Предусилители — Naim NSC 222

The NSC 222 is a streaming preamplifier in the 200 Series of the Naim Audio New Classic collection, alongside the NAP 250 power amplifier and the NPX 300 power supply. It combines network streaming, an integrated MM phono stage, headphone listening and a high-performance analogue preamplifier in one aluminium case, and Naim designed it to pair with the NAP 250. Its headphone section is derived from the Uniti Atom Headphone Edition.

Key specs that matter

Analogue connections start with an MM phono input at 47 kohm and 470 pF with 5 mV sensitivity and 23 dB overload margin, one 8-pin DIN socket that accepts 5-pin plugs and one RCA pair. For digital sources there is a pair of TOSLINK optical ports accepting 24 bit and 96 kHz, along with one RCA coaxial and one BNC coaxial port that take 24 bit and 192 kHz and DoP 64Fs. The XLR and RCA output pairs are rated at 7 Vrms maximum, and the 6.35 mm headphone jack delivers 1.5 W into 16 ohm. Line response runs from 3 Hz to 40 kHz at -3 dB and line distortion is 0.0025 percent at 1 kHz and 0.015 percent at 20 kHz. The case is 43.2 cm wide, 9.15 cm high and 31.75 cm deep and weighs 11 kg.

Engineering and use context

The streaming section plays files up to 32 bit and 384 kHz, including WAV at that resolution, FLAC, AIFF and ALAC at 24 bit and 384 kHz, and DSD 64 and 128Fs, with gapless playback. Supported services and protocols include AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Qobuz, UPnP, internet radio and Roon Ready, and Party Mode groups as many as six Naim streamers for multiroom playback. Network connection is Ethernet at 10 or 100 Mbps or Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, with BLE 4.2. The phono stage has 40 dB of gain and the preamplifier 15.5 dB at maximum volume. A 14 cm colour display, four buttons and a backlit volume control sit on the front, with a Zigbee smart remote and the Focal and Naim App on iOS and Android. Power draw is 25 W in normal use, under 2 W in network standby, under 0.5 W in standby and under 0.3 W when off, and the unit enters standby automatically within 20 minutes. A USB Type A socket on the front and another on the back each supply 1.6 A of charge, and a 3.5 mm optical output carries synchronised control.

Pairing

Naim names the NAP 250 as the partner power amplifier and the NPX 300 as an external power supply upgrade. Super Lumina cables are listed as compatible, and Naim ships a Power-Line Lite cable in the box.

Alternatives

The Naim NAC 332 is the analogue preamplifier of the New Classic 300 Series, with eight input sockets including two balanced XLR pairs and no built-in streaming.