From AIO to Separates

Posted by: bnc1863 on 17 December 2017

Went from All In One (AIO) to separates in slightly over a year. What started out was intended to be a minimal investment for a "better" sound system - Unitilite, NACA5 and a pair of Focal Aria 926. Boy, was I wrong. Within a few months, I was looking at upgrades. Went for Nova audition and while, it was much better than Unitilite, I know that eventually, i will be looking for upgrades again. 

After the Nova auditions and discussions with a few Naim dealers, i concluded that separates was the way to go. Placed an order for the 250DR and 272 without any auditions. i've just received the 250DR and what a big difference it makes even with the Unitilite as frontend. I'm eagerly waiting for the 272 for "blimey" moments 

Need a breather before upgrading the speakers and probably adding the XPS...Speakers first or PSU for a marked sound difference? I'm thinking speakers...

Anyway, just wanted to share my journey. Music is "expensive"...what have i got myself into...hahaha.

Posted on: 17 December 2017 by Innocent Bystander

Of all components, in my experience speakers have the most marked effect on the character of the sound. You could pick a price bracket - even quite an exalted one - and go and listed to a dozen speakers and find a huge range of differences in the sound: you could find you love the sound of some and simply loathe others. (I know, I've done it!) Against that all other equipment differences (at any given price bracket) are very much more subtle.

So, changing the speakers could make a huge difference. But on the other hand, if you really like the sound of the Arias and would want the same overall sound character, then the differences start to get more subtle, depending on which aspects of the sound are of greater significance to you (e.g. any or all of clarity, accuracy, control, tautness, sound balance, bass extension and degree of interaction or otherwise with the room).

As for whether PS or speakers would be the best move for you as the first upgrade, I think you would need to do a comparison: go and audition speakers to find something that improves the sound over your Arias. Then compare 272/250 into the chosen model with272/250/PS into Arias. 

Whilst I know that many on the forum with 272 rave over 555PS with it, I'm not sure how much difference 272 owners feel the XPS makes, and whether it is worth doing as a 'halfway house'. Meanwhile some people may suggest that cables will make more difference than either speakers or PS, but that is something you should audition, certainly before going far anything expensive. As you will note, it is easy to get drawn into ideas for parting with huge sums of money an a never-ending upgrade path, and maybe early on it would be worth assessing what your long term goals might be, and try to avoid being seduced into anything else...

Posted on: 17 December 2017 by bnc1863

@Innocent Bystander Thanks for your valuable inputs which are much appreciated.