New to this Forum

Posted by: Nooner on 07 October 2015

Hi everybody, just signed up from Switzerland.

 

Now back to Naim after a long break since 1989.

Starting with Mu-so was really impressive now located in the dining room.

For my classics I use the Imac+Hugo with HD 800, really nice.

 

Now trying to find out the smartest way of building up a system for my very small listening room, (only 15 sqm).

Not into vinyl, I think Hugo could work as a pre-amp together with Imac itunes Amarra and Tidal.

Listening at low levels mostly

 

Option 1

Hugo into high sensitivity speakers

Focal Electra 1008 BE or Diablo?

any other ideas?

 

Qption 2

Hugo directly into Nap 250, into Diablo

 

Option 3

Hugo into Supernait into Diablo

 

Any experience with these combinations?

Posted on: 07 October 2015 by Nooner
Originally Posted by dayjay:
Originally Posted by Rattlesnaic: Hey really cool, so you think in a small room the NAP 100 could give the PRAT with some Focals?

Naim power amps don't work well without a Naim preamp feeding them !

Whilst I can't comment on other amps etc etc I can, from personal experience, confirm that the nap100 works very well indeed with a Hugo feeding it (rather better than with a UQ2 feeding it too)

 

Posted on: 07 October 2015 by dayjay
Originally Posted by Nooner:
Originally Posted by dayjay:
Originally Posted by Rattlesnaic: Hey really cool, so you think in a small room the NAP 100 could give the PRAT with some Focals?

Naim power amps don't work well without a Naim preamp feeding them !

Whilst I can't comment on other amps etc etc I can, from personal experience, confirm that the nap100 works very well indeed with a Hugo feeding it (rather better than with a UQ2 feeding it too)

 

I ran a Nap100 with a Hugo feeding a set of Guru Juniors which was excellent but inconvenient when it came to changing volume etc.  I also ran the same set up but with a set of Focal Aria 926 which still worked well but which was lifted significantly with a SN2 in place of the Nap100.  My room is relatively small.

Posted on: 07 October 2015 by Nooner
Originally Posted by dayjay:SN 2 was on my list, will have an ear on it with Focal next week
Buying a good headphone amp and HD 800 was the easy part of the game.
Now it is more than a quickey.
 
Thanks for your kind advice
Jorg
Originally Posted by Nooner:
Originally Posted by dayjay:
Originally Posted by Rattlesnaic: Hey really cool, so you think in a small room the NAP 100 could give the PRAT with some Focals?

Naim power amps don't work well without a Naim preamp feeding them !

Whilst I can't comment on other amps etc etc I can, from personal experience, confirm that the nap100 works very well indeed with a Hugo feeding it (rather better than with a UQ2 feeding it too)

 

I ran a Nap100 with a Hugo feeding a set of Guru Juniors which was excellent but inconvenient when it came to changing volume etc.  I also ran the same set up but with a set of Focal Aria 926 which still worked well but which was lifted significantly with a SN2 in place of the Nap100.  My room is relatively small.

 

Posted on: 07 October 2015 by Sloop John B

#40

 

#34

 

#12

 

 

SJB

Posted on: 07 October 2015 by Nooner
Originally Posted by Nooner:WTF?
Originally Posted by dayjay:SN 2 was on my list, will have an ear on it with Focal next week
Buying a good headphone amp and HD 800 was the easy part of the game.
Now it is more than a quickey.
 
Thanks for your kind advice
Jorg
Originally Posted by Nooner:
Originally Posted by dayjay:
Originally Posted by Rattlesnaic: Hey really cool, so you think in a small room the NAP 100 could give the PRAT with some Focals?

Naim power amps don't work well without a Naim preamp feeding them !

Whilst I can't comment on other amps etc etc I can, from personal experience, confirm that the nap100 works very well indeed with a Hugo feeding it (rather better than with a UQ2 feeding it too)

 

I ran a Nap100 with a Hugo feeding a set of Guru Juniors which was excellent but inconvenient when it came to changing volume etc.  I also ran the same set up but with a set of Focal Aria 926 which still worked well but which was lifted significantly with a SN2 in place of the Nap100.  My room is relatively small.

 

 

Posted on: 07 October 2015 by Nooner
Originally Posted by Sloop John B: ILICIXS 69 the naim of nonsense

#40

 

#34

 

#12

 

 

SJB

 

Posted on: 07 October 2015 by dayjay
Originally Posted by Sloop John B:

#40

 

#34

 

#12

 

 

SJB

Posted on: 07 October 2015 by phosphocreatine

Well Nooner,

 

it's not a problem of commitment to Naim or not and I fully agree with you that Naim is more than less perfect ! The point is that the world of hi-fi is rapidly changing and strange things are happening (Vinyl is on top again even if it's undoubtedly of lower quality than a high res file played on a good DAC / streamer) and not Naim not other hi-if gear manufacturer can really tell what the setups will look like in 5 or 10 years.

Trends are emerging like streaming music services, products like Exakt systems or Devialet, swiss knifes DACs like the Hugo, high quality cans. And in these digital days populated by products that are shrinking in size and boxes, Naim has the boldness to produce a fully analogical product that weighs nearly 200kg. !

What I can surely tell you that I enjoy music through a wonderful pre-power setup that came on the market in a time when an mp3 wasn't even a scooter. This pre-power combination (NAC 252 and NAP 300) is still in production and won't sound broken tomorrow or the day after tomorrow !

lf you are happy to use your Hugo to drive a Nap 300 and you like the sound I'm really happy for you: but did you try this combination ? I did and I thought that it was a step down compared with my pre-power combination. You and I have surely a different taste maybe even for cheese (I like blue and hard cheese) !

 

Cheers from Milan, Andrea 

 

Posted on: 07 October 2015 by Sloop John B
Originally Posted by dayjay:
Originally Posted by Sloop John B:

#40

 

#34

 

#12

 

 

SJB

 

 

I'm glad someone is paying attention. 

 

 

 

SJB

Posted on: 07 October 2015 by Innocent Bystander
Originally Posted by Sloop John B:
Originally Posted by dayjay:
Originally Posted by Sloop John B:

#40

 

#34

 

#12

 

 

SJB

 

 

I'm glad someone is paying attention. 

 

 

 

SJB

Please explain the numbers, meaningless to me

Posted on: 07 October 2015 by Nooner
Originally Posted by phosphocreatine:Thank you for your advice, I did not try a Nap 300 DR or a 250 DR neither a 200 DR directly from hugo. It was a thought of mine to keep this hugo magic without another preamp.
May be I am on the wrong path with my thoughts, may be there is no other solution than just listen.
 
Same with cheese, hard or soft, the best is from France anyway (-  ...and that said by a Swiss
 
If they keep on developing things like the latest Devialet or Chord products we will have a nice competition to Naim and other beautiful engineering entities which will give us the best possible sound in our time.
The really bad thing is:
 
As closer you get to perfection, as lousier it sounds because of the mixing and mastering.
So basically I think it can be a losing game even if we go all the way.
Coloration would be the opposite, but not all the time.
 
All the Best from Zurigo to Italia

Well Nooner,

 

it's not a problem of commitment to Naim or not and I fully agree with you that Naim is more than less perfect ! The point is that the world of hi-fi is rapidly changing and strange things are happening (Vinyl is on top again even if it's undoubtedly of lower quality than a high res file played on a good DAC / streamer) and not Naim not other hi-if gear manufacturer can really tell what the setups will look like in 5 or 10 years.

Trends are emerging like streaming music services, products like Exakt systems or Devialet, swiss knifes DACs like the Hugo, high quality cans. And in these digital days populated by products that are shrinking in size and boxes, Naim has the boldness to produce a fully analogical product that weighs nearly 200kg. !

What I can surely tell you that I enjoy music through a wonderful pre-power setup that came on the market in a time when an mp3 wasn't even a scooter. This pre-power combination (NAC 252 and NAP 300) is still in production and won't sound broken tomorrow or the day after tomorrow !

lf you are happy to use your Hugo to drive a Nap 300 and you like the sound I'm really happy for you: but did you try this combination ? I did and I thought that it was a step down compared with my pre-power combination. You and I have surely a different taste maybe even for cheese (I like blue and hard cheese) !

 

Cheers from Milan, Andrea 

 

 

Posted on: 07 October 2015 by Innocent Bystander

'closed shops'never did anyone any real good.

 

There are some statements on here that if true would appear to suggest that Naim gear is so quirky that it is effectively presenting a closed shop, convert to Naim or don't come near.

 

I for one dont believe that is Naim's philosophy.

Posted on: 07 October 2015 by phosphocreatine

The best cheese is english cheddar ...

Just joking 

 

I'll be in Zurich next week for the Diana Krall concert: no yugos, no black boxes (the Naim design for his gears) ... just live music in a beautiful sounding Hallenstadion

Posted on: 07 October 2015 by Nooner
Originally Posted by Innocent Bystander: Well it is not the Naim, it is what products can do for you paid with your hard earned money. If Porsche makes a car which cannot match up with other sportscars performance or quality nobody will buy them anymore. Same with audio gear. Naim is as special as a brand can be. Times are moving fast.
Jorg

'closed shops'never did anyone any real good.

 

There are some statements on here that if true would appear to suggest that Naim gear is so quirky that it is effectively presenting a closed shop, convert to Naim or don't come near.

 

I for one dont believe that is Naim's philosophy.

 

Posted on: 07 October 2015 by Nooner
Originally Posted by phosphocreatine:Hey cool lets meet
where are you staying Lac or Hyatt?
Kronenhalle is still in renovation for the lunch, but up the hill on Züriberg they have a new German Cook 3 stars Michelin awarded.

The best cheese is english cheddar ...

Just joking 

 

I'll be in Zurich next week for the Diana Krall concert: no yugos, no black boxes (the Naim design for his gears) ... just live music in a beautiful sounding Hallenstadion

 

Posted on: 07 October 2015 by Innocent Bystander
Originally Posted by Innocent Bystander:
Originally Posted by Sloop John B:
Originally Posted by dayjay:
Originally Posted by Sloop John B:

#40

 

#34

 

#12

 

 

SJB

 

 

I'm glad someone is paying attention. 

 

 

 

SJB

Please explain the numbers, meaningless to me

Ok, found it

Posted on: 07 October 2015 by nigelb

A Naim pre amp IMHO is a (the?) key component in any Naim amplification system. Yes the power amp is important and many on here wouldn't consider using a Naim pre amp without the preferred Naim power supply for it - indeed the upper levels of Naim pre amp require a power supply.

 

My comments here are made with the experience of many hours invested in auditioning and treading a carefully thought through upgrade path. You don't HAVE to spend hours listening but I enjoy it and it has informed my decisions over the selection of components I want to own and use.

 

Now I have never heard a Hugo feeding straight into a Naim power amp (if I have understood your thoughts) so would not be so presumptions to suggest how it might sound and how it might compare to a more traditional Naim pre/power combo. Which is why I find it curious that you seem to have made up your mind without listening to a Naim pre/power combo - exactly how they were designed to operate.

 

So why don't you invest a little time and effort auditioning Naim pre/power combos (peferably at home) and compare this to your unusual alternatives so you can make informed decisions rather than speculative ones.

 

If it don't sound posh, don't part with your dosh.

Posted on: 10 October 2015 by Nooner

Thnaks for the reply

Yes I will be testing, SN 2, Nap 250DR, Nap 300DR into Focal Diablo and 1008BE2

I thought somebody has done this with a Hugo already.

According to a few members SN 2 seems to work very good with Hugo.

Will find out how this little fellow will work as a Preamp.

 

Best regards

Jorg

Posted on: 10 October 2015 by Simon-in-Suffolk

The Hugo works exceptionally well with every Naim amp I have heard it with up to 552/500 .. Still yet to hear it with Statement.

Don't know about this Yugo DAC  that some are mentioning.. perhaps an eastern Europe/Baltic state copy? .. Certainly would tread carefully with that..

Simon

Posted on: 10 October 2015 by Innocent Bystander

Or is Yogo a pronunciation of Hugo? Perhaps it is Ugo.

Posted on: 10 October 2015 by phosphocreatine
Originally Posted by Innocent Bystander:

Or is Yogo a pronunciation of Hugo? Perhaps it is Ugo.

 

My keyboard doesn't want to write Hugo 

Posted on: 10 October 2015 by Innocent Bystander
Originally Posted by phosphocreatine:
Originally Posted by Innocent Bystander:

Or is Yogo a pronunciation of Hugo? Perhaps it is Ugo.

 

My keyboard doesn't want to write Hugo 

Mine seemed not to want to write Yugo!

Posted on: 10 October 2015 by nigelb

Wasn't a Yugo a rather poor eastern European cheap version of a Fiat. Could it be the more uncharitable Naimees on here might be suggesting that a Hugo is the poor relation to a Naim DAC (even if it is buried inside s Naim streamer).

 

If true, how very dare they!