Listening
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We’ve had the new Lana Del Rey up and running for a couple of weeks now and we love it. Just like Bruce Springsteen, it’s the first time it’s really a full album click. There’s a lot of variety in the songs and it’s noticeable that the Nait XS 3 brings the music convincingly without compromises. Details come through well and rhythmically everything is fine. Music is nicely detached from the speakers and the stereo image is spacious with the voice bang in the middle.
Vinny Peculiar’s new album “Return of the Native” is one of last year’s discoveries. Every song is a gem, both lyrically and musically. Sometimes it’s a bit like Pulp but different. Everything sounds pure with a hint of added warmth but without really coloring. The Naim XS 3 has no problem with the more complex pieces we hear because of our fast ATCs.
Nilüfer Yanya made with “Miss Universe” a wonderful album full of fantastic pop music. Because of the Nait XS 3 we don’t notice any sharpness in the vocals but every now and then it can be a bit more refined. This amplifier emphasizes listening pleasure and has a high fun factor. Speed and rhythm are two key words that keep recurring.
We test the MM-phonotrap with the album “Take Five”, a classic by Dave Brubeck. The title track may be familiar to everyone, but this track from the 60’s rarely sounds convincing on a digital set. Most streams and CD’s of this album sound soulless but on vinyl the passion returns and we are completely in the music. It all sounds a bit fuller and more meaty than digital. The great instrumentation sounds feather light and gets all the attention. Oldskool Jazz is supposed to be played on vinyl, we think
Compare
We currently do not have an integrated amplifier in this price range so we’re going to see what our much more expensive pre- and power amplification adds. We notice some more punch in the layer and a little more refinement at the top. The whole thing sounds even more open but this only stands out in a direct comparison. For the rest, the Naim Nait XS 3 is compatible with our reference set and the differences are minimal. That’s good.