Sub with NAC 122X and NAP150X

Hmm. I don't think adding a sub is the way to go. I suspect that your amp is underpowered for those speakers. In addition, your CD player is not up to the quality of your amp. I'd be looking at a used CD5x or XS, and a flatcap to power the CD player and the 122. Are you wedded to the speakers? If not, I'd be looking at something more compatible with the power of the 150. 

hi there,

hm. thanks for your feedback. very interesting. i don't have masses of cash - very little in fact. what do you think is the best option of what you are suggesting? the cd player?

thanks.

Hollow Earth posted:

does anyone have thoughts, opinions or ideas that i should consider?

A pair of used Naim Arivas and some Naca5 wires terminated with Naim right angled bananas at both ends.

Chris

As for vinyl, is a return out of the frame? A Rega RP1 and Fono mini can be had for £319. You would need an interconnect too.

C.

Christopher_M posted:

As for vinyl, is a return out of the frame? A Rega RP1 and Fono mini can be had for £319. You would need an interconnect too.

C.

hi christopher

i have a nice rega planar - and well over 5k records - still listen to them all at the time but finally i'm moving to buying CDs (http://www.woebot.com/2016/04/on-vinyl.html)

Hollow Earth wrote:

"...finally buying less records and miss the naturally bassy sound of vinyl...."

I misunderstood. Put it all in your profile please. Helps everyone.

Chris

Christopher_M posted:

As for vinyl, is a return out of the frame? A Rega RP1 and Fono mini can be had for £319. You would need an interconnect too.

C.

certainly a useful and sensible suggestion

The 122/150 is really nice, I had one for three years. Its natural partner is the CD5x, and a flatcap will give a good boost to both. But a better CD player will not sound the same as your Rega. I don't believe that records do have a naturally bassy sound - it's just that your record player is better than your CD player. 

I've never heard your speakers, but they are quite big and have two bass units, so one would imagine that you'd have more than enough bass. 

Hollow Earth posted:

 

does anyone have thoughts, opinions or ideas that i should consider?

thank you.

Rel instead B&W, more suitable for music, if you use it in high level gives your real deep and controlled bass.

Look at model T5 or T7, excellent and not too expensive. But if you can with your budget try REL S2, compact but very impressive SUB

Regards

Hungryhalibut posted:

The 122/150 is really nice, I had one for three years. Its natural partner is the CD5x, and a flatcap will give a good boost to both. But a better CD player will not sound the same as your Rega. I don't believe that records do have a naturally bassy sound - it's just that your record player is better than your CD player. 

I've never heard your speakers, but they are quite big and have two bass units, so one would imagine that you'd have more than enough bass. 

very solid advice. i'm no slavish devotee of analogue sound so certainly i appreciate your insight.

Anto68 posted:

Hollow Earth posted:

 

does anyone have thoughts, opinions or ideas that i should consider?

thank you.

Rel instead B&W, more suitable for music, if you use it in high level gives your real deep and controlled bass.

Look at model T5 or T7, excellent and not too expensive. But if you can with your budget try REL S2, compact but very impressive SUB

Regards

thank you i will check that out.

Rel instead B&W if you want to increase with good and real bass; more musical and controlled bass system. Rel T5 is cheaper

 I don't think that just changing only CD player you can get more bass

Anto68 posted:

Rel instead B&W if you want to increase with good and real bass; more musical and controlled bass system. Rel T5 is cheaper

 I don't think that just changing only CD player you can get more bass

thanks anto

Anto68 posted:

 I don't think that just changing only CD player you can get more bass

I'd want a demonstration to ascertain whether or not that was true.

Chris

Try another CD player further up the Naim hierarchy. You'll be surprised. Funds put into a decent sub will be better put into a better source while using the current CD player as a trade in. 

Christopher_M posted:

Anto68 posted:

 I don't think that just changing only CD player you can get more bass

I'd want a demonstration to ascertain whether or not that was true.

Chris

Hi Christopher,

based on my experience , the real differences between two different source models are obtained even by changing the amp and mostly important the speakers.

just change only cd player CD5 vs CDX2 means investing a lot of money to make a small step (IMHO). So I think that with a small investment for the T5 Rel (entry level)  would get the most satisfying results. 

Anto68 posted:

Christopher_M posted:

Anto68 posted:

 I don't think that just changing only CD player you can get more bass

I'd want a demonstration to ascertain whether or not that was true.

Chris

Hi Christopher,

based on my experience , the real differences between two different source models are obtained even by changing the amp and mostly important the speakers.

just change only cd player CD5 vs CDX2 means investing a lot of money to make a small step (IMHO). So I think that with a small investment for the T5 Rel (entry level)  would get the most satisfying results. 

hi anto68.

thank you for your input. i have followed your advice and ordered/paid for an ex-display REL T-5.

perhaps one day when i have a lot of money i will get a new CD player :-)

Hi Hollow earth,

be very careful with the Rel configuration, connect it in HI Level and remember that a sub in a music system  2 chanel should not sound but must blow (I hope you understand my Italian translation)

I'm not convinced that following Ant's advice, which just happens to coincide with what you wanted to do in the first place - so it's like pushing at at an open door, is actually the right thing to do; in fact I'd say it's the wrong thing. You'll still have an inadequate CD player and speakers that are too demanding for your amplifier. But if you prefer bass over quality, then it's all good. 

nap 200 will be my first choice. but the best will be nap 200/nac 202 in order to have more bass.  Other choice is a loudspeaker with easier load...

HUNGRYHALIBUT

After so many years now I have my opinion about the cd players which represent  the weaker investment in an audio system; 40% in amp, 40% in speakers, the rest in sources and cables. However CD5i is already excellent cd player compared to a lot of competitors in its price range, is a Naim product. When I had Unitilite I tested the sound of his CD performance's  with a Blue Ray player Marantz, 800 € street price; l did not believe this but the differences were minimal.

 I don't want to say that all the CDs they sound the same, but the differences between them are suitable when doing an general upgrade.

the difference between cd5i and cd5xs is little. But between cd5i and cdx2/xps2, the difference is big....

Yes, of course

it also costs three times more;  but it sound three times better ? I don't know

I think that increases more detail, more 'transparency a higher quality sound, no doubts. But this is not what HOLLOW EARTt was looking for. I just tried to give a more coherent suggestion with his demands; the best way would be to try to change the set up of its hi fi system changing CD player or amp or simply add a sub to get more warmness and deeper bass.

Best

But he only wanted a better sound from CD, rather than more bass per se. As it is, he has great big speakers with a little amp, and now a sub woofer too. I'm sure it'll be great with Dub. I fundamentally disagree with the suggestion that 20% of the system budget will suffice for source and cables, which I believe is bad advice. I won't slavishly promote source first and believe in balance, but suggesting a mullet is not helpful. Anyway, the OP clearly would rather follow your advice, so that's fine. 

Anto68 posted:

Christopher_M posted:

Anto68 posted:

 I don't think that just changing only CD player you can get more bass

I'd want a demonstration to ascertain whether or not that was true.

Chris

Hi Christopher,

based on my experience , the real differences between two different source models are obtained even by changing the amp and mostly important the speakers.

just change only cd player CD5 vs CDX2 means investing a lot of money to make a small step (IMHO). So I think that with a small investment for the T5 Rel (entry level)  would get the most satisfying results. 

Hi Anto,

Just shows how different we all are.

Cheers, Chris