With Active 552 set up... differences between 2X500 or 3X500? other than price....

Well, the biggest difference is that you would have to be using different speakers whether 2 x NAP500 or 3 x NAP500.

Not if you're using Ovator 600s or 800s. Probably the only speaker this might apply to though.

Struggling a bit with this. The deciding factor is the speaker, so what speaker do you have/have in mind?

tonym posted:

Not if you're using Ovator 600s or 800s. Probably the only speaker this might apply to though.

Ah yes, thanks Tony.  My mind still on DBLs etc..  Looking at the OP's profile it would appear to be S600s...

Yes sorry from me as well. Didn't look at the profile.

Yes, it's in the profile, but it would be nice if the OP had bothered to set out the position and ask a sensible question. Why should people make the effort to provide help and advice unless the OP makes an effort in the first place?

The only forum member who might be able to help with this one is Darke Bear.

I went from 2 300's to 3 300's with the S 600's and felt it made a big difference.  Will not be going to the 500 but will be going to 300DR's.

You would most likely be better off with a S1 preamp.

tonym posted:

The only forum member who might be able to help with this one is Darke Bear.

Don't forget about Graham!

S1/Snaxo/3 x 300 DR/Ovators 600

500 vs 300 but the exact Speakers, and probably have heard the 500s.

Allante93!

Allante93 posted:

tonym posted:

The only forum member who might be able to help with this one is Darke Bear.

Don't forget about Graham!

S1/Snaxo/3 x 300 DR/Ovators 600

500 vs 300 but the exact Speakers, and probably have heard the 500s.

Allante93!

I went from 2x300's on my Ovator 600s to 3x300's. It was not night and day difference, which happened when I upgraded the 300's to the DR versions. I do intend at some stage to compare with just 2x300's that would release some funds for a Supercap upgrade to my Superline.

I

yes S600's

so DR the two 500's as an upgrade path first before adding the third 500...?

By George I think he's got it!

Or Get better speakers, Titans perhaps

b_lund posted:

Or Get better speakers, Titans perhaps

This and by all means DR one of your NAP500s.

""If so, it makes it easier to get into active, and then add the third amp later. That would be smart

Love to hear the results sometime

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DARKE BEARMEMBER

12/22/10 5:49 PM

quote:

Originally posted by Nero:

So, just to be clear for my simple mind. The Snaxo is 3 way, with one amp for the BMR and one amp for each bass unit, with the same low-pass filter? Does that mean the same Snaxo can be used for kind of 2way operation if you only have two amps to start with? i.e. one amp driving a pair of bass units, with one Snaxo output redundant, and the gain of the other upped a bit?

If so, it makes it easier to get into active, and then add the third amp later. That would be smart

Love to hear the results sometime

That is about right - although I obviously defer to Naim's own statements, when they appear, on the BMR Snaxo use.

My take on it is that you would connect the two bass units together at the speaker terminals in two power amp active mode.

The gain setting 'should' be exactly the same as for 3 amp active, but one amp will have to drive twice as much current into half the impedance at any given level. Probably the best way to go to begin with - then see if you actually need the third amp; since I already have three, I didn't bother.

DB.

Just taking a wild guess, I would imagine the Ovators being a 2.5 way Speaker design

vs

a 3 way Speaker design, with one crossover pt vs two crossover pts in an traditional 3 way Speaker design.

Perhaps the OP, could try One DR Upgrade amp, on the top end at first, then add the 2nd DRed Amp later.

Then he would know, if there was any out of phase issues, in the mixing of DR and none-DR Amps.

Just an Active Fan, enjoying the Post.

Allante93!

tonym posted:

The only forum member who might be able to help with this one is Darke Bear.

I went from 3x 300 to 3x 500 when I ran old Isobarik (3-way) Speakers - that was a large and special upgrade. Then I swapped to S600 Active and kept the three NAP500 even though the S600 did not need three Amps. Then I changed to S800 Active which I have presently - and also just upgraded my set of 500 to DR.

Within the scope of my experience on that path I would certainly recommend the 500 over the 300 as a very substantial upgrade. As to adding a third 500 - I'd recommend you first get the speaker cables to SL, then DR the two 500, and finally add the third 500DR. 

It would be good to demo these changes as I always did first, but not everyone can, so this is just my advice based on my experience with similar equipment. The SL speaker leads where very significant in my system in terms of easy detail and openness. The DR 500 is still running-in on week 6-7 and continuing to open-out but already is miles better in mid-band and high frequency clarity, detail and lower distortion, so get the better amp before a third non-upgraded one. The third amp should allow more power-handling and ability to run the bass amps at lower power for the same musical output, so should  perform better - I say 'should' as in the end I could not be bothered to try that as I already had three and did not want to go backward to try it out.

DB.