If you could (afford to) start again?

Active is certainly the way to go. When I upgraded to active (I had SBLs at the time) the difference was phenomenal. Three years ago I bought a pair of mint SL2s and love them to bits. Last night, listening to the first night of the Proms, I felt I was there. I ran the SL2s with a pair of 300s at that I'd used with my SBLs at first, and then bought 500s at bargain prices to go with my CD555. I have great difficulty in tearing myself away from the system each night...

I would very much like to try a Chord Dave with active speakers.  Depending on sound of course this strikes me as a simple elegant system.  I would particularily like to try it with active panel speakers if there are such a thing

I heard the Chord Dave into ATC active 100s, and genuinely thought it was hard work. I think my brain was having to work so hard taking in all the detail, it forgot it was meant to be enjoyable.

I'd pretty much do the same again.  If I could afford I'd have full 500 series probably with Neat XL 10 and Vertere TT - probably.  

Going to hear Beolab 90s today.  Maybe I will have an answer after?

Nick

The limitation of the Hugo TT would be no way to integrate a turntable unless you use a ADC.

Probably the same - except I would have bought an Aro sooner and would buy some Fraim before I could be told not to 

gary yeowell posted:

I heard the Chord Dave into ATC active 100s, and genuinely thought it was hard work. I think my brain was having to work so hard taking in all the detail, it forgot it was meant to be enjoyable.

Hi Gary, can you elucidate?

what did you listen to and for how long?

what do you mean "all the detail", you seem to use it perjoratively, when we often hear lauded here all the extra detail we can hear due to an upgrade?

SJB

SJB, it was a couple of months back now, but i remember i found it all a bit overwhelming. Detailed, layered, nuanced, dynamic with harmonics and all, just that it seemed at the expense of real emotion and musical flow. It was interesting on some level, but ultimately i found it mechanical, clinical and bright in excess. There were others in the room who seemed to like it, but just not to my taste. Didn't listen for more than 3-4 tracks as i couldn't bear it any longer.

Top spec LP12/ 72/HC DR/135's suitable speaker for the room, good RCM.

After traveling down the Naim road for decades, experimenting with all box vintages ( except Statement ), I could happily live with the above system.  It does not reach the heights of a 500 set in resolution or detail but it does provide the musical impact that I love.

I shifted my Titan's to the side the other day and set up a pair of minty n-Sats...  Strange you might think.. the music is all there folks..

ATB,

Mark

Apart from being more patient at the start of my journey  and listening more as a young student, rather than being dazzled by the switches and shiny facias, and therefore getting to my first linn, naim 22/120 a few months earlier, I think I got it pretty right for me. This being only my 3rd system in the last 35 years, with each one being at the price point I could afford at the time, which I don't think is bad. Was satisfied with each one and never been in a hurry to change bits, or the system, until I reached what I saw as the next level.

Did change tack on this one as was aiming for naim 500 based system, and while on leave from Brazil I bought all the levels of  Fraim I would need, which was not the best for my current kit, so lost a bit of money on that.

One thing I would do differentlywould be to always put the software first - missed out on both MOFI sets of pink Floyd albums and The Beatles, as well as delayed buying and enjoying other music, as was saving up for kit. Guess I thought they would always be around!

If I could start over I'd probably have a Nait 3R with same vintage CD player and Linn Ninka speakers.  That was the first naim setup that I heard and if I had the good sense to buy it back then I wouldn't need anything else. 

I would be happy to start over with a UnitiQute2b, a UnitiServe, an FM aerial,  and a pair of Blumenstein Audio Thrashers (or the new updated version).    I have a friend who picked up a Nait 2 off Audiogon and plugged his MM Turntable into it and he could not be happier.  

Should also say purely for prosperity I'd have a Nat 01 and Nakamichi.

Thanks for all the replies, what I'm really trying to get at is

if one wanted the sound quality one has at the moment, would you attempt a different road if you could sell it all and start again.

For arguments sake if some mishap befell your current system and your insurance paid full replacement value, would you buy the exact same system?

SJB

Yes.  

Sloop-  " would you attempt a different road ..."   Well the journey is the fun part imo, no fun in just plonking down for the same kit. Probably I would experiment with another brand or two just to confirm that Naim is where I want to be. Hifi seems to  work best when there is synergy between components- I am deeply invested in Naim and to switch at this point would require tossing the whole lot and starting over. To do this would require a very, very compelling demo...

ATB,

Mark

I look at my system, and sometimes I think things would be so much simpler with really good sources going into a nait (say nait2) and a pair of linn kans.

I'm not sure what route I'd take but the things I'd try to improve on would be my XS 2's extremely mediocre headphone output and the issues I'm having trying to correct the lack of bass definition. I'd address the latter with either a new amp and/or new speakers. If that didn't work then I'd know for sure that the room is the problem and would proceed with treatments. I've tried the PSU upgrade but it only exacerbated the existing problem. Moving speakers endlessly around did help a bit but created other problems. To quote a famous Italian chef I once worked with ''For each solution there is a problem''

For source instead of my SB Touch I'd look into a microRendu and different DAC than what I currently own without ruling out a newer model from that same brand.

Although somewhat skeptical I'm growing more and more curious about class ''D'', hybrids, tube pre-amps and single driver speakers.

The main problem is getting all that gear in my house to mix and match, and despite what some may say, dealers almost always have an agenda.

In answer to latest question and I wanted to maintain sound quality the immediate answer is yes I would buy the same again. Thinking more rationally I would probably do some serious listening as things move on.

if other life factors came into play, particularly having a young wife, and being semi retired, I think I would probably resort to what was my original plan A, which became plan B, and buy a full naim 500 based system. Allowing me to bank a fair bit!

Hi John,

I may have heard the Chord Co at the same venue as Gary, if it was a small audio event in East Anglia ... (I keep missing him by 5 mins).  Whether it was was or not, I had to leave the room after a couple of mins it was so unbearable, a bombardment rather than musical.

At the same event, rather contrarily, my favourite room was one of the cheapest. Audio Analogue (?) CD and integrated Magneplanars. (The latter certainly wouldn't be permitted by MrsM.)

I also loved the room with Kudos and TigerPaw with an old LP12 Ekos1 and a £350 mm cartridge, maxed out with the TigerPaw upgrades - Khan, counter weight, and their new sub chassis. In a head to head, this was very nearly as 'good' as the full LP12SE, and actually more musical to more than my ears (I was hoping someone else would say it, and happily they did!)

You'll remember that a few years ago I downgraded from my CDS2/82/Supercap/250 to XS separates, and now have relevelled to CDX2/202/HCDR/155XS, though still with LP12/Nima/PrefixS/HCDR but now Lyra Delos instead of DV17d3 (coupled with an almost total absence from this, and any other hifi Forum). With both of these set ups I have enjoyed the MUSIC much more than when my mind was filled with hifi paranoia.

I do listen to other makes from time to time, but however 'good' there's always something I miss compared with Naim, so I can't see me changing electronics.

Best wishes, James.

Postscript. Other makes. I can't tell you how much I LOVE our younger daughter's 21st b/day hifi system, Rega RP3 with Elys2, Brio R amp, *s/h Arcam RDock, on a good old IKEA Corras stand, and AE101s on Atacama stands.

*I was so impressed with this that I found one for myself, half price new old stock from Peter Tyson on Amazon. No, it's not as good as the main sources, but it's surprisingly good, and great to be able to use iPod Classic Genius on a lazy Sunday afternoon (I.e. Now)

272 into SCM40A?

If lightning struck , I would not replace the vinyl side.   It sounds spectacular, but I would not go back there. I might swap the CD555 for the NDS.  And I would not buy the ProAc D40R again.   I would look hard at the Magico.  Would keep the Nordost-552-500-Fraim, and HiLine and NACA5 cables.

What's wrong with the D40R Skip?

Chag -

As far as the OP goes, I could well afford to start again simply by selling off my Naim system. Couldn't we all?

To the OP - I agree I'd give Devialet a hard look as well as Linn. The biggest hang-up for me would be the thought of having to digitize the precious analog signal from my TT, but the practical advantages of Space Optimisation, room correction, etc., seem to outweigh that trade-off.

The hard part for me would be that I'd need to get each trial system set-up at home to truly evaluate its musicality. It's one thing to listen to music in a dealer's padded showroom and completely another to get rockin' in the comfort, privacy, and acoustic compromises of your own home.