Naim, give us a preamp refresh!
Posted by: Stefan Vogt on 10 November 2015
Sorry, but it has to be said, after all those years...
^ what he said.
The volume pot on my 552 is nearly a case of all or nothing. On out Mu-Sos it's so easy to make slight adjustments and it feels much slicker and nicer to use manually.
I certainly think Naim should bring out a new unit with the Mu-so/ S1 type of volume control and pot. Nothing inside mind, just a box with the knob I can sit and twiddle. No s******ing at the back you boys!
Don't want to be rude but the days of classical preamps are over in my opinion...
once we had tape, tuner, vinyl and cd...
now we have (maybe lp), apple tv, mac/pc, dvd, aurender, auralic, etc.
So i think a DAC with good volume control and one analog input is the future. If Linn brings out a vinyl amp with digital output you could even skip the "one anlog" input.
ok, we'll see...
Warning: Equally Controversial!
How about completely eliminating the preamp and most of the power amp - have digital inputs direct and analogue inputs via an ADC feeding into a micro-controller / DSP. The output of which will do a PCM to PDM conversion and feed the PDM signal directly to class D output switches.
Anyone think this isn't going to happen? (Although analogue systems will still survive as a niche market)
I think Linn have done very well and many of their strategic direction changes (including the odd publicity stunt) have played out well. Their control software is better than Naim's also. But the really big thing is the musical ability. Linn still provides it in spades. I slightly prefer Naim. Helen more strongly prefers Naim. So we're sticking. Personally I don't think Linn have lost the plot they are interested in and the sound quality has not suffered. We could happily go there if we had to. But we don't have to.
What I find particularly comforting with Naim is knowing that even 10 (or more) years from now they will be able to service my equipment.
Linn don't offer anything like that. I believe they have a service life after discontinuation of something like 5 years and after that you're SOL. Imagine paying £50K for an Exakt system to some years later be told that it's not repairable and that you have to go out and buy new again...
The 272 has a digitally controlled analogue volume control. The volume rises smoothly from 0 to 100, so it's much easier to make small adjustments, rather than reaching virtually full volume by 11 o'clock on the other preamps. The volume control is just like that used on the SuperUniti and V1, and presumably on the Statement. It really is a delight to use.
Yep, the Statement one is similarly a delight to use and is full range. You get a horizontal light to indicate level and normal listening levels are around mid way along the range. It is slightly complicated by the fact that you also have a + / - 6dB gain on each input.
Are there any preamps that don't have digitally controlled volume? Cerebral control would be great instead of having to use one's digits...
A nait 5si - way ahead of the game, only one box, four inputs and hardly any pre-amp.
We could see a trickle up technology as we did with the CD5i in the transport department and all the higher end players benefitted from better sound because of it .
Dear Stephen,
A well implemented passive pre-amp is a thing of beauty. It costs a lot to get as good an active pre-amp as a relatively budget but very good one such as in the junior Naits since the 5i ...
I am currently searching for a mono valve power amplifier to complement, but not replace my NAP 100.
It is certainly a viable option with such a vintage type that is very sensitive on the input to use a passive pre-amp that is close coupled to allow for more than one source and volume control. As it goes my mono FM/VHF [valve] tuner actually has a very competent variable level signal output, and so could viably connect directly to a mono valve amp, but it might be useful to have a simple simple passive pre-amp with the chance to select a pair of source components at least possibly straight through for the tuner and with variable attenuation on the other source input.
ATB from George
On the other hand, some tweaking of the formula for the current NAC range won't go amiss. Things like different input sensitivity, user definable input labels (even if just buttons we can fit ourselves), fewer inputs (streamers and DACs consolidate many sources now), and maybe a rethink of the record out bank. Of course there are people using the current festures now but most of us use between 1 and 3 sources (1 in my case) and recording stuff in analogue via the preamp is pretty fringe these days.
These thoughts are on of the reasons I am holding off on a 252. I know it is excellent but just can't shake the feeling it is due for something beyond DR on the Supercap.
Do be sure to give the 252 a thorough demo before committing. The 252 and 282 have very different presentations and the virtues of the two amps seem to divide opinion on this forum. I've twice had a 252 on extended home demo and have concluded that I prefer the 282. Others have preferred the 252, and that's fine. It could be a potentially costly mistake to rest on the presumption that as the 252 is the next step up in the Naim pre-amp hierarchy it must be automatically 'better'. For some it is, but not for all.
Mike
The 272 has a digitally controlled analogue volume control. The volume rises smoothly from 0 to 100, so it's much easier to make small adjustments, rather than reaching virtually full volume by 11 o'clock on the other preamps. The volume control is just like that used on the SuperUniti and V1, and presumably on the Statement. It really is a delight to use.
Yep, the Statement one is similarly a delight to use and is full range. You get a horizontal light to indicate level and normal listening levels are around mid way along the range. It is slightly complicated by the fact that you also have a + / - 6dB gain on each input.
Sharing a thought and post from earlier in the year about the trickle down of the volume control tech. and the future of analogue pres........
The Statement project was a 10 year project, meaning that it started in 2004. So, if the volume controls on the NACs were to be evolved into the new tech, would it have been done by now? Or is it the next change to the NACs (with a retrofit option?)
FWIW, having switched from the V1's volume control to that of the 282, I use the remote that came with V1 to control the NAC because it requires a more dliberate press, allowing small adjustments in volume.
I rarely physically touch(ed) volume controls of either the V1 or 282.
Jude
I think Linn have done very well and many of their strategic direction changes (including the odd publicity stunt) have played out well. Their control software is better than Naim's also. But the really big thing is the musical ability. Linn still provides it in spades. I slightly prefer Naim. Helen more strongly prefers Naim. So we're sticking. Personally I don't think Linn have lost the plot they are interested in and the sound quality has not suffered. We could happily go there if we had to. But we don't have to.
What I find particularly comforting with Naim is knowing that even 10 (or more) years from now they will be able to service my equipment.
Linn don't offer anything like that. I believe they have a service life after discontinuation of something like 5 years and after that you're SOL. Imagine paying £50K for an Exakt system to some years later be told that it's not repairable and that you have to go out and buy new again...
Interesting and well worth knowing. Thanks for that Graham. That would trouble me, particularly as I have come to take Naim's long term service a bit for granted.
Dear Stephen,
A well implemented passive pre-amp is a thing of beauty. It costs a lot to get as good an active pre-amp as a relatively budget but very good one such as in the junior Naits since the 5i ...
I am currently searching for a mono valve power amplifier to complement, but not replace my NAP 100.
It is certainly a viable option with such a vintage type that is very sensitive on the input to use a passive pre-amp that is close coupled to allow for more than one source and volume control. As it goes my mono FM/VHF [valve] tuner actually has a very competent variable level signal output, and so could viably connect directly to a mono valve amp, but it might be useful to have a simple simple passive pre-amp with the chance to select a pair of source components at least possibly straight through for the tuner and with variable attenuation on the other source input.
ATB from George
Audiojumble worth a look.
Sorry, but it has to be said, after all those years...