NAC 72

About the NAC 72

The Naim NAC 72 is a high-fidelity analog preamplifier manufactured by Naim Audio in Salisbury, England, between 1989 and 2000. It features an olive/black color scheme and compact dimensions of 76 x 205 x 300 mm (H x W x D). The unit does not include a built-in power supply and requires either a Naim power amplifier or a suitable external power supply for operation. It offers one phono input (adjustable via different plug-in cards) and four line-level inputs (75 mV, 100 kΩ). Outputs include tape outputs at 75 mV, 600 Ω and main outputs at 0.775 V, 47 Ω. The NAC 72 does not have tone controls, loudness, or filters but includes a mute function. Optional phono cards include 322 (MM) 2 mV, 47 kΩ; 322 S (MC) 100 µV, 470 Ω; and 323 K (MC) 100 µV, 560 Ω. It is praised for its organic sound quality and is considered by some enthusiasts to outperform later models like the NAC 102 in certain systems. The preamplifier has five switch-selectable inputs: one phono, one variable auxiliary, one tuner, and two buffered tape inputs. It lacks remote control and direct/line-straight modes, emphasizing pure analog signal quality without tone or loudness controls to preserve musical information. The NAC 72 is regarded as a classic and highly musical preamplifier with a loyal following among audiophiles.