The Sound
Contents
Let’s get right to the point: what a magical match this is! This is really, really good…. Rhythmic, imaging, control… insight without falling into the analytical: it’s just all there. It’s just a wonderful, musical system.
Rhythmic
If you immediately start tapping along with your foot, you know it’s all good. Right? We regularly catch ourselves unable to sit still properly while listening. Not because we get restless or want to leave, but because it sounds so good. We are entranced by the driving rhythms in Younger Brother. Just put on the track called ‘Train’… wonderful song. Especially with the Naim-PRaT mixed in.
The Naim clearly steps it up in terms of rhythm and thrust compared to the Bladelius or our own Pass…. It’s not too much, but just enough, making it just very nice to listen to it…. It’s well… just a party!
Fortunately, party mode is not always on. With Hania Rani “Live From Studio 2,” on the contrary, it manages to convey emotion perfectly. The scale in which the Naim system presents it, is very striking. Not that everything is bloated — certainly not. The instruments are just in proportion. But it is the ambiance of the studio that we hear. Room-filling. Impressive, even for this high price class.
Naim sound?
What many enthusiasts fear is that Naim is losing its “sound”. Yes: the new models are somewhat cleaner in sound. Anyone who puts an ‘old Naim’ next to a ‘new Naim’ will hear this immediately. Vocals are crystal clear with the new models, for example. This is not the case with older Naims….
But honestly, the Naim sound is not gone. It is still a sound with a touch of warmth – especially in the mid-bass – as well as a very rhythmically focused character. How Naim manages to get that into it is still the big question.
With and without NPX300
Naim wouldn’t be Naim if they didn’t offer an external power supply. Now there is no “200-series” power supply. There is only an NPX300. This one costs €6999, so not a bargain of the week. With the NSC222 and the NAP250, that puts you at 22,000 Euros…. Yes: it’s a lot of money.
Fortunately, it is not immediately necessary to purchase this as well, because the Naim NSC222 sounds simply excellent without this external power supply. We listened extensively with and without power supply. And yes: with the NPX300 the system sounds rounder, larger and a bit more layered. There is more control across the entire spectrum, it seems.
But without the Naim NPX300, it’s certainly not off-putting. The character of the system just remains intact, only it’s all a little more modest. But to say: it collapses without the NPX300…? No, of course not. That would be idiotic. With the NSC222, Naim has simply put out a wonderful pre-amp / streamer. And for those who are ready for the next step and want to upgrade, there is the NPX300.
The question is: is it €6999 better? That is a question that is very difficult to answer. Without a doubt, the difference is immediately audible. The whole thing gets a bit more body, more “schwung” and comes in a bit more powerful. There also seems to be a bit more grip… All in all, it’s all a class up…. Is it worth 6999 euros? That is for the enthusiast to judge.
