Two certainties I feel confident to share with HT owners

Posted by: Massimo Bertola on 08 April 2009

-The DVD5's analogue output is not, in my opinion, necessarily the best one for stereo CD replay. I did some serious listening, using a HiLine on the AN1 out and, in sequence, Stereovox HDVX, Siltech, Naim DC1 coax cables on DIG1. I also tried a homemade cable I did with good, 75 ohm satellite cable and two good RCA plugs, and I sometimes found it hard to tell it from the branded wires. I am not speaking of DVD playback (soundtracks, compressed audio of concerts) but of redbook CDs. Those who wish to use just one cable for everything - or, rather, who hate to have to choose and change continuously: I'm sure there are others like me, out in the world - may serenely rely on a DC1 coax by Naim. They must be prepared, though, to deal with the interconnect equivalent of Naca5: stiff, noncompliant, greedy for space between rear panel and wall, and with VERY tight RCA plugs.

- PVC is an enemy for electrical power. Following this idea of mine, I recabled my units with power cords I did using 3x1.5 cables with inner and outer jackets in silicone instead of PVC. I am absolutely sure they sound better. This was agreed by a couple of friends and by my wife in blindfold tests. Having optimized power connections this way is partly responsible for the audible upgrading in the AV2 goodness at converting and replaying 16/44.1 discs. Those who are longing to buy Powerlines but hesitate, for economical or ethical reasons, may find a very decent upgrading from standard PVC wires in silicone ones.
I can be contacted for further impressions/tips.
Cheers.
Posted on: 13 April 2009 by Massimo Bertola
Last night my I had my brother visiting. He's a cellist. I asked him to do a simple and quick test and then played to him some music both with the analog and the digital outputs of the DVD5. He always preferred the digital out (via Naim DC1 coax) to the AV2 converting. Just like my wife, who is a choir conductor, he said that the music sounded more like real music. This is not to deny any value in the job the DVD5 does, but to praise a bit the AV2, which seems to me a bit underestimated in this forums.
Cheers.
Posted on: 13 April 2009 by SC
Good to read your continued findings Max...Keep them coming !

As for the AV2, I really don't think it is underestimated at all, it is an amazing processor...It's just simply showing it's age, is out-dated in light of new HD codecs and in the current market place, very over priced to buy new....I have also read something about it no longer being available, but that may just be a rumour - I haven't asked my dealer.

Personally, it was the existence of the AV2 in the range that really got me seriously interested in getting on the Naim bandwagon (apart from hearing the CDS years and years ago!), but now that I'm actually doing it, I just can't look the AV2 straight in the face in the AV world of today, certainly to buy new anyway...Which is a real shame, as the philosophy and execution of the AV2 is almost unique and it integrates so well into a Naim stereo system....

Steve
Posted on: 17 April 2009 by Occean
I am in full agreement, last year I sold my CD5 to purchase a media streamer and in a twist of fate ended up replacing my 112 and Pioneer AV amp with an AV2/175 combo and Sonos zp90 with a Chord Coax lead, which was meant to be a short term solution, months later I still have no intention of replacing it. It certainly has a different sound to my CD5 but I would not claim one sounded better than the other. It will certainly be keeping it place until a suitable Naim streamer comes out, or I fully explore the path of a Linn DS, but I am not in the rush I thought I would be in.

SC you are right regarding the lack of HD codec’s, but, in my case at least my only HD source is a bluray player (PS3) and my limited collection of 4 discs still doesn’t warrant me worrying about the lack of codecs. Though I admit when LOTR comes out this may change and I think I will be heading down the path of a Bluray player with a built in decoder. This will solve the codec issue until if/when Sky HD and my PC require use of the new codecs. Then for me, the AV2 option will need re-exploring.