Source first (from a Stereo p.o.v.)

Posted by: Bas V on 31 October 2000

Hi people with Naims!

As I was going through some stuff I found an article in Stereo 10/1999 about the source first question. The starting point was that one should spent equal amounts of money on all components or a bit more on speakers!

They made a comparison between two setups: CDSII/Nait3/Intro's (I'll call this A) and CD3.5/NAC82?NAP180/SBL's (I'll call this B). I don't know if you know this article, I'll post a summary anyway. I'll translate from German, so forgive me weird constructions (if any).

"The setup which was made against common sense (A) played directly into the hearts of the listeners. When the other setup (B) was listened to under exactly the same conditions, it played very convincing. This setup played very clean and lively. But, setup B couldn't make any of the listeners as happy as setup A. All of the listeners said they would put their money in setup A. The strange situation was there, that what was being delivered by setup B was better in "HIFI" terms, but from a musical view it was bettered by setup A."

It seems they agree with the "source first generation". When they connected al the expensive Naim stuff in one setup, it sounded best of course. But the CDSII/Nait3/intro's made everybody very happy!

Regards, Bas V (who agrees)

Posted on: 31 October 2000 by Arye_Gur

Bas,

Few years ago in a stereo show Naim dealar in Israel demonstrated Cds/Nait3/SBL and it was great (it was the only demonstrated equipment by Naim)but I'm sure it is not better than the same source speakers with a better pre/power.

In the stereo show here in Israel, this "modest" Naim system was good eanough to be the best among all the other manufacturers including Linn expensive active system.

I think it is not wise to blindly believe the magazines equipment reports because you can never know what goes on behind it.

Several years ago Naim and Linn brought at the same time their top cd players. I was told that Martin Colomb helped Naim to develop the Cds.
At the HIFI News when he reports, there was an audition to both Naim and Linn on the same month.
Martin Colomb auditioned the Linn and comapring the two auditions it was clear that acording the magazine the Naim is better.
I thought at the time, that if it is true that Martin colomb helped Naim, HiFi News sholudn't let him audition Linn because of the compeatition
between Naim and Linn.
It happened several times before and after that story that I was amazed by some stereo auditions.

For example - auditioning speakers - the thoght a person can get out of such auditioning is that a specific pair of speakers is good or not FOR THE SPECIFIC SYSTEM THERE WERE AUDIOTIONING WITH.
But you can see all the "ranks" and "marks" respected magazines are giving "freely" to kinds of equipment and many people BELIEVE these marks and ranks - I think it is fulling people around.

Maybe these auditioning on magazines should be a main topic in the forum (if members here reading them...).

Arie

[This message was edited by Arie_Gur on TUESDAY 31 October 2000 at 10:20.]

Posted on: 31 October 2000 by Bas V

Hi Arie!

I didn't post this item because I'm a magazine believer. It's just that the article seems to agree with what most forum members think (source first). They haven't made a comparison with other brands, just Naim. The listening panel consisted of readers of the magazine.

Regards, Bas V

Posted on: 31 October 2000 by Don Braid

We had a demonstration of the source-first principle at my place just the other night. In trying to demonstrate to a friend with a newly acquired Nait 2 (used, obviously) that he shouldn't blow a lot of money on new speakers, we hauled his B&W 302s over and set them up with my system (CDX/52/250). We were both absolutely amazed at how good these speakers sounded, even though they cost only US$200. My Acarian Alon IIs added a much richer dimension and more nuance and dynamics to the music, but they're 10 times as expensive. We figured that the little 302s produced about 80% of their performance - and more important, were entirely musical and enjoyable in every way. My friend now plans to buy a used CD 3.5 to replace he mediocre Audio Alchemy player

Don

Posted on: 01 November 2000 by Eric Barry

The front-end + amps were ca. $16k at retail. The Alon IIs were ca. 2k IIRC, so you got $14,400 worth of performance out of $16k worth of hifi (by your accounting). So yes you can make cheap speakers sound really good with boatloads of cash in front of 'em. But the question still remains if this is the best strategy.

Do you think your system would sound best with the 302s at the end, or with your speakers but an 82 for the 52?

I'm not saying this is necessarily resolvable, but that the conclusion isn't clear. And obviously the numbers I use above are basically a joke (but responding in kind, so don't get on me).

--Eri