Price Hikes

Decision 1
Are you wanting to buy a system that you want to grow or something that is an improvement on what you have now? There is a difference in the approach you would take.
Decision 2
Is the 3x of CD's 300 or 3000 against 100 or 1000 LP's? 1000 LP's is a large investment not to improve upon you turntable.

I also want to make the following observations.
I hate the idea of wearing out records
The better the turntable, the less likely this will be. A good LP12 will certainly wear records out a lot less than a Basik. Also there are a number of high quality Axis TT's on the second hand market. I know of one place where you can get an LP12//Lingo/Ittok/Troika for around £1200.
The sounds gets clogged up on dense passages
I am assuming that this is on the TT. I had a Mimik prior to my CDS-II and it was a good little machine. It certainly did not give the impression of getting clogged up during passages.
I don't like the CDX
I'm surpised by this although you may not have listened to it with the XPS. I agree that the CDX does not sound great if listened to in a transparent system unless the XPS is attached. It should be a very competent little performer in your system though. Then you can upgrade with XPS and turn it into something stunning!
If I were in your shoes I would probably do the following with a £2k budget. Decide whether vinly is something you want to get something from or whether you are going to drop it. The Basik isn't up to the job with 72/110/Kans. At louder volumes I would expect the TT to struggle with retrieval information due to the budget isolation in the deck compared to an LP12. If you want to listen to records, get yourself a good LP12 on the secondhand market. If not, keep the Mimik and listen to a 250 with the 72. The 250 really benefits from one of the better preamps and you might want to listen to the 180 instead. In fact for a budget of £2k you should be able to pick up a good LP12 and 180 and really makes things rock. The Mimik is not in the same league as CDX/XPS or CDS-II but it's not bad and, if you're thinking of saving for the CDS-II anyway I wouldn't bother changing it.
Hope it helps...

[This message was edited by NigelP on WEDNESDAY 21 February 2001 at 18:26.]

I'd put my dosh into a better source. LP12/Ittok/Valhalla would be a good place to start. and then a 102 and NASC. And you'll still have change out of your 250 money... the bigger power amp can wait, generally.

Rico - musichead

[edit] = oops, I just re-read and saw the bit about more CD's than records.... well unless you're temted by cheap plentiful vinyl, a better CD and then preamp is the order of the day!

To answer NigelP's question, so far I have about 100 LPs and 300 CDs. So, maybe a CD upgrade will be best, either jumping to a CDSII, or outside favoutite Resolution Audio CD player (DNM are likely to demo this very musical source at the Bristol Show).

I'll probably make a decision at the Bristol Show, in the meantime can anyone verify that Naim usually increase their prices on 1st April?

Andrew

Andrew Randle
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John
Anderlecht 1 Leeds 4

Andrew

Andrew

Andrew Randle
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John

Actually my memory is a bit hazy when it comes to remembering the day that price rises occur. Although I do remember its usually done on the same day every year... So someone out the must remember. Need info to calculate my finances

(i.e. if the prices rise on 1st April I make my order for the dealer to stock the Naim component and I buy on 20th March - by which time I will have saved up 2/3 of the cost and will have a month before the amount registers on the credit card to pay off the rest).

Andrew

Andrew Randle
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However may I suggest two options which you may not have considered.

1) Buy a used CDS1 for @ £2K ( This can be upgraded cost effectively to a CDS2 later, if you wish)

2) Change the Kans, which I found don't get on with reasonably priced CD players. Try Naim SBL's or Shahinian Arcs at similar cost to option 1. If you bought the loudspeakers used you might be able to buy an old NAP250 as well.

[This message was edited by Stevell on THURSDAY 22 February 2001 at 14:40.]

This time next year [we'll be millionaires, Rodney!] I could be ready to shell-out for the CDSII - unless I'm conviced with the £2k Resolution Audio CD53. Either way I'm going to have to be patient.

Stevell, there's no way I'd be selling the Kans - they do a fantastic job with the Mimik II. Even when eventually getting something like the NBLs, I'll always keep the Kans.

In the meantime a bit of extra juice from a 250 won't hurt... I think.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
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for what its worth a number of years ago I had Kans driven by a 110. I managed to borrow a 250 for a w/e and the difference was marked. This was using a Sondek f/e.

Enjoy the choice I would buy the 250 and wait ti improve your f/e

Sounded great!

cheers, Martin

Let me make it clear that I share your high regard for Kans. I know they are capable of sounding great in very high class systems and are far from Andrews weakest link in his system.

What I am suggesting is that they are very, very revealing of source components and so is the NAP250, upgrading the amplifier first whilst making sonic improvements may well reveal the limitations of his Linn Mimik and Basik turntable further.

When I say that I found reasonably priced CD players disappointing in a system similar to Andrews I did not mean to imply they sounded crap.
I should have stated that it was in comparison to Linn LP12 lingo/Ittok/Troika

quote:

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let me know andrew, if you change your kans especially if they are kanII ,bi-wirable, with the Linn stands.

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You'd be lucky. They're mine, all mine!!!

Yes they are Kan II (late edition teak, with Ku-stone inserts) on Linn stands.... and no, you are not having them

Even the idea of them handing over is as horrifying as selling my granny! Probably worse!!!

What I will do is try out the 250 in my system and see if there is any major improvement. My dealer will probably bring a demo and boxed 250 to my place. If the demo sounds justifiably better then I will buy. Otherwise, I will save for 12 months for the CDSII.

B.T.W. even with the Mimik II, the system sings and grooves like crazy. I reckon the Mimik is closer to the LP-12 with tunes and groove than the Karik, maybe because the Mimik sounds mechanically (almost artificially) precise in it's timing.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
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[This message was edited by Andrew Randle on FRIDAY 23 February 2001 at 10:33.]

Let me know when you get them.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
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4 ^ = ?;