amp-upgrade: need advice

Posted by: jpk73 on 12 September 2001

Hi!

Today I compared my SBL with active IXO/2*90 and with 2*135 passive... I don't know what was "better", but I know I would stay active, maybe with 4*135 or 2*250...?

Next week I will listen to a friends DBL and demo 6*135 against 3*250!

I want soon upgrade my 92/IXO/90; is 82/Hi/Snaxo/2*250 "enough" for SBL or is 52/Snaxo/4*135 again a really huge improvement over 82/Hi/Snaxo/2*250?

BTW: what are the differences between oldstyle-135s and new-design-135?

Thanks in advance for your advice!
Jun

Posted on: 12 September 2001 by Phil Barry
No question in my mind - I'd listen to an 82/supercap and 1 X 250 before spending the cash on an 82/hi/active.

I can just barely imagine that some one in a million might prefer the 82/hi/active system to an 82/supercap/250.

But I don't care how attached to an active system you are - you owe it to yourself to listen to a source first system.

Your ears, your money, and every system has outliers.

Phil

Posted on: 13 September 2001 by Bruce Woodhouse
I fairly recently demoed active/passive SBL in a variety of combinations-these were my findings. Source always CDX/XPS and just a 102 preamp.

IXO 2x140

Thick, muddy, slow. None of the attributes that make SBL's really special-the space and lightfooted timing etc.

SNAXO/HiCap 2x140

Far more alive, light and shade with a suprising degree of bass extension, more importantly bass character and detail.

SNAXO/HiCap 2x 250
Clearly an improvement on the above, more weight and a very unforced natural sound but still lively and detailed.

Passive 250
Perhaps weightier than above but maybe slightly slower, not as delicate treble and voices. Seemed as much a difference of character than better/worse.


I happen to like the more detailed and precise active sound but current finances and already owning 2x140 kept me at that level. I guess I would say this may be the minimum level to really get the SBL singing and that 2x250 is very adequate indeed.

I know this is not entirely parallel to your situation but hope it helps. I know the 82 is said to be more lively than the 102 and this may be a bit more ruthless.

Bruce

Posted on: 14 September 2001 by Phil Barry
David,

Yes, that's what I meant. If Jun prefers biamping with an 82/hi to mono-amping with an 82/super, I expect he's in a small minority of Naim users. I, of course, will be outraged! ;-)

BTW, with a 250, the preamp will need a hicap. Doesn't the SNAXO also need a PSU? Does that mean the system described will be very clean but will not play very loud?

Maybe Jun can be choosing between 52/s'cap/250 and 82/hi/SNAXO/hi/250/250.

Phil