Source First but Oh those 135's!
Posted by: Markus on 30 August 2003
Driven by the recent death of my Dynaco st-70 tube unit and a reluctance to continue to rescusitate it through the application of more money, I set out to find an olive 250. System is LP12/3.5/72/hicap/apogee centaurus minors. I've had a 250 before and knew I liked what it did to the system. Since the amp was effectively dead, concentrating on source first was not the option I wanted to pursue. I figured an olive 250 would be good enough for a few years until the 3.5 and 72 can be replaced by cdx/82.
Time passed and all the great deals on 250's I'd seen earlier in the year were long gone. The only 250's I saw in August were in the UK and given the cost ($250) to convert them to 110, I decided to "add" that figure to my estimated budget in the $1500 plus or minus 100 range that I'd calculated I'd have to spend to find a 250. OK, so I'm mentally getting close to $1700 plus international shipping I figured it would cost to purchase a 250 from the UK, ship it and get it serviced to US spec.
Lo and behold, here comes a pair of 135's at much less than $2500. A brief consultation with the wife resulted in her admonition to "get one you're going to be satisfied with for a long time 'cause it's going to be the last one you buy..." and sincere support to do whatever I had to do. I bought the 135's.
What the ??? This system is sounding awesome! Geez, these things are amazing! At LAST I can turn the system up as LOUD AS I WANT WITH NO STRAIN that last part is a bigger deal than I thought it would be. I had no idea that up 'til now my amps have been strangling my music. F..k!! At LAST I can hear what is really going on, bass lines don't have that subtle choke off but instead electric basses sound like real electric basses, percussion kicks, slams, jumps and rocks. Funk, blues, hip-hop, electronica, all of it now has a definiteness of pitch that I previously did not know was missing. Spatial cues and subtle artistic nuance sound *just right*. That old cliche "I'm hearing things I didn't know were on the record/cd" is relevant. And all this through a system that is clearly a mullet! Who cares! I've got a big fat dumb grin on my face, my kids are rocking the house in my absence and my system just, well, it just sounds F..king amazing... Let me repeat myself, for those of you out there who secretly long to *turn it up!!!*, 135's are the bargain seekers way to go. You can turn it up as LOUD AS YOU WANT WITH NO SIGN OF STRAIN. Did I say it is effortless? Funky? Did I comment on the emotional/mental shift that occurs when the system can go as loud as you want and still sound breathtakingly beautiful? Any kind of music, it's all TOO GOOD.
Geez, I'm rambling on and on. But right now after my experience I'm inclined to declare the Naim 135's the most top-secret, under-appreciated, musical bargain of this first decade of the new century.
Oh, and one more thing. I gotta give mad props to the gentleman of gentlemen, Gene Rubin, from whom I bought my 72, many years ago. When I initially hooked up the system I was dumbfounded--no sound! All connections appear to be correct, but no sound. Since the local dealer was closed for the day (panic!) I called Gene and explained the problem to him. He walked me through a couple of trouble shooting options and we hung up. Two minutes later my phone rings and it's Gene. He explains, "I don't know why I didn't think of this when we were talking but..." and then he goes on to explain how on later vintage 135's you've got to get the interconnects connected "just so" or you'll get no sound. 30 seconds later after his crystal clear explanation of what to do, I had sound. I mention this because this is clearly a case of absolutely amazing customer service. Gene had nothing whatsoever to gain through his thoughtful counsel, save my gratitude. He deserves every bit of success that comes his way. He has EARNED it. Naim, give that dealer a big fat customer service gold star award!!
Ok, signing off now to go blast more tunes for about the umpteenth time today in this house.
Enthusiastically, yet somehow humbly yours truly,
Markus
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[This message was edited by Markus on SUNDAY 31 August 2003 at 03:38.]
[This message was edited by Markus on SUNDAY 31 August 2003 at 03:40.]
[This message was edited by Markus on SUNDAY 31 August 2003 at 03:44.]
Time passed and all the great deals on 250's I'd seen earlier in the year were long gone. The only 250's I saw in August were in the UK and given the cost ($250) to convert them to 110, I decided to "add" that figure to my estimated budget in the $1500 plus or minus 100 range that I'd calculated I'd have to spend to find a 250. OK, so I'm mentally getting close to $1700 plus international shipping I figured it would cost to purchase a 250 from the UK, ship it and get it serviced to US spec.
Lo and behold, here comes a pair of 135's at much less than $2500. A brief consultation with the wife resulted in her admonition to "get one you're going to be satisfied with for a long time 'cause it's going to be the last one you buy..." and sincere support to do whatever I had to do. I bought the 135's.
What the ??? This system is sounding awesome! Geez, these things are amazing! At LAST I can turn the system up as LOUD AS I WANT WITH NO STRAIN that last part is a bigger deal than I thought it would be. I had no idea that up 'til now my amps have been strangling my music. F..k!! At LAST I can hear what is really going on, bass lines don't have that subtle choke off but instead electric basses sound like real electric basses, percussion kicks, slams, jumps and rocks. Funk, blues, hip-hop, electronica, all of it now has a definiteness of pitch that I previously did not know was missing. Spatial cues and subtle artistic nuance sound *just right*. That old cliche "I'm hearing things I didn't know were on the record/cd" is relevant. And all this through a system that is clearly a mullet! Who cares! I've got a big fat dumb grin on my face, my kids are rocking the house in my absence and my system just, well, it just sounds F..king amazing... Let me repeat myself, for those of you out there who secretly long to *turn it up!!!*, 135's are the bargain seekers way to go. You can turn it up as LOUD AS YOU WANT WITH NO SIGN OF STRAIN. Did I say it is effortless? Funky? Did I comment on the emotional/mental shift that occurs when the system can go as loud as you want and still sound breathtakingly beautiful? Any kind of music, it's all TOO GOOD.
Geez, I'm rambling on and on. But right now after my experience I'm inclined to declare the Naim 135's the most top-secret, under-appreciated, musical bargain of this first decade of the new century.
Oh, and one more thing. I gotta give mad props to the gentleman of gentlemen, Gene Rubin, from whom I bought my 72, many years ago. When I initially hooked up the system I was dumbfounded--no sound! All connections appear to be correct, but no sound. Since the local dealer was closed for the day (panic!) I called Gene and explained the problem to him. He walked me through a couple of trouble shooting options and we hung up. Two minutes later my phone rings and it's Gene. He explains, "I don't know why I didn't think of this when we were talking but..." and then he goes on to explain how on later vintage 135's you've got to get the interconnects connected "just so" or you'll get no sound. 30 seconds later after his crystal clear explanation of what to do, I had sound. I mention this because this is clearly a case of absolutely amazing customer service. Gene had nothing whatsoever to gain through his thoughtful counsel, save my gratitude. He deserves every bit of success that comes his way. He has EARNED it. Naim, give that dealer a big fat customer service gold star award!!
Ok, signing off now to go blast more tunes for about the umpteenth time today in this house.
Enthusiastically, yet somehow humbly yours truly,
Markus
----------
[This message was edited by Markus on SUNDAY 31 August 2003 at 03:38.]
[This message was edited by Markus on SUNDAY 31 August 2003 at 03:40.]
[This message was edited by Markus on SUNDAY 31 August 2003 at 03:44.]
Markus,
I was running with my brother today and he mentioned your post and we agreed how great it was to see someone enjoying an upgrade as much as you clearly are. I said that it was a shame that although a lot have people have read and also enjoyed your post there has been so little feedback, so here is some feedback.
Firstly don't go beating yourself up about having a "mullet". A few years ago the top of the line passive Naim system was 72/Hicap/135s. Sure a 52 will improve things but these babies are made for each other.
Secondly, another secret about the 135's is that their greatness is no secret. Just don't tell anyone
I was running with my brother today and he mentioned your post and we agreed how great it was to see someone enjoying an upgrade as much as you clearly are. I said that it was a shame that although a lot have people have read and also enjoyed your post there has been so little feedback, so here is some feedback.
Firstly don't go beating yourself up about having a "mullet". A few years ago the top of the line passive Naim system was 72/Hicap/135s. Sure a 52 will improve things but these babies are made for each other.
Secondly, another secret about the 135's is that their greatness is no secret. Just don't tell anyone