SUPERNAIT 3

Major performance upgrades and now with added love for vinyl.

OVERVIEW

In the six years since the last NAIT integrated amplifiers were released, our 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 our external power supplies, power amplifiers and even cabling upgrades to get the best from all sources.

Features

With our 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 minimises 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:

Our 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.

REVIEW & AWARDS

The Naim Supernait 3 - Read More 

"At the end of the day, the Supernait 3 is a class leader. Great sound, great aesthetic, and top build quality. Not only do I like this one enough to hand it an Exceptional Value Award for 2020, but I have also purchased the review sample. This is too handy of a system anchor not to have around the studio. 

If you like the Naim approach and don’t really want a big stack of components, the Supernait 3 is for you." - Tonepublications

 
Naim Supernait 3 review - Read More 

"The previous generation of Supernait wasn’t broken and so Naim hasn’t fixed it. But, in adding a good quality MM phono stage and tweaking the power amplifier section, it has made a great amplifier even better. If you’re looking for an integrated at this level, you must hear this one." - What Hi-Fi?

Supernait 3 Amplifier From Naim - Read More 

"Offering a great build quality, a solidity that is a watchword in the industry as a whole, a classic, traditional yet subdued design and a simple, easy-to-use interface, the Naim SuperNait 3 sits like a piece of granite in your hi-fi chain.

And in that chain, it will take control of your entire hi-fi chain by the scruff of the neck and never let go. Providing an assured performance, be glad that this beast is on your side." - The Audio Phileman

Naim Supernait 3 – HiFi Review - Read More 

"I think if I was starting again this Supernait 3 would get my attention for its sheer analogue quality, long term integration path, and uncompromising approach. On top of that, it so understated and beautiful, how could you not want to go this way? With a nice turntable you are on your way to the greatest journey, the audiophile journey, that will drain your bank account whilst delighting your ears for years ahead. For what it is, this Naim Supernait 3 gets an ‘Outstanding’ award from me." - Simon Wilce

SPECIFICATIONS