Nap140 sounded harsh

Posted by: man on 16 February 2001

Hello there.
I am new in this forum. But I been reading this forum quite a long time.

Currently I staying in UK due to my work. My hifi system started with all Arcam until early last year when my friend ask me to buy 42/110 for him at dealer near my house. I have a chance to use this amps for about 3 months before he came and collect the amp. Since there I discover how good the naim systems are and I end up buying 72/140.
The problem is my 140 sounded harsh and after about 30 minutes of listening it make me tired.My 140 is about 10 years old and 42/110 that i used before just been serviced by naim before I purchase them. After that I bought cd3 to replace my Arcam 8SE. But the harsh still there despite a lot of improvement compared to Arcam. I decided to by Hicap. The music is improved but the harsh still there. I have a chance to see inside the 110 and 140. The output transistor in 110 is branded as naim but in my 140 is Sanken 2SC 2922. I read the forum yesterday and somebody said that 140 output transistor is branded as naim. Is there any different to my 140 or previous owner already modified this amp. Or is it need to be serviced. I know I using my own speaker, but 42/110 don't have trouble with it and I love the sound very much with 110 before. Any comment?
Thanks. Sorry for poor english.

Posted on: 16 February 2001 by Arye_Gur
All I can tell you is that I have a flat/72/140 and the sound is great.

Arie

Posted on: 16 February 2001 by NigelP
Man,

You are obviously keen on the Naim sound. My advice is to get yourself to a Naim dealer and ask him to take a look.

Nigel

Posted on: 16 February 2001 by Andrew Randle
Man,

Your English is very good and can be understood in detail.

You are likely to have one of the very first 140s, because Naim changed the output transistors from Sanken to Naim transistors soon after releasing the 140 to the market.

I guess you have checked (by swapping pre and power amps) and found that the harshness is from the 140 and not the 72.

Therefore get yourself to your nearest dealer tomorrow and ask them to service the amplifier (telling them your problem). They will probably send the 140 to Naim and it will be repaired quickly. If your dealer is particularly nice, they may loan you an amplifier while your 140 is being repaired. Also, for a modest price, you can have Naim's own output transistor's installed (guess about £150).

Andrew

Andrew Randle
2B || !2B;
4 ^ = ?;

Posted on: 16 February 2001 by Phil Barry
I found the 72/140 harsh, too, but it was cured in my case by a Hicap. (But there's no way of knowing if the word 'harsh' has the same meaning for you and me.)

There used to be dealer in KL.

Regards.

Phil

Posted on: 16 February 2001 by Eric Barry
The original 140s had the Sankens, as does the 150, I understand. The 110/160 had NA 002, while the 180 and later 140s had NA 001, just like 250s and 135s. I'm not sure what the official view on the Sankens vs the NA 002s is, but since they have gone back with the 150, it can't be that bad. Calling Mr. Stephenson: how do the Sanken's compare with NA 002s and OO1s?

--Eric

Posted on: 16 February 2001 by Andrew Randle
Maybe Graham, but I'm concerned why the NAP 110 sounded a lot better than the NAP 140 under the same circumstances. Get the 140 looked at.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
2B || !2B;
4 ^ = ?;

Posted on: 19 February 2001 by man
Thanks for all replies.

man.