Going Active

My first experience of active was with IXO and Credo with a slightly better pre/power combo than you.

On reflection it was a fairly compromised system. I am sure lots of others are about to follow with the same advice that for an active system to really fly you do have to invest in all of the chain, especially upstream with source, pre, crossover and PS for crossover.

I ran my system with 2 x 140 for a while, this was Ok in small room. I suspect 2 x 90 would be OK but a bit marginal. You can have two different amps in an active system with a SNAXO as one does HF vs LF rather than Rt and Left but I'd want to be sure how IXO is connected before planning this route. If you can/must then use the better one on the HF. If you are convinced you want to go active then I'd really try to find a SNAXO and Hicap as a minimum, the IXO is pretty basic.

If I had your system I would not be going active. I'd invest in my pre amp and power supply first, and possibly drive the Credos passively with a 200 or 250. I think this may be at least as good as the active solution you are suggesting-unless you are committed to going that route as the first step on a process that does indeed lead to some very special results, but requires serious investment.

I stayed active, see my profile for info. I'm glad I started off where I did but it will not be a fully satisfying active system with the components you are suggesting unless you develop it.

Bruce

92/IXO/2x90/Credos seems to have been a classic system at the end of the 90s. There was a review of such a system in image hifi (a german magazine) vs. a passive one and they recommended the active version very much. If you understand German, there's an article on the website of the German Naim distributor.

Back in the late '90s there was a review of the small active system in Hifi News.  It was interesting because it started with the basic system of CD player, amp and passive Credos and then went through upgrade stages to the final fully active iso and pair of NAP90s on active Credos.  I know Naim had some flyers done with the review re-printed. Worth a read if you can find it.  

Maybe this was why I started with 2 x 140 and IX0. My dealer then was very keen on this first active step rather than a passive upgrade at the time. I surely enjoyed it for a while but swapping IXO to SNAXO was like somebody switching a light on!

Bruce

jfritzen posted:

92/IXO/2x90/Credos seems to have been a classic system at the end of the 90s. There was a review of such a system in image hifi (a german magazine) vs. a passive one and they recommended the active version very much. If you understand German, there's an article on the website of the German Naim distributor.

In said article on the musicline website the reviewers also state that they often prefer active systems with lesser amps over passive systems with better amp. In this case the active Credos with 2x90 over the passive Credos with Naim mono amps (which must have been 135s?). I find this remarkable.

I'm not surprised.  A NAC92/Flatcap with a pair of NAP135s would probably sound relatively poor against the same pre-amp and active NAP90s.  Way too much amp on the end of such a pre-amp.

Ixo is configured for one amp per channel so you'd need a pair of the same model power amps.

Regards,

Willy.

Thanks guys, just found a copy of HI-FI NEWS from July 98. It has a feature  on going active with Credos. I must have kept it for this very reason. So first step...

Cheers Mike.

Moderated Post: Mike, please be mindful of forum rules...

Hi,

I can't help feeling that you will do better by upgrading the system in passive mode rather than going down your proposed 'active' route. ( I used and lived with such a system for around 12 years)

I've downgraded since but still enjoy every bit as much my newer passive SI components into credos but in a different way.

There are quite a few things here (from my experience and my view) that I think you should consider first to avoid disappointment in the long run if I may.

Firstly, because of the revealing nature with active it will be best (IMO) to send the whole lot off (including IXO, even if just purchased) to Naim for service before doing anything. Then there is the extra NAC A5, the extra shelving, extra mains sockets and the purchase of two special 'Active leads' to go the full hog. 

Very costly when you add it all up because this is what it will take to get it singing or you could just upgrade what you all ready have, I think this will give you a bigger bang for buck without all the extra outlay, boxes and wires.

Steve