Blimey, the 272 is even better than I thought it was...

Posted by: hungryhalibut on 19 October 2017

I’ve been using my beloved 272 since June 2015, with the addition of an XPSDR in autumn that year. Yesterday I installed a brand new 555 PS DR, with a new S-XPS Burndy. Rather like when I bought the XPS two years ago I didn’t try the 555 first, and when I picked it up from the shop Dan from Naim was there for a Uniti open day. All Dan said was ‘you’ll love it, even straight out of the box’. And he was right, and then some. I thought the system was sounding great before, but the 555 has moved it to a different level. The music is so much more real, leaping out of the speakers in a much more lifelike way. Everything is clearer, so you get more into the music. The speakers sound a lot bigger too, which I imagine is the impact of the power supply on the preamp. Five hours later to was sounding better still, and of course things will improve further over the coming weeks.

It’s bloody expensive, it weighs a ton, but blimey it’s good. The idea of a £6,500 power supply on a £3,500 streaming preamp is perhaps bit odd, but the combination is just incredible. I know there are a few others using this combination, and that they have said how much better the 555 makes the 272, and perhaps I underestimated how much difference it would make: now I have one at home I am very much over rather than underwhelmed, which is always good.

Posted on: 16 November 2017 by Atherton

quickben posted:
David Hendon posted:
I had a 272 and a 250DR but I did then next buy a CDX2 and later an XPSDR. In my case why on earth was because I just like playing CDs sometimes without ripping them, especially if they are borrowed from a friend.
Fortunately I was in a position to do all that and still drink excellent wine, although personally I would go for South African a Pinotage from Kanonkop or a Chenin Blanc from DeMorganzen or a Sauvignan Blanc from Klein Constantia rather than a Bulgarian Pinot Noir.....
We are all different, which is good..
best
David
more money spent on SA wine than my Naim kit I think... in my case a lot of Chenin by the likes of Chris Alheit, Pinot from Newton Johnson, loads and loads of Eben Sadie, David Sadie, Mullineux and Porseleinberg - wine purchased in the time of cash flow and will be drunk during retirement. I like your choice of De Morgenzon and Kanonkop. The winemaker's from both estates have very good side projects too.
Peter

Oh dear, I just sunk a bottle of Sainsbury's Jacobs Creek Chardonnay @ £5.50 which I thoroughly enjoyed. Perhaps I am not ready to upgrade yet.....

Posted on: 16 November 2017 by yeti42

Reminds me I must get Laithwaites to pick up the rest of the revolting Bulgarian whatever it is their gushing persuaded me to try, Red 14.5% one dimentional and sweet!

Posted on: 16 November 2017 by David Hendon

Atherton posted:
quickben posted:
David Hendon posted:
I had a 272 and a 250DR but I did then next buy a CDX2 and later an XPSDR. In my case why on earth was because I just like playing CDs sometimes without ripping them, especially if they are borrowed from a friend.
Fortunately I was in a position to do all that and still drink excellent wine, although personally I would go for South African a Pinotage from Kanonkop or a Chenin Blanc from DeMorganzen or a Sauvignan Blanc from Klein Constantia rather than a Bulgarian Pinot Noir.....
We are all different, which is good..
best
David
more money spent on SA wine than my Naim kit I think... in my case a lot of Chenin by the likes of Chris Alheit, Pinot from Newton Johnson, loads and loads of Eben Sadie, David Sadie, Mullineux and Porseleinberg - wine purchased in the time of cash flow and will be drunk during retirement. I like your choice of De Morgenzon and Kanonkop. The winemaker's from both estates have very good side projects too.
Peter
Oh dear, I just sunk a bottle of Sainsbury's Jacobs Creek Chardonnay @ £5.50 which I thoroughly enjoyed. Perhaps I am not ready to upgrade yet.....

That's the QB of Chardonnay! So perfectly acceptable!

best

David

Posted on: 17 November 2017 by Eoink

David Hendon posted:
Atherton posted:
quickben posted:
Oh dear, I just sunk a bottle of Sainsbury's Jacobs Creek Chardonnay @ £5.50 which I thoroughly enjoyed. Perhaps I am not ready to upgrade yet.....
That's the QB of Chardonnay! So perfectly acceptable!
best
David

I think I should offer advice in forum style. You probably ought to upgrade to the next level, say a nice Vidal Charonnay from New Zealand at about £30, but to be honest that'll just be the first step on your upgrade ladder. After that you'll want to go to a good Meursault from a top maker, and then you'll end up going for Montrachet from DRC. So to be honest I'd cut out the intermediate steps and go straight to the DRC, you can still pick up the 2014 for about £4000 a bottle. Obviously the wine will be broken if you don't use the right accessories, I'd suggest a Riedel Sommelier glass, but I'm sure people will soon be along to tell you that you should use Zalto.

Posted on: 17 November 2017 by David Hendon

You can't expect to get that inky blackness if you use the wrong glass - it's just like posh cables.....

best

David

Posted on: 17 November 2017 by quickben

If you can easily afford to buy/drink DRC you may or may not appreciate what is in your glass (Chinese adding coke to Lafitte may be more of an urban myth these days) but maybe their ownership is more of a Statement - which might be what they are told to buy to impress. The majority of those who get a taste of such wines are the wine critics such as Jancis or Robert Parker's new main man Neal Martin - which probably has a reasonable parallel to the world of Naim.

It would be easy enough to categorise the Aldi budget wine drinker listening with their compressed format iPhone streaming via the Sonos or equivalent. Categorising in between is perhaps more of a subjective challenge, though I could see Mr Muso settling down with the M&S £10 special though if they buy Naim they probably go to the little shop in the High St and get a bottle of Portuguese wine with an unpronouncable name that is incredible value.

After that you could make some sweeping statements like 200DR man usually pays £20 for his bottle of Meerlust Rubicon but aspires to a 250DR and regularly buying Francois Cotat Sancerre then the300DR is looking for those bottles of Roumier or a good Pauillac the 500Dr owner would be willing to seek out the finest they can get while maybe spending £50-100 a time - they get some lovely Grand Cru Bonnes Mares from time to time.

Of course I know no one who follows such a slavish trajectory, thank goodness. I suspect most oenophiles care little about their SQ and vice versa. I am one of those sad or fortunate ones who does care about both; I have a few acquaintances in the wine world who would be just as passionate about how they listen to their music. I do not aspire to own a motor bike or Bugatti Veyron so maybe there are upsides.

Posted on: 17 November 2017 by yeti42

I think you're looking in the wrong place for inky blackness, you want a stout for that, wine is usually too coloured, at least wine with any flavour.

Posted on: 17 November 2017 by Timmo1341

Off the thread goes again! Bring it back someone, before it ends up in The Padded Cell.

Posted on: 17 November 2017 by hungryhalibut

I suppose it’s my fault (again) for mentioning Bulgarian Pinot Noir. I agree that the wine diversion has run its course, and there is a ‘which wine are you drinking’ thread in the Padded Cell where the diversion can continue.

The 555, 300 and SL wires continue to run in and the system to improve. In fact, I’ve largely forgotten about the running in process and just put music on and enjoy it. I’ve been so busy painting that there has not been much time for listening, but when I do sit down to listen properly the sound is just lovely. Getting all the wires off the floor and arranged as well as possible has been a big help, though the system is now a bit taller than I’d really like, as this entailed getting an extra shelf. Still, a few more inches for best performance (!) is a compromise worth making, I think.

Posted on: 17 November 2017 by David Hendon

I think the occasional diversion in the thread is rather good actually, just like a real conversation with friends, and anyway we shouldn't, I think, take our Naim habit too seriously all of the time.

Having said that, it is interesting to hear about HH's upgrade journey contemporaneously, so I hope the thread continues to thrive and diversify around its main theme for a while yet.

best

David

Posted on: 17 November 2017 by hungryhalibut

Maybe I should start writing about my new car...

Posted on: 17 November 2017 by David Hendon

Definitely, but there needs to be a tenuous connection to your Naim upgrades. Like you have increased boot capacity for bringing back Naim boxes (or crates of wine) or the thought process that led to you rejecting Naim for Bentley as a way forward and instead invested the cash into Naim for your house.

best

David

Posted on: 17 November 2017 by The Strat (Fender)

Yes I was most disappointed when I purchased my BMW I couldn’t specify a Nakamichi tape/FM head unit, Naim Amps and a Kudos speaker set.

Posted on: 17 November 2017 by David Hendon

Harmon Kardon doesn't quite have the same cachet....(but when I bought my BMW I didn't even specify that....)

best

David

Posted on: 17 November 2017 by hungryhalibut

Well, the boot is bigger than the Up! it replaced, but not that much bigger. I’d probably be able to fit one Naim box in at a squeeze. And it has a special wire for connecting an Android phone. I don’t have an android phone though, but I keep meaning to see whether the AK70 will connect. That would be good for long journeys.

Posted on: 17 November 2017 by The Strat (Fender)

Neither did I David. However, on FM Radio 3 doesn’t sound bad on the standard offering.

Posted on: 17 November 2017 by Tallan

Hungryhalibut posted:
Well, the boot is bigger than the Up! it replaced, but not that much bigger. I’d probably be able to fit one Naim box in at a squeeze. And it has a special wire for connecting an Android phone. I don’t have an android phone though, but I keep meaning to see whether the AK70 will connect. That would be good for long journeys.

It should if it’s standard micro-USB.

Posted on: 18 November 2017 by dave marshall

Attention all you 272 ponderers, seekers and maybe's ............... there's something of interest to you on yon, "cough", well known auction site .................. with just over three hours to go.

Trust this doesn't break forum rules.

Posted on: 18 November 2017 by GraemeH

dave marshall posted:
Attention all you 272 ponderers, seekers and maybe's ............... there's something of interest to you on yon, "cough", well known auction site .................. with just over three hours to go.
Trust this doesn't break forum rules.

Oh stop it crazy !

Posted on: 18 November 2017 by Timo

dave marshall posted:
Attention all you 272 ponderers, seekers and maybe's ............... there's something of interest to you on yon, "cough", well known auction site .................. with just over three hours to go.
Trust this doesn't break forum rules.

And also an XPS DR to make it worthwhile... crazy

Posted on: 18 November 2017 by The Strat (Fender)

Someone come to their senses then

Posted on: 18 November 2017 by quickben

It is currently a pretty good value setup that someone is going to be very happy with. Seller upgrading - would be interesting to know what is next.

Posted on: 18 November 2017 by hungryhalibut

I’m missing something here...

Posted on: 18 November 2017 by Slim68

Hungryhalibut posted:
I’m missing something here...

Thera was a 272 and XPS-DR for sale on the Bay, just finished.

Posted on: 18 November 2017 by GraemeH

I saved my money and bid instead on a pair of TQB jumper cables, which I got for £28!