rough edges
Sapere Aude
I bought my first Nait back in 1995. It was a Nait 3, the current model at the time. I enjoyed the sound and the slim line design. The Nait 3 served me well for 7-8 yrs.
In the intervening years, I ended up at the upper end of the olive food chain with a 72/Hi/140 and a 52/250. All good.
Then two years ago, I was very lucky to find a mint olive Nait 2. This was a huge revelation for me; it saw off the 72/Hi/140. The Nait 2 had a more "groovy and coherent" sound than the separates. This shouldn't be, but could well be down to sample variation.
Today, the postman delivered a boxed, mint, recapped, green LED Nait 1. These things are very rare in Canada. I set it on the rack under the Nait 2, hooked everything up, and put a cd on.
I did not expect to hear what I heard. The thing was still cold (10 deg C outside), but there was that groovy coherence, as with the Nait 2. Matter of fact, I think the Nait 1 sounds a bit better than the Nait 2. It's been 10 yrs since the Nait 2 was recapped/serviced, so it's due.
I need to let the Nait 1 run in for a few weeks, so I will put the Nait 2 into the main system and see how it sounds compared to the 52/250. It will be interesting to hear the Nait 2 running the JBL 4429s. They are 6 0hm nominal impedance and 91db, so the Nait 2 should be fine. There might be some special magic with that little amp running the JBLs.
The Nait 3, at least the way I remember it, never sounded as sweet as the 1 and 2, to my ears. The Nait 3 was boom and tizz, with a hardness in the midrange compared to it's shoebox size older brothers, which both sing like birds.
There's something special about these little Naits, something that may not all have been preserved with the newer, and more elaborate amps.
Fun days ahead.
In the intervening years, I ended up at the upper end of the olive food chain with a 72/Hi/140 and a 52/250. All good.
Then two years ago, I was very lucky to find a mint olive Nait 2. This was a huge revelation for me; it saw off the 72/Hi/140. The Nait 2 had a more "groovy and coherent" sound than the separates. This shouldn't be, but could well be down to sample variation.
Today, the postman delivered a boxed, mint, recapped, green LED Nait 1. These things are very rare in Canada. I set it on the rack under the Nait 2, hooked everything up, and put a cd on.
I did not expect to hear what I heard. The thing was still cold (10 deg C outside), but there was that groovy coherence, as with the Nait 2. Matter of fact, I think the Nait 1 sounds a bit better than the Nait 2. It's been 10 yrs since the Nait 2 was recapped/serviced, so it's due.
I need to let the Nait 1 run in for a few weeks, so I will put the Nait 2 into the main system and see how it sounds compared to the 52/250. It will be interesting to hear the Nait 2 running the JBL 4429s. They are 6 0hm nominal impedance and 91db, so the Nait 2 should be fine. There might be some special magic with that little amp running the JBLs.
The Nait 3, at least the way I remember it, never sounded as sweet as the 1 and 2, to my ears. The Nait 3 was boom and tizz, with a hardness in the midrange compared to it's shoebox size older brothers, which both sing like birds.
There's something special about these little Naits, something that may not all have been preserved with the newer, and more elaborate amps.
Fun days ahead.