Help! Setup advise needed!

• Proximity - Make sure the CD player is at least one foot (30cm) from anything with a big transformer (like your Nait3).
  
• Power - Install a dedicated power circuit with large-gauge wire and hospital grade outlets. This can be done for a small fraction of the cost of your CD2. If possible, plug the CD2 directly into the wall. If this can't be done, use a "good" power bar, not one of those cheap hardware store models.
  
• Support - An Ikea table is not the best support for your CD player. If you really want to keep the table, get something like a Mana Sound Frame to go between the table and the CD2. If you can live without the Ikea table, get yourself a Reference Table (Sound Table plus Mini Table or Sound Frame). You could start with the Sound Frame or Mini Table on your Ikea table, and add the Sound Table later to turn it into a "Reference Table". If you can't afford the Mana, then get a piece of half-inch MDF cut to the size of your CD2. Support the MDF with ballbearings sitting in small hex nuts (3 or 4 sets).
  

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

in order to nail down the source of under-performance, it would be useful for you to provide further information:

(a) this is a really noddy, so apologies in davance, but worth checking---was the cd2 delivered with the transit bolts in place? if so, i assume you have removed them, and you have turned the cd2 upside down while doing so. if not, hmmmmmm....
(b) how old is the cd2? when was it last serviced?
(c) what other sources are connected to your nait3, and how do these sound? compared to your cd2? i.e do you only notice the harshness with the cd2??
(d) is the cd2 absolutely level on the ikea stand? also as dev b advises, give the unit plenty of time to warm up, say a few days, or less since its second hand.

otherwise, enjoy

ken

I have a CDI myself, and it took a couple of weeks (!) before the highs were tamed. Just warming up I guess. I have ordered a SolidSteel rack yesterday, as I know this player (and yours too) really needs a good support!

Good luck!

The CD2 is at least 50 cm from the nait 3.

I'm afraid I can't do anything about the power right now, but both the CD2 and nait 3 is plugged directly in the wall.

I will have a look at dedicated support.

Dev,

I'll check the puck. I've heard that you should clean it by using blue-tack.

Ken,

(a) There was no owners manual enclosed, so I could have missed something in the process. I did remove the transit bolts though, but I did it without turning the player upside down. Is this a problem?

(b) 1997. Serial number 135xxx. Service: Don't know.

(c) No other sources connected right now. I'll try the LP12 (havn't used it much since I changed my cartridge to a K9).

(d) I'll start checking out dedicated supports.

Bas,

Yesterday, when the player had been on for 24 hours the sound was much better. I'll leave it on and I'm looking forward to hearing further improvements.

Rgds,

Lars

It Kan be done!

reason i asked the question is to see if the harshness can be localised to the cd2. if you hear the harshness with other sources, then this may suggest a problem elsewhere.

however, if your lp12 isnt up to it, this may not prove anything, unless it is thoroughky serviced first. prior to cd2, had you not played anything on your system at all?? if so, how did this sound??

sounds like you did the right thing with transit bolts. so no problem here.

enjoy

ken

I just bought the s/h nait 3 as well. I had not used it until I got the CD2.

Do you think that there could be a warm up issue with the nait 3 as well?

By the way, what do think about this dedicated support?

/Lars

It Kan be done!

since this is the first time you are playing all this equipment as a system, give it a few more days to settle down. but do check that your Kans are absolutely rigidly installed on their stands, (assume kan II stands).

enjoy

ken

quote:

---

I just bought the s/h nait 3 as well. I had not used it until I got the CD2.

Do you think that there could be a warm up issue with the nait 3 as well?

---

In my experience, I've found that power-amps warm-up and settle fastest (often within a few minutes or hours), CD players next (as much as a day or two) followed by pre-amps (which can take several days). That's not to say they can't sound very good within a few minutes of power-up (assuming they're not new). However, for them to really sing their song, it takes longer.

Since the Nait3 has both a pre and power-amp, expect it to take a few days to fully warm-up. Also, if the components had not been running for several months, then a small break-in period is also required. This might take a week or so.

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

The rack is designed by a naim/linn dealer in Sweden, and is said to work very well with naim equipment. I havn't demoed it myself, but if it sounds good I think I will go for it. I like the looks of it.

The uprights are made of solid aluminium and the shelves are made of solid wood.

The reason why I havn't bought it yet is that I spent my cash on the CD2 (app. 740 GBP) and the nait 3 + 2 x 5 m A5 (400 GBP). I think the price of a rack with 4 shelves is appr 400 GBP.

Maybe I can afford it next month!

/Lars

It Kan be done!

sounds like Quadraspire Ref territory. you might like to compare if possible.

enjoy

ken

As a matter of fact the guy who sells these racks also sells Quadraspire, so it will actually be possible to compare :-)

The downside of it is that it's 300 km from Malmö to Gothenburg (there arn't that many naim dealers in Sweden) :0(

The dealer told me that he find the Quadraspire a bit more on the analytical side, compared to his rack, but that the difference wasn't that big. It seems to be the same kind of construction. However I'm not sure if it was exactly the same model as you are refering to. It could have been the Q4C, which I guess is cheaper model.

/Lars

It Kan be done!

apperently the Q4 Ref is rather special, according to my dealer. i will give it a listen one of these days. would urge you to if you can.

enjoy

ken