Upgrade advice required?

Posted by: Andrew L. Weekes on 20 November 2000

I hope the wise sages that reside on this forum could offer me some suggestions for me to mull over during the Christmas period!

I will have around £2000 for an upgrade in the new year, and am trying to work out the best way to use it to upgrade my system.

This will be the first serious upgrade in years, and in all likelihood the last for some time!

The current system consists of LP12 valhalla / Ittok / Klyde - Nait3 + PSU and Linn Kans. CD replay is currently provided by a modified Marantz CD63 KIS.

The immediate reaction was to upgrade the CD player as funds get me into CDX territory, and this would seem to be the obvious route since, increasingly, I spend more time listening to CD's owing to easy availablity (and often better prices). For this reason I don't feel inclined to put more funds into vinyl replay at present.

I have a large collection of LP's and whilst the LP12 would front a much better amp / preamp combo, the current CD player would not really do it justice. I've always been very happy with my source first system, the Nait / Kans still revealing all of the front end upgrades I've performed thus far and power is not an issue, as my listening room is relatively small.

As I'm not averse to buying second-hand, the options would seem to open to the possibility of a CD and amp upgrade, although I would be much more wary of second-hand CD players. Laser assemblies do fail, and since Naim players are likely to have had more regular use than some, I would need to factor in the possibility of laser mech. replacement in the future, I've no idea what the cost of this is likely to be, and, I assume, availability could become an issue with some of the older players?

Also, a CD3 would not offer a significant upgrade to my modified Marantz (I've tried them extensively in a long term comparison, when a colleague lent me his CD3), so we need to start higher than this for a significant, cost effective, upgrade.

So throw the question to the floor - what would you do?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Andy.

Andrew L. Weekes
alweekes@audiophile.com

Posted on: 20 November 2000 by Andrew L. Weekes

James,

Thanks for the response.

I should have added to the initial enquiry that I don't intend to get rid of any of the old bits from the system, I'd probably use them to make a bedroom system, or just to add to my collection of old Naim kit - my old Nait1 currently provides sterling service as an amp for my PC!

In answer to the questions posed, the PSU is homebrew (another part of the balancing bank account / system equation - it made an enormous difference to the Nait for sensible money) but I'm sure if I upgraded amps a proper Hi-Cap would be very worthwhile.

I'm open to the Mana suggestion, although it does have to be child friendly, having an 18 month old tearing around the house I wouldn't want him impaled upon some lump of angle iron - I currently use a Target stand for the main system, and a wall shelf for the LP12 (to keep little fingers away from my MC cartridge )

Also, please forgive my ignorance, but does a 72 have as many inputs as the Nait? Currently I use them all, for other sources I haven't mentioned (TV sound / tuner / tape deck etc).

Andy.

Andrew L. Weekes
alweekes@audiophile.com

Posted on: 21 November 2000 by Nigel Cavendish

and cheaper than an 82

cheers

Nigel

Posted on: 21 November 2000 by Joe Petrik

Nigel is right on both counts -- the 102 has six inputs (phono*, cd, tuner, tape, vcr, and av) and costs about half what an 82 costs.

Joe

* labelled 'aux' if you're not concerned about maximizing your FEPs

Posted on: 21 November 2000 by Andrew L. Weekes

Thanks to all for the replies, by some fortunate stroke of timing, I popped into my local dealer lunchtime to discuss the options available, and Doug from Naim was there with a preview of the new 5 series pre/power (NAC112 / NAP150).

This was initially driven by a CD5 with NBL's (!) on the end.

Despite the imbalance of this system it was totally captivating, despite the revealing nature of the NBL's, and I have now arrived at work VERY late with the hairs still tingling on the back of my neck.

Thanks to Doug for taking the time for a chat and allowing me the privelege of being one of the first to listen to the new kit.

I may need to part-ex the Nait3 to obtain a phono stage for the above set-up, but the bedroom system can wait - I'll find other things to do there instead .

Andy.

(wishing he'd booked the afternoon off!)

Andrew L. Weekes
alweekes@audiophile.com

Posted on: 21 November 2000 by Phil Barry

Some of us think the 102 costs half of the 82 and produces less than half of the music! But they risk snappies of disbelief when they write. The 72 is easily available used at a VERY cost effective price...and then there are the 32.5s, even more cost-effective.

Andrew, Have you considered a super arm? If you listen to a lot of LPs, it'll pay off very quickly with musical improvements - maybe one or two records will make you happy you upgarded. For 2K UKP, maybe an ARO, used 32.5/140, used CD2 or CD3.5?

In any case, enjoy your search and your decision.

Phil

Posted on: 21 November 2000 by Andrew L. Weekes

Phil,

I did consider Aro / Ekos, but I'm more than happy with the LP12 setup, and would rather invest in my future music, rather than my existing collection, this time around.

I haven't discarded the possibility of future LP12 upgrades, but the system I heard lunchtime was a compelling reason not to do so.

It will offer me an upgrade to both sources, remote control (-??? FEP's), a much more domestically acceptable system (-even more FEP's) and plenty of upgrade potential.

Naim should be very proud of the 5 series - it addresses a number of the issues (e.g. volume control balance) that have been problems for many in the past, and it offers, as far as I can tell, truly class-leading performance for the price. I hope the improved aesthetics enable it to find a place in many more homes than have previously been the case.

Andy.

Andrew L. Weekes
alweekes@audiophile.com