How to connect my Hicap ?

Posted by: Cheese on 29 November 2003

Hi all,

A few weeks ago I finally chose a Nait3 to replace my silly tube amp, and this has proven to be the choice of the year - I'm just delighted like a little kid with my new toy.

Now I've come across a dirt cheap Hicap so I didn't hesitate, I thought this might be a sensible thing to have.

As far as I can see, there are two options to connect this device to the amp: with a 4-pin or a 5-pin cable.

Which way is the right one ? Many thanks in advance for your precious help.

Cheese

Posted on: 29 November 2003 by davidf

Uhh...gee, can one connect a hicap to a Nait???
I`m no expert, but I wouldn`t connect any wires until someone who really knows, pipes in. david

Posted on: 29 November 2003 by Manu

Your Nait3 needs to be adapted to accept the Hicap. You should have 2 Din sockets under the label "Refer to manual" plus an other one on the left (seen from the rear). That's a total of 7 din sockets. If you don't have this, your Naim dealer can probably do it.
If you have them, you will need a 4 pin SNAIC and a 5 pin one. Connect the 5 pins from the Nait to the Hicap (only one 5 pins on each, so no chance to miss it) and the 4 pin from the leftmost one (seen from the rear) on the Nait to the Leftmost one on the Hicap. Some will tell you to use the rightmost on the Hicap, but if your Hicap is an old one, this socket carry a supply voltage (labeled +Ve) and should be avoided.
If you have any hesitation, visit your Naim dealer, even if you didn't buy the kit from him, he will be please to help you. You probably need to buy the SNAIC anyway, so ask him.

Emmanuel

All opinions are my own, and reflect those of the organisation i work for, even if not stipulated.

Posted on: 29 November 2003 by Cheese

You're great, Manu.

Thanks for the perfectly clear advice. My Nait3 has all the necessary sockets, I'll just need one more 5-pin SNAIC.

If I can abuse more of your time, can you briefly explain me why on earth two cables are needed ?

Cheese

Posted on: 30 November 2003 by prowla

So basically it is completely splitting the pre and power amp stages of the Nait as if they were separate boxes...

Paul Rowlands

Posted on: 30 November 2003 by Cheese

Many thanks to all of you.

At least Naim can't be blamed for lack of creativity when it comes to connection solutions

Cheese

Posted on: 05 December 2003 by Cheese

I think I have found the solution

The guy who sold me the Nait 3 found it was a 'waste of money' to add a HiCap. So he offered me to take it back and to sell me a 72/140 for little extra money. According to him, this was the ultimate 'bang for the buck' solution and then my HiCap would make sense.

I was already delighted with my little Nait, I guess it's gonna be something ! The half-width case of the 140 only adds to the charm

Cheese

Posted on: 05 December 2003 by Manu

Of course, good move.

Emmanuel

All opinions are my own, and reflect those of the organisation i work for, even if not stipulated.

Posted on: 06 December 2003 by garyi

Cheese pick up a 140, cut the wires in the nait three and you are fully pre/powered up just right for christmas!

Posted on: 06 December 2003 by Geoff P

garyi

Cheese has got a 72!

Geoff

Posted on: 06 December 2003 by Cheese

quote:
Cheese has got a 72!

Yes but no remote

Maybe next time

Cheese

Posted on: 06 December 2003 by garyi

Am I going mad? He says at the beginning he got rid of a tube amp in preference for a nait three?

Posted on: 06 December 2003 by john rubberneck

Hi

Not all tube amps are good, granted my 300b PSE mono’s are the best sound I’ve had at home .

Stuart

Posted on: 06 December 2003 by Cheese

quote:
Am I going mad? He says at the beginning he got rid of a tube amp in preference for a nait three?

No, you've not gone mad, Gary. If I still listened to classical music as much as I did ten years ago, I probably wouldn't have taken this step - my Holborne tube/tranny amp is indeed more refined (but not that much) than the Nait, and belcanto voices sound far more beautiful. Beautiful, that's the word - but I just fell asleep. And when it comes to cope with more difficult stuff like Miles Davis or Linkin' Park, you can forget about the Holborne. Bass lines were just blurred all the way - and that's a thing Naim can definitely manage.

BTW it's still for sale, Gary - interested ?

Cheese