Wilson Sabrina w/ NAC N-274 & NAP 200DR

Posted by: blownaway on 24 November 2015

I'm in love with the new Wilson Sabrina's add was thinking of matting them with a new Naim system. I've talked to several dealers & have read that the it's a great match up. I heard the Sabrina's on an inexpensive Rega system that sounded excellent! I will not be able to listen to these together before making the purchase (crazy I know). This is from a dealer out of my area who sells both Naim & Wilson...

"Good - SuperUniti ,

Better - NAC-N172XSBT and NAP200DR

Best - NAC-N272 and NAP200DR

I really like the Naim with the Wilson speakers. In my humble opinion, the Naim is more sophisticated compared to the other electronics options you're considering. Naim has more of an intellectual sensibility to its sound - never analytical or boring, quite the opposite. The Naim is detailed with tremendous pace but never over bearing, even at higher volume levels. It isn't easy to possess all of these qualities, it is a tremendous feat on Naim's part. That is what makes Naim so good, so sophisticated. The other brands are good, but not as mature. Naim on Wilson sounds really good because the Wilson allows all the characteristics of the Naim to come out. The result is a really clean, pretty, musical system that is up-tempo without ever being bright or over-bearing. I highly encourage the combination. Wilson has/had Wilson Audio Duette speakers with a Uniti2 in their conference room. The sound from this system left me astonished. We have played our Uniti2 on the Sabrinas. The sound is awesome, but the Sabrinas could use a little more power to grab 'em by the shorthairs."

I know a number of you may not have heard the Sabrina but so far these are my favorite speakers having heard the new.....

B&W 804 d 803d

Focal Sofia 1 & 2

Harbeth HR5Plus

Proac 30 D & 48D's

I know everyone has different ears and preferences and there is not right answer but getting some reassurance from the forum that my 2 box Naim solution would be a real nice system.

thanks

Posted on: 28 November 2015 by Naijeru

Originally Posted by cat345:

Originally Posted by Hungryhalibut:

I still can't get over the idea of using a 200 with a £14,500 speaker. It's not just about power - the 250DR is a damn sight better.

It's all relative and it depends where you live. The Sabrina is $15,000 US. Few years ago I have heard a very convincing demo of the Wilson Sophia connected to a Nait 5i...

I ran my Sophia 3 speakers from a Nait 5i with great results for several years. In fact I was settling in to it being my "final" system until an opportunity to upgrade my amplification provided itself far sooner than I anticipated. I see nothing wrong with "going for the jugular" on high performance speakers and letting the rest of the system grow into their capabilities as long as the electronics can drive them.

Posted on: 28 November 2015 by Clay Bingham

Originally Posted by Naijeru:

Originally Posted by cat345:

Originally Posted by Hungryhalibut:

I still can't get over the idea of using a 200 with a £14,500 speaker. It's not just about power - the 250DR is a damn sight better.

It's all relative and it depends where you live. The Sabrina is $15,000 US. Few years ago I have heard a very convincing demo of the Wilson Sophia connected to a Nait 5i...

Yes indeed, a great combination to shock your audio friends. I've used my 5i with my Sasha 2s on a temporary basis and it left a big grin on my face. Great liitle amp.

Posted on: 28 November 2015 by analogmusic

Dear Catalinmetal

I do enjoy discussing this with you, as you are a very knowledgeable person.

However I have tested quite a few speakers now with Naim equipment, from the lowest cost entry level to the best speakers from Sonus Faber, Ovators, Bowers and Wilkins 800 series. I also heard quite a few of the Wilson speakers.

I think a choice has to be made, depending on what one values musically. I use to have B&W speakers, and although I loved their particular voicing, I let them go, and the musical values of Naim were far more important to me.

It was a much easier decision once I had heard that the musical Naim sound was available from very cheap and basic speakers and what I thought I loved about the B&W was actually the sound of Naim rather than the sound of B&W.

I don't want to keep repeating myself, but it is important to provide both sides of the logic here.

You haven't really risked the "naim sound" at home, as you bought Naim speakers, and hence you are enjoying the Naim sound after all, and this is exactly my own objective, to maximize musicality, speed, power, engagement, dynamic capabilities of the amp.

And you do agree with B&W and Naim are not really bringing out the best in each other, which is what I found, and now am quite happy with Dynaudio and Naim, which are quite compatible with each others musical values of Speed and Dynamics.

Now another member has reported that SN can drive Sabrina to high volumes, but this is not what the Naim musical values are about. It is about a speaker being able to cope with the speed of the amp, and the transients.

I haven't heard the Sabrina, but the cost for me is an issue, and as I said I would rather buy electronics than invest in expensive speakers.

I put my own money where my mouth is and purchased above the entry level Dynaudio excite speakers, my front end is a Hugo and 282/HCDR/200, which cost a lot more than the Dynaudios but these speakers are able to tell me exactly what happens when I run DAC V1 into NAP 200, and then go back to Hugo/282/HCDR (the DAC V1 was much less better than the 282), and the speakers are able to tell me differences in interconnects, they tell me when something is wrong (Din cable loose).

On the other hand when I tried the new 250DR at home, the speakers responded, and sounded like different beasts, my friend also commented, wow, these speakers are really good. I could easily tell the difference between the Nap 200 and Nap 250DR on these speakers, and they provide me huge musical enjoyment.

I also listened to Wilson Duette speakers driven off audio research amps, and it did not sound musical enough to me. So as I said the electronics (Naim) are far more important to me than the speaker.

Anyway it is unto the OP to do whatever he pleases with his money as long as it pleases him

Originally Posted by catalinmetal:

...sorry to say this, but this IS the wrong approach... speakers have by far the most importance in sound... what you say it's like saying that a person's face isn't at all important...

as for the source first phylosophy, nowadays i am pretty sure, by experience, that differences between a good and relatively cheap digital source and a very expensive one, are not radical, and, sometimes, you actually struggle to hear any differences in common setups...

on the other hand, the personality of the speaker contributes the most on the final sound.

no wonder many keep changing Naim gear so often, in search of upgrade (better sound???). by choosing the better speaker actually avoids a lot of unuseful electronics upgrade, that's what i believe...

of course, there are some who make the upgrade just for fun and the sake of changing the gear...

Posted on: 06 December 2015 by blownaway

I've decided to get the NAP 250DR with my Sabrinas. Thanks for everyones input.

Posted on: 07 December 2015 by pt109

Good choice! Enjoy.

Please report back when you have a chance. Sabrina's on my radar as well...

Posted on: 07 December 2015 by Dan43

250DR just arrived, driving Aria 926s but looking at Sopra No1 & No2 next.

Posted on: 07 December 2015 by blownaway

I'm curious how you like the Sopra 1 & 2. I listened to both and enjoyed them but unfortunately not with Naim. I haven't heard the Aria 926 yet.

Posted on: 07 December 2015 by blownaway

pt109 posted:
Good choice! Enjoy.
Please report back when you have a chance. Sabrina's on my radar as well...

Will do, it will be a special day.

Posted on: 07 December 2015 by Foot tapper

Hi Blownaway,

Congratulations on what should prove to be a fabulous, musical system.

The NAP250DR should prove to be an excellent match with the Wilson Sabrinas.

Good choice!

Best regards, FT

Posted on: 07 December 2015 by hungryhalibut

As FT says, good choice. The 250DR is really rather good.

Posted on: 07 December 2015 by hafler3o

@ Richard D. Any chance of the thread title being corrected for ease of search / comprehension in the future?

Posted on: 16 December 2015 by blownaway

Well after what seemed like months, today I finally ordered my new Naim system.

NAC N-272T

NAP 250DR

Super Lumina speaker cable/spade to banana 3M

5 shelf Quadraspire SVT rack Black Bamboo/Matte Silver

Already ordered..

Wilson Sabrina in Galaxy Grey finish Black grills/hardware

I appreciate the help I've received from you. I'll report back how it sounds soon enough.

Posted on: 16 December 2015 by Dan43

Great news, just playing with newly delivered 272/250DR with Aria 926s, love to hear how you find the Super Lumina SC which I want to demo soon.

Posted on: 17 December 2015 by catalinmetal

Dan43, have you had the opportunity to listen to Ovators in this setup you have?i think they are way above the Aria series as SQ.

and while is nice to have a very high performance engine (read electronics), it would be way better if that engine would be used with a comparable quality chassis (read speakers)

just my 2 cents!