System upgrades

Ah the classic Naim upgrade query - everything sounds great, what should I upgrade?

It is room/speaker interaction not just the speaker, you obviously have a sweet spot? Perhaps just be thankful and take a nice holiday?

SJB

Whether you are unfussy, easily pleased, or just lucky, why worry, just be happy. People spend far more then they really should on hifi and still they are not satisfied. It's infinitely better to be in your position. 

I can relate to this thought process.  You've got electronics with a price tag that seems a level up from the attached speakers, and therefore the speakers could a be bottleneck to the performance.  Right?  Could be true too.  

Yes, some products do punch above their weight in terms of price point, in reviews, the majority of opinions etc, the Chord Hugo being a classic example.  However, system synergy is more important than any of that kind of stuff, and, as mentioned above, how the speaker interacts with the room, and even more importantly how the whole thing sits with your own tastes.  

I am quite sure that well chosen, and well matched, components at varying price points, will completely destroy systems costing many times more; I've heard it with my own ears (and tastes obviously) more than a few times.  I also don't agree with the whole flat-earth source first business either.  Taken to the extreme, of course, crap in equals crap out.  That said, a good source and amp, attached to outrageously more expensive and capable speakers by comparison, does not necessarily produce bad results, it can be quite the opposite in my experience.  And neither does the opposite scenario, perhaps nearer to your current situation.  

If you're posting about the situation here though, chances are an upgrade is near inevitable.  You'll be advised to try a huge range of different speakers soon, and I will kick-off that with suggesting Proac D18s, because I own them, and therefore they're the only sensible way to go.....for me.  ;-)

Be happy and enjoy your system. Synergy is more important than ensuring equality on what is spent on each component.

Speakers are such a personal thing, I have heard speakers that people rave about and say to myself, I just don't get it. I must have really cloth ears because these speakers really are not very good.

Then again, speakers that I really think sound incredible, get the same reaction as above from others, so who really knows?

I can tell you that at the Axpona show this year, that Elac speakers (about $500.00 a pair) sounded better than a number of much more expensive speakers at the show, and I am honestly talking speakers that cost ten times what these Elacs cost, they honestly put some very well regarded speakers to shame, and that sentiment was shared by a very large number of show goers.

I can also tell you that the best sound at the show, for me that is, and from a few others in attendance, was from $7000.00 a pair speakers, what some here would regard as fairly cheap speakers.

That really proved to me beyond a doubt that speaker costs are really a very poor indication for sound quality, sometimes!!!!!!

badlands posted:

Elac speakers (about $500.00 a pair) sounded better than a number of much more expensive speakers at the show, and I am honestly talking speakers that cost ten times what these Elacs cost, they honestly put some very well regarded speakers to shame, and that sentiment was shared by a very large number of show goers.

Interesting. A week ago another Naim forum member recommended to me in a PM giving the ELAC Uni-Fi F5 floor standers an audition after he heard them at THE SHOW in Newport Beach. Selling for $500 on Amazon, though currently out of stock. Might be a real VFM sleeper.

Joerand, I was going to put a YouTube video up about the Elac speakers, but it might be against forum rules, but if you go to YouTube and check out the Uni Fi UB5, I think you will be quite impressed.

Thanks guys.  Sometimes a bit of perspective helps of course.  Some of the other upgrades I have planned are trading in the NAP200 for a NAP250DR and replacing my Cambridge 540P phono stage for a Naim Stageline, which I hear is very good.  I'm happy with my turntable, a vintage Thorens TD165.  It was recently refurbished and rewired and now sports a Shure V15 Mk 3 cartridge.  It sounds lovely 

Ursus - don't stress about your Monitors. I use Monitor Audio GX300 with a 'slightly silly' set up as far as price ratios are concerned and love them. (NDS/555PSDR/282/SCDR/250DR)  They simply continue to deliver the goods and I like that Monitor Audio signature sound.

My advice is - if your really feel the upgridiatis creeping in, start thinking about upgrading your source. Perhaps N272?

Hi Adam.  I'm not sure that is the way I really want to go.  The reason I say this is that the Uniti 1, on its own merits, is actually a great source and I like the inclusion of the CD player which plays my CDs really well.  The power amp in the Uniti 1 really wasn't quite what I was hoping for, and the addition of the NAP200 transformed it into a lovely sounding system making it a versatile, yet high quality source component.  It seems that the NAP200 has better control over the speaker cones, giving them a bit more oomph whereas the Uniti 1 power amp seemed a bit anaemic.  That's not to say the sound of the Uniti 1 was poor - quite the opposite in fact.  It just didn't satisfy me enough.  For years I had been searching for an amp with enough of a damping factor and current to really drive my speakers properly and the NAP200 now does that for me.

So I guess I am happy with my system at both ends really and it would appear that I've got those right at last and this leads me to the conclusion that any improvements can follow by beefing up the power amplification and I am beginning to conclude that it will be the NAP250DR will be what will be the final destination for me.  I notice from your post that you have a 250DR: what is your impression of it?

The Monitor Audio Silver RS6 was universally liked by both pros and users alike and I have yet to hear another set of speakers that sound quite like the ones I have.  They just sound so, well, right to my ears and I've not heard another set of speakers that give me the same level of feeling satisfied with the music that I was listening to.  I suppose at the end of the day, that is all that matters.

David

David 

The best way for you is to test a 250 and see if you like what it does. I certainly enjoy mine.

As to speakers - if you like them and they are not broken, just spend the money buying music

After all this is what our hobby is and should be about - the love of music. 

Have a great weekend,

Adam