2 x NAP 90/3 or 1 xx NAP 1??

Posted by: Potiriadis on 14 August 2003

A Quandry has presented itself. After upgrading my NAIT 3r with a Flatcap to the pre-amp stage, I am now wandering if the Bi-Amping route is the next logical step. At the moment I am considering getting hold of a second hand NAP 90/3 sourcing it from the Flatcap and using it to drive the tweeters of me speakers, (assuming that the benefist of isolation and earthing will be heard most through the tweeters, while using the power section of my NAIT 3 to drive my mid/bass cones.

The next stage would be to obtain a sencond NAP 90/3 and do away with the power amp stage of the NAIT, using it as a pure pre-amp.

I reckon that I can get a couple of NAP 90/3's for around £250.00 each, which seems to give me either 4 x 30 w into 4 seperate hi and low channels (A poor mans 4 pack perhaps) or 2 x 60 w into L & R speakers with each amp bridged into Mono (Can a 90/3 be bridged into Mono?).

Anyone mwith an oppinion please respond.

Regards

Potiriadis

PS: The reason I am thinking of using 3 series kit is that it is spouse friendly and unobtrusive. Its hard to enjoy your music when your other half is screaing in outrage at the HiFi taking over the room.

Help Bunnys everywhere!!!!!

Posted on: 14 August 2003 by Frank Abela

Given the number of black boxes that you're suggesting to take over the living room, would it not be wiser to get a better power amp in the first place? £400 would buy you a 140 which is a much better amp in every respect than a 90/3. It's also half the size, so you could squeeze two into a similar space and suffer less screaming. It's a shame you don't find the olive boxes appealing to look at. What does she-who-must-be-obeyed think of the newer components? Most people find them a better aesthetic to the older kit...

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: 14 August 2003 by Potiriadis

I was brought up on Olive fronted NAIM kit and I am not a fan of the new "modern" look. As for the 90/3's the reason I wanted to go for them was that if I buy them one at a time I can over a period of six months I can still use the amp in my NAIT as it is the same as the AMP in the 90/3. Have to admit though the iden of a pair of 140's is intriguing, haven't seen many of non silver ones up for grabs thoug.

Help Bunnys everywhere!!!!!

Posted on: 14 August 2003 by garyi

You would be better off getting one decent power amp, better still a better preamp.

Messing around with the bi-amp route will reep little more than more boxes, which although nice will not give you what you want.

I would suggest you would get much better results with 72/140, and with your proposal of 2 90s and selling the 3 would probably give you the right money.

Posted on: 14 August 2003 by bjorne

Potiriadis. If you need more power you are better off with a bigger NAP. I also have a Nait 3r but with hicap. Before I had a flatcap but the hicap improves on that by quite a margin, well worth the extra cost I believe.

Posted on: 15 August 2003 by Noel

Potiriadis,
Frank and Garyi are right. Move to a 72/140 by selling the Nait3/90 and using the £250 you have for a second Nap 90. Hopefully you would still have the Flatcap. If there's any money later on an upgrade to a Hi-cap would be the next step. This keeps everything olive and half width for domestic reasons. Good luck.
Noel.

Posted on: 15 August 2003 by Potiriadis

I Understand your varying points of view and although a confusion of optios exists I beleive that I have an Idea:

I will keep the NAIT 3r, powered by the Flatcap, but have the power stage removed, having looked inside it, this shouold be a five minute job for a dealer. This will then give me (If I understand thins correctly a NAC92, as the gubbins from the power amp stage will no longer effect the electronics of the per-amp stage.

Secondly I will contact NAIM for a list of all NAP500 sold. I will then cross reference this with whethter the lucky owners have sigle daughters. I will temporarily devorce my amazing wife and work my way into the unsuspecting household. After getting my set of keys I will make off with NAP 500, and possibly the attendant NBL's and do a very heavily laden runner, with the former owner left with a claim on his insurnace for all new kit.

Seriouosly though, I think I am going to try and get hold of either a pair of 140's or a 200/250.
Probably take me a while to save up for though. Till then my trusty Headline will have fulfill high volume duties.

Potiriadis.

Help Bunnys everywhere!!!!!

No Seriously, everywhere!!!!!!!

Posted on: 15 August 2003 by garyi

Seriously, try to get away from the idea of biamping, if you want to save for 2 140s, you would gain a lot more with a single 250.

The only thing would be to mono amp with 135s, but on the end of a 92, totaly pointless.

I stand by my original statement 72/140