Chord Mojo in a main system

Gary Shaw posted:

analogmusic posted:

 

 Both approaches are equally valid. I spent some time yesterday with a CD555, and to my ears, it is still in 2016 one of the greatest CD players in the world, every single CD sounded musical and engaging to my ears.

The same songs are presented differently by a Chord DAC, not as "forward" and maybe a shade less rhythmic, but still musical and more lyrical and fluid to my ears.

 

As a long term owner of a CD555 and Chord DACs I couldn't disagree more that they're less rhythmic than the 555. Chord DACs have all the PRAT of Naim gear. And more...

Thanks for your feedback Gary

I am not using the same level of cables, interconnects or transport as you are, so that could be why results aren't the same.

I have to say that my limited experience of the Mojo is that it is giving me the attack and timing that I associate with Naim.  It certainly does not feel like I am losing anything in the presentation.  

analogmusic posted:

 

I am not using the same level of cables, interconnects or transport as you are, so that could be why results aren't the same.

 

As a general point (not aimed at anyone), one of the tricky things in comparing Naim with Chord gear is getting cabling equal, with the DIN/RCA thing. What I am able to do is compare the CD and DAC(s) using the same cable type so eliminating one variable. 

Of course, someone keeps telling me that my humble Signature TA digital cable would be blown into the weeds, across the river, and into the weeds on the other bank by the Music digital. Given his track record I am, unfortunately, inclined to believe him!

Gary Shaw posted:

analogmusic posted:

 

I am not using the same level of cables, interconnects or transport as you are, so that could be why results aren't the same.

 

As a general point (not aimed at anyone), one of the tricky things in comparing Naim with Chord gear is getting cabling equal, with the DIN/RCA thing. What I am able to do is compare the CD and DAC(s) using the same cable type so eliminating one variable. 

Of course, someone keeps telling me that my humble Signature TA digital cable would be blown into the weeds, across the river, and into the weeds on the other bank by the Music digital. Given his track record I am, unfortunately, inclined to believe him!

Digital cables...For years I used DC1 BNC-BNC as 'fit & forget' within an all naim set-up. 

The move to Chord TT via NDX encouraged a bit of 'experimentation'. First with a slightly ott Chord Indigo Plus which I idly swapped out for a cheap QED one day only to find the QED better.

Emboldened, and after a bit of research, I settled on a £22 Canare BNC-BNC to try, and it is excellent in every way. 

G

analogmusic posted:

Hi Simon

Which interconnect cable are you using between NDX and your Hugo?

Ali, Gotham coax - bnc to phono - 75 ohm

quite embarassed to admit this, but my Chord DAC is sitting next to my Hicap, and the Hicap isn't very far from the 282.

I need to move that Hicap away from my DAC and away from the 282. (they are all horizontal)

I really need to buy a proper rack.

analogmusic posted:

quite embarassed to admit this, but my Chord DAC is sitting next to my Hicap, and the Hicap isn't very far from the 282.

I need to move that Hicap away from my DAC and away from the 282. (they are all horizontal)

I really need to buy a proper rack.

while you are there get the Dave one also by the way what color is Dave? I hope it is black!

Hi Emre, I would rather buy Fraim like you did

Fraim is very elegant, your system looks very nice on Black Fraim.

Yes Dave is black, to match my Naim 282/250.

so a dave stand is a must, when you win the lottery!!!

black dave looks very good so  much better than the silver one... 

i am still waiting your impressions dave + power amp without 282!!

I did post this on another thread, happy to say it again here.

To  my ears, I preferred Dave with 282 in the system.

Removing 282 results in better bass, and better clarity, also better soundstage

But somehow the tonality of vocals doesn't sound as good as with 282, and also the rhythmic flow of music is better with 282.

I don't think this is because of Dave, what I can hear is that Naim has designed their power amps to work best with their own preamps in terms of impedance matching, electrical cables, resistance of those cables etc. Maybe the interconnect between Dave and my 250 should be better or more expensive, but I am not motivated to try any further experiments.

I also tried Linn Klimax preamp into 250, and yes it sounded very good, but system sounded more like a Linn system and I am used to Naim sound and rhythmic flow of music, so for me it has to be a Naim preamp with a Nap 250.

I know this is not what you expected, but I am keeping my 282.

Naim pay extreme attention to signal earthing, star earthing principles, with Din connections, so to me, as Richard Dane said once, the Naim preamp, and power amp, should be considered as one amplifier i.e. a total package.

282 is also remarkably transparent compared to Dave alone into 250, so to my ears 282 is not a bottleneck. I would also agree with what Naim call their preamps, NAC - Naim audio Control, that is what I hear in terms of what 282 bring to the music. it somehow organises the music with more coherance and makes it more enjoyable.

I am not sure what has happened to my system, whether it's the latest placement of the speakers and/or the rack. Music sounds so lovely through the system - NAC 282, Hicap DR, NAP 250 DR and the Chord QBD 76 DAC. 

Analogmusic, may I ask what interconnect are you using to connect the Chord DAVE to the NAC 282? I am currently on a £30 Flashback RCA to 5 pin DIN but have decided to upgrade to a better (costlier) Chord cable. I have a hunch the Flashback may be limiting the full potential of the system.

ryder. posted:

I am not sure what has happened to my system, whether it's the latest placement of the speakers and/or the rack. Music sounds so lovely through the system - NAC 282, Hicap DR, NAP 250 DR and the Chord QBD 76 DAC. 

Analogmusic, may I ask what interconnect are you using to connect the Chord DAVE to the NAC 282? I am currently on a £30 Flashback RCA to 5 pin DIN but have decided to upgrade to a better (costlier) Chord cable. I have a hunch the Flashback may be limiting the full potential of the system.

Interesting you mention this as it was the immediate feeling I had when I switched to a Chord Hugo (from what I felt was a much less revealing source). Although I was always previously happy with my Chord Chameleon RCA-RCA (£120), I just had a strong inclination that it wasn't allowing me to hear the full story. So I upgraded the interconnect as well which brought nice results. Annoying when you make one upgrade and it immediately shows up limitations elsewhere but I suppose that's all part of the fun

I also use the same Flashback cables.... I need to try Superlumina, Chord or vertere interconnects sometime soon. But they are so expensive.

analogmusic posted:

I also use the same Flashback cables.... I need to try Superlumina, Chord or vertere interconnects sometime soon. But they are so expensive.

If it's the Premiere version then I wouldn't worry too much about it. It should be quite a bit better than the standard Flashback, based on reports from owners who have compared. I agree that the costlier versions of these cables are quite a bit of a stretch. Perhaps these cables are more suitable for the higher level systems ie. NAC 252 or 552. I think the Superlumina or Chord Sarum Super Array is overkill for the NAC 282 (Hiline or Chord Signature Tuned Array would be more in line).

Mayor West posted:

Interesting you mention this as it was the immediate feeling I had when I switched to a Chord Hugo (from what I felt was a much less revealing source). Although I was always previously happy with my Chord Chameleon RCA-RCA (£120), I just had a strong inclination that it wasn't allowing me to hear the full story. So I upgraded the interconnect as well which brought nice results. Annoying when you make one upgrade and it immediately shows up limitations elsewhere but I suppose that's all part of the fun

Yes, it will surely be fun if the cable managed to bring some nice improvements to the system. Otherwise, it's no fun especially for the premium paid. I'm surely looking forward to the Chord Signature Tuned Array though I am keeping my expectations low to avoid disappointment. I am aware that the differences with cables will not be day and night. It's the little differences that count, small important differences that make all the difference.

It isn't the premiere cable, I got the 2 other ones, they are both really quite good for the money

I moved my Hicap DR away from the 282 and the Dave, and only after moving it away now, the system sounds much more engaging and fun on Vinyl and digital.  

I don't think I need a new interconnect !

Is hicapdr effecting the Dave? i dont get it? 

it was affecting 282 for sure

analogmusic posted:

It isn't the premiere cable, I got the 2 other ones, they are both really quite good for the money

I moved my Hicap DR away from the 282 and the Dave, and only after moving it away now, the system sounds much more engaging and fun on Vinyl and digital.  

I don't think I need a new interconnect !

That is certainly good news, and interesting as well. I have never thought that the Hicap DR will affect the performance of the system when placed too close to the NAC 282. However, I have read about folks getting better results when the NAC 282 was placed further away from the power amp ie. NAP 250 DR. I can't experiment with the placement configuration as my CD player is a top-loader and needs to be at the top of the rack.

there is a massive transformer in the Hicap, almost the same size as one in the Nap 200.