Getting started with Naim, your recommendations

Sounds like you're in not too much of a hurry, so time to go out listening - starting with all the options on here even if they are quite a bit over budget, then decide what you really like as a combination, and then whether it is affordable now-ish, or if one or more components should start lower and be upgraded in due course.

it may be wearisome, but there could be fun in it, too!

Hungryhalibut posted:

Not at all. Those two for £7,000 and speakers for £3,500 leaves £1,500 for a stand and speaker wires. 

yup. this is exactly what i would do.

however, if spending most of the budget on speakers appeals to you, i'd recommend looking at the ATC SCM40A -- they have built-in amps to drive them actively. then, you'd add either a 272 or Chord Hugo TT (plus streamer of your choice) and job done! they are also sealed-box designs, so could work in a smaller room.

joe9407 posted:

however, if spending most of the budget on speakers appeals to you, i'd recommend looking at the ATC SCM40A -- they have built-in amps to drive them actively. then, you'd add either a 272 or Chord Hugo TT (plus streamer of your choice) and job done! they are also sealed-box designs, so could work in a smaller room.

I was also going to suggest this. Firstly because the ATC SCM40A are great. Secondly, as [@mention:46760294646020760] says the sealed design could be well suited to the room [@mention:69004037440581053] described.  

I found the ATC SCM40A to be excellent active speakers. I tested them with my DAC-V1, but the Hugo TT is likely to be a step up. The NAC-N 272 would make for a perfect '3' box setup i.e. the 272 and 2 speakers. A set of Naim active speakers would form 2 parts of my dream hifi setup.

Hi-Fi+ reviewed the Naim NAC-N 272 & ATC SCM40A in their Feb 2016 issue. You can download a copy on the ATC SCM40A product page at ATC website if you are interested in looking at this option.

[@mention:69004037440581053] I don't know if you are planning to buy in Switzerland or the UK, but the ATC distributor/dealer is in Luzern. 

This thread reminds me of an old joke, reworded for this context:

Great speakers; great electronics; budget.  

    - Pick any two.

Charlie

GregW posted:

joe9407 posted:

however, if spending most of the budget on speakers appeals to you, i'd recommend looking at the ATC SCM40A -- they have built-in amps to drive them actively. then, you'd add either a 272 or Chord Hugo TT (plus streamer of your choice) and job done! they are also sealed-box designs, so could work in a smaller room.

I was also going to suggest this. Firstly because the ATC SCM40A are great. Secondly, as [@mention:46760294646020760] says the sealed design could be well suited to the room [@mention:69004037440581053] described.  

I found the ATC SCM40A to be excellent active speakers. I tested them with my DAC-V1, but the Hugo TT is likely to be a step up. The NAC-N 272 would make for a perfect '3' box setup i.e. the 272 and 2 speakers. A set of Naim active speakers would form 2 parts of my dream hifi setup.

Hi-Fi+ reviewed the Naim NAC-N 272 & ATC SCM40A in their Feb 2016 issue. You can download a copy on the ATC SCM40A product page at ATC website if you are interested in looking at this option.

[@mention:69004037440581053] I don't know if you are planning to buy in Switzerland or the UK, but the ATC distributor/dealer is in Luzern. 

If I would bring in these atc speakers, my wife would make me fit in them and bury me.

And I would fully agree to that.

My wife has successively likened my speakers to coffins, and said it'll save money on having to buy a coffin when I die...

The ATCs aren't ugly, just rather industrial - in the same way as racks of near identical black boxes look rather industrial...  and meanwhile I doubt you'll finder better sounding midrange than the superb one on the SCM40.

Innocent Bystander posted:

My wife has successively likened my speakers to coffins, and said it'll save money on having to buy a coffin when I die...

The ATCs aren't ugly, just rather industrial - in the same way as racks of near identical black boxes look rather industrial...  and meanwhile I doubt you'll finder better sounding midrange than the superb one on the SCM40.

IB, regarding hifi quality no doubt! I made the comment (which I regret - I'm actually a quite soft person) since there is a quantum leap between the design of the B&W's and the ATC's. One could argue that they are exponents of a different perception on hifi: sound quality or integration in domestic life where sound quality is only part of the package.

I would put B&W in the last category.

I did quite like the look of the B&W 802 when I auditioned it, but in a nice-to-have-an-unarmed-Dalek-in-the-room kind of way, and certainly not universally pretty!

but visuals are so much a matter of taste (as is music), and it is often necessary to compromise  to some extent for domestic harmony.

Someone mentioned the Naim Ovator S-400 before. How do they compare to other alternatives?

Add some ProAc offerings in whatever price range you will be in to your list of look-sees (or perhaps better, listen-sees) - I think they have excellent synergy with Naim.

Bastian posted:

Someone mentioned the Naim Ovator S-400 before. How do they compare to other alternatives?

As you know, I quite like the design of the B&W's. One of the few other speakes I like for their looks is the Ovator. Also - for me very important - they are kids proof. I have not heared the Ovators - my wife has veto-ed them - but according to all the reviews they are natural sounding and honest.

Crap in = crap out, whilst the B&W's might be more forgiving.

This is what I remember from the reviews.

Hopefully, someone will kick in here and elaborate on this. There are a few Ovator die-hards on this forum.

Unfortunately, they are not in production anymore but you might find an affordable pair second hand.

I built my speakers from a design I found on the internet cost was about £1700..

They have ScanSpeak drivers and Jantzen crossover components. To buy them they would cost about £10000 at least