To n-Vi or not to n-Vi

Posted by: dan scott on 17 December 2006

Hello everyone.

Well fate has chucked me a wild card today. My Harman Kardon AVR 8500 is refusing to come out of standby.

It's been playing up a bit recently turning itself off and just being a bit "quirky" for want of a better word.

Now it's not turning on and I use it for ALL my TV/Home cinema duties (Through B&W LCR600, 603s3 fronts, 600s3 Surrounds) so while it's out of action i've got the TV going through a set of battery powered Creative Travelsound speakers (Brings a tear to my eye for all the wrong reasons!)

So my eyes turn to alternatives as I really don't want to wait for weeks to get the AVR8500 repaired with the travelsounds (They sound great on an iPod on a beach in Thailand but not so great in my lounge lol!)

In comes the n-Vi... lots going for it and some heavy praise on lots of forums on the net from retialers and users. Also lots of glitches and some very dissatisfies customers for an unlucky few.

Here are my sources that would have to go through the n-Vi-

Pioneer 436XDE Plasma (Built in Freeview) currently connected via Optical cable.

Arcam DV79 connected via Digital Coax to the amp and HDMI to the TV's media box.

XBOX (Original) used as a media player occasionally connected via component to the TV and optical cable to the amp.

Pioneer DVD recorder connected via scart to the TV's media box. Sound goes to the amp via the optical cable from the TV (Gets to the TV via scart) - again rarely used.

I would sell the DV79 if I went for the n-Vi for obvious reasons!

One thing that does worry me a little is that the n-Vi only seems to have 1 digital (Optical) input - am I misreading?

Now most of the time my Harman Kardon is doing Logic7 processing on 2 channel freeview and so I get pseudo surround from standard TV. The rest of the time it is doing Dolby/DTS processing from the DV79.

Will the n-Vi be the solution for me? I guess alternatives would be an Arcam Solo video in the new year or just an Arcam AV350 now.

I'll get the AVR8500 fixed up and then pass it on to a new home in the new year - what an amp i'll miss it! So much power and control - absolute bargain!!! unfortunately it's conked out at Christmas Frown

Also will the n-Vi's 50wpc be enough to push my B&W 603's (I know they're Naim 50WPC not other "lesser" manufacturers claimed figures)

I thought that in the future if I did get the n-Vi I might in the future combine my stereo setup (Nait5i, CD5, Ariva's) into the AV setup as when I buy my own place I won't have as much space as I do now and may not be able to have a seperate AV and stereo setup so could hopefully end up with-

n-Vi
Nait5i
CD5
Ariva's
n-SAT's (After selling B&W's)
Naim Centre (The name of it escapes me)

Please give me your opinions and ideas, I could do with the help (Really wasn't planning this one!)
Posted on: 17 December 2006 by john R1
dan, when i had a demo of the nv-i, it was into a pioneer xde plasma, fed dvi into hdmi, stunning pq, as for the power, not sure about your speakers but my mks are rated at 4ohms and the n-vi drives these more easily than my 3805 did which was rated around 130watts per channel into 6ohms hope this helps
Posted on: 17 December 2006 by dan scott
thanks John, good to hear an opinion from someone with similar equipment Smile
Posted on: 18 December 2006 by john R1
dan, in answer to your other question, the n-vi does only have 1 optical input, look back on an earlier thread (n-vi and optical input ) and there are a few ways to get round this problem
Posted on: 18 December 2006 by dan scott
i'm goint to see if I can get some demo time booked in this week hopefully. I'm a bit nervous about possibly going for a product that has issues and costs £3,000....
If it crashes on demo, I'm walking away!

Can;t believe my amp decides to pack up at Christmas!!
Posted on: 19 December 2006 by Duncan Fullerton
Dan,

In your demo make sure you shake down its ability to switch between sources. Try DVD's, CD's, analogue inputs, optical inputs ... in no particular order. And change the type of signal on the optical input too. I.e. PCM 2.0, DD 5.1 etc..

The tedious inevitability of having to reboot my (4th!!) n-Vi when I overdo the source changing is something I'm having to live with until the firmware is fixed. At least I can do that from the remote control now. I'm told that there may be a fix due before Christmas. You can imagine that I'm not holding my breath ...

On the positive side I can always point out to visitors that the n-Vi is nearly brand new. They think I'm very swank changing it every couple of months ... ;-)

Duncan
Posted on: 19 December 2006 by Duncan Fullerton
Doh! There is goes again ... just responded to Dan above and then went downstairs to watch the TV. Flicking channels between "standard" Sky (PCM 2.0) and a movie channel (DD 2.0) via the optical input and I get a click click followed by ... silence. Reboot time. The third today.

Please, please, PLEASE, sort it out someone!!! This really is fucking tedious.
Posted on: 19 December 2006 by dan scott
Confused Gulp....

When was that new Arcam Solo Movie out again?
Posted on: 19 December 2006 by dan scott
Duncan, why were you given new n-Vi's, why is it not possible to upgrade the existing new unit to a new firmware that hopefully works, do Naim actually make hardware changes to the units?
Posted on: 19 December 2006 by Duncan Fullerton
Good question.

The failures in my first three units were in addition to the ongoing switching problems. The first two succumbed to the widely reported power supply issues: random shutdowns and auto reboots etc.. Those issues are now resolved accross the board.

The third machine could play DVD's but not CD's including, annoyingly, a firmware upgrade Naim sent me to fix the problem. Hence the replacement.

The pipelined firmware upgrade I am waiting on should be a CD based job.

The other question someone is bound to ask is "why do I stick with it"? Apart from the fact I've chucked out all my other AV gear, the box does do its job well. DVD's and Sky via Optical are excellent and CD's good enough (I don't listen to them that often).

My only bugbear is with the firmware/operating system which is bug riddled. Think very early Windows NT 3.1! I wonder if Bill Gates has had a hand in this too ...

Duncan
Posted on: 19 December 2006 by john R1
now on my second n-vi, still have the odd problem with the optical input, ie n-vi outputs 5.1, display shows stereo etc, neither of my 2 n-vis have ever shut down as duncans have, my biggest problem is with the dvd-audio side having been told by naim there might never be a fix for this problem, which i feel is wrong for something that cost 3 grand, but as stated before when its working its bloody good.
Posted on: 19 December 2006 by dan scott
i'm up one minute and down the next reading all this it's like yeah!when people mention good things and then oooohh uurgh when the problems come out shortly afterwards.

I'll say one thing about this device, it'll go down in Naim history I'm sure!
Posted on: 20 December 2006 by james n
Dan - i'd agree with Munch. Do the Dem and see what you think. I'm very pleased with mine. Had it since August and apart from a couple of times turning it off at the back it's been faultless. Perhaps i should check if there are any firmware updates. It's used every day and i still find it amazing that all this is in one (heavy) box.
I'd dem the Arcam Solo Movie though - a lot of box for the money, a built in Scaler for external sources (sounds familiar...) and HDMI switching.
I certainly find the Video quality from the n-vi the equal of the DV79 and 137 i had before so it'll be interesting to see how this new box performs.

Cheers

James
Posted on: 20 December 2006 by dan scott
The dealer I'll probably do the demo at is also an Arcam dealer so hopefully I can do a back to back demo of the Solo and n-Vi (I'm sure there will be a few on here interested to hear the results of that one!)

It'll definetly be January now as obviously it's pretty much Christmas now and then I'm working in between Christmas and new-year then it's the post new years hang-over and back to work.... Hopefully get a demo on Sat.6th of Jan or thereabouts.

Watch this space I guess. The dealer I will use does a 0% finance over 12 months deal which I will probably use to make the puchase a little easier on the already fragile January wallet. If i'm going for the n-Vi I may have to also chuck a Flatcap2x in there for my CD5 (Or should that be a Hicap - too many choices not enough time!!!)
Posted on: 20 December 2006 by Duncan Fullerton
Dan,

I fully agree with the guys above .. do the dem. You will be impressed.

In terms of the switching issue surrounding moving from and then to the Dig Opt input (for me Sky+) and within that regarding different codings, I am told that there is a firmware upgrade in Beta now that should be on the shelf in January.

This is a very good box only troubled if you need to use the Dig Opt input as I do.

Duncan
Posted on: 20 December 2006 by Duncan Fullerton
quote:
Originally posted by munch:
Because of this box i am going to spend 40.000 in the new year on a sound only set up.

Blimey Munch, just read your post more closely. 40,000 whats exactly and on what kit???? And all encouraged by your n-Vi ...

Duncan
Posted on: 20 December 2006 by dan scott
I will be using the optical input but not intensivly, only really my xbox (running xbmc for xvid tv episodes) everything else can go over phono's and obviously the dvd players built in so no worries there.

Very excited about my demo!
Posted on: 20 December 2006 by chicago_phile
Probably not a popular answer, but I wouldn't invest in any good dvd player right now. Would go with something to get by until the format war is figured out, and then embraced by the high end market.
Posted on: 20 December 2006 by john R1
duncan, not quite true about the optical input being the only fault, try usisg a dvd-audio disc, you never know what the display is going to do after switching back to the optical input.
Posted on: 21 December 2006 by dan scott
chicago_phile - I already have a high-ish end dvd player in my Arcam DV79 - I'd be selling this if I bought the n-Vi so nothing eally lost there, I'm more interested in amplification and if I should get a Naim DVD player in the process, that's a bonus! As for the high def war I'd rather wait for specialist manufacturers to produce their high-def offerings. If I'm itching to have a go i'll just buy an xbox360 and it's accompanying HD-DVD drive.

John, I don't use DVD-A at all so hopefully that's one bug area I should be able to steer clear of..
Posted on: 23 December 2006 by Mike1380
Finally got an n-Vi sat at home in my system....

Listening to Planet Rock from the optical out of my TVDrive is gobsmacking, and the picture is lightyears ahead of the DV88 I'd been using recently.

I can now also listen to a couple of my recent Cd purchases - my ageing Mimik is a bit fussy about non-Red Book discs.

Interestingly though there's little to choose between CD playback between the Mimik & the n-Vi on discs they'll both play - different flavours, but certainly on a par.

Gotta sort out a decent aerial to see what the tuner's like - it'll have its' work cut out though to better the current sound of Dab via the TVDrive Smile

Should you n-Vi????
Well some folk get fun out of bungee-jumping, and that's far more risky. Go in with your eyes wide open - but remember that if Naim have difficulty making a product like this work for £3k, others cramming more in the box and charging 30% less could easily hit similar obstacles.......

Weigh up the risks and buy what you enjoy. Cool
Posted on: 23 December 2006 by john R1
mike, what display are you using, and how is it connected from your n-vi, i only ask because i had a dv-89 and i found is was very good pq wise,
Posted on: 23 December 2006 by Mike1380
Panasonic TX29AD1-OO, via RGB Scart - which is all that set can handle.... planning on a Sharp LC46XD1E via component as soon as the wallet recovers Smile
Posted on: 23 December 2006 by john R1
mike, don't know much about the set you mention, but i would have thought it accepts hdmi, i use component as that is the best i can, i have seen the n-vi plugged into pioneer plasma dvi to hdmi and the pq was very impressive.
Posted on: 23 December 2006 by Mike1380
quote:
don't know much about the set you mention, but i would have thought it accepts hdmi


...err....

How do I put this gently???


Dude, it's 11 years old!!!!!!!!!!!

That's why all I can use is RGB Scart Razz
Posted on: 23 December 2006 by john R1
mike, i mean the set your going to buy, not the one you have,