Naim 122x/150X next upgrade

Posted by: Barratana on 19 August 2016

Hi all,

I´m new on this forum altouth I know Naim for quite long I´ve never paid attention to the brand untill a good friend of mine show me what does NAIM mean. After that I´ll bought the basic equipment at the time and moved in.

So, I need some advise regarding what to look for next, the idea ( if possible ) is to go to my last set-up and stop this wifi upgrades that I´ve lived for some quite years

Actual Setup

Naim122X/150X with Motive 1 , source is an Pioneer N-50 ( have also a Uniti for second sistem ), speaker cable, an old talk 3.1, I like the sound ! but I know that I can get it play better, Motive 1 seems that´s asking more power on the amplification.

1st Upgrade - Nac A5 no dbouts about it, and a supercap

2nd - Now the doubts, I can have second hand Naim 82 or 67 together with or nap 200, 250 or a pair of 135 for an interesting price, should I go Olive or keep the route to naim 202/200 or move foward to 282/200?

I can DEMO new equipment, but I cannot DEMO the old one ( second Hand ), so your inputs are precious

One of the more impressive sound that I heard was from a NAC72 together with 2 pairs of 135, but I also like the sound of the new equipments ( more from the pair 122x/150X ) then from Uniti that still performs well and as a CD just in case.....

Last question, can I use my Uniti as source before moving to the ND5 or NDX or any other that will come ?

Thanks in advance!

Posted on: 15 September 2016 by Barratana

Hi Guys!

Feedback from the Upgrade 1 - Cables: from Talk 3.1 to NAC A5 ( 6,5 meters )

This was the first upgrade to be done, and after some days of testing here are some conclusions.

The NACA A5 open up the sound in my system! So much that I had do turn down the volume some points to have the same level of sound that I had before.

Now, the voices seems more crisspy, the intruments more detailed, not so much gain in soundstage, and sometimes the voices are not as sweet as they were before.

Bass, a lot of bass!!!!! Now I understand why people complains from Neat Motive 1, bass all over!! but with some tips and triks, Is now controlled and I´ve gainned a lot!!! Specially in late hours when you need to turn out the sound, I can stil ear with good details all frequencies, of course not with te same musical information that I have in normal level, but it´s satisfying and according my taste.

The Neat motive 1 need special positioning and more importat, if your floor is a solid one, ( wood, stone, ceramic, whatever ) it needs special add-ons, I assume in a carpet floor this doesn´t aply so much.

So, Naim and Naca5 is a must, I´ve been heard about Tellerium, but still no chance to test it.

Next test beeing prepared, and I will feedback !

Posted on: 25 September 2016 by Barratana

Feedback from the Upgrade 2 - Add an Supercap ( Olive )

Second Upgrade was a supercap ( olive series ), and If the cables NAC A5 open the sound the supercap did it even more!

More detailed voices, bigger soudstage, the crisspy of the voices got to normal, and are not more pleasent to ear.

The reason for getting a supercap is that I want to test Nac 82, NAP 250, and NAP 135 ( all Olive series ) and maybe do bi-amp to test it once and for all.

So, the natural partner to 122x and 150x is the flatcap 2x, and is a upgrade that everyone shoul have, or at least try it.

Posted on: 02 October 2016 by Barratana

Feedback from Upgrade 3 - Replace NAP 150X by NAP 250 ( Olive )

Keeping the original setup: Pioneer N50, NAC 122X, and now the supercap, the speakers still the Motive 1. I´ve added the 250 power amp.

Big improvements in bass, once more another tweek in the neat motive speakers, as some musics were to much bassy, but it was adjusted and I have a very power bass, some musics were a delight to ear again.

The voices, and the remaining instruments didn´t gain so much, so hands up for the NAP 150X.

The next test is beein prepared with the introduction of a pair of NAP 135, I´m very interested to see how it will work!

Posted on: 05 October 2016 by Barratana

Feedback from Upgrade 4 - Replace Nap 250 for a pair of Nap 135

Keeping the original setup: Pioneer N50, NAC 122X, and now the supercap, the speakers still the Motive 1. I´ve added a pair of Nap 135.

What a diference!!!! These are the best amps that I had !

From the begginning without warmup I´ve add substantial increase in vocals, and all type of instruments were more perceptable, the soudstage increase a lot. The bass is more polite, strong ,well defined.

Before If I´ve moved a litle to the freont from my position or to the sides, I had a diference in sound, not now, of course that theres´s still my listen position, but if I move to the chairs on both sides I still can listen perfect well and with the sound coming not from the speakers but from the front.

That I´ve algo gain, the speakers disappeared in front of me, just the sound.

Naim is unbeatble on voices, cords, soudstage, bass, but i could get to new levels on my room with these 135!

Mybe I can get better with a NAP 300, but to be quite honest I don´t think I´ll needed for now

I think that the source is very very important on a system, but first you have to have your amplification matched with your speakers and both matched with your room and the way that you like your music to be presented.

Source first is something that I´ve never agree with, but of course if you put trash in the end it will come trash....

All this improvements were made with a NAC 122 and a Pioneer N50 in the system, and I´ve put it turntables. old cd players and even my old casset deck and they all played like never before.

Now it´s time for the source and the pre-amplifier, I´ll try for now an 82 to match the 135/SC, seem to me more natural than to go for a 282

Regarding source, let´s see if with the new naim release tomorow I´ll get a second hand NDX on the market , meanwhile, I also will see the auralics.

I´ll try bi-amp with both nap 125 on HF and the 250 on the LF, as suggested by a good friend of mine and in this forum.

For now, all that people say about the 135 is true, I don´t even know if mine is recaped, but this is a hell of an equipment! To whom uses naim you can´t go wrong, these beats an 250 and for quite a margin.

Nap 135 are from now on my "new" power amplifiers !