RCA pair) 775mV, <50 ohms AV (DIN), Stream (DIN) 130mV, 600 ohms |
NDX 2
Streamlined connectivity from an exceptionally engaging network player
With its world-class performance, the versatile and upgradable NDX 2 embodies the current state of the art. A host of features such as high-res UPnPTM streaming, AirPlay, AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Bluetooth (aptX HD), Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Qobuz, Roon compatibility, vTuner internet radio and multiroom streaming as well as digital and USB inputs provide all the connectivity you could wish for.
Naim’s main focus in developing the NDX 2 network player, however, was its performance. Along with Naim’s bespoke streaming platform, we implemented an upgraded DAC and discrete analogue stages. These and numerous other improvements over its acclaimed predecessor make the NDX 2 a sonic force to be reckoned with, offering highly immersive and lively replay quality.
Features
- UPnP-enabled to allow streaming of audio files at up to 32bit/384kHz resolution from Naim Audio hard disk servers, network-attached storage (NAS) devices or any home computer
- Supports a broad range of music formats: WAV, FLAC, DSD, Apple Lossless, AIFF, AAC, Windows Media-formatted files, M4A and MP3. Gapless playback on all file formats
- Four 24bit/192kHz capable digital inputs (S/PDIF) to support optimum connection to external sources
- 5” colour display presenting album artwork as well as track information
- Built-in Chromecast allows you to stream from hundreds of supported smartphone or tablet apps (192kHz)
- Apple AirPlay – stream music from your iOS device or from iTunes and Apple Music
- Spotify Connect built-in to stream millions of songs from the world’s most popular streaming service
- Native support for Qobuz with true high-res streaming up to 24-bit/192kHz quality.
- Native support for TIDAL streaming service with free 90-day trial of lossless HiFi tier
- Front-panel USB port for replay of MP3 player and USB-stored audio (1.6A charge)
- vTuner 5* full-service internet radio
- Multiroom & Party Mode compatible
- iOS and Android Naim Audio app for intuitive control
- Bluetooth connectivity with aptX HD codec for quality audio playback
- Thanks to RC5 system integration, you can control compatible amplifiers that are connected to your network player directly from the Naim app on a phone or tablet.
- Bi-directional, Zigbee®-compatible remote control
- Roon ready – turning your music collection into a beautifully laid-out catalogue
Technology & Craft
The Burr-Brown® PCM1792A digital-to-analogue converter working alongside Naim’s new streaming platform is one of the best available. They improved its performance even further by implementing their own digital filters and adding a discrete current-to-voltage converter immediately after the DAC.
The streaming section of the NDX 2 uses the latest Naim network card featuring low-noise, high-speed low-voltage differential signalling (LVDS) to route the digital audio signal. The higher speed is capable of decoding all HD audio formats at up to 32 bits/384 kHz or DSD128. Rather than the source acting as the digital timing master, Naim’s new streaming board turns things around and allows their DAC clock to control the flow of audio data. The data is integer-over-sampled in a SHARC DSP to an incredible 40-bit accuracy before it’s fed to the Burr-Brown DAC.
The NDX 2 features an integrated low-noise power supply with a custom-designed toroidal transformer and separate windings for the digital and analogue sections. However, the player can be upgraded with an external XPS DR or 555 PS DR power supply, giving you a marked increase in sonic authority and emotion.
During the development of the NDX 2, Naim’s engineers examined every detail, from mechanical construction, component selection and board layout. The result is a network player worthy of the Naim badge, with a sound that’s rich, detailed and engaging.
