If you had my system, how would you spend £2,000?

CD replay is becoming more important to me so I would probably trade in the Ikemi for a CDX2. This would bring about worthwhile improvements in resolution, pace and scale to CD replay.

There should be enough change from that to be able to afford the Dynavector P75 phono stage which is frighteningly good value; this would give LP replay a big enough boost that future upgrades would have to be either the Arkiv or the preamp depending on condition and age of the cartridge.

Come to think of it, the Arkiv is probably quite long in the ol' tooth now unless it's a 'B'. If so, make sure it's in good condition before spending any money because your next cartridge purchase is likely to cost you quite a bit. The Akiva is OK, excellent midrange but a bit one-note in the bass for my taste (heard on an ARO so may be very different on an EKOS). Others to consider would be the Te Kaitora MkII due in a couple of months (the stories are this is going to be a killer cartridge) or the Lyra Helikon SL.

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.

Good replies, all, and ones which go beyond the norm.

Frank, have you any idea how much the Te Kaitora MkII is likely to be (and indeed the Lyra Helikon SL)? I hadn't heard the Akiva in an Aro but in an Ekos, admittedly in an unrepresentative system, it sounded terrific.

Tom Alves is raving on about his P75 but I don't know how it would go in my system. Has anyone tried it with a Linn cartridge?

Mark, I'll certainly have a play around with the crossovers and consider replacing the tweeters. I've also toyed with putting some Mana underneath them.

Nick,I thought you're 135's went months ago?

Dave

What about a The Groove ?

DS

quote:

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Originally posted by Frank Abela:
CD replay is becoming more important to me so I would _probably_ trade in the Ikemi for a CDX2. This would bring about worthwhile improvements in resolution, pace and scale to CD replay.

There should be enough change from that to be able to afford the Dynavector P75 phono stage which is frighteningly good value; this would give LP replay a big enough boost that future upgrades would have to be either the Arkiv or the preamp depending on condition and age of the cartridge.

Come to think of it, the Arkiv is probably quite long in the ol' tooth now unless it's a 'B'. If so, make sure it's in good condition before spending any money because your next cartridge purchase is likely to cost you quite a bit. The Akiva is OK, excellent midrange but a bit one-note in the bass for my taste (heard on an ARO so may be very different on an EKOS). Others to consider would be the Te Kaitora MkII due in a couple of months (the stories are this is going to be a killer cartridge) or the Lyra Helikon SL.

Regards,
Frank.
_All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly._

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Frank

Trade in the Ikemi for a CDX2 . I have dem'ed both players and would say the Ikemi to be the better player.
How about fitting a Chord DAC on the Ikemi.

Colin

quote:

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I have dem'ed both players and would say the Ikemi to be the better player.
How about fitting a Chord DAC on the Ikemi

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Clearly there is still a place for masochism in modern society.

In this instance I'm not sure if this is a question of Colin deriving pleasure from his own pain or humiliation or if he actually enjoys what seems to others to be painful and tiresome?

Chris

quote:

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Originally posted by Colin Ackerman:
Trade in the Ikemi for a CDX2 . I have dem'ed both players and would say the Ikemi to be the better player.
How about fitting a Chord DAC on the Ikemi.

---

Chord DAC?? You might gain resolution, but it would be a step backward in pace'n'bass department. ( I have tried DAC64 with Ikemi transport ) Also, it exasperated synthetic trebles ( which gave false sense of timing )

quote:

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Originally posted by Dave J:
Tom Alves is raving on about his P75 but I don't know how it would go in my system. Has anyone tried it with a Linn cartridge? Dave

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Dave,
I use the P-75 with a DV cartridge but have used it in a LP12/Aro/ArkivB 32.5/hi/250/SBL. We found it to cream the MC boards in the 32.5. My P-75 replaced a Linn Linto, we also tried the Linto in the above system the P-75 won. Music from the P-75 is just better than any phono stage I have used to date. Great Value.

My system LP12/cirkus/paintless RB-300/DV17/P-75/wakonda/lk140/Kan's

(I should also comment that I run my P-75 from a Rechargeable lead acid battery 12v 2ah. So I don't have to have the wall wort run while the system is on.)
Alan

I'm sorry, but the IKemi got wasted by a mere CD3.5 three years ago. The Ikemi has a lovely incisive and tuneful sound that makes the feet tap.

And a woolly bass playing from an entirely different scoresheet, imho.



Regards,

Steve.

quote:

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Originally posted by Steven Toy:
I'm sorry, but the IKemi got wasted by a mere CD3.5 three years ago. The Ikemi has a lovely incisive and tuneful sound that makes the feet tap.

And a woolly bass playing from an entirely different scoresheet, imho.

---

Ikemi had wooly bass in Naim system?
Interesting.
I've tried Ikemi in number of systems but never had a *wooly* bass altho, it gets influenced by what Ikemi was driving the rest.

btw, CDX2 also is sensitive to what's driving apparently, and can expose all of its weakensses out in open with wrong companies.

[This message was edited by kuma on FRIDAY 07 November 2003 at 06:35.]

I would definately try the Akiva (with trade in for your Arkiv it will cost about £1,200) - you will be impressed!.

Then get a Prefix but you will need a HiCap unless the 82 can power it?

Richard

Colin, the Ikemi and the DAC64 don't get on. The DAC64 is fairly fickle regarding transports. It works well with a Genki, Arcam DVD player and TAG DVD transport but it absolutely sucks with an ikemi. Funny isn't it? The Ikemi's got a much better transport than the Genki.

The CDX2 is way way better than an Ikemi. I wouldn't say the Ikemi has woolly bass, but I don't find it particularly engaging.

Chris, the DAC64 is stunning in the right combination. The TAG mcLaren DVD transport into the DAC64 is a strong competitor to the CDS3. There are downsides to the DAC64. It reverses phase, so you have to swap over the connections on the speakers when you want to hear it properly. This is a real pain and one reason why I haven't bought one. It also has a Switched Mode Power Supply so you need to fit it with a Chord Clearway for it not to completely stuff the sound of a Naim amp.

kuma, the CDX2 works very nicely into an 82! (Better than an Ikemi IMO)

Dave J, the te kaitora II is likely to be same ballpark as the original so look at something like £1700. I'm not sure how much the Helikon SL is but I know it's in the mid-teens again so I was bearing in mind your criteria.

We have tried the P75 with the Akiva and it worked well. One benefit of the P75 is that you can adjust it for different cartridges so at least you always know you've got the loading right. After that it's just a question of synergy - but this P75 is really good so far.

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.

Hi Dave J

I have recently replaced my Arkiv with an Akiva - STUNNING. I heard the Akiva on my Aro and it was good, on an Ekos, well all I can say is that I changed the Aro for a new Ekos and bought the Akiva. If I recall, Jonathan Carr suggests that the Akiva was designed and built around the Ekos and would give the best results in that arm. I would not change your Ikemi for a CDX2 as I personally feel that the Ikemi is superior based on my listening to both of them and purchasing an Ikemi. For £2000 my choice would be Akiva and a Linto.

Cheers

Spike

I'm with Alan on this one - Mana under speakers works wonders, and isn't too dear. Wouldn't stick it under my current electronics personally, but I have had it work wonders under Neats in the past (though I had to sell it when I replaced the Neats as the custom stands didn't fit the new speakers)

John

TC '..'
"Sun went down in honey. Moon came up in wine. Stars were spinnin' dizzy, Lord, the band kept us so busy we forgot about the time."

Thanks for all your replies so far. Just to summarise:

I bought the Ikemi in preference to an old model CDX and although, on balance, I probably prefer the CDX2, I'm not sure I'd feel I was getting best bang for bucks if I went that route. In reality, and like everyone else, I harbour a desire for a CDS3, however distant that might be, and I'll chase that as a separate fantasy goal. But, in the spirit of gaining the maximum possible pleasure from the whole purchasing experience, I will dem my Ikemi against a CDX2 to see where we stand today.

The brik suggestions are all sound. Mark's recommendations are easy and cheap and even dozy's Mana recommendations aren't too expensive (£600-700-ish?). I might try them as 'sneaky" purchases later on. I'd like to use the £2000 (or whatever the traded-in amount becomes) to it's maximum potential not just in terms of outright sonic improvement but also in recognition of the fact that I won't necessarily have another £2,000 lump sum to play with for a while. A few hundred here and there is potentially OK but a couple of thousand depends upon all sorts of things.

The amp thing was simply an irrational response to the failure to do Rammstein justice at ear-haemorrhaging volume and Nick's once-available 135's. But he's right, there's plenty left in the old chrome bumper 250, which I have to say I prefer to the olive version I borrowed for a couple of months.

Effort needs to go on the pre-amp/power supply and, at the very least I'd want to skip a second Hicap and go to a Supercap and I would happily curtail my preamp ambitions at a 52/Supercap (probably). But this all depends upon availability.

However, the Arkiv is getting old in the tooth and will need replacing in the none too distant future and the trade in against an Akiva is tempting. What's certain about it is that it's vastly superior to my current Arkiv and, having heard it, albeit briefly, it impressed me enormously.

The Groove versus Linto versus P75. That's got to be the subject of a few dems. I'd be pretty sure that The Groove kills the others but by how much and in any case, is it within my budget? The Linto vs P75 does make sense but I would like to hear them against an 'ultimate reference point'. If, however, I went for a 52, I could look at a Prefix. Hmmmm.

Clearly the only real solution is to double the budget to £4,000 but in the absence of that there's some listening to do.

Thanks again, guys.

Dave

quote:

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And a woolly bass playing from an entirely different scoresheet, imho.

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Steven,

When used in a Naim system, you need to earth the Ikemi case to the Naim pre-amp and this eradicates the wooly bass you describe. Also, despite Linn having no real interest in equipment supports, I've discovered that it works very nicely on Fraim which tends to enhance the information but presents it in a less 'strident' fashion.

I accept that the Ikemi was then and is now a compromise. I always vastly preferred LP to CD but simply needed to be able to play CD's and probably play CD's a lot more than LP's now.

Dave

I'd buy a s/h 52 and put the Briks on Mana.

quote:

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Originally posted by Frank Abela:
kuma, the CDX2 works very nicely into an 82! (Better than an Ikemi IMO)

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Frank,

I don't doubt it. CDX2 is at home with Naim pre/power amps.

Wether Ikemi or CDX2, they are clearly voiced with their own stuff so when you put 'em in with strangers ( other makes ) the results are very hard to predict is my experience.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dave J:
Thanks for all your replies so far. Just to summarise:

I bought the Ikemi in preference to an old model CDX and although, on balance, I probably prefer the CDX2, I'm not sure I'd feel I was getting best bang for bucks if I went that route. In reality, and like everyone else, I harbour a desire for a CDS3, however distant that might be, and I'll chase that as a separate fantasy goal. But, in the spirit of gaining the maximum possible pleasure from the whole purchasing experience, I will dem my Ikemi against a CDX2 to see where we stand today.

Hi

The Ikemi and CDX2 are good players and do different things in different setups. I had the CDX2 on home dem for some days (secondhand and run in) but could not gel with it. This was a shame as I really wanted it to work and it was a good price. I returned to the dealers and he recommended the Ikemi as a alternative.
As soon as I put the first CD in I was hooked.
My system has Ruark speakers which give great vocals and was even better with the Ikemi.IMO

Colin

For clarification I heard the Ikemi through Densen amps not Naim ones.

The Densen amps like Naim at source, so it would seem.



Regards,

Steve.

The Densen amps like Densen at source.

I think I am beginning to hear the phrase "Single Brand Synergy"..........

Whilst there is undoubtedly a single brand synergy, sometimes some of the magic is in the blend. By not initally even considering the P75 as an alternative to a Linto, I'd ignored this.

Dave

Dave,

I had a Linto with LP12/Lingo/Troika and/or DV XX2 and changed to a DV P100 which I prefer. By all accounts the P75 is better than the P100 and its also about 300 quid cheaper than a Linto.

Alex

Hi Dave

I might have missed someone else saying it; but if not; ditch the ghastly Lingo for an Armageddon.

The Lingo injects crap into the mains and screws up everything else.

Just try unplugging it from the mains and see/hear what happens.

quote:

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By all accounts the P75 is better than the P100 and its also about 300 quid cheaper than a Linto.

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Thanks for the advice, Alex. It would certainly be a bonus if a P75, assuming it is better, is also £300 cheaper.

quote:

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I might have missed someone else saying it; but if not; ditch the ghastly Lingo for an Armageddon.

The Lingo injects crap into the mains and screws up everything else.

Just try unplugging it from the mains and see/hear what happens.

---

I upgraded from a Lingo 1 to a Lingo 2 last year and it was a substantial improvement. It is, in any case, not plugged into either of the dedicated spurs and doesn't have any detrimental impact. It stays.

Dave