Drunken decisions......

Posted by: Jellyheadjeff on 22 September 2001

Having remained content with my system for the best part of the last decade I recently took the plunge & purchased a bare CDX which I'm delighted with.

The trouble is this sparked an interest in keeping an eye out for a s/h pre-amp - I assumed an 82 would be a large upgrade from my 62.

Whilst having a grape juice too many last night I jokely said to my lovely wife that there was for sale locally an even better one - a 52.

***Top Tip guys - ask permission when your better half has also had a grape juice too many*****

The result is that less than 24 hours later I'm the proud owner of a 1 year old 52.

I accept I've broken all of the source first rules but I'm not a great one for scouring the country for s/h bargains - it has to be local otherwise I'd buy new. I'm taking a long term view on this purchase (ie I feel an XPS coming on)I've only just plugged it in so I'll feedback my views on what could be considered by many to be a pretty unbalanced system later.

My immediate question is that the fine chap I purchased it from has no vinyl front end so he says that he has never had the NA523s phono boards installed (I have them boxed - two of them).

Are these user installable (I feel a bit guilty to go back to my dealer having bought both CDX & 52 s/h)? If so how? Are these definately MM magnet boards as he says or MC?

I'd appreciate any help

Jeff

Posted on: 22 September 2001 by Phil Barry

The boards are installable only by non-mullets. I could trade you my 82, with boards already installed, for your 52, though....I'll even pay shipping and include a couple of hicaps.

On the 82, the boards fit more or less in the rear left of center (viewed from the front) of the mother board. You should find 4 (3?) pillars which mate with the female posts of the phono boards. If I remember right, there are some plastic posts that help get the boards into the right location.

The boards are mirror-imaged, as are the pillar locations.

The trick is that the boards can appear to be installed correctly even though one or two of the post/pillar pairs are not aligned. Just give a visual check to ensure that all the fittings are correct (i.e. pillar inside the post).

Only try to install the boards yourself if you think you're not a mullet, though....

Enjoy your 52.

Phil

BTW, I was initially scared away from Naim stuff because it was supposedly so critical of the sources. I was then offerred a 62/140 with biwired runs of NACA4 AND NACA5 at a great price, so I took the plunge - my sources sounded way better through the Naim stuff than through my MF A1, which I had hitherto loved. I suspect the CDX will sound better, too.

Posted on: 23 September 2001 by Alex S.

Jhj,

I know this is not Loot but I'm still waiting to hear if someone really wants my 522 boards. Let me know if you're interested and I'll e-mail you if they don't.

Anyway, congratulations on the 52. I think you have made a wise long term move by skipping the 82.

Alex

Posted on: 23 September 2001 by Jellyheadjeff

Pity about the phono situation. I do have an LP12 but sadly these days I hardly ever listen to vinyl so I'm not sure I want to spend as much as a Prefix.
Can some-one confirm that I understand my choices correctly?

1. Buy some 522 boards (circa £80?)
2. Change my cartridge for a MC one to work with my 532S (I've no idea what they cost anymore - are there any cheap ones that are recommended (I have currently an LP12/Ittok/K9)?
3. Buy a stageline & power it with my currently surplus Hi-CAP (£175?)
4. Buy a Prefix & power from the 52 (£400+?).

On a happier note having spent many hours last night listening to the 52 don't let anyone convince you that a bare CDX through a 52 sounds unpleasant. I fully accept a better front end through a lesser pre is the logical approach but even so I think it sounds bloody marvelous. The 52 sounds so natural & unforced to my ears.

My wallet is telling me I should stop looking at this forum - I originally started here to get an idea of re-capping costs. A couple of months later I've ended up with a CDX/52......

Jeff

Posted on: 23 September 2001 by garyi

Certainly 1 anyhow as you will then have both sets of boards should you feel inclined in the future to get back into TTs again.

As a conversational point I got a moving coil for my Rega Planer! And it sounds a whole lot better, but this is only a mild comparison because its a good cart and the MM one I had wasn't. anyhoo.

Posted on: 23 September 2001 by Rico

Yeo JHJ!

Congrats on the 52 - I'm sure you'll find it most enjoyable with a CDX fronting.

Re your choices, I'd recommend getting an MC for the Linn in order to take advantage of the boards you have, rather than retaining that K9 (Rico is well-known K9-hater).

Rico - SM/Mullet Audio

Posted on: 24 September 2001 by Timbo

quote:
Whilst having a grape juice too many last night I jokely said to my lovely wife that there was for sale locally an even better one - a 52.
***Top Tip guys - ask permission when your better half has also had a grape juice too many*****

Better still send your wife round to me, I'll supply her with all the fine wine she requires if she'll give me permission to buy my next upgrade.

Tim