Show report: Sound & Vision Bristol Show 2008 pt2

Naim SUPERNAIT £2,350 Launched as part of Naim's new 'Super' range, the SUPERNAIT is billed as 'an audio hub for the 21st Century'. Essentially an integrated amp, it features analogue and digital control and an extensive connection hub. The preamp section is derived from Naim's reference series of preamps, while the power amp incorporates all of the company's extensive musical knowhow. Bountiful connectivity means it can handle most every modern music format, and with independent record and listen sections where any input can be assigned to any source selection, it's also extremely versatile. It's also fully future proofed with an integrated upgrade path should you ever need it (though Naim is fairly sure you won't!). Just add speakers and listen - we did and it sounded amazing.

Naim SuperLine Price £TBC Next up in the Super range is the reference phono amp, the SuperLine, designed to make the most of your vinyl collection. A moving coil phono amp, it uses a two stage single-ended Class A discrete amplifier with part-passive RIAA filtering that runs off 25 internally regulated power supplies and features the transistor 'quiet room' technique originally developed for Naim's NAP 500 power amp. The SuperLine does require an external power supply from the likes of the SUPERNAIT or preamp, or for optimum performance a dedicated FlatCap, HiCap or SuperCap.

Naim CD5i CD Player and NAIT 5i Integrated Amp Price £850, £725 Highlighting the importance of system synergy, Naim describes the CD5i and NAIT 5i as 'made for each other'. Influenced internally and externally by Naim's 5 Series, both are built with zinc die-casting and aluminium extrusions and covers for ultra-rigid casings to reduce external vibrations. The CD5i is Naim's entry-level CD player yet uses the same in-house replay and control software as 'the world's best CD player', the Naim CD555. It also incorporates a new Wolfson Microelectronics digital to analogue converter. There are single DIN and RCA phone line outputs with a 100ohm max impedance and 10Hz-20kHz frequency response. The NAIT 5i delivers 50 watts per channel at eight ohms into real loudspeaker loads and features the likes of a new ceramic heatsink, phono and DIN sockets for easy integration with existing systems and programmable unity gain input for collaborating with AV systems. There's also a front panel auto-switching mini-jack for iPod hook-up.

Naim Power Line Price £395 Naim's first custom-designed and manufactured mains cable system, the Power Line consists of mains outlet plug, mains cable and mains IEC inlet connector. The plug features a thermoset resin case carrying floating pins that align for enhanced contact area, while the stripped cable ends are secured by specially profiled clamp screws and the cable is both decoupled and clamped by an ingenious die-cast component that helps to suppress case eddy currents. The cable itself is manufactured with 4mm squared cross section copper conductors, individual dielectric insulation and a stiff rubber casing that provides high levels of inherent mechanical damping.

Rountree Acoustics OmniMon Speaker £TBC The ultra imposing OmniMon floorstanding loudspeaker from Cambridge-based Rountree Acoustics combines the sense of depth and scale usually associated with a large panel speaker with the imaging precision and speed of a point source speaker. The result is unusual but impressive. A two-way column loudspeaker, the OmniMon stands just over a metre tall with the drivers exposed on top of the cabinet covered by a stainless steel cap. The crossover is external and can be bi-wired/amplified. It presents a genuine eight-ohm load suitable for amplifiers of 20 watts per channel and up, including valve amps, with 25Hz-40kHz frequency response and 85dB sensitivity.

Rountree Acoustics OmniMon Speaker A closer look at those unusual semi-exposed drivers on top of the Omnimon.

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