Upgrade path for 272 & 250DR

Normally I would say - XPS2, powerlines, and perhaps then interconnect in that order but in your case I'd get a better rack - Fraim or Fraimlite if possible if not Quadraspire is good.

An XPS is most definitely worthwhile in my opinion. I would get a decent rack first, though, as it will help you to get the best out of all your boxes. Cables I would add last, once everything else is in place, and listen to some different options to see if you actually prefer them.

Thank you.

Is there a good Rack that would also accommodate the TV?

Not really practical to have a dedicated HiFi Rack.

Steve

Yeah - Quadraspire is your friend.

Hurrah, a topic where I can bang on about the 272 because Steve has already got one!! And I've done all the upgrades too!! Clearly Allante's constant use of exclamation marks whether they are appropriate or not is rubbing off on me!!!

Anyway, this is what I would do - in fact it's what I did.

1. Get a good rack. 2. Get Powerlines for the 272 and 250DR (you should be able to find these used). 3. Get an XPSDR, and use the Powerline previously used with the 272. 4. Get better wires if you want. All I'd say about these is that I bought both Super Lumina speaker wires and the Din to XLR, and the improvement was as big as adding the XPS. I'd definitely get the XPS first, because the wires can only let through what's there in the first place, if that makes sense. And of course, as they say, other wires are available. I didn't bother to try alternatives, so I can't really advise there.

This all presupposes that you have good enough speakers. 

I should have mentioned earlier, I would install dedicated mains before doing any of the upgrades, other than the rack. 

That should keep you busy for a while. 

Just made the mistake of doing a Google search on the word "Rack" has very different connotations on the internet!

Fishy - good point about dedicated mains.  What rack have you got?

I use the Quadraspire SVT in bamboo, with the extra bronze spikes. It's much better than their cheaper Q4. It's worth noting that with a small system like mine I've needed to get 180mm columns to prevent the Burndy and Din to xlr touching the floor.

Thank you HH,

I've just started to look at HiFi / AV Racks and the choice is mind boggling (dam, I wanted to use an exclamation mark there).

Where do you start?

Steve

If you can't use Fraim, which is the best, you look at Quadraspire or Hutter, who both make extra wide ones. For example, you can get a double width SVT, which would be perfect with a telly on top. They really are very good, well made, and look really nice.

Get a Fraim!

You know you want to 

It's catching!!!!

Oh bloody hell! (and yes the apostrophe is justified and appropriate).

That does look good but nowhere to put the TV (SWIMBO insists).

What is the line up here?

Steve

Is there any way you can wall mount your TV to keep it off the HiFi rack? If so, you decouple its mass from the HiFi and have a wider choice of racks - Naim, Isoblue, Quadraspire, Hutter.... If not, I believe Hutter and Quadraspire do AV racks that the TV could fit on as well. 

Thank You.

Just found out that the excellent company who supplied my Naim kit is a Quadraspire dealer - Happy days.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to spend we go.......

Sorry these replies have all got out of step, not helped by having two browsers open at the same time.

Can't mount the TV on the wall and there is loads of other stuff to store, like the Sky Box, DVD & kitchen sink, you know what I mean. 

So, AV rack really is the only option at the moment.

Steve

This is what I was thinking of...

best thing about 272 based system the route is straight forward and widely agreed upon ( or is it? ) . Provided Good speakers + NAS+Network Cabling. 

1. Rack

2.XPSDR

3. 2 Powerlines

4.Speaker Cables - optional ( not optional if you do 5-6-7 )

5. XLR-DIN - very optional  ( not optional if you do 5-6-7 ) 

5. 300DR  

6.555PS

7. 372!!!! 

I am somewhere between 1 and 5  

i wish i can add a cd555+ps555 as well, i have too many CDs but it is out of my reach..... even used one is a too much investment for CD player to replace my CD 2X, but it is still my dream machine.... 

I am pleasantly surprised that everyone is in agreement but I'm extremely surprised that the Rack is the first port of call. 

I was expecting the power supply to be top of the list and the rack closer to the bottom - I'm not complaining as this a much cheaper option to start with. 

Is there a short explanation?

Probably go with one, two and three before I have to sell another child to pay for it. 

Also, is (5) XLR-DIN the same as the Super Lumina?

Steve

Steve GTX posted:

I am pleasantly surprised that everyone is in agreement but I'm extremely surprised that the Rack is the first port of call. 

I was expecting the power supply to be top of the list and the rack closer to the bottom - I'm not complaining as this a much cheaper option to start with. 

Is there a short explanation?

 

 

I think the XPS may well be a 'bigger' upgrade than the rack. It's just that the rack will improve the sound of the XPS and  the rest of your gear, present and future, so getting it now makes sense in that respect. Weather a combined AV rack will achieve this as well as a dedicated HiFi only rack is something you can only tell by listening.

I'm quite surprised that equipment rack comes as first option on the upgrade path by many experienced Naim enthusiasts here. I'd definitely first experiment with XPS DR, then with cables and last, by a big margin, would come an equipment rack. I've just recently made lots of experiments in my setup in all of these areas and that's the order in which they made differences in my setup. I've never experienced big changes in sound quality by changing equipment racks or putting spikes under one etc. Changing equipment or cables though, huge differences available there. Under speakers there were very small differences between different spike shoes and I ended up with Naim fraim chips before Linn skeet and few other contenders. 

Patu posted:

I'm quite surprised that equipment rack comes as first option on the upgrade path by many experienced Naim enthusiasts here. I'd definitely first experiment with XPS DR, then with cables and last, by a big margin, would come an equipment rack. I've just recently made lots of experiments in my setup in all of these areas and that's the order in which they made differences in my setup. I've never experienced big changes in sound quality by changing equipment racks or putting spikes under one etc. Changing equipment or cables though, huge differences available there. Under speakers there were very small differences between different spike shoes and I ended up with Naim fraim chips before Linn skeet and few other contenders. 

I guess that depends largely on what you're comparing - going from a heavy sideboard with a TV on top to Fraim Lite, for example, I'd be surprised if you didn't hear a pretty substantial improvement. On the other hand, going from say, Quadraspire to full Fraim, the law of diminishing returns states to kick in. 

Could you wall moun the tv on a cantilever style bracket this should open more option for a rack to suit if not Quadraspire have a nice range as previously recommended.

Yur dealer shudder be able to help in this matter after that go for the XPSdr power supply.

I really have an open mind but it's an interesting topic and as always, it's all part of the journey.

Just to throw a spanner in the works. -I was in a very upmarket HiFi shop in Central London recently and had a look around - I was like a kid in a candy store.

The Manager played a recording via Naim 272 and a Naim amp (not sure what one) and through Focal Sopra Stand Mounted Speakers and he asked what I thought. I told him that although it was nice, I thought it was lacking.

He then placed 3 Steelpoints Ultra SS Isolators under the 272 and played the same track again and I honestly thought that it was a different recording the difference was that big.

He assured me that it was the same recording.

The kit t was obviously on a good stand, with quality cables and in a specialist listening room.

What speakers do you have? Maybe you could put in in your profile. 

I'm auditioning at the moment but I really like the Focal Diablo Utopia III  

My old speakers are Monitor Audio GR60's