System Pics 2016

DrMark posted:

Novichok-1977 posted:

I hope Naim fraim comes later 

Novichok, what speakers are you running? If you said already I missed it, and your system is not in your profile.

I remember many pleasant hours listening to a 102/180 combo when I worked at a Naim dealer.

I have Linn kan mk1 with Linn Stands Mk2

my System is 

102/Hicap/Napsc/180/cd3.5/FC/mac mini with Audirvana and Audioengine D1 DAC. 

Novichok-1977 posted:

NAP 140 were sold. NAP 180 is here. 102/180 has more Dynamic as 72/140 ;-)

Can you rearrange things so that the 102 and CD3 are not on top of amplifiers and power supplies? Setting it up like you have makes a terrible impact on the sound. 

After suffering from serious sideboard envy looking at Lewis's earlier pics, the Muso now has a new home on a Habitat Max Oak sideboard.  Still sounding great but looking even better (Tidal also seems be behaving now with the latest firmware).

Only problem is we ended up buying several other matching items - thanks Lewis !

Hungryhalibut posted:

Novichok-1977 posted:

NAP 140 were sold. NAP 180 is here. 102/180 has more Dynamic as 72/140 ;-)

Can you rearrange things so that the 102 and CD3 are not on top of amplifiers and power supplies? Setting it up like you have makes a terrible impact on the sound. 

I have not more Place for all gears. I think hi-fi rack would be better

I think what Nigel means (and correct if I am wrong) is stack the CD on top of the 102 and the FC on top of the 180...at least it puts the power supplies to the side (even if they are still close) instead of immediately underneath those 2 components.

And if doing so, it's probably worth making sure the CD and pre are to the left of the FC and amp. The transformers in the latter are on the right hand side as you look from the front.

Do you think so?

CD3.5-->FC

NAC102-->NAP180-->Hicap-->NAPSC

Novichok-1977 posted:

Do you think so?

CD3.5-->FC

NAC102-->NAP180-->Hicap-->NAPSC

If you put the little NAPSC ontop of the Hicap you have some room for a vintage LP12.  Though I think it looked better how you originally had it set up.

Yes, LP12 or Streamer (Nd5Xs) or NDAC would be comes. Maybe next Year 

Here's my current setup.  N272/XPS-DR/200-DR/Kudos Super 10's, a couple of Powerlines and BIS Audio Vivat speaker cable. No immediate plans to upgrade....unless a NAP-300 comes calling!

TOBYJUG posted:

Novichok-1977 posted:

Do you think so?

CD3.5-->FC

NAC102-->NAP180-->Hicap-->NAPSC

If you put the little NAPSC ontop of the Hicap you have some room for a vintage LP12.  Though I think it looked better how you originally had it set up.

But I think sonically this (the new way) is the better setup - get those toroidal transformers and their big magnets as far from the music sourcing components as possible.

And as Novichok himself has stated, getting them in a rack is really the best and proper solution.

Sweet sound from my current little system:

NAC12 > Snaps > NAP 110 into serviced Videoton Minimax II.

rightcoastants posted:

Here's my current setup.  N272/XPS-DR/200-DR/Kudos Super 10's, a couple of Powerlines and BIS Audio Vivat speaker cable. No immediate plans to upgrade....unless a NAP-300 comes calling!

Very nice. Considering upgrading my Uniti2 to a 272/200 combo. 

Thelonious posted:

Sweet sound from my current little system:

NAC12 > Snaps > NAP 110 into serviced Videoton Minimax II.

I bet that's a cracker. Very, very old school with the Minimax's 

Same from the last year.

Except for the cartridge.

Nice shot KUMA, it portrays your Linn roots very well.

Thank you Klyde.

It has been the most musical and coherent *mongrel* system I have lived with.
It is not a cutting edge system of today, but the the Naim amps make those vintage Linn sound so much better than they have any right to!

Special request to Gary 'Nait Defender' Yeowell. Man, you got to get yourself a great example of the original Nait! I got these five Naits and the original one is the magic one. This is coming from someone who has run Klimax LP12 with Nac 52 + Nap 110 and Linn Kan mk1 or IBL for years. That earlier Naits is better than the later ones seems to have some truth in it but I think it's only the very latest nait 1 that actually sounds different. These naits will have a different value power supply cap, same as in nait 2. At least that is what I have seen and heard. The best Nait of the lot was a green led original Nait, magic is the right word and it's pure as a pearl, but wicked!

Mr Roots, true story. 30 years ago i ran an LP12/Ittok/K9 into Nait 1, and Kan mk1. Absolutely loved that system, and it was in a great room too. Then a good friend asked if i wanted to baby sit his 32/Snaps/250 for a few months whilst he was having some work done on his house. Of course i obliged and went excitedly home to plug it all in. After a week of wondering where all the magic had gone from my music, i couldn't wait to put the Nait back in my system. The pre/power rig sat unused for the 3 months and the Nait stayed in its rightful place.

Hungryhalibut posted:

Here is my beloved Qb in its new home. To celebrate, I've treated it to an AudioQuest Forest Ethernet cable, to go with its AudioQuest mains lead. It seems very happy, next to its friends, the tomatoes. They are locally grown and organic. Lovely. 

Liking that HH! 

HiFiman posted:

Update to my system since last system pic, added NAP100 to UQ

For some reason the speakers look like they are pointing outwards but they are toed in slightly, strange

And this too Hifiman! Very, very 

rackkit posted:

Hungryhalibut posted:

Here is my beloved Qb in its new home. To celebrate, I've treated it to an AudioQuest Forest Ethernet cable, to go with its AudioQuest mains lead. It seems very happy, next to its friends, the tomatoes. They are locally grown and organic. Lovely. 

Liking that HH! 

Me too. Very appetizing photo! Miss those veggie tiles from the old kitchen though.

gary yeowell posted:

Mr Roots, true story. 30 years ago i ran an LP12/Ittok/K9 into Nait 1, and Kan mk1. Absolutely loved that system, and it was in a great room too. Then a good friend asked if i wanted to baby sit his 32/Snaps/250 for a few months whilst he was having some work done on his house. Of course i obliged and went excitedly home to plug it all in. After a week of wondering where all the magic had gone from my music, i couldn't wait to put the Nait back in my system. The pre/power rig sat unused for the 3 months and the Nait stayed in its rightful place.

I understand and empathise. I have recently had my amps serviced and, whilst they were away, I installed my Naim Nait 1 between the NDS, NAT01 and NBLs. Sadly, I wasn't able to plug the LP12 in owing to it now having a Urika phono stage.

Although the speakers weren't driven hard or loud, the overall sound was surprisingly natural and musical. It must have something to do with the simplicity of the design of the original Nait. 

Alba1320 posted:

gary yeowell posted:

Mr Roots, true story. 30 years ago i ran an LP12/Ittok/K9 into Nait 1, and Kan mk1. Absolutely loved that system, and it was in a great room too. Then a good friend asked if i wanted to baby sit his 32/Snaps/250 for a few months whilst he was having some work done on his house. Of course i obliged and went excitedly home to plug it all in. After a week of wondering where all the magic had gone from my music, i couldn't wait to put the Nait back in my system. The pre/power rig sat unused for the 3 months and the Nait stayed in its rightful place.

Nait better than 32/Snaps/250, or the latter too revealing for the source?

Could be a bit of both. There is something that the integrated did that was so compelling. Of course, the 32/250 is more capable, and i had more success with a top flight LP12 of the time with my own 32/250 at a later date, however it was different. For sure it was no more enjoyable in reality than the Nait, and maybe less so. Where the bigger rig makes sense is when difficult speakers are introduced, and in my case back then was when i went to Saras.