It all starts with.....?

Been there with similar system (using active DBLs).

You can set the front channels of the n-Vi to "Large Ext", which passes a full-range signal to the DIN-5 output on the rear of the n-Vi (did someone say Hi-Line?), switching off the L-R amplifier section.

The NAC52 volume knob would need to be set to 11:30 position (roughly unity gain). The newer preamps can be set for unit gain, but would interrupt your olive aesthetic (while you have it).

You can then add a passive center-channel speaker (n-CENT) and / or surrounds (n-SATs) to fill out the rest of the system (all three of these mount on stands or brackets, which would allow you to remove them if you're feeling, err, "purist").

The other advantage of these three loudspeakers is the ability to re-locate the AV system to another room as a 3.0 setup with only one box....

Scirocco,

I believe that you can have your 52 mnodified by Naim so that one of your inputs is set to unity gain. In this situation whenever you wanted to use the n-Vi as source (DVD and/or FM/DAB), you simply need to set the 52 to that input and not worry about volume control.

The Naim centre speakers (n-Cent, Axcess and Axent) are all good matches to your SBLs. At the back, you could either go with n-Sats, as David suggests, which can be wall mounted if you so desire, or you could buy a 2nd hand pair of SBLs for siilar money. If you do ther latter, I'd strongly recommend the Axcess for the centre although I accept that it's a bit of a big speaker...

Many thanks for the response. Would this set-up compromise (much) compared to the normal set-up of using same speakers and amp all round ? thanks.

Naturally the amplifiers in the n-Vi are not in the same league as your active 250s. After all each 250 was 2/3rds the price of a complete n-Vi.

As a surround solution to tag into a high end stereo system, the n-Vi makes a lot of sense. It has the same presentation as the Naim system so it matches very well and achieves this with the minimum footprint (one box). If you wanted to be closer or better, you would have to go down the separate box route. The AV2 processor would make the most sense since its presentation is the Naim presentation, and then you would be talking about a 250 at the back and a NAPV145 or a single NAP135 for the centre. Of course, to match the capability of the n-Vi's DVD player you would need a good high end DVD player such as the Naim DVD5 or Arcam DV139. And if you had the n-Vi with the FM/DAB option, then you'd need another box - a tuner!

Now, some people are prepared to go down this route but many want to simply add a good surround capability, with the stereo system remaining the main focus. In the latter case, the n-Vi is often more than good enough,a nd the way it blends into the main system fits the bill. That said, some people really do want everything and they go down the AV2 route.

As to speakers, the better solution is obviously going to be with 2nd hand SBLs at the back since they are the perfect match to your SBLs. And of course, the best centre you can accommodate (and it needs to be a Naim speaker) is the best solution there. However, I would not try to power an Axent with an n-Vi. I've never tried it, but I would expect to drive an Axent with a more capable amplifier than the n-Vi provides. On the other hand the n-Vi can drive the Axcess and n-Cent fine. The n-Cent is less imposing on the system, but the Axcess is the better match to SBLs, as well as having better resolution and scale.

Hi Scirocco

I have a system not unlike yours (although passive) and decided to get into AV a couple of years ago. I too considered the n-Vi but decided in the end to go for a DVD5 / AV2. I didn't bother with a centre channel and I use Castle sats for the rears, driven by a NAP140, and I use a Castle sub. The reason for going with Castle for the sats/sub was two-fold - cost, the Castles are a fraction of the price of Naim, but primarily I wanted smaller surrounds than n-Sats. This set-up works really well and I personally am not worried about the inevitable quality drop compared to Naim for the surrounds / sub, I think this is far less important with movies than with music. It all depends on how much you want to invest in AV and what your long term plans are for upgrading. I think the DVD5/AV2 route is the more flexible and better long-term investment, albeit significantly more costly than the n-Vi, especially when you take into account the extra amplification required. I don't know what your plans are for a display but I would urge you to go for a projector if at all possible. The experience of watching a movie on a large screen in a darkened room is the only way to reproduce something of the commercial cinema IMO
and no other type of display will come close. Good luck!