Going Active - Rack Placement v Box Count

Posted by: Mort2k on 03 December 2017

Evening All

Following on from testing active SBL this weekend some additional question have arose around rack placement and box count.

Two options present themselves for consideration.

First - Single Stack of Fraim - Base + 6 Standard Shelves (max as per manual) comprising  

 

This option works best in the room but is not ideal in having such a large stack. This option also removes the option of a future SuperCap on the SNAXO which i read is a signification upgrade. 

Second - Two Stack of Fraim - Max of Base + 3 shelves in each for a total of 8 boxes.

 

Max of 4 boxes per stack as this would mean moving the rack in between the SBL's and under the wall mounted LCD TV, any higher and they would interfere with the TV viewing.

So this option gets one extra box and would allow the SCap on the SNAXO. 

So the question is does the benefits of two smaller stacks and a Scap on the SNAXO out weigh the negatives of having the rack in between the speakers ?

The second option would allow a wider gap between the SBL's as well.

Appreciate any thoughts / experiences out there.

Rob

 

 

Posted on: 04 December 2017 by Mort2k

Anyone any wisdom in this area ?

Posted on: 04 December 2017 by hungryhalibut

Absolutely. Just try it and see which you prefer. 

Posted on: 04 December 2017 by Mort2k

Expensive Test !

Posted on: 05 December 2017 by Darke Bear

You are fighting with competing constraints on placement.
The SNAXO does really demand the Supercap to ultimately power it and get the most out of everything else you have spent money on, so I'd choose the option that allows you to have this. The extra clarity, insight and bass-handling the Supercap provides should outweigh the other problem IMO.

DB.

Posted on: 05 December 2017 by Mort2k
Darke Bear posted:

You are fighting with competing constraints on placement.
The SNAXO does really demand the Supercap to ultimately power it and get the most out of everything else you have spent money on, so I'd choose the option that allows you to have this. The extra clarity, insight and bass-handling the Supercap provides should outweigh the other problem IMO.

DB.

DB

thanks for the input appreciated. 

 

Rob

 

Posted on: 05 December 2017 by Audioneophyte

One stack - poor

two stacks - better

three stacks- best

Stack 1: NDX and 52

Stack 2: all powers supplies

Stack 3 Snaxo and amps below it.

I get this is low and wide...  I get it takes up room... I get your wonder how you are going to come up with the space...

But then you have dropped how many thousands for great sound? why cut it off at the knees by compromising the recommended footprint?

BTW... I follow the exact advice I am suggesting and have an active system...

Good Luck!

Posted on: 05 December 2017 by Mort2k
Audioneophyte posted:

One stack - poor

two stacks - better

three stacks- best

Stack 1: NDX and 52

Stack 2: all powers supplies

Stack 3 Snaxo and amps below it.

I get this is low and wide...  I get it takes up room... I get your wonder how you are going to come up with the space...

But then you have dropped how many thousands for great sound? why cut it off at the knees by compromising the recommended footprint?

BTW... I follow the exact advice I am suggesting and have an active system...

Good Luck!

Thanks for the info. Two stacks is possible I guess the theme is the two stacks ANS supercap will out weigh downsides to being between the kit 

Posted on: 05 December 2017 by Mort2k

It would be easier if there was an option for a long Snaic or Burndy. Then at least the stack could be placed easier in a room. 

Rob. 

Posted on: 05 December 2017 by Bob the Builder
Audioneophyte posted:

One stack - poor

two stacks - better

three stacks- best

Stack 1: NDX and 52

Stack 2: all powers supplies

Stack 3 Snaxo and amps below it.

I get this is low and wide...  I get it takes up room... I get your wonder how you are going to come up with the space...

But then you have dropped how many thousands for great sound? why cut it off at the knees by compromising the recommended footprint?

BTW... I follow the exact advice I am suggesting and have an active system...

Good Luck!

Probably a poor choice of words I doubt that system would sound "poor" because it is sighted on one stack of fraim.

Posted on: 06 December 2017 by Audioneophyte

Obviously... this is a relative statement poor vs best... the basic of Naim is head and shoulders above main stream audio.

But...

If considering an active set-up.

This forum abounds with advice:

Active is finicky and needs every favorable adjustment possible.

Active is expensive (self evident fact)

Active offers a level up in soundstage presentation et all.

Pause for a moment,

given these facts...
how could one not give some extra floor space to make is sound the best it could possibly be?  
Not afford the system the ability to be tweaked where necessary to further improve it? 

 

Posted on: 06 December 2017 by zoot
Darke Bear posted:

You are fighting with competing constraints on placement.
The SNAXO does really demand the Supercap to ultimately power it and get the most out of everything else you have spent money on, so I'd choose the option that allows you to have this. The extra clarity, insight and bass-handling the Supercap provides should outweigh the other problem IMO.

DB.

Dark Bear, just got a 555 cd with TWO  555PS dr's since I have an NDX with a XPS do you recommend splitting the 555PS's between the CD555 and the NDS? Do I need different Burndys for the two sources. I am active on the NBLs with three 250.2s?

 

Posted on: 07 December 2017 by Claus-Thoegersen

I have to agree 2 stacks good, but 3 much better. unfortunately I did also upgrade my Sarum cable on the 252 when I reordered from 2 stacks into 3, but both things really made a big difference in my system.

rack 1 555 ps, a shelf to sort out the terrible power cable arrangement. a 200 and 2 250.

Rack 2  Fraim

ns01 Ndac, a shelf for the MainzD powerblock and  252. Finally the snaxo is placed on a wallmounted shelf  above the fraim.

Rack 3

Supercap for the snaxo, and supercap for the 252.

 

The first 2 racks are placed between my speakers, there is no practical way to get the system out to the sides of the speakers in my current room, and with  most signal cables being Chord Sarum and Chord  Signature for the speakers.

 

Claus