By way of updating some Naim considerations...I ended up downsizing my system to Dulcets driven by the newer Naim Nait 5i edition and the Naim CD 5x. Perhaps it is the less sensitive load of the Dulcets, at around 88 db, but I find this a very happy combination. The Nait 5i takes any cable you want, as long as your pins are narrow guage. I'm using some Nordost entry level silver coated ribbon, bi-wired. (I'll dig out the precise model partics if anyone's interested). I don't find the amp unduly harsh or forward at all in this combo, although it did seem to take a fairly extended warm-in period to open up fully. The music comes through for me in a very direct, clean, unadorned way; not at all hard or bright, if not with all the lush airiness you expect of a fully tubed rig.