The highs on the 92R/90.

Posted by: silklee on 29 August 2002

Guys, need your opinion or maybe some advice.

I got a 92/90 for about 3 days now. Have been warming it up since I think the previous owner have not used it for quite some time and the naca5 looks really new, maybe even unused.

What is good.
It is definitely much more dynamic than the previous setup. More details. Only now I realised that in one of the songs that I listen to quite often, there should be a slight ‘echo’. Feel very much more powerful, with very nice and punchy mid bass. Dull recordings sounds livelier.

BUT….

What is bad.
My main complain is the highs. There seems to be more sibilance and the highs sounds a bit edgy, slightly irritating. Maybe I am too use to the mellow sound of tubes. However it does seems to be getting slightly better over time.

Another friend of mine who just got the nait5 and cd5 also told me the same thing when he just got the stuff. He told me it sounded kind of bright initially but got better as time went by.

I was wondering whether this would be the case for the 92/90. Today it already Friday over here and I told my friend I would give him a reply as to whether I will be buying it from him latest by Sunday.

Will changing the grey snaic to the black snaic help in this aspect? What could be the problem? Or am I just to used to the sound of tubes? Or does it just need more warming up?

Posted on: 29 August 2002 by king

Hi Silk,
Are you using the Dynaudio 52s when you said it was too "bright"?
Compared to tube stuff, transistor's high is always a leg behind.
Give it another week to see if things improve (I think it should).
Cheers - King

Posted on: 29 August 2002 by bec143

SL,

I think that after 48 hours or so, the continued improvement becomes assymptotic (smaller and smaller gains). Your description of the kit is right on- nice detail, good dynamics, but a bit shouty and harsh. That's what led me to listen to a 112/150, and the improvement was huge! There are 112/150's out there for reasonable prices, and I bet there will be more oncethe next level of series 5 stuff comes out.

BEC

Posted on: 29 August 2002 by silklee

quote:
Originally posted by king:
Hi Silk,
Are you using the Dynaudio 52s when you said it was too "bright"?
Compared to tube stuff, transistor's high is always a leg behind.
Give it another week to see if things improve (I think it should).
Cheers - King

I am using it with a KEF cresta2.

My comments are taken relative to the previous tube pre and power that i was using with the same speakers.

Hopefully it will continue to improve.

Or is there any bookshelf speakers out there that might be able to compensate for that.

Posted on: 30 August 2002 by syd

I'm running a 92/90.3 into Linn Saras previously driving Kef Cresta 2s and the addition of a Flatcap made a big difference to the sound. NACA5 can take a few weeks to come on song but well worth it when it does.

Yours in Music

Syd

Posted on: 30 August 2002 by JosephR

Hi, Silk, try to warm them up for 1 more week, and don't turn them off. And burn in that NACA 5. In my experience, my Naims don't sound optimum until after a week. What interconnect to CD player are you using, it probably also needs burn-in ? Are the amps on a rack and which one ? Hope not glass ... do you have any other speaker to try on ?

The 92R/90 is supposed to be a classic combination, even highly recommended by I-Audio, who are mostly tube guys.

Also, you will have to wean yourself out of the tube sound ... and as you go up the Naim ladder, there is added refinement (but don't go NAC82, I know one guy who gave up on Naim because of this, and went tube !).

If still not ok after as week, then we relook into it ...

[This message was edited by JosephR on FRIDAY 30 August 2002 at 20:57.]

[This message was edited by JosephR on FRIDAY 30 August 2002 at 20:58.]

Posted on: 30 August 2002 by Martin Payne

Silklee,

it's important to keep the preamp away from the power amp (and anything else with a steel case or a transformer inside).

cheers, Martin

Posted on: 01 September 2002 by silklee

Just an update...

I got to know that the naca5 is totally new. The previous owner have not used it before so it probably needs a bit of time to run in.

Anyway the highs which i have complained about is getting better, or maybe i have just gotten used to it.

Posted on: 04 September 2002 by Kyew

perhaps you can try linn kans iv which seem to be slightly 'darker'and works well with my cd3.5/92r/90 combo.

however, wait till yr naca5 is run in really well and good before deciding on changing your system.

Posted on: 04 September 2002 by Baz Matvichuk

I have the same combination, and adding the flatcap was the biggest improvement to date. For the money the flatcap have the best improvement for the buck IMO.

It's also been said in previous replies, but going from tube to your set up will be a shock to the system. Another trait of Naim is that it gets your attention. If you have a poor recording it will sound poor. I have some which are not basically unlistenable on the Naim kit, but sound fine on the Dennon Micro system we have in the Kitchen.

My kit will be in Singapore with me in a few months. If you can wait you can try out the Flatcap, otherwise see if you can get one to try out ASAP.

Good Luck, baz.

Posted on: 04 September 2002 by silklee

quote:
Originally posted by Baz Matvichuk:
I have the same combination, and adding the flatcap was the biggest improvement to date. For the money the flatcap have the best improvement for the buck IMO.

It's also been said in previous replies, but going from tube to your set up will be a shock to the system. Another trait of Naim is that it gets your attention. If you have a poor recording it will sound poor. I have some which are not basically unlistenable on the Naim kit, but sound fine on the Dennon Micro system we have in the Kitchen.

My kit will be in Singapore with me in a few months. If you can wait you can try out the Flatcap, otherwise see if you can get one to try out ASAP.

Good Luck, baz.

My experience is somewhat different from yours. My previously unlistenable CDs have now become more listenable. Probably that is because my previous pre was more transparent as compared to the 92.

When i was younger, i used to buy some bootleg CDs which was quite unlistenable. Yesterday I spent the whole night listening to them.

Do let me know when you are in Singapore. Would really like to try out a cap on the 92 or the cd5.

Thanks in advance.

Posted on: 05 September 2002 by Steve B

quote:
I'm running a 92/90.3 into Linn Saras

Not loud I hope. That's one hard working 90.3 you've got there!

Steve B

Posted on: 05 September 2002 by JosephR

quote:
Originally posted by silklee:

My experience is somewhat different from yours. My previously unlistenable CDs have now become more listenable. Probably that is because my previous pre was more transparent as compared to the 92.

Same experience here, but on the reason that your previous pre was more transparent, I would dispute that. I would say that it was not as musical as the Naims