System Pics 2018

Impressive - i May re-mortgage 

SongStream posted:

tonym posted:

Foot tapper posted:

Too many boxes?  I really don't care, as my eyes keep being drawn to those gorgeous rosewood DBLs...

Best regards, FT

Still, could be worse...

 

Holy cow!!!  That chest of drawers must be getting nervous.  

Hi Tony,

Sorry for the naive question (perhaps), but how are you using the 500's?  Wouldn't 3 be the limit (for DBL's at least).

Franz K posted:

Hi Gavin

Thank you! It took me quite some time and serious considerations to come up with the arrangement of the boxes as you see them here now. The first issue was that I needed to fit three stacks within a room corner so I came up with this triangular and setback solution of the middle stack. It was clear rhat the three 500s need to go in one stack because of speaker cable length - they are all equally 5m and thus to the left stack closest to the speakers.  The bass 500 is the most upper one followed by the mid and the tremble at the bottom. An empty shelf underneath is a bonus as i had one left, btw the olive hc left meanwhile . That way cables fit nicely as they run up on the speaker side in reverse lengths ie tweeter all the  way up middle half way and bass lowest. The next issue was the snaxo. It should be as far from psus as possible and due to xlr lengths it needs to be close to the amps. So it’s best position is on top of the amps but separate by an additional Fraim level. The xlrs are completely free running. Also having all psus in the middle stack to the right of the amps the burndeys can run entirely free without touching any power leads further on the right. The psu order is again reverse so 500psu for tremble highest then middle and the lowest psu for the bass 500. That way burndeys don’t touch any floor and can hang loose. Under the 500psus is the sc for snaxo and the lowest is the 555ps. As the burndey for the snaxo is very long there is no problem to dress it nicely aside from the 500 burndeys without any contact. AS the 555 head is not so sensitive to microelectronics it’s preferable on the middle stack but again separated by a higher Fraim and an additional Fraim base level. Also serious listening is not so much with cd so I am not so worried if it’s position might be a little compromised .: but it isn’t anyway where it is now.  The right stack houses the very sensitive sl on top and right underneath the pre both far enough away from the psus in the middle and from their own psus at the bottom of the right stack ie 552psu on the very bottom and sc for sl above. That way there is a minimum of crossing points of cables and between signal leads with power leads. The 4 pin snaic between 552psu and sc for snaxo is the only cable that connects the right stack with the middle one and is again entirely free hanging not touching any other lead.or the floor. A key is also the wall shelf for the tt and the arm lead can run freely to the sl. The sl and pre are separate again by medium size Fraim from the Radical with is relatively neural and underneath that the rather small psu for my nat01. 

I wanted to keep the stacks more or less equal in height and not too high. They are now all three 5 and a half fraim Levels with is still very comfortable to handle records on the tt above. 

In addition now with the two half size boxes on the tops left and right they give a sense of symmetry and also lightness as some space remains unoccupied. So in essence the setup as it stands here is the result of quite a long lasting effort to come up with and I feel the best possible solution.. at least I am quite satisfied as it stands now ..????

Thanks Franz, appreciate the reply - which I have read several times, trying to picture the cabling routes you have.  By not having all of the boxes in a row, you have more freedom to improve the cable dressing.  I was interested to hear you have the 500's stacked Bass, Mid, Hi to improve the cable run to the speakers.  I have done the same -  I did think I might be in a minority of one!  I did look at arranging the power supplies in the opposite order (as you have them).  I abandoned the idea as I thought there would be too may of the cables crossing and with the towers side by side there was not enough room.  By staggering the Fraims, you seem to have addressed that.

I am very pleased that your post has encouraged Tony M to give an updated picture of his system.  I had been thinking the forum had been a little quiet on the active front of late.  Also very few discussing the potential of DBL's - which is a shame.  I recently have replaced my last amp with a 500 and moved from a wonky 500 setup and am amazed by the results.  To continue the theme, let me post my current system pic....

Here is my setup - including the new 500.  Sounds amazing compared to running with the 500/300/500.  Better in everyday - but especially timing.

You might notice that I have power lines running along the top of the skirting board - which does a good job of keeping them clear of the speaker cable.  The thicker power lines are also a lot easier to route through the bundies.

I have reposted my cable pic (which actually is of the older setup), which shows I am struggling to keep everything clear.

Hi Gavin -- beautiful  system in a very nice room too -- nice view to the garden while listening :-)

This exposure to quite a few active DBL speakers may prove' a bit dangerous' to me... My SL2s now sound 'broken' just looking at these DBLs!! :-(

… and, why did I sell my CDS555!!!? :-(

enjoy

ken

Gavin L posted:

SongStream posted:

tonym posted:

Foot tapper posted:

Too many boxes?  I really don't care, as my eyes keep being drawn to those gorgeous rosewood DBLs...

Best regards, FT

Still, could be worse...

 

Holy cow!!!  That chest of drawers must be getting nervous.  

Hi Tony,

Sorry for the naive question (perhaps), but how are you using the 500's?  Wouldn't 3 be the limit (for DBL's at least).

Needed a second look. Doesn’t look like a fake picture. But that many boxes....!

Alba1320 posted:

ken c posted:

Hi Gavin -- beautiful  system in a very nice room too -- nice view to the garden SNIP

… and, why did I sell my CDS555!!!? :-(

enjoy

ken

Still no joy with the NDS update?

The NDS update is now totally irrelevant to me as I am back and very happy with 4.4.

enjoy

ken

Alba1320 posted:

ken c posted:

Hi Gavin -- beautiful  system in a very nice room too -- nice view to the garden while listening :-)

This exposure to quite a few active DBL speakers may prove' a bit dangerous' to me... My SL2s now sound 'broken' just looking at these DBLs!! :-(

SNIP

enjoy

ken

Perhaps this thread should come with a 'health warning'?

yes  :-)

I jest of course -- I'm very happy with my SL2s and the DBLs wouldn't fit in my tiny office anyhow...

enjoy

ken

Gavin L posted:

Gavin L posted:

SongStream posted:

tonym posted:

Foot tapper posted:

Too many boxes?  I really don't care, as my eyes keep being drawn to those gorgeous rosewood DBLs...

Best regards, FT

Still, could be worse...

 

Holy cow!!!  That chest of drawers must be getting nervous.  

Hi Tony,

Sorry for the naive question (perhaps), but how are you using the 500's?  Wouldn't 3 be the limit (for DBL's at least).

Needed a second look. Doesn’t look like a fake picture. But that many boxes....!

I think Tony has been perfecting his Photoshop skills. 

I guess size DOES matter.

Now I can't believe anymore that Tony actually has an active dbl system. Not that it matters, since any Vitus / Devialet is a much better idea.

HiFiman posted:

I think there's some photo shop work on Tony's picture. Previous system pics I'm sure there's a door near the DBL

i guess its different strokes for different folks..

while there is no obligation to appreciate someone else's system - there is no point is being critical either.

Indeed! How many folks here wouldn't savor the opportunity to be transported into Tony's room and hear the output?

Yes, and then whilst being in Tony's room, the listener gets instantly transported to the concert when the music starts playing ...

ken c posted:

Hi Gavin -- beautiful  system in a very nice room too -- nice view to the garden while listening :-)

This exposure to quite a few active DBL speakers may prove' a bit dangerous' to me... My SL2s now sound 'broken' just looking at these DBLs!! :-(

… and, why did I sell my CDS555!!!? :-(

enjoy

ken

I told you before Ken, you really need to get a pair of DBLs in your office system. OK, you will no longer be able to get in the door, but us audiophiles sometimes have to make these small sacrifices.

Gavin L posted:

Hi Tony,

Sorry for the naive question (perhaps), but how are you using the 500's?  Wouldn't 3 be the limit (for DBL's at least).

Sorry folks, as most of you spotted it's just a bit of Photoshopping jiggery-pokery. I did the multiple box photo to post on the Naim Owner's Facebook page as a way to make fun of the usual sarky comments made in response to Franz's system photos on there. Surprisingly, despite it being a very quick and dirty effort, many were fooled & It triggered them all off again. Still, it was amusing for a while.

For us who happen to have a goodly collection of the black boxes the stream of mealy-mouthed comments do become rather tedious after a while. Rather discourteous I think.

Yes, the dangers of not reading the whole thread, looking at the pic on a phone and late in the evening.  That is my excuse anyway .

Still, it does give a good before/after view of Tony's setup.  I wonder how many have chosen to site the NAPs over the power supplies (with extended shelves)?

ken c posted:

Alba1320 posted:

ken c posted:

Hi Gavin -- beautiful  system in a very nice room too -- nice view to the garden SNIP

… and, why did I sell my CDS555!!!? :-(

enjoy

ken

Still no joy with the NDS update?

The NDS update is now totally irrelevant to me as I am back and very happy with 4.4.

enjoy

ken

Same here Ken. I wasted 2 months on 4.6 thinking it was me and that I needed to adjust. One track into the reset to 4.4 was all it took to get a smile back on my face. 4.4 definitely sounds rougher and less composed, but it brings back air, tension, goosebumps and musical joy. Kevin

tonym posted:

ken c posted:

Hi Gavin -- beautiful  system in a very nice room too -- nice view to the garden while listening :-)

This exposure to quite a few active DBL speakers may prove' a bit dangerous' to me... My SL2s now sound 'broken' just looking at these DBLs!! :-(

… and, why did I sell my CDS555!!!? :-(

enjoy

ken

I told you before Ken, you really need to get a pair of DBLs in your office system. OK, you will no longer be able to get in the door, but us audiophiles sometimes have to make these small sacrifices.

There’s an easy solution to that - you just use Photoshop to make the room bigger!

kevin J Carden posted:

 

Same here Ken. I wasted 2 months on 4.6 thinking it was me and that I needed to adjust. One track into the reset to 4.4 was all it took to get a smile back on my face. 4.4 definitely sounds rougher and less composed, but it brings back air, tension, goosebumps and musical joy. Kevin

as I reported, I thought I was actually getting somewhere with this 4.6 upgrade after the 3rd attempt to update. I could hear the increased clarity and a more silent background --- but things got completely out of hand whenever I increased volume -- when the whole thing harsh and uncomfortable to listen to and devoid of the emotion I was used to. I also found myself not enjoying the music but instead focussing on elements of it -- be it bass, HF etc

But hey, this is a 'pictures' thread right-- so apologies to all for the digression. I am just too shy to post a picture of my system right now -- will wait till the 500/DBL dust has settled!! :-)

enjoy

ken

Clive B posted:

tonym posted:

ken c posted:

Hi Gavin -- beautiful  system in a very nice room too -- nice view to the garden while listening :-)

This exposure to quite a few active DBL speakers may prove' a bit dangerous' to me... My SL2s now sound 'broken' just looking at these DBLs!! :-(

… and, why did I sell my CDS555!!!? :-(

enjoy

ken

I told you before Ken, you really need to get a pair of DBLs in your office system. OK, you will no longer be able to get in the door, but us audiophiles sometimes have to make these small sacrifices.

There’s an easy solution to that - you just use Photoshop to make the room bigger!

now, now … don't give me ideas Clive!! :-)

enjoy

ken

tonym posted:

ken c posted:

Hi Gavin -- beautiful  system in a very nice room too -- nice view to the garden while listening :-)

This exposure to quite a few active DBL speakers may prove' a bit dangerous' to me... My SL2s now sound 'broken' just looking at these DBLs!! :-(

… and, why did I sell my CDS555!!!? :-(

enjoy

ken

I told you before Ken, you really need to get a pair of DBLs in your office system. OK, you will no longer be able to get in the door, but us audiophiles sometimes have to make these small sacrifices.

Tony -- taking some measurements as we speak!!!

enjoy

ken

Gavin L posted:

Here is my setup - including the new 500.  Sounds amazing compared to running with the 500/300/500.  Better in everyday - but especially timing.

You might notice that I have power lines running along the top of the skirting board - which does a good job of keeping them clear of the speaker cable.  The thicker power lines are also a lot easier to route through the bundies.

I have reposted my cable pic (which actually is of the older setup), which shows I am struggling to keep everything clear.

 

Hi Gavin,

Thank you for sharing some pictures of your marvelous active 500DBL system. A few points come to my mind. I am sure you thought to move the PSUS to the right hand stack and the 500s to the left? But I also see your wall ourtlet is far on the left so it may not be possible due power cable length. As source you have the CD555 and a Nat02? Is there another source as you show three intputs in your pre? What is the smal box on top of the left stack, is this a headphone amp?  You have 6 SL XLRs..WOOOW!  What I probably would try is to free the SNAXO and the Pre on the right stack from the 555 head above, not only because this stack is really really heavy.  Maybe an intermediate fraim might be advantageous to separate the Pre and the Snaxo from the boxes below.  

I am actually surpised to find that displaying 500 active DBL systems creates some "heat" here on the forum , but am quite happy to see more of these fabulous "old school" top naim systems.

Enjoy your system I know how sublime this sounds, also congrats to your third 500!

Cheers, F

tonym posted:

Sorry folks, as most of you spotted it's just a bit of Photoshopping jiggery-pokery. I did the multiple box photo to post on the Naim Owner's Facebook page as a way to make fun of the usual sarky comments made in response to Franz's system photos on there. Surprisingly, despite it being a very quick and dirty effort, many were fooled & It triggered them all off again. Still, it was amusing for a while.

For us who happen to have a goodly collection of the black boxes the stream of mealy-mouthed comments do become rather tedious after a while. Rather discourteous I think.

Tony,

I just love your sense of humor, what a fine tuned response to some of our experts here..!  Enjoy the music, thats what it all should be about, I sure do

Cheers,

F