Naim newbie needs advice re the "Naim Hiss"

Huge posted:

It's more likely that in this case it's just a crappily mastered CD casually thrown together to get more sales.

?

james n posted:

Huge posted:

It's more likely that in this case it's just a crappily mastered CD casually thrown together to get more sales.

?

A CD drive can't simply add noise to the signal.
If it doesn't rip correctly the distortion would be all over the signal, not just random data selectively placed in to the low order bits.

With you now Huge. Bit of a strange one this as the track mentioned should sound fine. 

Hence the conclusion that this suggests a crappy re-master jobie.

Could be - the OP didn't mention if the track in question was from the actual album, Sky Blue Sky, or not - I'm pretty sure that album's not been remastered if it is. The mystery continues... 

Huge posted:

Hence the conclusion that this suggests a crappy re-master jobie.

The original post suggested that this was across quite a few albums, now it's totally possible that the more revealing system shows up some very bad remasters, but using HDX into 82/135s I'm not noticing hiss on the cheap 5 CD sets I've been buying  so it'd be interesting to see if it's across a big set of discs or just a few.

Re reading the original post, the OP mentions the hiss is like cassette tape hiss in level. To me this sounds like there is no hardware issue, but the OP is just noticing tape hiss that is present in the original recording (obviously an analogue recording). This can be more distracting depending on system balance (particularly with a 'bright' sounding system) and as the OP mentions is more noticeable on simple acoustic material. A good system should be revealing, but not to the point where faults with the recording distract from the music itself. 

To the OP, i'm not familiar with your Atlas cables - Naim kit works very well with Naim's own NAC-A5 so it would be worth getting your dealer to lend you a pair of cables to try out.  

James

I just listened to the Wilco - Impossible Germany (Tidal and from album Sky Blue Sky) through my system and there actually is a clear hiss on the background. It's easily audible to my listening spot. Switching to 2011 remastered Pink Floyd - Shine on You Crazy Diamond (and many other tracks) and the background is dead silent. So this is clearly a track related thing. Your new system is just more resolving than the previous so you pick up new things on the tracks. Of course there's always the silent Naim hiss present when you put your ear close to the speaker.

Yes, there are a LOT of poor recordings around.

As I mentioned in my original reply , I occasionally get hiss from some CD recordings, particularly early productions which I rightly or wrongly put down to tape hiss from the production process. If it's only present on some recordings I wouldn't be too concerned. If it's on all material I would be.

What Graham said. How many or what percentage are we talking about here?

Going back to the days when CDs would indicate whether they were AAD, ADD or DDD recordings, you would often see a note on the rear of the Jewel case indicating that the high resolution of CDs "can reveal limitations of the source tape" e.g. analog tape hiss.

"Naim. Closer to the live sound."     Seen in some advertising.  Perhaps the hum and the hiss is what really contributes to that sensation  

Thanks for all replies. I'm pretty sure now that my equipment is fine and im hearing the hiss from the source of the flac. Anything with bad hiss I have tried with the original cd in a laptop with headphones and the hiss is exactly the same. I think my old cyrus equipment wasnt revealing the same level of detail. The hiss is at tape hiss level probably on 25% of tracks during any quieter bits - including the track I would previously use to demonstrate my system to non believers - im so lonesome i could cry by yo la tengo - another one i have checked the source cd by playing on the pc with headphones - serious hiss.

Think i need to learn to live with it or get a less revealing system.

Cheers.

Just wait till you are 56. You certainly won't hear hiss if my experience is anything to go by. Something to look forward to.

I recently went from new Cyrus equipment to Naim again after selling off my earlier Naim gear years ago and noticed too that Cyrus electronics are much more silent during quiet passages in music.  Cyrus has less notable hiss and it has perfectly balanced channels down to zero volume level, something Naim gear is lacking in comparison.

I would say that you are just used to the Cyrus and not familiar with the Naim quirks..................yet. I personally don't think anything is wrong with your Naim gear, it's just the way it is!!!

The above comments are from my experience and opinions from owning Naim for years and years and Cyrus for a very short time.

badlands posted:

I recently went from new Cyrus equipment to Naim again after selling off my earlier Naim gear years ago and noticed too that Cyrus electronics are much more silent during quiet passages in music.  Cyrus has less notable hiss and it has perfectly balanced channels down to zero volume level, something Naim gear is lacking in comparison.

I would say that you are just used to the Cyrus and not familiar with the Naim quirks..................yet. I personally don't think anything is wrong with your Naim gear, it's just the way it is!!!

The above comments are from my experience and opinions from owning Naim for years and years and Cyrus for a very short time.

So which would you say is the most honest representation of the original given that you supposedly can't add but can omit. Isn't that what hi-fi is about?:

sheffieldgraham posted:

badlands posted:

I recently went from new Cyrus equipment to Naim again after selling off my earlier Naim gear years ago and noticed too that Cyrus electronics are much more silent during quiet passages in music.  Cyrus has less notable hiss and it has perfectly balanced channels down to zero volume level, something Naim gear is lacking in comparison.

I would say that you are just used to the Cyrus and not familiar with the Naim quirks..................yet. I personally don't think anything is wrong with your Naim gear, it's just the way it is!!!

The above comments are from my experience and opinions from owning Naim for years and years and Cyrus for a very short time.

So which would you say is the most honest representation of the original given that you supposedly can't add but can omit. Isn't that what hi-fi is about?:

That is just one or two aspects of the difference between the two products. The proof is in the pudding, I'm back with Naim,  Sooooo, I guess that says it all! The emotional aspect, the other  things that contribute to the enjoyment of listening to music that you can't measure with any equipment or can be tested.

Nothing sounds like Naim, even with all it's idiosyncrasies, and you either get that or you don't!

Hungryhalibut posted:

Just wait till you are 56. You certainly won't hear hiss if my experience is anything to go by. Something to look forward to.

Only 56?---Spring Chicken!

27yo here, nait 5si / cd5si combo

I know the hiss O.P. is referring to. Throw in Daft Punk - random access memories to the CD5SI and turn it up to about 9 o'clock. 

Im pretty sure its a studio source thing.