The 2 Naim sounds: Young & Mature. Best setup for youth Naim sound?

Interesting observations. I think there is some correlation between the level of Naim system and age of the listener. There is also the effect of "time expanding" as you move up the preamp range (and add the SL cables...), which will be heard as a "slower" presentation to some.

When we're younger, we're more physical and react to music in an external, physical way. Older, we listen more "internally". I may be 60, but I can still dance... in my head.

As to your question, the 272-250 duo definitely appealed to my 29-year old son and his friends, as does the mu-so.

Perhaps you"re too young to appreciate the NDS 

Disposable, how much of the perceived difference is due to the speakers?  Neat Motive 2's are a far cry from Ovator 800s.  A Nait 5i or XS-2 will desperately struggle to drive Ovator 800s, so you would need to use the Neats for both systems to get a valid comparison.

As for  music sounding better using a portable device's internal DAC and a 3.5mm jack to DIN cable vs, a CD player or better DAC, I couldn't disagree more strongly.  I use a laptop with a cheap USB->S/Pdif converter into a ND5 XS to drive a Nait XS-2, and the result is way better than any of the portable devices or laptops I've used via the 3.5mm jack connection from their headphone output.  This is so both with and without RFI protection on the analogue cable.

My experience with Cyrus CD & amps is that, in comparison to the Naim kit, the sound was somehow slightly disjointed or less coherent.  Not bad, just a little less convincing, however in comparison to the 5 series components, there was sometimes a little more detail.  After a direct comparison, I'd still take the 5 series components every time (and we did!).

Disposable, as Jan-Erik noted, have a read for the "expanding time" thread. I too experienced this recently when I got to 552/500 amps. I play bass so I am used to keeping time. Music did indeed sound slow but counting 1-e-&-a, everything was on time. I even got my metronome out at one point. Perhaps you didn't have time to get used to the 500 presentation and how different it sounds.

MP3 system, well either you're deaf (joke) or it's April 1st already. Even my layabout teenage son won't "do" MP3.

Dave

Jan-Erik Nordoen posted:

Interesting observations. I think there is some correlation between the level of Naim system and age of the listener. There is also the effect of "time expanding" as you move up the preamp range (and add the SL cables...), which will be heard as a "slower" presentation to some.

When we're younger, we're more physical and react to music in an external, physical way. Older, we listen more "internally". I may be 60, but I can still dance... in my head.

As to your question, the 272-250 duo definitely appealed to my 29-year old son and his friends, as does the mu-so.

Perhaps you"re too young to appreciate the NDS 

 

 

I always thought the age aspect was more to do with cost, whether to do with disposable income (families grown up etc) or because the higher echelons of Naim gear tends to be the pinnacle of many people's HiFi journeys, taking years of upgrading investment to get there.

Relevant in the OP description might be that many people on this forum seem to be predisposed towards jazz, second maybe classical. Personally whilst I love classical, I (don't hit me for saying it!) can't stand jazz, instead mainly into heavy & prog Rock, and tragic opera, so maybe that's why I'm less taken by the focus on PRaT and far more on the realism of the sound, which benefits from accuracy...

As for the original question, given the apparent preference for MP3, I wonder how much it may be a matter of conditioning:  To some listeners, possibly a preponderance of younger people primarily into modern street/pop music, and possibly not being familiar with live music (discounting sampling DJs from the definition of live music), the sound of MP3 they have grown up with may simply be what sounds right through familiarity, and opening up the sound makes it sound wrong...  

Young" listeners may be less inclined to aspire to the higher ranges because of the notoriety of needing to have to fiddle around with breaking down , tightening, dressing and shaking that has to be done every 2 months or so to get every thing sounding as it should, the lower gear is more forgiving to play as is just plonked.

I think that as we get older (more mature if you prefer) our tolerance for twitchy, snappy, zingy or PRaTty diminishes in favor of more a natural relaxed presentation.

Same goes for music. I don't listen to the Pogues or free jazz much anymore - they tend to get on my nerves really fast.

I now prefer a mix of well recorded electronica, good pop/rock/alternative/indie, opera, classical as well as smoother (NOT smooth) jazz and blues. No Kenny G. please and I still find a lot of those linear ECM and audiophile recordings rather depressing.

Result: the Nait 5i was traded in for an XS 2.  While at times I do miss the little bugger's spirited character I doubt I'd be able to live with it long term again.

In other words I'm not ready for the Shady Acres retirement home but instead of flying down a bumpy trail on a mountain bike I now prefer a good cardio ride on a paved bicycle path by the river.

That doesn't apply to us all - other than the discovery of tragic opera my taste in music hasn't changed for over 40 years, and I have always sought accuracy/realism out of music systems, and have never understood PRaT (maybe something to do with not liking jazz and never having been into dancing in any way...).

But then I still like to play my music at realistic levels, ride my bike as fast as my not so young legs will let me (which isn't as fast as it once was, and I've never been in the slightest bit athletic), and ski, climb etc, meanwhile hating the fact that stamina isn't what it once was, and having to accept the wisdom of taking  those blood pressure pills and having to use a magnifying glass or reading glasses to see fine detail...

INNOCENT BYSTANDER

From what I have read recently and from advice ,I would recommend giving up taking pills for blood pressure, especially statins of any sort... Do nothing other than fund these big multi nationals telling us what we should give our money to.  Better eating sardines, butter, beans and greens.

cheers.

Butter? Give up statins? With respect, let"s leave the medical advice to the specialists.

TOBYJUG posted:

INNOCENT BYSTANDER

From what I have read recently and from advice ,I would recommend giving up taking pills for blood pressure, especially statins of any sort... Do nothing other than fund these big multi nationals telling us what we should give our money to.  Better eating sardines, butter, beans and greens.

cheers.

Thanks for the advice. Just threw my blood pressure pills out the window.

PS - How many buttered beans do you recommend per day?

A few years ago there was the wonderful news promulgated by medics (that well-known body of tea-totallers...) to the effect that a glass of wine a day was good for you, and I'm sure others, like me, took that up with glee, freed from any guilt ...while glasses ever increased in size.

now there's spoilsport guidance from UK health saying we should limit to 2 smallish glasses a day, and miss out 2 days a week. If I follow their advice yet suffer a heart attack I'll know who to blame!

seriously though, it all depends on what might be causing something like high blood pressure, and trying to find an appropriate way to keep it down. For me it's only marginal, and I have scope to try various diet or lifestyle options to see if I can negate the need for medicinal intervention. But increasing butter intake isn't one I'd thought of! - might make the blood slip round corners easier, so reducing the force needed, and thus lower blood pressure.......

Sorry, a bit off topic, if irresistible.

Well yes, eggs were once the root of all cholesterol evils, now they are said to reduce it. Butter is all natural , whereas margarine with or without cholesterol reducing additives can cause cancer it has been said. 

Im looking forward to when I can enjoy downloaded nutritional web biscuits with gravy.

It all gives the niggling feeling that whatever we do we'll end up dying... Better enjoy the music while we can!

Innocent Bystander posted:

"... I wonder how much it may be a matter of conditioning: To some listeners, possibly a preponderance of younger people primarily into modern street/pop music, and possibly not being familiar with live music (discounting sampling DJs from the definition of live music), the sound of MP3 they have grown up with may simply be what sounds right through familiarity, and opening up the sound makes it sound wrong...  "

I agree that we form opinions about how certain recordings "should" sound.  

Many think there is no bass if the "Loudness" button is not on.  I have a friend who always turns the volume up too high (the distortion drives me nuts!) - I have concluded that it is the distortion that defines "loud" for him and he perceives it as more exciting.  Distortion is in fact an almost defining feature of some genre's of music.  While distortion is inherent in some recordings, some is introduced by the replay chain.  If one is "familiar" with a certain recording with a level of replay distortion, then one hears the replay with the added distortion missing - one can feel it sounds too "polite."

Disposable Hero,

Give a few examples of the music tracks which sound "better" as "young Naim."

Charlie