My "source last" upgrade, part 1

Posted by: Thomas Breding on 08 April 2004

Hi!

After (not) listening to all advise here on teh Forum, I have now picked up a NAP 200 and connected it to my CD5/FC2/NAIT5/ALLAE using the NAIT5 as pre. Reason for not starting my upgrade with the obvious (CDX2) was 1) that we moved to a bigger place with a BIG listening room and 2) me feeling that the ALLAE´s needed something more than the NAIT5 to really perform. 202/NAPSC/CDX2 will follow once I win on the lottery.

Result? A lot MORE of everything! New, cold and straight out from the box the NAP200 delivers a lot more detail and more than anything a lot more BASS. I instantly had to move my ALLAE´s a bit further out from the wall.

Looking forward too when it´s warmed up...

The only thing that confused me is that I was expecting a lot more "volume" compared with when using the NAIT5, but the difference is pretty small. 12 o´clock with NAIT amp compared to 12 o´clock with NAP200 connected is pretty close volume wise. Shouldn´t the big difference in Watts show more clearly, or does it have to do with the "intelligent" volume control on the NAIT?

:-)Thomas

Posted on: 08 April 2004 by Simon Matthews

The gain on naim amps is set at consistent levels across the range so it is no surprise that a given setting equates to a given volume. It's all about quality, not quantity.

Although having said that, your 200 will stay in charge at much greater volumes should you or your neighbours prefer it

Posted on: 08 April 2004 by Thomas Breding

Thanks Simon!

Just did the "neighbour test" and you are right, things are starting to happen at 3 o´clock!!!

:-) Thomas

Posted on: 08 April 2004 by Geoff P

quote:
Just did the "neighbour test" and you are right, things are starting to happen at 3 o´clock!!!

Thomas.

Where is "Zero"? and are we talking MC Vinyl here?

On CD most people would be hanging onto the furniture by the time they got to 12.00!

Also If the Nait 5 volume is like the 112 (I think it is) the first part has higher resolution than the second part so volume takes longer to rise over the first 1/4 turn, then increases qucker over the second 1/4 turn. On the 200 I think it is the volume increase is at a standard dB rate.

regards
GEOFF

Posted on: 08 April 2004 by Thomas Breding

Geoff,

CD5 is the source and you are right, I was flat against the wall at 3 o´clock. As you say, fron "zero" (7 o´clock) to 11 the resolution is higher, then it goes a lot quicker.

Posted on: 08 April 2004 by Phil Barry

The extra power shows up in reduced compression and less distortion on instantaneous peaks - many years ago, studies indicated that peaks required about 10-100 X as much power as average. Your Nait's average output was probably sufficient for most music, but compressed or even clipped on peaks.

It's possible that neither of these effects would be obvious - other effects of the better amp could be more audible depending on how you hear and how disoriented your audio memory became in response to the new room.

When I went from a 140 to a 250 - both with the volume control at about 9 o'clock - the immediate improvements came in the areas of musical coherence and cleaner sound.

It was only later that I started raising my max volume on phono from about 10:30 to noon.

Regards.

Phil

Posted on: 08 April 2004 by Thomas Breding

Yummy!

After some more listening during the day I can really hear a difference that I would describe as "Better and More" of everything, including a low but fast bass.

And switching back to the NAIT5 pre made the difference very obvious...