Hi,
a strange move this one--but have seen 2x s/h prefix for sale.
Odd to add this tweak to a 72 rather than save for an 82 but there you are--all a cash flow issue and microscopic amounts of patience.#
I have 2 linn arm cables--1 normal length,and 1 40% length.The latter sounds considerably more dynamic,musical and evolving---so must be something in the Prefix philosophy.
Does a prefix with a cheap PSU e.g snaps2(which I have spare) sound worse or better than the standard phono boards of a 72 with a hicap?
-pointless to throw hicap money at this upgrade in view of other upgrade possibilities.
Naim say flatcap(similar to snaps2) is 'suitable' for the prefix on their website.
Anyone have experience it this arse about face combination of upgrades.
(I'm moving more as a upgrade meander than on an upgrade path)
wisdom welcome
Ta
Richard
Posted on: 14 December 2000 by Phil Craddock
Richard
The Prefix is not a tweak. It's far better than that. Look on it as an improvement to your turntable. It really opened up my LP12.
I also use a 72 and the addition of the prefix, whilst improving almost everything about the sound, also confirmed that my system is now limited by the preamp. Even if you save for an 82 or a 52, you still need the prefix. It's an essential part of the turntable.
Hope this helps
Phil Craddock
Posted on: 14 December 2000 by Richard Paget
Phil,
thanks for the very positive report----the prefix seems rarely discussed on the forum--despite many evident vinylophiles.
The secondhand price is pretty reasonable --less than another bit of Mana (maybe its just that I don't have enough layers-- there was an noteable improvement but my gob remains extremely unsmacked since this expensive glass shop display shelving came into my life).
Do you have a hicap powering yours to gain such an improvement??--the edition of one of these even S/H would add an extra 200% to the price.
Regards
Richard
Posted on: 14 December 2000 by Arye_Gur
Richard,
When I bought my 72, Naim dealer suggested me to get a prefix in the future - first to get a Hi cap to replace my flatcap and then get a prefix that will work with my flatcap - which he says is enough for the prefix.
But the point I want to tell you is that the prefix is not very expensive as a new, and the dealer will take back the phono stage of my 72 and that will reduce the price of the prefix to a level that it is realy advised to buy a new one - don't you know a dealer who can do the same for you ?
Arie
Posted on: 14 December 2000 by Bob Edwards
James--
Since a Prefix/Hicap outperforms the phono stage of a 52 (or a 52 powered Prefix) I would be confident that the Prefix/Hicap into a 82/1 Hicap would comfortably outperform the phono section of the 82 with 2 Hicaps. Since I have heard those permu tations I would suggest investing in a Prefix, move 1 Hicap to power it, leave the other on the 82, and enjoy. The only fly in the ointment is if you listen to a great deal of CD, in which case it might not make sense to remove one of the Hicaps from th e 82.
Cheers,
Bob @ Qwest
Posted on: 15 December 2000 by Andrew L. Weekes
quote:
Has anyone Prefixed an Ittok'd LP12?
I'm looking to upgrade to NAC112 in the new year, and will need an external phono stage. The prefix will be easier to accomodate (one less box to worry about) and Naim have confirmed it can be powered from the 112 until funds allow a PSU.
I'm also using an Ittok so I'd be interested in others experiences.
Andy.
Andrew L. Weekes
alweekes@audiophile.com
Posted on: 15 December 2000 by matthewr
>> A Prefix is about a quarter the price of an ARO, but I suspect it will return proportionately more in terms of performance.<<
James,
I'd definitely get an ARO before a Prefix. Not only is it a much bigger upgrade IMHO it also allows you to keep both HiCaps on the 82. In my experience a Prefix is a more refined version of the phono boards but the ARO is radically different kettle of fish to an Ittok.
Also keeping the 2 HiCaps on the preamp means you retain an option to trade them in against a SuperCap for the 82. My experience of 82/SC is that its a very effective upgrade for relatively little money if you've already got 2 HCs to trade. (Although I'd still do the ARO first unless the LP12 splits time with a CDX or better)
Matthew
Posted on: 16 December 2000 by Chris Brandon
Richard,
I aquired a "home-made" prefix,effectivly two phono-boards in an external box,Afer a substantial amout of tidying up,I ran this from a temp R.S. bench power supply(nothing special,nothing fancy),with the arm cable cut as short as possible,it made far more than a subtle improvement. Needless to say,I suspect that your existing Snaps psu would offer far better results with a "Real" Prefix that my Lash-up with the RS Psu. The arm-lead to Prefix needs to be kept as short as possible.
Regards
Chris
