naim audio NAIT 50 Limited Edition Integrated Amplifier User Guide

: October 30, 2023
: naim audio

naim audio NAIT 50 Limited Edition Integrated Amplifier

Product Information

Naim Integrated Amplifier

The Naim Integrated Amplifier – NAIT 50 is a high-performance audio product that delivers exceptional sound quality. It is designed and made in the UK by Naim Audio, a leading brand in the audio industry. The amplifier features a range of connections including headphone, phono, stream, aux, and mains.

Product Features

Headphone output 1/4 (6.35mm) jack
Stream input button
Aux input button
Volume control
Phono input button
Standby button
Loudspeaker sockets (Left +/-; Right -/+)
Stream input
Turntable ground
Power Speakers
AC ONLY
FUSE RATING: ANTISURGE
INPUT POWER: 73VA
FREQUENCY: 50/60Hz
Instant on/Auto standby switch
Designed and made in the UK by Naim Audio, Salisbury, SP1 2LN

Product What’s in the Box

1x NAIT 50 Amplifier
1x Information Booklet
1x Safety Manual
1x Power Cable
2x Speaker Connectors (pre-installed to unit)

Product Usage Instructions

Ensure both the NAIT 50 amplifier and the source component (such as the NDX2 or turntable) are in their final positions and disconnected from mains power.
Connect the DIN interconnect cable supplied with the NDX2 to the Stream input of the NAIT 50.
Connect the power cable to the amplifier and mains power.
Turn on the amplifier using the Instant on/Auto standby switch.
Select the desired input source using the corresponding button (headphone, phono, stream, aux).
Adjust the volume using the volume control knob.
When finished, turn off the amplifier using the Instant on/Auto standby switch and disconnect from mains power.

Introduction

Note: All safety warnings can be found in the safety manual.

Welcome to your new Naim integrated amplifier. Like all Naim Audio products, the NAIT 50 puts musical performance first. To help it realise its full potential, it is important to follow the simple installation and usage guidelines covered in this manual. We start with some product and set-up essentials, before moving on to more detailed information in Section 4.

What’s in the Box

Integrated Amplifiers

The Heritage of Naim’s Integrated Amplifiers

Our story begins with one man’s passion for music and weaves its way through five decades and a raft of iconic product launches to the present day. Naim Audio founder Julian Vereker MBE (1945-2000) was a racing car driver, entrepreneur and self-taught engineer with a deep passion for music. Spending his spare time listening to and recording his friends playing live in the 1960s, Julian found that playback on his system at home fell woefully short of the experience he craved. Not content with second best he decided to design his own amplifiers and loudspeakers, ignoring accepted wisdom and focusing on aspects of performance that made music burst to life. These first designs laid the foundations for a range of iconic and award-winning hi-fi products that still resonate 50 years on.

Designed exclusively for Naim’s 50th anniversary and limited to only 1,973 units, at a glance the Nait 50 looks identical to the Nait 1. However, upon closer inspection the front and rear are high quality anodized aluminium, the knob is machined from solid to aid vibration dampening, the balanced control has been swapped for a headphone socket and the LED changed to white. Internally, the changes truly bring the Nait 50 into its own. The input selection uses fly-by-wire control to significantly reduce the signal path length and the new headphone amplifier has been lifted from the NSC 222. The all-new exclusive discrete transistor MM phono stage honors the famous Nait 1 sound, working alongside the power amplifier that has been lifted from the NAP 250 (2023). The Nait 50 is a true audiophile integrated amplifier, only in miniature.

For a further dive into the history and heritage of the Nait across Naim’s 50 year history, scan the QR code below.

Features and Connections

LED Brightness Specifications

Bright| NAIT 50 active
Dim| NAIT 50 in standby

Set-up

Your NAIT 50 must be connected to a source (such as the NDX2 or your turntable), but before you do, please ensure both components are in their final positions and disconnected from mains power.
For optimum performance, use a dedicated hi-fi support – ideally Naim Fraim – with the NAIT 50 sited above the source, as shown.
For more information, see section 5.1
Ensure all equipment is off before connecting.
Connect the DIN interconnect cable supplied with the NDX2 to the Stream input of the NAIT 50.
Connect speaker cables to the NAIT 50, ensuring each cable is connected to the correct speaker and both are in phase.
For more information, see section 5.3.
Finally, connect the power cable to the NAIT 50.
Check that the volume is at minimum, then turn on the source and, lastly, the NAIT 50.
For more information, see section 5.4

Tips on Installing and Using

Tips on Installing and Using your NAIT 50

We know you are eager to enjoy your new NAIT 50, but we promise it will sound even better once you have followed these guidelines, all designed to help you experience your integrated amplifier without compromise.

Unboxing and Positioning

For optimum performance, use your Naim products on a dedicated hi-fi equipment rack – ideally the Naim Fraim or Fraim Lite – to minimise vibrations that can affect sound. No room for a rack? Consider placing your NAIT 50 on a Fraim glass shelf on a suitable piece of furniture, to provide solid but discreet support. Never stack Naim products on top of each other, and if you are placing them side-by-side, please leave some distance between the units. Equally, connected products should not sit too far apart: the maximum separation distance is that allowed by the supplied interconnect lead. To reduce the risk of audible hum from the loudspeakers do not place power supplies or power amplifiers close to source components.

Input Connection Details

The NAIT 50 has DIN inputs for line level sources and RCA connectors for turntables.

Loudspeaker Cable and Connectors

For optimum performance, use Naim NAC A5 speaker cable.
Using cables from other manufacturers may hinder performance or even damage the integrated amplifier.
Naim NAC A5 cable is directional and should be connected so that the arrows printed on the insulation point towards the loudspeakers. The Naim loudspeaker connectors supplied comply with European safety regulations and must be used.
It is important that your pair of loudspeaker cables are the same length, with a recommended maximum length of 20m.
Unlike some earlier Naim designs, we do not mandate a minimum speaker cable length, but would still suggest you avoid sub-2m lengths.
Ensure when connecting speakers that they are ‘in phase’ – meaning the amplifier’s positive loudspeaker output is connected to the positive loudspeaker input – and that the left and right outputs go to the correct speaker.

Powering Up/Down

Once all your input and output connections are made, connect the supplied mains lead to your NAIT 50 and to mains power.
Please note: your source – such as a streamer or CD player – and any associated external power supplies should be switched on before you switch on your NAIT 50.
You can now power up the NAIT 50 by simply pressing Standby button on the front panel of the integrated amplifier.

Standby Power Settings

By default, the NAIT 50 is set to ‘Auto Standby’ – it automatically enters Standby mode (where it consumes less than 0.5W of power) within 19 minutes of inactivity. Music Sensing will wake the amp from Standby when it detects an input signal.
For the optimum sound quality, switch the Standby setting on the rear panel to ‘Instant on’, which keeps all sensitive audio circuits permanently powered up.

Mains Power, Earthing and More

Use only the mains leads and plugs supplied with your NAIT 50, or the upgrade Naim Power-Line mains cable.
Where fused plugs are used, 13 amp fuses should be fitted.
Do not wire voltage dependent resistors or noise suppressors into mains plugs; they degrade the mains supply and the sound.

Earthing

In order to avoid hum loops, the signal ground of the whole system should be connected to the mains earth in one place. Typically, this is at the primary source.
For example, a Naim streamer has a ground lift switch. Set this to “default” if no other source connects mains earth to signal ground. This setting will give best sound quality.

Non-rewireable mains plugs

If a non-rewireable mains plug is cut from a mains lead (for whatever purpose) the plug MUST be disposed of in a way to render it totally useless.
Considerable electric shock hazard exists if the cut-off plug is inserted into a mains outlet.

Mains Circuits and Interference

A hi-fi system usually shares a mains power circuit with other household equipment, some of which can cause distortion that may manifest as mechanical hum from mains transformers, including the transformer in your NAIT 50.
Transformer hum is not transmitted through the speakers and has no effect on the performance of the system; however, careful positioning of your Naim system may reduce it, as may a separate, dedicated mains circuit. Such a dedicated circuit will also generally improve system performance. Only seek advice on the installation of a separate mains circuit from a qualified electrician.

Lightning Precautions

Your Naim system should be turned off and fully disconnected from mains power when there is a risk of a lightning strike, to protect from potential damage.

Further Tips and Advice

Now you have all the essentials sorted, let us move onto a few more things that you can do to optimise the performance of your new NAIT 50.

Running In

Naim products are hand-crafted from a carefully selected range of high-quality components. Your NAIT 50 will sound superb out of the box, but its performance may improve further still as all these various components power up and interact in their first few weeks of use. Keeping your system powered up will assist this process.

Cleaning Your Product and Connections

Naim recommends using a soft cloth to lightly dust any product surfaces. Cleaning products may contain ingredients that can adversely affect cosmetic surface treatments and coatings.
Keep interconnect plugs and sockets clean and free from corrosion. The easiest way to achieve this is to fully power off your Naim product (and any connected equipment), unplug all connections from their sockets and firmly push them in again. Contact cleaners and so-called ‘enhancers’ should not be used, as they can leave deposits that can degrade the sound of your system.

Support

Consumer protection varies from country to country. In most territories, the retailer you bought your Naim product from should be your primary contact if you are experiencing problems with your unit.
A problem may be due to a fault in the system or its installation, so it is essential to make full use of your dealer’s diagnostic skills. You can find a range of support articles for each Naim product online at naimaudio.com
If you are still experiencing an issue with your Naim product, contact us directly for help and advice, at [email protected]

Service and Updates

Any repairs or hardware updates should only be made by an authorised Naim service centre or at the Naim HQ itself. Many components are custom made, tested or matched and appropriate replacements are often unobtainable from other sources. Please contact your local Naim retailer with any service or repair queries.

Specifications

Audio Specifications

Power Output (Speakers)| 25 Watts into 8Ω @0.1% THD+N @ 230VAC
Power Output (Headphones)| 1.5W into 16Ω

1/4″ (6.35mm) Jack

Gain| Phono stage: 40dB (@1kHz RIAA)
Pre-amp stage (and headphones): 16dB
Power amp stage: 29dB
Inputs| 2x Stereo 5 pin DIN, 47k line level
1x Stereo RCA 47k, 5mV MM level
Frequency Response| Via line: -3dB @ 4Hz to 45kHz
Via phono: -3dB @ 6Hz to 30kHz

Hardware Specifications

Front and rear – black aluminium anodised Cover – black powder coat

Operating Temperature| 5-35°C
Storage Operating Temperature| 0-50°C

Extended Specifications

Power Output| 40 Watts 4Ω @0.1% THD+N @ 230VAC
Burst Power into 2Ω (1kHz for 20mS, repeat 500mS IHF)| 60 Watts 2Ω @1% THD+N
Peak Current into 1Ω (1kHz 1mS)| +/-15 amps peak (225W peak power)
Max Power Consumption| 160VA full power 4Ω 2-channels driven
Power Consumption (Loud)| 73VA at 2x 1/8th full power 8R
THD+N at 2/3rds Full Power 8Ω@1kHz| 0.015%
Input Signal for Clipping (volume at max)| 88mV Line 710uV Phono
Signal to Noise Ratio Ref 1W 8Ω A-weighted| 80dB Line, 1V input

78dB Phono ref 5mV input

Signal to Noise Ratio Ref 25W 8Ω A-weighted| 93dB Line, 1V input

84dB Phono ref 5mV input

Crosstalk| 85dB Line 1kHz ref 25W 8Ω 80dB phono
Damping Factor into 8Ω| 36
Control| On product only (no remote), 3 input buttons, standby, auto mute headphones, auto standby defeat switch on rear

Product Recycling

Products that display the crossed-out wheeled bin logo cannot be disposed of as domestic waste. These products must be disposed of at facilities capable of recycling them and appropriately handling any waste by-products. Contact your local authority for details of the nearest such facility. Appropriate recycling and waste disposal helps conserve resources and protects the environment from contamination.

Scan QR code for information on packaging disposal

Naim Audio Ltd

Southampton Road, Salisbury, UK SP1 2LN
Call. +44 (0) 1722 426600
Email: [email protected]
naimaudio.com

Designed and made in the UK by Naim Audio

References

Naim Audio | High End Audio Manufacture

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