NAIM AV2
Posted by: JohnMak on 04 April 2003
I have just received from a friend abroad, what appears to be a Naim Newsletter called "News Summer 2002" It has some interesting info about the SL2 speakers, 552 preamp and an AV2 Home Theater decoder.
On reading the av2 article, in paragraph 8 it says ".........In fact, because the av2 can work as a conventional , very high quality stereo preamp in its own right - with the digital circuits powered-down when they're not needed - you can really see it as two products in one box"
I intended to buy the CDX2, 202/200 combination. Am I to understand from this article that I could buy the av2 instead of the 202 preamp and be "home theatre-ready" when funds allow for more amps???
I haven't seen this av2 discussed on the forum so it may be too early for anyone to know much about it yet. But if it is a good pre-amp, it would be an excellec option for those of us who do enjoy HT as well as stereo music. What an interesting idea.
Cheers
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by Frank Abela
John,
Yes this is the case. The AV2 is a surround sound processor with the usual sound processing labels you'd expect (Dolby Dig, DTS etc) costing £2.2k. It does not do any video processing, so you'd connect your sources directly to your TV.
The AV2 has a built-in power supply and comes in a 5-series case. In stereo mode, Naim equate it to the 112 preamp. So, you have to make a choice! You could be "AV-ready" for some time with just a 200 power amp. This wouldn't be as good a stereo solution as a 202/200 since the preamp isn't that good.
According to Richard Dane, Naim will be making a higher end AV processor that will have stereo performance between the 202/282. This means you would have more options:
Buy an AV2/200. Add amplifiers/speakers for surround sound later There are two approaches here. Either a NAPV175 3-channel amp, or separate amps including a 145 mono amp for the centre. Then add the higher end processor (AV3?) later to give you improved stereo performance over your original 202/200 idea.
Buy a 202/200 for better stereo. Add a surround processor/speakers later. If surround sound is less important to you, you could simply go for a cheaper Japanese variant that couple to the 202's AV input on unity gain. If it is more important, then you could add AV2, 175 and speakers, or even better amps if you like. Or you could go with the newer processor if it is out by then.
FWIW, the AV2 is the most natural sounding processor I've heard yet. Really quite lovely. The AV2 has been out for some months now so there should be some expertise with the product by now.
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.
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by JohnMak
Hi Frank,
Many thanks for that informative reply and especially the info that Naim will be comming out with a "higher level" AV preamp/processor.
To me, surround sound is important as I have just over 1000 DVD's (one advantage of living in Vietnam .. they cost only a dollar each) and I really do love some of the ones with more the spectaular sound and effects. But, I feel the music only side of it is so boring with my present Sony 9000ES system .... no pace or life.
It's a bummer to have to compromise.
Again, many thanks for your clarification.
Cheers,
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by Mr_Sukebe
Approx 6 months ago I completed a dem of an AV2 used as a stereo pre-amp, comparing it to a Nait 5, and 112. I actually found that it was much closer in quality to the Nait 5 (used as a pre-amp), and thought that the 112 comfortably out-performed both units.
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by Richard Dane
I have been using the AV2 as a pre-amp and AV processor at home in the "family" system for a few months now with a CD5/FC2 and a pair of NAPV175s and it really is a stunning piece of equipment in stereo. The fact that it's equally stunning in multi-channel is just icing on the cake in my opinion.
Frank,
the higher-end pre-amp processor is just an idea at the moment with no definite production plans...
Richard
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by Ancipital
I bought an AV2/175 (front effect channels are done via a NAIT2) earlier this year and don't regret it considering the relative cost to me. I used to use it in Stereo using my DVD player which I thought was extremely good until I bought a CD5 (Source first again).
The CD5 is plugged into my Nait and not the AV2 as the dealer said it would be better this way so I have never tried it myself - Richard, any comments on this?
One niggle though that Naim may be able to help on - I've found that when waking up the AV2 from sleep or changing the sound format (i.e. Cinema to Neo6c), I don't get any sound until I change the volume levels up or down - this is on a 5.1 setup. When the volume is changed there is an click from the speakers as if it's just woken up at that point, any ideas?
One little addition to what I said above - it didn't do this when I bought it, only seems to be in the past 4-6 weeks!
Steve
[This message was edited by Ancipital on FRIDAY 04 April 2003 at 13:55.]
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by Frank Abela
WHOOPS!
Richard, please accept my apologies for misrepresenting you! I could have sworn I read a post of yours saying a higher level processor with external power supplies was 'in the works'. Apparently not.
Sorry about that!
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.
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by Richard Dane
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by JohnMak
Hi Richard Dane,
Many thanks for the benefit of your first-hand experience. Your positive remarks are most interesting.
May I ask what you are using as a DVD player and surround speakers when you use this system for Home Theater?
Regards,
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by Richard Dane
JohnMak,
certainly. The DVD player is a mid-range SONY job. Not brilliant but at least it's black rather than one of what seems to be a limitless range of dubious silver/gold finishes on most everything else and so it matches up with the rest of the kit... sort of. Oh and it also plays back SACD... Only trouble is I prefer the CD layer played back through the CD5 so go figure. Picture-wise I wouldn't want to use it with a big screen or projector but it's OK on a regular TV. It'll suffice until our own DVD players are ready to go.
Speakers? Currently nothing settled but Allae/Intro subject to wife approval...
Richard
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by Richard Dane
quote:
Originally posted by Cliff Patterson:
Richard,
when will the Naim video switch be out?
_Beer, wonderful beer_
Cliff,
R&D are very busy with both the Video switcher/processor and the DVD player so we hope to have something ready to go by the latter half of summer.
Richard
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by Frank Abela
Richard
Yes, that was it. Sorry once again.
Incidentally, will you be going Axent or Axess? The importance of the wife in your last post leads me to think that the Axent is a non-starter.:-)
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.
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by Richard Dane
Frank,
this is a tough one. You're right that the Axent is a non-starter. Much as I would love one, we live in a very old farmhouse and the living room is pretty small with an odd shape to boot. The Axess would be perfect except that with the current set-up I'm unsure where I could put it... (or any regular centre speaker for that matter). Ironically a single floorstanding speaker like the Allae or Intro fits in much better so that's probably how it will end up.
Richard
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by Frank Abela
Wouldn't it make more sense to simply place the Axess on a semi-decent stand? I'm thinking someone like Quadraspire(or your stand manufacturer) could make one with decent sized top- and base-plates so you could take advantage of upward facing spikes onto which to click the Axess. In fact, one could make the stand into a small cabinet which could hold records since the Axess is that deep.
In your line of work, what with you being in the industry, surely you could twist someone's arm to do a custom job for you at a nice price...?!
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.
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by Richard Dane
Frank,
Yes, I wanted to do something similar but unfortunately I can't due to space constraints. It's difficult to explain without showing you the set-up. If I can borrow a digital camera sometime I'll show you what it all looks like...
In the meantime I may be able to think up a cunning alternative plan.
Richard
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by Stuart M
The video switcher is what I am interested in.
Found several products that can switch (with IR remote), SVHS, Composite, RGB etc but no box that will do all. Converters can be bought but why.
The perfect Video switch would allow input in:-
Basic Composite
SVHS
Full on Composite
RGB
PC
And have internal converters to output to:-
Basic Composite
SVHS
Full on Composite
RGB
PC – Standard PC resolutions, Plasma and video projector resolutions.
And sync with the AV2
Have found 4 Boxes to do what I want with my current setup 1remote switcher + 2 converters but a box that did it all………
ANd has anyone seen a prixe for the Axess? A Single SBL/IBL may be better - Anyone want to go half's with me?
To err is human; to really foul it up requires a computer.
Posted on: 07 April 2003 by Richard Dane
quote:
Originally posted by Stuart M:
The video switcher is what I am interested in.
Found several products that can switch (with IR remote), SVHS, Composite, RGB etc but no box that will do all. Converters can be bought but why.
The perfect Video switch would allow input in:-
Basic Composite
SVHS
Full on Composite
RGB
PC
And have internal converters to output to:-
Basic Composite
SVHS
Full on Composite
RGB
PC – Standard PC resolutions, Plasma and video projector resolutions.
And sync with the AV2
Have found 4 Boxes to do what I want with my current setup 1remote switcher + 2 converters but a box that did it all……
....will be the Naim VS1.
Richard
Posted on: 07 April 2003 by Ancipital
Richard
Any thoughts on my queries above?
Steve.
Posted on: 07 April 2003 by Richard Dane
Steve,
on the CD5-Nait 2 or AV2 question, I would stick with the direct connection to the Nait 2 simply because it means you avoid an additional volume control in the signal path.
On your other point, the processor does take a few seconds to "lock-on" to a signal and decide the optimum way to decode it. Having said that, I will pass on your comments to our technicians and see whther they can come up with anything.
Richard
Posted on: 07 April 2003 by Ancipital
Richard
Cheers, on the CD5-Nait2, that's what I thought.
On the AV2, it generally happens whilst changing source or output type (Movie, Stereo etc..), I know that normally it takes a few seconds and the Neo options take a few seconds longer than that but in this case it's been 15-20 seconds before I've changed the volume level to get it to come on immediately - what I'll tonight is just leave it to see how long it takes and post a reply back.
It's still got the original PIC in it btw.
Steve.
Posted on: 07 April 2003 by Richard Dane
Steve,
I've sent you a private post but if you let me know the serial number of the unit by e-mail, I'll check our build records on which software version you have. It may just require an update.
Richard
Posted on: 02 September 2003 by red severn
quote:
Originally posted by JohnMak:
I have just received from a friend abroad, what appears to be a Naim Newsletter called "News Summer 2002" It has some interesting info about the SL2 speakers, 552 preamp and an AV2 Home Theater decoder.
On reading the av2 article, in paragraph 8 it says ".........In fact, because the av2 can work as a conventional , very high quality stereo preamp in its own right - with the digital circuits powered-down when they're not needed - you can really see it as two products in one box"
I intended to buy the CDX2, 202/200 combination. Am I to understand from this article that I could buy the av2 instead of the 202 preamp and be "home theatre-ready" when funds allow for more amps???
I haven't seen this av2 discussed on the forum so it may be too early for anyone to know much about it yet. But if it is a good pre-amp, it would be an excellec option for those of us who do enjoy HT as well as stereo music. What an interesting idea.
hi, i have av2/nap150 as well as nait 3 the improvements worth every penny, but my point is when i auditioned with movies i agree with frank so natural the best ive heard but with music
not quite as good but as my dealer later explained every input needs running in so beware av2 dvd input will probally get more use.i found my av2 took months to get right as i have four inputs used but now sounds fantastic with music (in stereo DIRECT mode) best of all with speed space and dynamics the nait series could only dream off,at over 3k with nap150 its worth every penny
regards red
Cheers
Posted on: 02 September 2003 by Manu
Not yet. But Naim said it will be added (software upgrade) when the video switcher VS1 will be available.
Emmanuel
All opinions are my own, and reflect those of the organisation i work for, even if not stipulated.
