floaty snaxo

It's clearly not going to happen so there's no point dwelling on it; I'd already ceased to expect it. Those with Ovators who previously used the non-floaty jobs reported a considerable improvement with the floaty version so I don't doubt there are improvements to be had by going floaty on our creaky old 362s. Yes, the DR'd SuperCAP gave a significant improvement and doubtless other ways will come along to further enhance.

I'd planned on going 6X Statement amps plus an S1 Pre if I'd have won last week's lottery, but unfortunately luck deserted me. Might have had more chance if I'd bought a ticket.

jon honeyball posted:

I think its time to put this to bed.

It isnt happening. Its as simple as that.

However, I am not bothered. And here is why.

I thought the snaxo 362 was the weak link in my system (52/52ps/snaxo/supercap/6x135/dibbles). And hence my call, a year ago, for a snaxo for dibbles that used the floaty chassis technology which is used in the ovator snaxo. Whats good for one would be a good move forward for the older brother, so my thinking went.

However, events in 2015 changed my mind, along with discovering some misconceptions on my behalf.

Firstly, the floaty snaxo for ovators is essentially a 2-way design. Despite the big ovators being 3 way units, its actually a 2 way design. So it would not be possible, as I assumed, to retune the crossover points of a floaty ovator snaxo for dibbles. Possibly for SBLs etc, but certainly not for dibbles because of the 2-way/3-way conflict. My bad -- I misunderstood the ovator crossover.

Secondly, to get a floaty 3-way snaxo would have meant taking the existing dibble snaxo and trying to mount it onto the spring suspension of the floaty snaxo. Sounds easy -- apparently, it isnt. The bolt holes are apparently in the wrong places or somesuch issue. Which would mean redesigning the board, the cost goes through the roof, and thats not happening.

Thirdly, I have heard S1Pre through dibble snaxo -- it is awesome. dibble snaxo is not the limiting factor. End of. 

Fourthly, I upgraded my supercap feeding dibble snaxo to supercap DR. Well worth doing. I did this after the S1Pre, and gawd only knows what it would sound like now with S1Pre. Dibble snaxo + supercapdr + 6x135 + dibbles is one of the finest active system ever made. And thats with boggo mains cable and naca5. 

Conclusion. floaty snaxo is not happening. It doesnt matter. And it never did. Move on...

Jon

Floaty Snaxo plus Supercap DR plus all Super Lumina cables does not rather nice.

If floatiness is/was such an issue with 362 are there existing external floating systems that could be used?  Does it just have to be the PCB that floats, why not the whole unit?

tonym posted:

It's clearly not going to happen so there's no point dwelling on it; I'd already ceased to expect it. Those with Ovators who previously used the non-floaty jobs reported a considerable improvement with the floaty version so I don't doubt there are improvements to be had by going floaty on our creaky old 362s. Yes, the DR'd SuperCAP gave a significant improvement and doubtless other ways will come along to further enhance.

I'd planned on going 6X Statement amps plus an S1 Pre if I'd have won last week's lottery, but unfortunately luck deserted me. Might have had more chance if I'd bought a ticket.

I've wondered how they would be physically arranged given they are "handed" due to the location of their power amp heat sinks?  I guess each side would have to be in a semi-circle around the preamp.  Think you'd need quite a lot of space for that lot.  Mansion upgrade too?

jon honeyball posted:

I thought the snaxo 362 was the weak link in my system (52/52ps/snaxo/supercap/6x135/dibbles). .....

...

However, events in 2015 changed my mind, along with discovering some misconceptions on my behalf.

.....

 

Thirdly, I have heard S1Pre through dibble snaxo -- it is awesome. dibble snaxo is not the limiting factor. End of. 

Jon

events in 2015 also were mind-opening for me, but perhaps in a different way. 

the upgrades from lavender to SL IC, and then afterwards, snaxo 4-4 to SL snaxo 4-4 highlighted the fact that, actually, i dont know the weak link(s) in my system. i was very happy with the std snaxo 4-4 cable and yet the the SL variant was a total game changer for me. right now now the system sounds very good with std DIN XLR and NACA5 and when i listen to my system, i dont sit there going -- hmmm... this or that aspect of the sound of my system is a weak link. i guess the point i'm making is that it could be hard (for me at least) to identify a 'weaklink' apriori.

i believe the floaty snaxo for xBL speakers is a good idea on paper -- it just failed (as far as i have heard) on financial viability -- there were simply not enough potential takers -- at least that was my understanding. I didnt get the impression from Paul S that they were not doing this because it wouldnt be worth it -- but of course i could be wrong.

If by some miracle (or simply to please long standing customers such as myself, and others) Naim make such a unit, i will buy it. If they dont, i will not sit there chewing my toe nails -- i will continue to enjoy my system -- which sounds absolutely fab right now.

Good your system is also sonding great Jon... !

enjoy

ken

I might try sitting my 362 on a hot water bottle.

Unfortunately Naim is not a charity.

My hope of taking a floaty snaxo and changing a few components around to tweak crossover points could have resulted in something which would have been viable for service department to do for a few hundred quid per sample, perhaps, along with the margin of a brand new floaty snaxy sale on top. Anything more than that is simply out of the question. And it soon became clear that it was a lot more complicated and involved than I had assumed. 

Looks like I will just have to start fiddling with some super lumina, and hope (and pray!) it doesnt work well with 6x135 :-)

Jon

jon honeyball posted:

 

Looks like I will just have to start fiddling with some super lumina, and hope (and pray!) it doesnt work well with 6x135 :-)

Jon

Suspect it will, get your credit card ready.

I await being convinced. snaxo+6x135+dibbles is a very harmonious "voicing" with naca5 etc. 

Jon:

Thank you for sharing your insight. I now have something to aspire to. 

Jay

Interesting to see this as I am pondering my next move, which would be to replace my a Olive SC on the SNAXO with the new SC DR.  So I would be interested in more views on the pros (the other longer term thing would be to replace my 300 to get matching 500s).

One thing I can share: I have one power line (rest are a Grahams spydra).  I am sure I got better results switching this from the 552 to the 362.  Everything flowed much better and sounded more balanced (I stopped listening to the gap the 300 leaves on the Mid).

jon honeyball posted:

...Looks like I will just have to start fiddling with some super lumina, and hope (and pray!) it doesnt work well with 6x135 :-)

Jon

this is someting i will not TRY unless i have the cash waiting to buy. otherwise, if the home demo works out but i cannot afford the upgrade, then i will definitely be found chewing my toe nails (hmmm... i'm now not even sure this is the right way of saying it in English  ...?)

enjoy...

ken

Well Ken, you've certainly retained your youthful flexibility. 

HH: "youthful" and "ken c" cannot appear in the same sentence ---

enjoy

ken