How do you fill those empty Fraim levels?

More Naim kit, obviously!

rjstaines posted:

I'm sitting here looking at my recently re-arranged Fraim.  There's one empty (standard) level between a NAP500 and an NDS. Above that, on a 'medium' level sits my 552. So I have space above my amp and space above my NDS and the ceiling above my preamp.

But doesn't the empty level look...  empty !

A standard level is too low for a bunch of flowers or a pot plant, but high enough that you can see all the wires dangling down at the back, so what do people put in there to make the space interesting?  (and I know there are folks who have a lot more than one empty level in their configuration)

I was thinking a dummy classic item;  you can buy the black powder coated look-alike sleeves on that auction site, but I've never seen a dummy Naim facia offered.  I've got a few vintage things in the loft (amps, tuners, cd players etc), but although they're black in colour (that's color for you guys accross the pond), they just don't look right sitting between Naim boxes.

Anyone solved this problem?  (or am I the only one who sees it as a problem?)

Roger

buy a small cactus. .

take off a level. its possible, right? its a modular rack...

(correct me if i m wrong)

Or a cat. My female cat is attracted to anything hifi like a magnet (see my avatar) whereas my male cats prefer the roof of my BMW, especially just after I get back from the car wash......

best

David

mrCardoso posted:

buy a small cactus. .

take off a level. its possible, right? its a modular rack...

(correct me if i m wrong)

I like the cactus idea, mrCardoso, thanks.  Not much watering, so less risk to the NAP500 below - definately a plus.

But take off a level ?  ...oh no,  the idea was to give this kit (500, NDS, 552) breathing space, which is strongly advocated by many folks on the forum. So removing a level will just bring the NDS much closer to the 500, possible suffocating it.  And besides that, the Fraim stacks will be of uneven height and that'll look even stranger than the emply level.  No, I'm warming to the cactus idea .

Roger

David Hendon posted:

Or a cat. My female cat is attracted to anything hifi like a magnet (see my avatar) whereas my male cats prefer the roof of my BMW, especially just after I get back from the car wash......

best

David

Thanks David, but I'm thinking Fraim.. glass...balls...cat !!! 

Yes, well nothing worthwhile is ever easy!

Anyway a cat would have those glass balls under the fridge given a day or so and then you wouldn't have to worry about them any more.

Sell the Fraim level or buy more Naim kit! An empty shelf in you're rack is a waste of money!

Robiwan posted:

Sell the Fraim level or buy more Naim kit! An empty shelf in you're rack is a waste of money!

You're not a supporter of this "space around your 552 & NDS" camp then Robiwan?

no i'm not!

Let us know whether you hear a difference

This was RSCH's layout posted in December, I believe... it's one of the posts that inspired me to try the 'fresh air' layout.   There were a few others last year too and there's been some discussion about the beneficial effects of space around some units.  Worth a try, I thought.

Meanwhile, I've been looking for a miniature cat or a miniature cactus...

Not sure about this one Joerand.  I'm hearing a kind of sizzling sound in both channels.

rjstaines posted:

 It must sound much better now!

I assume you still don't have all possible black box, so in the worst case you could just buy any black box and place, would also solve the visual problem 

You could try an HRS damping plate.

Or something similar 

Bert Schurink posted:

I assume you still don't have all possible black box, so in the worst case you could just buy any black box and place, would also solve the visual problem 

Yes, but which  black box, Bert ?

It's the never-ending audiophile problem again... which box?

So I'm off to the Acoustica show again to see what I can find to fill this shelf.

Empty space, glass:  It has to be an aquarium!

OK, if you really don't like the idea of so much water, then a terrarium for a snake or a lizard.

I have an idea: a sealed aquarium, filled in with audiophile air. It helps your system to breathe.

Just be careful not to contaimnate it with the audiohile dust from your mains cable - they are negatively charged and will contaimante the purity of your positively charged audiophile air.

Adam Zielinski posted:

I have an idea: a sealed aquarium, filled in with audiophile air. It helps your system to breathe.

Just be careful not to contaimnate it with the audiohile dust from your mains cable - they are negatively charged and will contaimante the purity of your positively charged audiophile air.

 

A scientific solution... that's what I needed, thanks Adam.

Huge posted:

Empty space, glass:  It has to be an aquarium!

OK, if you really don't like the idea of so much water, then a terrarium for a snake or a lizard.

I see the logic, Huge, but I stop short at snakes and lizards...just can't deal with them.  Akin to playing a seven inch single on an early LP12 - just to slow and lifeless.  Dogs and cats on the other hand, fine (most of the time).

Hi Roger -

DB has done some experimenting in this area:

https://forums.naimaudio.com/topic/naim-fraim-slated

I place a large book or two on empty shelves, but have not done any before/after listening.

ATB.

Hook

Try the 500 on the 2nd shelf up and the base empty, It will be properly decoupled from the floor them.

Thanks Hook, I'd never have thought of a book. I have a large 400 year old one that doesn't see the light of day at the moment - that would seem just right... a mix of ancient history and current technology (a bit like me really with some old bits and some replacement bits... don't ask)

I read what DB has done and thank him for that work;  my slight hesitation comes from the use of a candle. SWMBO has a thing about candles... see one, light it, happens every time

Roger

yeti42 posted:

Try the 500 on the 2nd shelf up and the base empty, It will be properly decoupled from the floor them.

Yes, I've seen that configuration before in the Pics thread and wondered what was the thinking behind it.  It would actually look better too, I'm thinking. Thanks yeti.