Every CD sounds like a live recording, makes me smile every time I listen to it, Highly emotional experience

Loss of muscial balance at higher volumes

Sharing digs in London with a couple of music students meant that my budget hi-fi (Arcam CD player/amp and cheap KEF speakers) got rather more use than in the previous few years, and having some spare cash I decided it was time for an upgrade. After auditioning some of the more expensive Arcam amps and the little Nait 3 I cursed myself for not having done this earlier. The Nait sounds nothing like any similar priced amps, in that it just sounds fun, and far musical in a "musiciany" way than anything else I've ever heard.

The sound has a wonderfully full and balanced quality, bringing livelyness and detail to every CD I own. It tackles everything from the swinging bass beats of Transglobal Underground to the live shimmering atmosphere of Airto Moreira and the punchy rock of Chilli Peppers or Alanis Morissette. Simply superb.

One warning - if you're one of those up-tight hifi enthusiasts who appreciate an unengaging neutrality or detail in your equipment, this is probably not for you. If you just want a box that extracts the most engaging emotional detail from your CD collection this is it.

I've played music for over 20 years, and the Nait is the only piece of electronic equipment I own that really feels like a musical instrument.

Similar Products Used:

Upgraded from Arcam Alpha7 (1995 model), now use with Rega ELA speakers, Arcam Alpha8 CD

The Nait 3 is the type of amp that would give you blisters on your feet. It will make you a manic foot-tapper instantly!
The moment I hooked the Nait into my living room system (Arcam Alpha 5 CD player, Tannoy 611 floorstanders, AudioQuest cables), hit the CD play button and cranked the volume, it floored me with a sucker punch. There was just such a tremendous wall of sound coming from the speakers that overwhelmed me like a tidal wave.

And yet there was incredible detail coming out of it at the same time. For the first time, I heard extra vocals and instruments hidden in songs that I'd listened to countless times before. You can even easily follow one instrument during a particular song if you wish, such was the level of separation. Yet somehow they all come together so coherently that you wouldn't be able to think of anything other than listening to the MUSIC.

The Nait 3 is not perfect, of course. It's pretty much lousy for classical music or soppy songs like that infuriating Titanic theme song. There's no "airiness", imaging or soundstaging, either, which is something I had been accustomed to with my Quad 34/306 combo. Like I said, the sound just washes over you like a solid body. At times, it can overwhelm you so much that it makes you tired just listening to the music.

The ultimate test of any hi-fi equipment must be how much you'd miss it when it's gone. With the Naim Nait 3, I wouldn't know... because I have yet to find the courage to even switch it off! In fact, I wake up one hour earlier every morning just so I can listen to a few CDs before I go off to work. Thanks to the Nait 3 for the best sleepless weekend I've ever had!

DAMN!! Listening to the NAIT 3 is probably the single most impressive and refreshing experience of my recent shopping ventures into hi-fi. Compared to a Arcam Alpha 9 @ 70 watts/ch, the Naim sliced, diced, minced, and tossed the Arcam all over the floor. No kidding. This 30 watt/ch integrated is what I am going to get. It will run you $1800 (Can.) but truly worth the money. The sound that this little wonder can produce is simply stunning-and FAR from what you aould expect from such a "small" power supply. The Nait3 had more bass, more presence, an absolutely HUGE soundstage and FAR more detail than the Arcam. And will fill a large room with PILES of sound without turning the volume past 9 o'clock. After almost a year of trading and playing with different units, I was beginning to think that there was nothing left that would really made me say "WOW!!..." But the little nait3 more than impressed me. I'm already saving for one!
Deserves more than 5 stars. Go listen to one and you'll see.

I have listened to this little amp as critically as I can because I
think it deserves this kind of attention. Where I come out is that it has
a wonderfully refined,civilized,rich sound -- far better than any amp
should have at this price. That said, for my taste, it is a little too
refined. It impresses rather than excites. If you like your music cooked,
you'd be a fool not to audition this machine. With a Naim CDX, Naim inter-
connect, the Nait, Naim speaker cable, and my B&W 805's, it was truly
a knockout of its kind. There are a number of very fine integrated amps
in this price range (Bryston and Linn come to mind). There are many reasons
for keeping your music in a modest sized room and getting it from a modest
music system with an amp like this one at its heart. It's cheaper, it controls your expectations, and it may even sound better. This is the world of Naim. Try it out. My rating is given in the context of moderate powered integrated
amps.

I como from a heavy downsizing decision from a Gryphon Tabu amp and Eaglestone Rosas Speakers. After reading AND listening to many options I decided to go for a Creek or Bryston Int. amps.
On a recent visit to London, I stoped by a dealer who handled the Creek line, and insisted me to listen for the Naim line (Grahams Ltd - excellent service by the way).

After spending almost an hour I decided for the Naim Nait 3 Interated over many option, including some of almost twice the price.

Once at home, I really liked the music that this little gem produced in my system (Michel GyroDeck, Cardas Heart, Rega RB300, Wadia 29, B&W CDM1SE).

PROS: Tonal balance, power (YES 30w IS enough!), build quality
CONS: A little colouration on bottom octaves, Some almost undistingable noise at idle, and weight (yes, it tends to move when pushing to hard the input toggles)

About a month ago I've bought a Naim Nait3R. I've auditioned it against several other amps (Linn Majik, Micromega Stage1, Mission Cyrus IIIi, Mission Cyrus SL, Marantz PM78, NAD 317, Onkyo ?). Marantz, NAD and Onkyo had a nice sound but there was a lack of details. The Mission SL showed you many details but the sound was not balanced at all (in fact it was an awesome amp). Micromega and Linn were pretty good. Linn had more details but Micromega sounded warmer (Tube like). The best amp I heard was probably the Mission Cyrus IIIi. UNTIL I MET THE NAIM! It is definetely the best amp I've heard for it's price.
It shows you lots of details, it has a whole lot of power (also it is listed with 30W). But what really makes the difference compared to other amps is that it sounds so musical. Instruments sound just like real instruments. Take e.g. Keith Jarrets "Standards in Norway" and listen to the bass and the piano. Voices are also great (e.g. Cecilia Bartoli "Live in Italy"). It does not only sound nice but also produces a whide soundstage. And this little amp has got power, I can tell you. It really rocks. What is maybe most impressive is listening to operas (voices: natural, soundstage: wide, orchestra: detailed ...).
If you're about to buy a new amp, listen to the Naim Nait3R!

associated equipment:
Naim Nait3R integrated amplifier
Kenwood 7030 CD-player
Dynaudio Audience 40 loudspeakers

My personal point of view is that, most of the people are making one BIG mistake. They are trying to judge one single equipment. It is not possible, all equipment's are designed to be part of a system. The real value of NAIM is following, they designed theirs SYSTEM'S so good that I think it is extremely difficult to find something better for the same money.I have got CD3, NAIT 3R, INTRO and NAC5.
I've never tried to judge only one part of my system. Simply because I always listen it together as a system.
Concerning NAIT, I thing that this is the best amplifier in the world /for this money/, in case that it is a part of proper system /in this case NAIM system /.
Finally, NAIM is a producer of Hi- Fi equipment's designed for music lovers not for Hi- Fi maniacs. Hi-fi maniacs always wonted to change something, to remove an equipment and to put another one. With NAIM equipment's is not possible friends

Only a brief review,as i've not had much time to listen to my friend's system; he's just purchased one this weekend. We compared this amp to a Primare A20 mk II, a Densen Beat 100 and an Arcam Alpha somethingorother (sorry,I didn't catch the model No.)The CD players were Primare D20, Alpha 8 and -of course- the Rega Planet. Various combinations were tried but I have to say that for system synergy, nothing came close to the combo of Naim and Rega. This is what my friend eventually purchased. If you think the Rega is laid back, just listen to it through this!Boiing!!

I've owned a nait for a couple of years now, buying it when some reprobate nicked my old NAD 3020. Much as I loved the 3020, it may have been a favour in disguise because the nait is simply superb. It delivers plenty of music, and as soon as something ends you're busy queuing up the next selection. Only problem is the dent in the social life caused by too many evenings in. And I don't read as many books as I used to...
Only 30 watts? Coming off a CD player and through reasonably sensitive speakers (I use naim's intros, 89 dB/w/m), those 30 watts can get my whole house to shake, and the nait doesn't seem to be sweating. As good an integrated amp as you'll find anywhere.

Pete.

A friend of mine uses this Naim amp and a Sonus Faber (Concertino) speakers and a Marantz CD-63II KI cd-player, he loves the sound of this system. I think Nait 3 is a nice equipment but not to my taste (I hate that 500hz midrange, at high volume in special and the bass isn't impressive). The Talk Storm 2L, in my opinion, is one (or two) step ahead.