From the launch of the original NAIT (NAim InTegrated) in 1983, Naim has done things a little differently to their competitors. Small in size and never overtly powerful on paper (the original had a marvelously Rolls Royce-esque ‘sufficient’ given as its output), they nonetheless sold like hotcakes thanks to an engrossing sound that, quite separate from the rated output, was powerful and engaging. NAIT’s have come and gone in the ensuing three decades, changing in appearance and more recently migrating to the full width casework. The premise has stayed the same, however – as much of the Naim essence that can be forced into a single box with a reasonable spread of connections. The NAIT XS is the latest in the NAIT family and part of an entire new XS family of products. It borrows heavily from the amplifier section of the larger and more sophisticated SUPERNAIT while shedding the digital inputs and larger casework of its big brother.
One definably new area for the XS and its forthcoming siblings in the XS range is a new board fixing intended to reduce the amount of external vibration meeting these sensitive circuits. Larger Naim components use a bespoke series of floating brass chassis that are extremely effective, but not entirely practical at this less rarefied end of the market and this ‘bayonet’ type mount is intended to give the XS some of the same attributes at a more realistic material price point. As ever, Naim has expended considerable effort in making the chassis as inert as possible while other features such as the ‘wobbly’ sockets on the rear panel continue as before to reduce the effects of the outside world on the inside of the unit as much as possible.
Power-wise the XS produces a claimed 60 watts into eight ohms, rising to 90 into four ohms with the almost obligatory sense that the reality of those numbers is rather higher. There are six inputs which offer the option of connection via either DIN or RCA phono. While the latter is a useful nod to compatibility, experience suggests that the DIN inputs are still Naim’s preferred connection and sound the better of the pair. One of the inputs carries power for the Stageline phono stage and another is shared with a 3.5mm input on the front panel for quick MP3 duties. There is also an AV bypass for placing the XS in a multichannel system. A system driving remote control is also supplied.
The accompanying FlatCap XS is simple by contrast. A refinement of the earlier FlatCap, it offers two 24v outputs that have benefitted from Naim’s studious attention to power regulation. Usefully, these outputs are multi functional – they can be used to provide power to exclusively to a Naim preamp or one apiece to other equipment. As tested here, the FlatCap had one output powering the preamp section of the NAIT XS while the other was diverted to my own Stageline S phono stage which is normally powered by the smaller off board iSupply in a non-Naim system. Both units are in the same slim chassis and in keeping with the XS range sport the new anodized finish. This, coupled with the standard Naim build quality gives the pairing a very solid feeling indeed. There are no front panel power controls on either of the units so they were plugged in and left on.
The NAIT XS arrived some time before the FlatCap XS, so I had a useful period of time to listen to the amp on its own. This sample unit had seemingly led an active life up to this point and seemed to be well run in. The legendary Naim warm up period seemed truncated as well, the XS sounded pretty good within an hour and did not really change behavior after the first day – in the case of the XS at least, your introduction to Naim ownership need not require the patience of a BBC wildlife cameraman. Operation of the XS is simplicity itself as controls extend to the input buttons and a volume knob, all of which have a reassuringly solid feel.
First impressions were of an amplifier that has great civility in its presentation. This should not be confused with a dullness or lack of sparkle however. The Nait XS is instead able to reproduce detail and attack extremely well but without tipping over into harshness or stridency even under provocation and considering that my time with the XS coincided with my purchase of Invaders Must Die by the Prodigy, there was ample scope for it. The classic Naim virtues of timing and low end grip are still present and correct and few amps anywhere near the price of the XS will give anything like the sense of intensity and drive that any up tempo recording has. The bigger Naim amps drive lower and harder still as will some other more costly amplifiers but the XS is certainly no slouch in this regard. There is a sense that music starts and stops instantly with no bloat or overhang impeding the silences that make musical peaks so much more profound.
This is matched to a natural and very engaging tonality that gives instruments such as the piano and guitar a tangible level of realism. Vocals too have an unforced quality that avoids the sensation that the amp is ever working hard or being pushed too far – indeed it is possible to push the NAIT XS very hard without any sense of compression or discomfort. There is a slight sense that the very top end of the Naim’s frequency response is very slightly rolled off in comparison to more expensive offerings but the rest of the spectrum is so well reproduced for it to escape attention most of the time. An interesting departure from older Naim designs is the sense of soundstage that the XS produces. Any group of musicians from a vocalist and backing piano through to full orchestra are given more opportunity to escape the confines of the loudspeakers and assemble themselves in a believable manner between them. This is especially true with the Stageline phono stage in attendance where the results are truly panoramic in scope.
Adding the FlatCap XS does not bring instant sonic fireworks to the party, because the overall balance of the XS is too well sorted for that. What it does do is augment the positive qualities of the amp and push the performance still further. The richness of vocals improves and with it the sense of space around performers. The already unflappable presentation takes another step forwards becoming almost impossible to upset or wrong foot. Although the power amp section of the NAIT XS is not directly affected by the addition of the FlatCap, it is as if taking the preamp section off it removes a distraction and enables it to drive a little harder with even less of distortion or grain. The effects of using the second output on the Stageline were even more profound. While the logic of adding £675 of power supply to a £250 phono stage might be questionable on paper, the actual results of doing so were convincing enough to quell any doubts I might have had. Given that if you were to buy the FlatCap to augment the NAIT XS, the second output to a Stageline would essentially be ‘free’, it makes a great deal of sense. For those of a digital persuasion, this second output would be equally applicable to the forthcoming CD player in the XS range.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Naim NAIT XS integrated amplifier
Audio Outputs: speakers, preamp, and variable sub
Power Output: 60Wpc into 8Ω, 90Wpc into 4Ω
Analogue inputs: 6 DIN and RCA on rear plus 3.5mm jack on front
Input overload: 34 dB
Input sensitivity: 130mV at 47KΩ
Remote input: 3.5mm rear panel jack (modulated/demodulated RC5 system)
RS232: Optional Naim RS232 board
IR remote (handheld): NARCOM 4
Supply Voltage: 100V to 120V or 220V to 240V, 50/60 Hz
Power Consumption: Quiescent 20VA Max 290VA
Dimensions (WxHxD): 43.2×7x30.1cm
Weight: 8.6kg
Naim FlatCap XS power supply
Power Output: 2×24V dual-rail feeds (to power two components)
Mains Supply: 100V to 120V or 220V to 240V, 50/60 Hz
Dimensions (WxHxD): 43.2×7x30.1cm
Weight: 5.5kg
Source : Naim-audio.com
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