FC2X with XS

Hungryhalibut posted:

staffy posted:

Christopher_M posted:

Staffy, People are trying to help you here, when was it 'good'?

C.

I appreciate that..... my initial Naim system, all of 16 years  old including the CD5  I am still using.  But everything else Nait XS 2 , FC XS and the ProAc D20R speakers are brand spanking new, Well....6 weeks anyway.  All snaics etc are good... but two interconnects are not.  16 years ago they might have been state of art.

CD5 to amp is a thin grey cable with  5 pin dins to 5 pin din

FC XS  to Nait XS...the interconnect is a thin grey cable   4 pin to 5 pin din

I have been told changing the FC to Nait XS 2  with a Chord Chorus Interconnect will improve things.

Ok, that's helpful. The wire between the CD5 and Nait is fine, assuming it's a pukka Naim interconnect. Between the flatcap and the Nait you should have two black Snaics - one 5 pin to 5 pin, and one 4 pin to 4 pin. You should also have a 5 pin to 5 pin Snaic between the flatcap and the CD5. 

 Between the flatcap and the Nait you should have two black Snaics - one 5 pin to 5 pin, and one 4 pin to 4 pin

correct, Its the thin non Naim interconnect thats joins the FC to amp that seems to be at fault.

hastings posted:

If your interconnect is the standard lavender you don't need to lay the blame there.  The flatcap xs sounds terrible during it's very long break in period.  And each "connection" (amp/source) has to be burned in separately.  It will pass, be patient.  Also, if choosing only one connection for the flatcap it should be on the source component for best results.  

How long is a very long break in period.

All you need is a proper Naim Snaic to replace the dodgy cable. They cost about £125 I think. After a few weeks it is basically broken in. 

gary yeowell posted:

Your grey interconnect (lavender) from CD to amp is fine, superb in fact. You need two Snaics to power your NaitXS from the FC2XS, a 5-5 and 4-4, and you need one Snaic, a 5-5 from the CD5 to the FCXS if you also want to power the CD from the psu using the second supply rail. All Snaics should be the current black style.

Still sounds to me like your dealer is a numpty.

Gary, I appreciate your input.  However I think its my  sad lack of knowledge regarding equipment and cables that might be sending out a confusing signal.

As regards my dealer he  allowed me in a trade in the same price I paid for my Regas, all of 16 years ago.  That is £480 against ProaAc D20Rs.

Staffy, i am sure your dealer is a nice guy, but if he is recommending a fancy Chord interconnect, when all you need is a standard black Naim Snaic, i question any of his advice. So it would seem that one of yor Snaics, or more, are either not genuine or are of the older grey variety which Naim used to supply with older Chrome bumper kit. As Hungyhallibut advised above, seems you only have to buy one new black Snaic from Naim at a cost of around £150. If on the other hand, more than one of the Snaics are either not genuine, or are older grey ones from Naim (not bad in themselves just less good than newer black ones) then you may need to replace more than one.

Other than that your system is very nicely balanced, i know as i use a CD5/FC in my second system, and have used it with a NaitXS many times, all with standard Naim interconnects, and including NacA5 speaker cable.

GraemeH posted:

Christopher_M posted:

I tried a 282 but couldn't settle with it. Got a HC-DR instead. So decent sources into fairly modest amps (by Naim's standards) works for me.

C.

I wonder if you might say a bit more about why the 282 didn't cut the mustard Christopher?

G

There's a common theme tonight, more hi-fi, less engagement. I was running 202, napsc, 200. Then I brought in a 282. It was warmer and fuller, there were more details but I wasn't engaged. After nine days I made the decision to sell and bought the HC-DR which makes a nice balanced set with the 202, napsc, 200.

My view of the pre-powers now is that - generally - they go together in the recognised sets that we know. Previously I had thought just get the best pre amp you can afford with pretty much any old NAP.

I came to the conclusion that all could well have been quite different if I had been able to afford the HC-DR as well as the NAC282, but one cuts one's coat etc.

Hope that helps Graeme. Not totally sure why you're asking TBH since  you're a 252/ 300 refusenik IIRC.

C.

Staffy, Give it time, your wires are fine. What are the boxes and the TT standing on? What's the phonostage?

C.

Everything is sat on a very heavy chunk of sold oak.  Each leg is 4" x 4" of oak.  The top of the stand is 2" of oak with the Rega sat on that.

The shelves for the CD5, amp and FC are 20mm of oak.   The back is open,not that their is much heat from the system.

I picked it up in a sale, as the shop was closing.  I think I paid around £180 for it.

Phonostage is a Naim Stageline MM around 16 years old.

Just discovered an online company called witchhat, who seem to do an inexpensive sale of interconnects.

Am I allowed to say that.??

Blimey, that sounds like our dining table. Light but rigid is the way to go. Heavy = dull. 

Wood is good..heavy is great.    Its only slightly wider than the units.   Must get some pics up.

Chris wrote:

Hope that helps Graeme. Not totally sure why you're asking TBH since  you're a 252/ 300 refusenik IIRC.

That was meant in a more friendly way than it possibly sounded.

C

If you want to think that, and miss out on hearing what your equipment is capable of, then carry on. 

As to Witch Hat, I used their din to XLR, which was great, and much better than Naim's standard wire. As for their Snaic replacements I'm sure they are super too, but as they carry power (at least, the 5 to 5 does) they very likely count as unauthorised modifications and therefore subject to moderation. Based on my experience there is no harm in trying. But.... You can often pick up Snaics in the fishy place or the usual auction site at knock down prices. 

Christopher_M posted:

Chris wrote:

Hope that helps Graeme. Not totally sure why you're asking TBH since  you're a 252/ 300 refusenik IIRC.

That was meant in a more friendly way than it possibly sounded.

C

No problem Christopher - You answer is most helpful.

Thanks

G

^ How? What's happening? Why so bashful when I've been candid?

C.

Conclusion

nait xs bare - I preferred nait 5i

nait xs + PL - better than 5i now given the cd5xs source

nait xs + PL + FC2X - game changing for nait xs, liberates amp, wonderful energy, proper PRaT, wild and free, unconstrained

adding FC2X to cd5xs - nice on more chilled music as opens sound out with refinement, however I find an edge or glare is added that distracts at times. Also a degree of control added that reduces PRaT for me.

so it was goodbye nait 5i this week, you served me very well!

Looks like a result, Ben   :-)

I wonder if the PL on the FCXS and the latter powering XS and CD player would eliminate the glare issue?

C.

I always found the PL best on the FC2X when powering the NaitXS.