System Pics 2018

Gazza posted:

Dave***t posted:

With recent posts in mind, I happened to notice the coffee mug I was using earlier was sort of appropriate, as I picked it up last time I was in Oslo.  So, in the spirit of anglo-Norwegian Naim appreciation:

And no, I wasn't familiar with Posthum, will check them out...

Memories of my SBL,s just lovely

Mine too. Walnut SBLs 

kmoldskred posted:

Will do! I did just read the forum rules, but was unsure since I was answering a direct question, and it is Naim related in some capacity at least..

My son is newly in Berlin studying photography for a semester so he’s going to visit! 

G

Just finished take the demo 552DR out after 24 days and sounding mighty fine too. With my dealers help we installed four glass isolation shelves for the brain side - thanks [@mention:54786295706447945]. Below the 300DR head at the bottom is the LP storage. This stopped the two Burndies touching the wool carpet. Also all the other cables now hang freely although we use a bit of pipe insulation to ensure there is no contact.

The demo 252DR went back in. I ran it and the SCDR for three days fed by a spare CD player on repeat. I had problems listening to the 252DR before but not now! It is very fussy about setup. So am feel the isolation has been worth it, and we will see how it sounds in the next 4 days or so.

I will order 4 more isolation kits (about £100 each inc glass)

Phil

Looks great Phil and good to hear your first impressions, sound-wise, are positive. I also got the glass shelves installed on my remaining levels last week with success. 

Regards

David

S3 posted:

Looks great Phil and good to hear your first impressions, sound-wise, are positive. I also got the glass shelves installed on my remaining levels last week with success. 

Regards

David

Thanks David.

Meant to say that the Akorner has two rear legs closer together than the front ones, which we used to stop the glass sliding off at the back. We decided not to use the glass seats except for the TT, and used some hollow cardboard between the glass and rear legs below the TT. The cardboard should not transmit vibrations.

[@mention:1566878603873289], I notice you have a similar glass isolation solution with your beautiful walnut cabinets just above. Did you compare with Fraim?

I’m probably hearing the 252 as it should sound now. Different from the recently departed demo 552. The volume knob is back to 9 from 8 o’clock! Can’t quite characterise it yet, but will when I play a variety of music. Maybe Aja after the Matthew Passion now playing. It is very warm and has emotion in a slightly deeper way than the 552 at present. Possibly hiding nuances in the playing and singing that I was hearing with the 552.

Phil

refurbished LP12 by Peter Swain [@mention:1566878603906177] totally blown away by the results,

wanted to add either upgrade source to system ie Lp12 or HCDR for the 282, rest of system NDX,282,HCDR,300DR into B&W 805N

new deck only kept arm Ittock Vii and cherry plynith - upgrades Cirkus, Kore, Trampolin 2 Lingo 4 then Tiger paw tranquility & Khan in Black cartidge is Dynavector DV20X2H

sitting on Fraim - Lp12, NDX,282,HCDR.300DR, one happy boy!

Filipe posted:

[@mention:1566878603873289], I notice you have a similar glass isolation solution with your beautiful walnut cabinets just above. Did you compare with Fraim?

Phil

Phil, 

Sorry, but that's not a photo of my system; I was merely reminiscing over my walnut SBLs, which I sold many years ago. I do use Fraim too.  If I can work out how to get a photo on here I'll post a picture. (I need to install iimgur).

Clive

Clive B posted:

Filipe posted:

[@mention:1566878603873289], I notice you have a similar glass isolation solution with your beautiful walnut cabinets just above. Did you compare with Fraim?

Phil

Phil, 

Sorry, but that's not a photo of my system; I was merely reminiscing over my walnut SBLs, which I sold many years ago. I do use Fraim too.  If I can work out how to get a photo on here I'll post a picture. (I need to install iimgur).

Clive

Clive, I seem to remember you live in Wiltshire. I’m in mid Gloucestershire. It would be nice to have exchange visits and swap notes. I think the glass isolation is working. The sound from the 252/SCDR is beginning to develop from being a bit deep/dark at first. Playing the third CD of the Matthew Passion during my break from gardening. Different from the 552 at this stage.

imgur on the iPad is easy to install and get going. I keep my photos hidden. When you want a link just remember to click until you only really see the photo full screen and then press and hold until iOS gives you the pop up menu with copy link bottom left. You can then paste the link.

Enjoy you Easter between the showers!

Phil

I’ve been trying to post a picture on the new forum platform for a while. I’ve given up with Flickr, and nearly did likewise with Imgur. But finally I managed to post this. It was taken quickly with my iPad the last time it was sunny in England. I quite liked the way the light fell on the LP12. 

Happy easter holidays everyone, thought I contribute with some pictures of my system. Recently placed the speakers diagonal across the corner, quite like the result, though it seems I need longer speaker cables now.

p. posted:

Happy easter holidays everyone, thought I contribute with some pictures of my system. Recently placed the speakers diagonal across the corner, quite like the result, though it seems I need longer speaker cables now.

 

Wow. What a lovely room.

Diagonal across one corner to the opposite corner is a positional situation I can very much advocate. If you have an otherwise " difficult " room that's square or seems to be plagued by standing waves. Or just because it sounds so damm better than when standing like sentry knights protecting the fireplace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THjfUhluUY8

From 2:25 to 3:43.

M.

Thank you @TOBYJUG - my motivation for this arrangement was an overall better usage of the room in everyday life, the sound benefits are more of a lucky side effect, yet so much better sound now, I would not have expected this. It´s like a free upgrade worth a new black box.

Max_B posted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THjfUhluUY8

From 2:25 to 3:43.

M.

totally agree!

p. posted:

Max_B posted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THjfUhluUY8

From 2:25 to 3:43.

M.

totally agree!

Thank you, very interesting. A fond week of experiments ahead, I'm happy that I always bought way too long cables.

TOBYJUG posted:

p. posted:

Happy easter holidays everyone, thought I contribute with some pictures of my system. Recently placed the speakers diagonal across the corner, quite like the result, though it seems I need longer speaker cables now.

 

Wow. What a lovely room.

Diagonal across one corner to the opposite corner is a positional situation I can very much advocate. If you have an otherwise " difficult " room that's square or seems to be plagued by standing waves. Or just because it sounds so damm better than when standing like sentry knights protecting the fireplace.

 

"when standing like sentry knights protecting the fireplace".  

I broke my 3 box rule this weekend when I bought a HiCap DR after borrowing it for a couple from weeks from my dealer.

it made a noticeable instant difference in my system, adding a richness of sound compared to without it, all the usual things you get when adding a Naim power supply. Good ‘bang for the buck’ in my opinion,  very happy with it as an upgrade.

I was originally thinking of a different future change, but the recent new streamer announcements pushed me in a different direction, at least for now.

Just need to get another shelf now!

By the way, would I be right in assuming that once I have another shelf, that the stacking order should be (top to bottom): NDX/SN2/HiCap DR/XPS DR?

Confirmation would be gratefully received!

I’d try two options:

SN2 > NDX > XPS > HiCap or NDX > SN2 > XPS > HiCap

Adam Zielinski posted:

I’d try two options:

SN2 > NDX > XPS > HiCap or NDX > SN2 > XPS > HiCap

Thanks Adam, hadn’t thought of those options! I always thought the more sensitive electronics of the NDX should be kept as far away from the XPS as possible. I was guessing that the HC would have less influence on the NDX than the XPS, hence my assumption. Still some learning to do!

I’d put it together in the way you suggested, with the XPS at the bottom, unless putting it higher enables you to get the burndy off the floor. Anyway, this is a pictures rather than a stacking thread, so I’ll say no more. 

Understood HH, apologies for the thread hijack....

Great looking system - love the white speakers (what are they?) on the black Solidsteel tripods

Cato posted:

Great looking system - love the white speakers (what are they?) on the black Solidsteel tripods

Thanks Cato!

My Naim dealer builds his own speakers as tittle side project. Some years ago he took the time to build these speakers.

We spend quite some time listening to different caps, resistors and terminals during the process, which was great fun and I've learned a bit about the difference these components make (a much bigger difference than I would have thought).

These speakers have wonderful midrange and heights, speed and transparency, music is very fluid. Sometimes I find myself lusting for deeper bass and larger scale - but then again I think the music sound quite fine as it is, no need to rush things.

@P I bet they sound very good ! Nothing quite like a coherent two-way speaker in my opinion. Enjoy !