A funny thing happened on the way to a good pint...a 62/140

Posted by: Dan M on 04 August 2002

Hello,
There happens to be a really good brewpub in Fort Collins - they do the nearest thing to a proper pint this side of the Atlantic. What makes it worth an hours drive is that Fort Collins is also home to my 'local' naim dealer. I hadnt really planned on an upgrade, but ended up picking up a s/h 62/140. As they say, "the differences were not subtle." WHile I have always enjoyed the music from my system in all its incarantions, each change has been a revelation. I think I can live with this combo for quite a while, although I'm already wondering what difference a hi-cap could make...quick stop me before I go for another pint!
-Dan

Posted on: 05 August 2002 by Dan M

Hope it's ok to follow-up ones own post, but I hope someone can clarify some of the ins-and-outs of how my system is connected. Currently there is a plug on the 5 pin connector on my 62 that permits it to get power from the 140. Now, as far as I understand it, new pre-amps are dual-railed - that is they need 2 voltage supply lines. In the 32.5 for example one runs the phono section and the other the rest. So does the 140 supply 2 voltage lines? or just one. Does the plug effectively tie the 2 rails together - i.e. un-point-fiving it? I imagine that the hi-cap supplies 2 lines (is that right), but what about a FC-2. Does it supply 3 or 4 lines, so for example can it supply the 2 lines for the preamp (line and phono stages) and one line for some part of a cd player (say the analog section). Ah-ha, maybe that's why the other plug is 5pin - for the other voltage supply? Thanks in advance for clarification,
cheers,
Dan

Posted on: 05 August 2002 by Martin Payne

quote:
Originally posted by d marsh:
Currently there is a plug on the 5 pin connector on my 62 that permits it to get power from the 140. Now, as far as I understand it, new pre-amps are dual-railed

Yes, everything from 32.5 & 42.5 onwards.

quote:
- that is they need 2 voltage supply lines.

Or one & a bridging plug, as you've got.

quote:
In the 32.5 for example one runs the phono section and the other the rest.

Close enough.

quote:
So does the 140 supply 2 voltage lines? or just one.

Just one.

quote:
Does the plug effectively tie the 2 rails together - i.e. un-point-fiving it?

Yes.

quote:
I imagine that the hi-cap supplies 2 lines (is that right)

Yes.

quote:
but what about a FC-2. Does it supply 3 or 4 lines, so for example can it supply the 2 lines for the preamp (line and phono stages) and one line for some part of a cd player (say the analog section).

Four lines. Two on output A, two on output B. Output B has a lower current capability, and a slightly lower voltage drive.

N.B. FC1 can only power one piece of kit, but has two lines. An un-modified SNAPS has only one line on each of it's output sockets, but can be 'dual-railed' to be the same setup as the FC1. However, I've not compared them sound-wise.

cheers, Martin

Posted on: 05 August 2002 by Dan M

Thanks Martin for clearing things up. I imagine
much of the sonic improvement people observe with an external psu may in fact be that the 2 rails aren't tied together, rather than the amp has to do extra work. Although the latter has some part to play I'm sure.
-Dan