Naim Audio SUPERNAIT 2 User Manual

R E F E R E N C E M A N U A L

I N T E G R A T E D A M P L I F I E R S

SUPERNAIT 2 • NAIT XS 2 • NAIT 5si

ENGLISH

Contents

Section		Page
	Contents
1	Connections	1
1.1	Interconnect Cables	1
1.2	Loudspeaker Cables	1
2	Mains Power	1
2.1	Mains Plug Wiring	1
2.2	Equipment Fuses	1
2.3	Non-rewirable Mains Plugs	1
2.4	Mains Circuits and Cables	1
3	General Installation	2
3.1	Siting The Equipment	2
3.2	Switching On	2
3.3	Running In	2
3.4	Radio Interference	2
3.5	Lightning Precautions	2
3.6	Problems?	2
3.7	Service and Updates	2
4	SUPERNAIT 2
	Introduction, Installation and Connection	3
4.1	Mains Power Connection	3
4.2	Signal Inputs	3
4.3	Speaker Outputs	3
4.4	av and hdd Outputs	3
4.5	Headphone Output	3
4.6	AV Bypass	4
4.7	Other Signal Inputs and Outputs	4
4.8	Power Supply Upgrades	4
4.9	General Connections Notes	4
4.10	External Control and Interface	4
5	Controls and Connections	5
5.1	Front Panel Controls	5
5.2	Rear Panel Connections	5
6	System Connections	6
6.1	SUPERNAIT 2 with Hi-Cap Power Supply	6

6.2SUPERNAIT 2 with additional

NAP 200 Power Amplifier

6

6.3SUPERNAIT 2 with Hi-Cap Power Supply

and NAP 200 Power Amplifier

7

7Amplifier Operation

	and Programmable Functions	8
7.1	Automatic Input Switching	8
7.2	Handset Volume and Balance Control	8
7.3	Mute	8
7.4	Display	8
7.5	Switch-on	8
7.6	Remote Control	8
7.7	Defaults	8
7.8	Fault Conditions	8
8	Specifications	9

9NAIT XS 2

	Introduction, Installation and Connection	10
9.1	Mains Power Connection	10
9.2	Signal Inputs	10

9.3	Speaker Outputs	10
9.4	av and hdd Outputs	10
9.5	Headphone Output	10
9.6	AV Bypass	11
9.7	Other Signal Inputs and Outputs	11
9.8	Power Supply Upgrades	11
9.9	General Connections Notes	11
9.10	External Control and Interface	11
10	Controls and Connections	12
10.1	Front Panel Controls	12
10.2	Rear Panel Connections	12
11	System Connections	13
11.1	Nait XS 2 with FlatCap XS Power Supply	13

11.2Nait XS 2 with Hi-Cap Power Supply

	and NAP 200 Power Amplifier	13
12	Amplifier Operation
	and Programmable Functions	14
12.1	Automatic Input Switching	14
12.2	Handset Volume Control	14
12.3	Mute	14
12.4	Display	14
12.5	Switch-on	14
12.6	Remote Control	14
12.7	Defaults	14
12.8	Fault Conditions	14
13	Specifications	15
14	NAIT 5si
	Introduction, Installation and Connection	16
14.1	Mains Power Connection	16
14.2	Signal Inputs	16
14.3	Speaker Outputs	16
14.4	hdd Output	16
14.5	Headphone Output	16
15	Controls and Connections	17
15.1	Front Panel Controls	17
15.2	Rear Panel Connections	17
16	Amplifier Operation
	and Programmable Functions	18
16.1	Automatic Input Switching	18
16.2	AV Bypass	18
16.3	Handset Volume Control	18
16.4	Mute	18
16.5	Display	18
16.6	Remote Control	18
16.7	Defaults	18
16.8	Fault Conditions	18
17	Specifications	19
18	NARCOM 4 Remote Handset	20
18.1	Using NARCOM 4	20
18.2	NARCOM 4 Keys	20
19	Declaration of Conformity	21
20	Statutory Safety Warnings	21

Introduction

Naim Audio products are conceived with performance as the top priority. Careful installation will help ensure that their full potential is achieved. This manual covers integrated amplifiers. It begins with some general installation notes. Product specific information begins in Section 4.

Note: Please read the Statutory Safety Warnings found at the end of this manual.

1 Connections

It is important for both safety and performance that the standard cables supplied are not modified.

1.1 Interconnect Cables

If options are available with your equipment and installation, DIN interconnect sockets should be used in preference to RCA Phono sockets. One end of each Naim interconnect cable is marked with a band to establish

its correct orientation. The band denotes the end that connects to the signal source. Naim Hi-Line interconnect cable will provide the best results.

Interconnect plugs and sockets should be kept clean and free from corrosion. The easiest way to clean them is to switch off the equipment, pull the plugs out of their sockets, and push them back in again. Contact cleaners and “enhancers” should not be used as the film they deposit may degrade the sound.

1.2 Loudspeaker Cables

Loudspeaker cables are vitally important. They should each be at least 3.5 metres long and of equal length. The recommended maximum is normally 20 metres although longer cables may be viable with some Naim amplifiers.

Some Naim amplifiers are designed only to work with Naim loudspeaker cable and using alternatives may degrade the performance or even damage the amplifier. Other Naim amplifiers can be used with any high quality loudspeaker cable although we recommend that Naim loudspeaker cable is used. Naim loudspeaker cable is directional and should be oriented so that the printed arrow points towards the speakers. The Naim loudspeaker connectors supplied are designed to comply with European safety legislation and must be used.

Contact your local retailer or distributor for further advice on loudspeaker cables and connectors.

2 Mains Power

Where fused plugs are used 13 amp fuses should be fitted. Fuses of a lower rating will fail after a period of use. Do not wire voltage dependent resistors or noise suppressors into mains plugs. They degrade the mains supply and the sound.

2.1 Mains Plug Wiring

In some territories a mains plug may need to be fitted to the supplied mains lead. As the colours of the wires in the mains lead may not correspond with the coloured markings identifying the terminals in the plug proceed as follows:

The wire coloured GREEN-AND-YELLOW must be connected to the terminal in the plug marked by the letter E or by the safety earth symbol or coloured GREEN or

GREEN and YELLOW.

The wire coloured BLUE must be connected to the terminal in the plug marked with the letter N or coloured BLACK.

The wire coloured BROWN must be connected to the terminal in the plug marked with the letter L or coloured

RED.

2.2 Equipment Fuses

Mains powered Naim Audio equipment is fitted with a mains fuse on the rear panel adjacent to the mains input socket. Replace it if necessary only with the spare fuse supplied or with an identical fuse. Repeated failure of the fuse points to a fault that should be investigated by your retailer or Naim itself.

2.3 Non-rewirable Mains Plugs

If a non-rewirable 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 shock hazard exists if the cut-off plug is inserted into a mains outlet.

2.4 Mains Circuits and Cables

A hi-fi system usually shares a mains circuit with other household equipment some of which can cause distortion of the mains waveform. This distortion can in turn lead to mechanical hum from mains transformers. Some Naim transformers are large in size, making them relatively sensitive to such distortion, and it may be necessary to take account of transformer hum when siting your equipment.

Transformer hum is not transmitted through the speakers and has no effect on the performance of the system; however, a separate mains circuit may reduce it. Such a circuit (ideally with a 30 or 45 Amp rating) will also generally improve system performance. Advice on the installation of a separate mains circuit should be sought from a qualified electrician.

Use only the mains leads and plugs supplied or the Naim PowerLine mains cable.

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Introduction

3 General Installation

Naim equipment is designed to offer the finest performance possible avoiding compromise wherever practical. This can lead to circumstances that may be unfamiliar. The notes that follow contain advice specifically related to Naim equipment as well as more general warnings about the use of domestic audio products. Please read them carefully.

3.1 Siting The Equipment

In order to reduce the risk of hum audible from the loudspeakers, power supplies and power amplifiers should be located a reasonable distance away from other equipment. The maximum separation distance for connected equipment is that allowed by the standard interconnect lead.

Some Naim equipment is extremely heavy. Check the weight of the equipment prior to lifting and if necessary use more than one person so that it can be moved safely. Ensure that your equipment rack or table can easily support the weight and is stable.

3.2 Switching On

Source components and power supplies should be switched on before the power amplifiers. Always switch amplifiers off and wait a minute before connecting or disconnecting any leads. Always use the power switch on the product rather than a mains outlet switch.

A “thump” may be heard from the loudspeakers as power amplifiers are switched on. This is normal, will not cause any loudspeaker damage and does not point to any fault or problem. A mild “pop” may also be heard shortly after equipment is switched off.

3.4 Radio Interference

In some circumstances, depending on where you live and the earthing arrangements in your home, you may experience radio frequency interference. Controls on broadcasting in some territories allow very high levels of radio frequency radiation and both the choice and exact siting of equipment may be critical. Susceptibility to radio frequency interference is related to the wide internal bandwidth necessary for high sound quality. A radio frequency filter kit is available for some Naim equipment but sound quality will be progressively compromised as more elements of the kit are fitted.

3.5 Lightning Precautions

Your Naim hi-fi system can be damaged by lightning and should be turned off and disconnected from the mains when there is risk of lightning strike. For complete

protection all mains plugs and any aerial cables should be disconnected when not in use.

3.6 Problems?

Consumer protection varies from country to country. In most territories a retailer must be prepared to take back any equipment he has sold if it cannot be made to work satisfactorily. 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. Please contact your local distributor, or Naim Audio directly, if any difficulties cannot be resolved.

Some Naim equipment is made in special versions for different territories and this makes it impracticable to arrange international guarantees. Please establish the local guarantee arrangements with your retailer. Contact Naim Audio directly for help and advice if necessary.

3.3 Running In

Naim equipment takes a considerable time to run in before it performs at its best. The duration varies, but under some conditions the sound may continue to improve for over a month. Better and more consistent performance will be achieved if the system is left switched on for long periods. It is worth remembering however that equipment left connected to the mains can be damaged by lightning.

3.7 Service and Updates

It is essential that repairs and updates are only carried out by an authorised Naim retailer or at the factory by Naim itself. Many components are custom made, tested or matched and appropriate replacements are often unobtainable from other sources.

Direct contact to Naim for service or update information should be made initially through Customer Services:

Tel: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

Please quote the product serial number (found on its rear panel) in all correspondence.

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SUPERNAIT 2

4 SUPERNAIT 2 Introduction, Installation and Connection

The Supernait 2 is a very high performance stereo integrated amplifier that combines preamplifier providing six line-level analogue inputs with a power amplifier rated at 80 Watts per channel. The Supernait 2 can be controlled by either its remote handset or front panel mounted volume and balance knobs, and mute and input selection buttons The Supernait 2 remote handset is described in Section 18 of this manual. A front panel 6.3mm jack socket enables the use of headphones with the Supernait 2.

A variety of power supply upgrade, alternative preamplifier and alternative or additional power amplifier options are possible for the Supernait 2. Diagrams illustrating the connection of some of these are shown in Section 6. If no power supply or alternative amplifier options are to be employed, the Supernait 2 preamp/power amp link plug, supplied in the accessory pack, must be fitted to the rear panel “preamp out” and “power amp in” sockets. The link plug is shown fitted in Diagram 5.2.

Your Supernait 2 should be installed on a dedicated equipment stand intended for the purpose. Do not stand it directly on top of another item of equipment. Care should be taken to ensure that it is level. The amplifier should be installed in its final location

before connecting cables or switching on. Ensure that the volume is turned down before switching on.

Note: The Supernait 2 incorporates an AV Bypass switch on its rear panel. The switch should only be set to “On” if the amplifier is to be used in conjunction with an AV processor in a home theatre system. In all other installations the AV Bypass switch should be set to “Off”. Speaker and amplifier damage may occur if a signal is inadvertently connected to the Supernait 2 av input while the AV Bypass switch is “On”.

4.1 Mains Power Connection

Connect the Supernait 2 to a mains power socket using either the mains cable supplied or a Naim Power-Line.

4.2 Signal Inputs

The Supernait 2 front panel input buttons select the source input signal to be routed to the integral power amplifier and the loudspeakers or headphones. The six buttons are

labelled cd, tuner, hdd (hard disk drive), av, aux 1 and aux 2.

The cd, tuner, hdd and av input buttons correspond to parallel DIN and RCA phono input sockets on the rear panel, while the aux 1 input button corresponds only to a pair of RCA phono sockets.

Note: The hdd and av sockets carry both inputs and outputs. See Section 4.4 for more information.

The aux 2 input button corresponds to a DIN input socket on the rear panel. The aux 2 DIN socket also carries a power supply output intended to power a Naim Stageline or SuperLine phono preamplifier.

Note: For optimum sound quality DIN sockets should be used in preference to RCA phono sockets.

Note: Where an input has DIN and phono socket options only one should be connected at any one time.

Always use high quality interconnect cables to connect sources to inputs. The Naim Hi-Line will produce the best results.

4.3 Speaker Outputs

A set of stereo speaker connection sockets is provided on the rear panel. Custom Naim loudspeaker connectors are supplied to make the connection and in order to comply with current European safety regulations these should

always be used. Naim speaker cable will provide the best results, however, a wide range of speaker cable types can be used without risk of damage to the amplifier.

Ensure when connecting speakers that they are “in phase”. That is, the positive and negative connection orientation at both the speaker and amplifier ends of the cable is the same for both channels.

4.4 av and hdd Outputs

The Supernait 2 av and hdd inputs have associated outputs that enable the selected input signal to be routed externally; to an audio recording component for example.

Note: The av and hdd outputs remain active while their corresponding inputs are selected. Take care that a feedback loop is not inadvertently created by the simultaneous selection of input and output.

4.5 Headphone Output

The Supernait 2 headphone output is able to drive the majority of headphone types. The 6.3mm (1/4”) jack socket, rather than the smaller 3.5mm jack socket, provides more reliable connection and potentially higher sound quality. Most high-quality headphones are supplied with an adaptor that enables use with either 3.5mm or 6.3mm jack sockets. Inserting a headphone plug will mute the Supernait 2 speaker outputs. Removing the headphone plug will restore the outputs.

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SUPERNAIT 2

4.6 AV Bypass

The Supernait 2 can be integrated within a multi-channel home theatre system, driving the front left and right channel speakers, by engaging its AV Bypass mode.

AV Bypass mode enables a home theatre processor to take over volume control of signals connected to the Supernait 2 av input. It is engaged using the switch on the rear panel. The Supernait 2 volume control indicator will extinguish when AV Bypass mode is engaged and the av input is selected. The remote handset volume control will also be disabled.

Note: The AV Bypass feature must be used with care. It bypasses the Supernait 2 volume control leaving any signal connected to the av input to be passed to the speakers at full volume.

Note: Inserting a headphone plug while AV Bypass mode is selected temporarily returns the Supernait 2 to normal operation. Removing the headphone plug will return the Supernait 2 to AV Bypass mode.

Note: The mute function is disabled when AV Bypass mode is engaged.

4.7 Other Signal Inputs and Outputs

The Supernait 2 incorporates DIN bi-amp (output), RCA phono sub out, DIN pre-amp out, and DIN power-amp in sockets on its rear panel. In normal use the pre-amp out and power-amp in sockets are connected by a link plug. The link plug should be removed only in the following circumstances:

•A power supply upgrade is to be used.

•An alternative preamplifier is to be used with the

Supernait 2 power amplifier.

•An alternative power amplifier is to be used with the

Supernait 2 preamplifier.

Note: When an external preamplifier is connected to the Supernait 2 power-amp in socket, a fault will initially be indicated by the Supernait 2 mute button flashing. To clear the fault, press and hold the flashing mute button. This will un-mute the amplifier and turn off the display and volume indicator.

Note: The power amp in socket carries a 24V DC power supply output intended for Naim preamplifiers that require an external power supply.

The Supernait 2 DIN bi-amp output socket provides a preamp output signal that enables a second power amplifier to be used in conjunction with the Supernait 2 power amplifier.

The RCA phono sub out sockets provide a stereo output intended for connection to an active subwoofer. The output signal is a duplicate of the preamplifier output. No low-pass filtering is applied.

Diagrams 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3 illustrate some applications of the Supernait 2 preamp out, power amp in and bi-amp sockets.

4.8 Power Supply Upgrades

The Supernait 2 preamplifier can be upgraded through the connection of an external Flatcap, Hi-Cap or Supercap power supply. Diagrams illustrating power supply upgrades are shown in Section 6. The Supernait 2 and external power supply must be switched off when connections are made. Switch on the external power supply first followed by the Supernait 2 when all connections are complete.

4.9 General Connections Notes

The Supernait 2 negative input and output connections for each channel are common. The mains earth (ground) should always be connected regardless of what other equipment is used in conjunction with the amplifier. The mains earth only grounds the case and the electrostatic screen within the transformer, and is not connected to the signal negative. In order to avoid hum loops, the signal negative of the whole system should be connected to the mains earth (ground) in one place.

A signal ground connection is fitted to the Supernait 2 rear panel. This is intended to be used to connect a turntable pick-up arm signal earth only.

4.10 External Control and Interface

The Supernait 2 is fitted on its rear panel with a 3.5mm jack Remote In socket and a mini-USB interface socket.

The Remote In socket can be used for RC5 remote control of the Supernait 2 via a wired connection or a remote IR repeater.

The mini-USB socket enables firmware upgrades and diagnostic tests to be carried out. Contact your Naim retailer for more information if required.

Note: The mini-USB interface is not intended for the connection of USB memory devices.

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SUPERNAIT 2

5 Controls and Connections

5.1 Front Panel Controls

source selection

volume

balance

headphone

mute

socket

5.2 Rear Panel Connections

aux 2

in &

hdd in tuner

left

right

power av in

speaker

speaker

bi-ampout

out

& out

& out

in

cd in

power	mains	USB	av	remote in
	input	update	bypass
and fuse		interface	switch
cd and tuner		av and hdd			aux 2 input
Inputs		Inputs
			ch1	+ve	+ve
ch1	nc	ch1	(out)
ch2	nc	ch2	ch2	ch2	ch1
			(out)
	-ve	-ve			-ve
preamp and		power amp in
bi-amp out
ch2	ch1	ch2	ch1
-ve	nc	-ve	+ve

signal ground		sub	aux 1	av in	hdd	tuner	cd
preamp out and		out	in RCA RCA		in RCA in RCA in RCA
power amp in. Link
plug fitted.

Note: The link plug should be removed only if a power supply upgrade is to be used or an alternative preamplifier is to use the Supernait 2 power amplifier section. It should remain fitted in all other circumstances.

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