Naim Audio Supernait 3

This was my first experience with a Naim product and after listening to a number of different integrated amplifiers over the last few years, I found that the Supernait 3 definitely has a sound that stands out amongst the rest.

The Naim Supernait 3  is built like a tank. It's simplicity is part of what makes it special and in all of that simplicity what you get is a pure analog, featureless, no nonsense integrated amplifier capable of impressing you with audio bliss that can be enjoyed all day.

Using a Bluesound Node gen 3 (n130) as a source I found that this integrated amplifier can do no wrong. It sounds superb with all genres of music and it is particularly incredible with drums and percussion. The sound that comes out of the Supernait 3 is full bodied through and through with a detailed yet relaxed top end that doesn't seem to fatigue my ears even at moderate volume levels during extended listening sessions. What's really nice about it is that it sounds really good at low or moderate volume providing an equally enjoyable experience no matter your mood.

The Supernait 3 impressively grips speakers, providing ample body, density, and warmth to the mid and lower frequencies of your music. It renders controlled and tuneful bass and delivers a sweet and lively treble response. If one were to identify this Naim with a car it could be compared to a muscle car like Eleanor (1967 Shelby GT500) from the Nicolas Cage movie Gone In 60 Seconds. It's wattage is rated at 80wpc at 8 ohms and 130wpc into 4 ohms. That could be considered low compared to some manufacturers that sometimes offer more than twice as much power but in reality,  the Supernait 3 has got so much grunt it would tear apart the Bowers and Wilkins 705s2 speakers that were used for the review if I were to turn it's volume even a little beyond 50%. Use responsibly. It has the potential to hurt speakers.

When it comes to imaging and soundstage the Naim's imaging is fantastic. It provides a pleasant natural sound yet it comes without surgical precision or sounding overtly in your face and clinical. The overall sound of the Supernait 3 is more musical, and relaxed yet it comes with an underlying sense of  brutal confidence because of how powerful it is.

I believe that this integrated amplifier is designed for a more relaxed and casual hi-fi experience. The focus is not on leaning in and analytically picking apart and separating each instrument, but rather on allowing the listener to casually relax into the music.

One last word on sound quality. The power and control that the Supernait provides is uniquely impressive, especially considering its speed. While the technical specifications may not matter to some, the sheer sound quality of this amplifier makes it a confident choice for any audio enthusiast.

A couple of words about the remote… it should be better. It functions just fine but for a $5000 plus integrated amplifier one would think that the remote wouldn't look like a cheap, generic, plastic, cable box remote. Thankfully this does not affect the sound but I think the company saves some money here.

So what's going on inside that makes it sound so good? As I mentioned earlier, the Supernait 3, the largest of the Naim integrated amps, may seem lacking in power on paper with its 80 watts. However, you would be underestimating the reserve watts that this amp has to offer. The Supernait 3 has an enormous power supply within its case. Its transformer can draw as much as 400 VA from the mains, which puts it in the same league as many integrated amplifiers ranging upwards of 200 watts.

The Supernait 3 utilizes several additional design techniques that contribute to its unique sound characteristics. A few of these technologies include a single-ended class A preamp output stage that also functions as a headphone amplifier, power transistors with ceramic heat sink technology to minimize capacitive coupling to the chassis, and mechanically decoupled inputs that are hand-wired to reduce noise and interference.

Regarding connections, the back panel of the device is crowded with plenty of RCA inputs and specialized connections. These include a DIN for power amp input, a 24V socket for an outboard Naim phono stage, a USB port, and both fixed and variable line outputs. The front panel is typical of a NAIT, featuring volume, balance, input selector buttons, and the iconic Naim emblem lit up in green.

Who is this amp for? If you prefer fast, detailed, and surgical imaging, or ultra see-through transparency, then this is not the amp for you. There are other amplifiers that do that. However, if you simply love music and want to hear the soul of the music without spending five figures to get there, this Naim amplifier will be hard to beat. It's completely capable of handling nearly any speaker and its no nonsense simplicity along with it's unique ability to add subtle low-frequency enhancements to music provides the listener with a authentic and relaxed hi-fi experience where the music is all that matters.

Thank you for reading and happy listening!