Someone else commented that the original Nait 1 was £200 or £300 when the reviewers' favourite, the NAD 3020 and similar, were £100 or so. I auditioned a Nait 3, I think a 3R, in about 1997, it was £750 or so and I listened to Naim, Exposure, Linn Intek, Audiolab 8000 at £500-£800. It was a piece on money then but not stupid, entry level amps and CDs were £200-250 and up. Again, this made it 2-3x as expensive as an entry level item, which is fair enough. These days I wouldn't bother looking at a £2500 integrated amp, because a third of that gets you rather a lot of choice.
Naim Nait 50
- Thread starter stuwils
- Start date
What about 7.5k integrated like Osiris or Lavardin ITx? Or 20k+ like Soulution etc.
What about them?
Fair value or not?
Not for me, but others might think so. Some people will spend £20,000 on a handbag. It's their money.
hifienthusiast
Vintage by heart
I saw a new Nait 50 in Audio T Portsmouth today. It really looks good but I didn’t listen to it. However I would not like to spend 2500 pounds on such amp. I am happy with a 30 year old Onix OA22 integrated amp.
VTA
pfm Member
HiCap is only one I am aware of that has same sleeve/case. The actual depth might be a little different.
I see the reasoning of a headphone output as possible it will be used on desks etc but I would have MUCH preferred a balance knob which is both more useful to me in living room setting as well as more keeping with Naim as a company (one of the fewer HiFi co’s that still employ them).
VTA
pfm Member
I don’t think Naim simply made a Nait 1 look a like to get some publicity and make a load of cash. Listening to the unit and from the build quality it really feels more like someone at Naim took on the task with all the tools at their disposal to make the best sounding low powered amp they could that would fit into this smaller box. The amp is startlingly clear and modern sounding (unlike the old Naits) and really quite exceptional.
Would they have done better to have tried to voice the amp like the old ones? Personally I think that would have been more my preference but I still admire this tiny amp.
Would they have done better to have tried to voice the amp like the old ones? Personally I think that would have been more my preference but I still admire this tiny amp.
Might be interesting to organise a bake off.
1980s Rega 3, NAIT, Rega Ela’s mk1 versus modern rega3, NAIT 50 and Rega Ayas.
I once had the full 80s system (which was excellent) but only the Ela’s remain as spares. I would happily cart them along for just such a comparison.
I vaguely recall the Rega 3 cost me £149, the Nait was 179? And the Ela’s were circa 400.
Current prices are 660? 2700? 1500?
Price multiples seem to be markedly different but perhaps the relative performance gains (new versus old) can justify that?
(Not sure if Ayas are the right modern benchmark for the Ela’s)
1980s Rega 3, NAIT, Rega Ela’s mk1 versus modern rega3, NAIT 50 and Rega Ayas.
I once had the full 80s system (which was excellent) but only the Ela’s remain as spares. I would happily cart them along for just such a comparison.
I vaguely recall the Rega 3 cost me £149, the Nait was 179? And the Ela’s were circa 400.
Current prices are 660? 2700? 1500?
Price multiples seem to be markedly different but perhaps the relative performance gains (new versus old) can justify that?
(Not sure if Ayas are the right modern benchmark for the Ela’s)
hifi-dog
pfm Member
looks sweet! - bit of silver round the edge of the auralic and you could double your money!
The new AURALiC Vega S1 is great with the Nait 50.
per flemming
Registered User
Ela were basically a two-way transmissionline loudspeaker designed by Royd.
There's nothing like these to my knowledge of todays offerings.
Later Rega loudspeakers may be the closest.
They haven't made transmissionline since their R7 if memory serve.
Not sure that I follow your observations.
I quoted old and new prices for audio products (of similar vintages which in my experience have been used together). In broad terms, that comparison suggests that, over similar periods of time, the Rega 3 price has gone up over x4 times, the NAIT has risen x15 and the Rega speakers just under x4 times. That’s a relative comparison. As I pointed out, the Rega speakers are less equivalent but they are floor standers of similar volumes. I also noted that the improvement in the different products will likely be different so, for example, the NAIT might be hugely better than the original iteration and thereby support a much higher multiple - hence my comment about a bake-off comparison.
I am unclear about the utility of bringing house prices into the analysis. In my experience, the form of construction, overall cost and use-cases for houses and audio equipment are markedly different.
ha, but it’s not that relevant to do Nait 50 and original Nait comparison, I mean they just look similar, technically those are totally different amplifiers, just look inside
per flemming
Registered User
I tend to agree.
Naim/Focal is now an entirely different company vs Naim back last century.
Market and pricing are entirely different.
Amplifiers are entirely different.
Profit margins are entirely different.
Gervais Cote
Predator
Unfortunately, I have to agree on the Naim/Focal thing……..
I will just keep on listening to my music on my chrome bumper amps !
per flemming
Registered User
Exactly and what I meant with pricing ie profit.
But the Nait 50 looks a bit cheap now when still on sale heavily discounted at some dealers.
Maybe I should'nt have paid my own in full.
The Class D Nova PE get the latest award for crazy priced Naim profit stunt.
Even I read they found one single happy owner on FB, I believe Focal/Naim shot themself in foot by double the Nova price for a Class D edition.
A conclusion could be ...will they double all their retail prices once Class D is implemented all around ?
Only a sheep would not believe its wrong.