Back in January this year, I posted some thoughts under the heading "Care and best use of expensive sound equipment" which convinced me that all Naim (and other) equipment should be left on.
My 'Qute (now sold) had a switch on the back, my new NAC-N 272 has a switch on the back, my new cartridge stage has hidden (or no) switches, the new IsoTek has switches underneath and the Linn Lingo has no switch on the front. Conclusive stuff yes? All to be left on.
I now have a brand new NAP 250 DR. It, er, has a button on the front . . . . .
Here we go again!
Tim
Posted on: 25 June 2016 by Jamesw1
I was literally thinking about this for the first time about three days ago after owning Naim for about a decade.. I went from a 122x/150x/flatcap to a 202/200/Hicap and couldn't understand why the more expensive gear has power buttons on the front and the entry level doesn't, bearing in mind that the ethos is that you don't need a power button because you never turn it off.
Good question.
James
Posted on: 25 June 2016 by feeling_zen
It's just one of those mysteries. They could put the switch wherever the like.
- NAP100 : rear
- NAP155XS: rear
- NAP200: front
- NAP250: front
- NAP300: front
- NAP500: front
On the other hand, the power amps don't take nearly as long to come on-song from power up (hour or two) assuming they have been properly run in already. But it can take a day or more for other components. Don't read too much into it. The older HiCaps and 140 had a power switch that was a dial similar to that used as a volume control. Go figure.
Posted on: 25 June 2016 by CharlieP
OK, the more expensive stuff is more likely to be used in a system with a lot of boxes, where it is more difficult to reach around behind without knocking the ball bearings from under the Fraim glass.
Any takers?
Posted on: 25 June 2016 by hungryhalibut
When Naim started out, many years ago, all the switches were on the front. At the time I got my first system in 1983 there were three power amps (110, 160, 250) and three power supplies (snaps, Hicap, and napsc for the Nat01) and all had switches on the front. So it's the new Johnny come lately new fangled products that have them on the back.
Posted on: 26 June 2016 by joerand
- NAP100 : rear
- NAP155XS: rear
- NAP200: front
- NAP250: front
- NAP300: front
- NAP500: front
Looking at the product page of Naim's current amps I see no power switch on the front of the NAP 500, or 300 (or S1). So the switch placement seems to have no relation to power or cost. The pre's all have the switch on the rear - maybe to help keep the incoming power more isolated from the input circuitry?
Posted on: 26 June 2016 by Richard Dane
Joe, the pre-amps don't have power switches (the switches are on either the attached amp or power supply). Secondly, the NAP500 and NAP300 have their power switches on the front panel of their respective power supplies.
. Difficult for me to imagine a power amp not having its own dedicated power cord.