Speaker for newly relased Nait 5i/CD5i combo

 

Bronze Member
Username: Wiredcon

Phoenix, AZ U.S.A.

Post Number: 28
Registered: Oct-07
I've been doing my research on what I like in sound and it seems like I've been looking at the wrong places all along. I know, it is subjective at best, but I found Naim sound to be great to my ears.

I've had the naim combo couple of years ago before, but since I just asked a dealer to recommend me a "set" for music, I didnt have much appreciation for these gears back then. I consolidated all my Naim gears before I moved back to the states from my prior job location (Tokyo).

Anyway, I've listened to many amps and speaker sets for the last couple of months and I was able to come up with a short list.

1. Naim supernait/ CDX
2. Naim nait5i/cd5i

Those nait5i and CD5i are revamped and some improvements has been done by Naim. They go by italic "i" instead of regular "i". Also, they increased the price a bit on both units.


Now, I know what I will get for amp and source, I just want to find a pair of speakers that I can be happy with. And this is where I need your advices.

The following is the traits that I would like to find in my new speaker.

1. big sound stage (at least, bigger than paradigm studip 60 v2)

2. really accurate and tight mid for female voice (mostly, jazz, diana krall, patricia barber, jane monheit...etc.)

3. extended low for presence

4. transparency


I listened to a pair of Focal Nova Utopia, and loved it so much, but its retail tag is $37,000, which is way out of my league. My goal is to reproduce 90-95% of what I heard from Utopia.

Another great speaker that I listened to was a pair of Wilson Watt puppy v8. comparing those two speakers, I found utopia produces much bigger soundstage and extended lows with better grip, while wattpuppy was better is mid-range. I think it was a bit more accurate and tight.

I know I'm out right terrible with audio lingo, please forgive me for not being able to provide more accurate descriptions than what I said obove.

My budget will be $5000 at max (for speakers). I don't mind used pair, so that I can access a bit of higher models, if that seems to be the best.

This system will be in a space 14/16/9 room.

Almost exclusively, I listen to jazz and classical music with few exceptions of old rock albums.


I thank you all for reading this and any help would be greatly appreciated.

I'll make my purchase by end of this month.

Thanks,
Ryan
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY United States

Post Number: 1422
Registered: Oct-04
If I was in the sub-$5K category the AV123 Strata Minis would be on my very short list, consider the fact that they're actually in the sub-$1500 category a bonus.

http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=78.1

http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/av123_strata_mini.htm

http://www.stereomojo.com/REVIEWS.htm#av123MINIPRELIM
 

Bronze Member
Username: Wiredcon

Phoenix, AZ U.S.A.

Post Number: 29
Registered: Oct-07
Christopher, thanks for your input. Acually, I almost bought a pair of Strata Minis few weeks ago without actual listening. I found a pair of almost brand new minis under $1000 on av123.com, but someone else snatched up before I could close up the deal.


I've heard a lot of good things about Minis, and how they compare it with Logan Summits. most of those reviewers said the price tag of 11,000 of summit doesnt seem logical when you can get 99% of the sound quality from $1500 speakers.

the only problem is that there's no way for me to listen to those speakers in person. hmm..
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY United States

Post Number: 1423
Registered: Oct-04
"I've heard a lot of good things about Minis, and how they compare it with Logan Summits. most of those reviewers said the price tag of 11,000 of summit doesn't seem logical when you can get 99% of the sound quality from $1500 speakers."


You can use that logic all the way down to a pair of $500 floorstanders that will give you 99% of the Minis, and I wouldn't think any less of you.

But the devil is in the details.

But I digress, the Strata Minis are exceptional & substantive (they arrive in GIANT wooden crates). I listened to them over the summer and was very impressed, even though the listening conditions were much less than optimal. I felt they needed a bit more room to breath than the tight living room with 25-or-so well feed men afforded.

Call AV123 & see if they can arrange a local demo of some sort, they have been known to go above & beyond the call of duty to please their customers.
 

Gold Member
Username: My_rantz

Australia

Post Number: 1642
Registered: Nov-05
Those nait5i and CD5i are revamped and some improvements has been done by Naim. They go by italic "i" instead of regular "i"

Strange Ryan, the Naim website only seems to recognise the regular "i". Maybe you know something they don't.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Wiredcon

Phoenix, AZ U.S.A.

Post Number: 30
Registered: Oct-07
M.R- When I went to a local dealer to demo Naim products, he showed me an e-mail with attached pdf file, which explains what has been changed in technical details, telling me " you might want to get this new version." Accordingly to my dealer, Naim did apply some of the improvements that they experienced from recently released supernait.

Anyway, this italic"i" version has not been released yet. In the e-mail, it said, all the current order on nait 5i and CD5i will be converted to this new italic "i" version, and the prices went upto $1795 for CD5i and $1550 for NAIT 5i.

Also, Naim adviced all the dealers "to clear any exisiting stocks and demonstration models NOW." In that sense, I suppose you can get a much better deal on regular "i" units.



This e-mail was from Naimusa to the Naim dealers.
 

Gold Member
Username: Stu_pitt

Irvington, New York USA

Post Number: 2211
Registered: May-05
Very interesting, Ryan. I'll have to give my local Naim dealer a call.

Some speakers that work very well with the Nait, in no particular order -

Towers -
Naim Ariva - Discontinued a while back, but some are still floating around.
Rega R5
Totem Arro
Spendor

Bookshelves -
Naim N-Sat
Dynaudio Bookshelf
Linn Katan

The bookshelves and Totem Arro will most likely need a subwoofer if you want a strong bass presence.

I'm not a big fan of pairing speakers like B&W and Paradigm with Naim gear. The round earth gear doesn't mesh well with flat earth gear to my ears. The only round earth stuff that sounds good with Naim stuff is Dynaudio and Totem.

Just my opinions.
 

Silver Member
Username: Serniter

Piscataway, New Jersey USA

Post Number: 168
Registered: Mar-06
You can find AV123 customers willing to demo here:

http://www.frappr.com/av123

I found this website while browsing through the AV123 forum.
 

Silver Member
Username: Serniter

Piscataway, New Jersey USA

Post Number: 169
Registered: Mar-06
Not many near Phoenix though.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Wiredcon

Phoenix, AZ U.S.A.

Post Number: 31
Registered: Oct-07
Srinivas- Thanks for the tip. It seems like there's no one in Phoenix who can help me with minis. Hmm.. I should try to contact AV123 and see if they can help me with this.

Once again, I thank you all for your help.
 

Gold Member
Username: My_rantz

Australia

Post Number: 1645
Registered: Nov-05
Thanks for the explanation Ryan.
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