My 1st Time (With A Hi-Cap)
Posted by: Ade Archer on 22 November 2000
I have been visiting the forum for a few months now but havent posted until now, but events today revealed something to me that most of you probably already knew anyway
Today I visited my mate at the dealers and ended up taking a Hi-Cap away to try for a few days with my 72/140 (10 yrs old and I've never tried a Hi-Cap?)This was prompted by comments on the forum that suggested a 72 shouldn't be allowed to be sold without a Hi-Cap and the nagging doubts that the CDX I recently got wasn't consistently making me as happy as I thought it should.It was my first upgrade for about 4 years and I hoped it would keep the bug away for some time. Sometimes it was a joy but others I was turning off after a short time. Anyway I have'nt been able to stop listening to my system since adding the Hi-Cap as every aspect of both vinyl and CD has took a massive leap in performance and I no longer feel the need to experiment with an XPS( well not yet anyway!).I have had the amps for 10 yrs and adding a Hi-Cap has transformed them. I would advise anyone in a similar situation to me to try a Hi-Cap with their pre-amp. They may find they don't need that expensive front end upgrade quite yet.(Mmmm...Then again I suppose it could show up the shortcomings in your source)
Posted on: 22 November 2000 by Former member
Ade,
Those Hicaps do magical things, don't they? And with the way Naim kits are designed, you can (almost) never have enough of them. I have two on my 82 and when I progress to Supercap, I'll retain one for a rainy day (e.g. powering a Prefix, perhaps a Snaxo). Has your 140 been serviced in the last 10 years? If not, it could be very worthwhile to bring it back to spec. Contact your local dealer or Naim directly for pricing and happy listening.
James
Posted on: 23 November 2000 by Rico
quote:
Has your 140 been serviced in the last 10 years? If not, it could be very worthwhile to bring it back to spec. Contact your local dealer or Naim directly for pricing and happy listening.
Ade
Same goes for your 72. Black SNAICs also worth considering.
Happy listening!
Rico - musichead
Posted on: 23 November 2000 by Ade Archer
Thanks for the advice.
I added a black snaic shortly after the CDX.
The amps are certainly at that age where I should look at servicing them and they will no doubt benefit, but are there any tell tale signs that amps are in need of a service, or do you only realise the benefits when comparing before and after.
Posted on: 23 November 2000 by Former member
Has anyone had experience of adding a HiCap to a Nait3? I think there were discussions about this subject on the old forum, but I don't remember what the conclusions were. I have heard what the HiCap does to the 72/140 combination, and I agree with the other opinions expressed in this thread, i.e. that the improvement is remarkable. I don't have the budget to move to a 72/Hi/140 at present, but I wondered whether the addition of a HiCap to my CDI/Nait3/Keilidhs setup would be a useful first step.
Greg.
Posted on: 25 November 2000 by Former member
Ade,
quote:
The amps are certainly at that age where I should look at servicing them and they will no doubt benefit, but are there any tell tale signs that amps are in need of a service, or do you only realise the benefits when comparing before and after.
If the caps are tired, you might find the music slightly muddled and the bass not nearly as hard-hitting as it could be. But once refreshed, do note that it will take a few weeks for the new caps to settle, but the difference should be obvious straightaway.
James
Posted on: 25 November 2000 by Ade Archer
Thanks James
It is true that I could sometimes describe the sound of my system as in need of 'tidying-up'and slightly messy so your comments seem to back up the need for a service. Also I am using NACA5 but without the Naim plugs (thats how they came!). I have spoken to 2 Naim dealers and neither seemed of the opinion that Naim plugs were necessary, but if there is a good case for fitting them I will swap them over. Has anyone found anything better bearing in mind Naim plugs are only about £6 each
Posted on: 25 November 2000 by Bob Edwards
Greg--
Adding a Hicap to a Nait 3 is a great step forward. It is also pretty easy to do. I converted a couple Nait 3s at the shop I used to work at and the improvements were instantly obvious.
Cheers,
Bob?
Posted on: 25 November 2000 by Martin Payne
Ade,
I recently had my cables re-terminated with Naim plugs instead of some press-on abominations that Grahams had recommended.
As you will tell from my description I was amazed at how much worse the non-soldered connections were. I'm told these do not cope well with high currents, and I'm using 135s and Isobariks.
YMMV.
In a similar vein I had been using a CableTalk interconnect with my CD2 and just kept it in the system when I upgraded to CDX. Eventually I realised that the new lilac interconnect is much better - tighter, faster, more transparent. (But the CatbleTalk still sounds better than the old-style cable with the CD2).
cheers, Martin
