System Pics 2017

Ah!  Forgot you traded the 250 for a 300.  I must have missed the change.

Very tidy.

Nick

tonym posted:

 

DBLs sat on my DIY "Mana"-type platforms. These work remarkably well - the three sets of spikes mean the speakers rock about if you push them, so a bit counter-intuitive. All to do with isolation.

Now that is a real system - magnificent!

tonym posted:

 

DBLs sat on my DIY "Mana"-type platforms. These work remarkably well - the three sets of spikes mean the speakers rock about if you push them, so a bit counter-intuitive. All to do with isolation.

dream system! dream sound! debunks the notion that fewer boxes sound better... 

enjoy

ken

Hello fellow addicts!

Dear me... I just noticed that it took me almost the whole year to finish my 2017 changes! Only yesterday evening I managed to put everything in place (especially that wall-shelf!)

I added new fraim-lite levels and a Vulcan wall shelf. The NAP300 has been DR'd and that pre-loved CDX-2 has found a new home here at my place. Love the sound, especially now that the 300 has run in again! The LP12 was presented with an Ekos SE.

On top:

LP12, still paired to the venerable Adikt

On the left stack: brain

Uphorik

NAC 252

NDS

CDX-2

NAP300

On the right stack: brawn

Lingo3

SC-DR

PS555 (non-DR)

XPS2 (non-DR)

NAP300 PS

All of this feeds a pair of Verity Audio Parsifals, which I learned to love dearly. Still thinking about changing my two runs of NACA5 (each 10m, soldered by Your's truly out of four shorter pieces) to something else. Sound is very nice, but the thought is nagging that I miss something out due to home-made soldering with these long cables.

And... maybe a home-trial of those Harbeth M40.2s? And... I am saving for a nice MC-cartridge to go with the Ekos SE and the Uphorik. Advice is highly appreciated! Should not exceed 1.000 Euros too much, though.

Just listening to "Room 29" by Chilly Gonzales and Jarvis Cocker... great album! Naim rocks! Never fails to make those cold German evenings special, again and again and again!

Stereophonie posted:

Hello fellow addicts!

Dear me... I just noticed that it took me almost the whole year to finish my 2017 changes! Only yesterday evening I managed to put everything in place (especially that wall-shelf!)

I added new fraim-lite levels and a Vulcan wall shelf. The NAP300 has been DR'd and that pre-loved CDX-2 has found a new home here at my place. Love the sound, especially now that the 300 has run in again! The LP12 was presented with an Ekos SE.

 

On top:

LP12, still paired to the venerable Adikt

On the left stack: brain

Uphorik

NAC 252

NDS

CDX-2

NAP300

 

On the right stack: brawn

Lingo3

SC-DR

PS555 (non-DR)

XPS2 (non-DR)

NAP300 PS

All of this feeds a pair of Verity Audio Parsifals, which I learned to love dearly. Still thinking about changing my two runs of NACA5 (each 10m, soldered by Your's truly out of four shorter pieces) to something else. Sound is very nice, but the thought is nagging that I miss something out due to home-made soldering with these long cables.

And... maybe a home-trial of those Harbeth M40.2s? And... I am saving for a nice MC-cartridge to go with the Ekos SE and the Uphorik. Advice is highly appreciated! Should not exceed 1.000 Euros too much, though.

 

Just listening to "Room 29" by Chilly Gonzales and Jarvis Cocker... great album! Naim rocks! Never fails to make those cold German evenings special, again and again and again!

Nice mono photo of the stereo!

My suggestion, FWIW, would be Radikal/Urika and DR the PS555. Then if there's any money left in the pot, I'd say get some clean runs af NACA5.

Stereophonie,

Love the look of the LP12 plinth. Is it Harban’s?

Upgrade the Lingo to Radikal, that will be the best to do from your awesome system. I have done mine a week ago, by Peter. 

Cheers, Nasa

Indeed, that is a great black and white photo. The plinth around the PL12 looks gorgeous.

Just noticed ACHIQUE99 just beat me to it - great minds think alike!

[@mention:1566878603998391] Ok I need to ask, where the hell is the wiring?!

dave-mac posted:

[@mention:1566878603998391] Ok I need to ask, where the hell is the wiring?!

Hi Dave, the NACA5s (six lengths of them) run in a large square conduit set into the floor.

dave-mac posted:

[@mention:1566878603998391] Ok I need to ask, where the hell is the wiring?!

no wiring, it is a set up for a film only......

Thank you all for your very kind comments!

Interesting to see that you recommend Radikal/Urika before a cartridge change... I did not take the plunge for the Radikal so far as I have not yet installed a Keel (it is Kore at the moment). But the advice sounds good to me! Should be possible to get some cash back for the Lingo 3 from my dealer... Will think about that definitely. It turns out that my main source is more and more vinyl and CD instead of streaming. And, I have never heard of somebody not being happy with their Radikal. Have to check the (frightening) Linn price list! And the Naca5... everything gets pricey at 2x10m... 

@ACHIQUE99: Indeed, the plinth was crafted by Chris Harban. It is made from oiled and polished marblewood. It looks stunning in real life and in colour! I have it since three years, and still I am amazed by Chris' work everyday. One of my best purchases made in hifi!

Lovely system.

FWIW I have a Radikal with Kore and Ekos se and I love it. Given that the Ekos originally paired with the standard pressed sub this should not be a surprise. It’s with a Krystal and Linn oak rather than a CH though.

Stu

ken c posted:

tonym posted:

dream system! dream sound! debunks the notion that fewer boxes sound better... 

You very probably being humorous... but I think it’s a fallacy that anyone thinks “fewer boxes sound better”.  What is true is that (for many people) just a few boxes (3 or 4) can give as much pleasure as racks full of boxes.

Thats the beauty of Naim, at whatever level - a single box, 3/4 boxes or 16 boxes - you get pleasure ... just at different levels!

Eloise posted:

ken c posted:

tonym posted:

 

You very probably being humorous... but I think it’s a fallacy that anyone thinks “fewer boxes sound better”.  What is true is that (for many people) just a few boxes (3 or 4) can give as much pleasure as racks full of boxes.

Thats the beauty of Naim, at whatever level - a single box, 3/4 boxes or 16 boxes - you get pleasure ... just at different levels!

Eloise my friend,

What is the difference between 'the beauty of NAIM' and dozens other manufacturers (like YBA, Goldmund, Bryston, Ayre, Vitus-you pick) which also give you multiple choices of their own beauty with integrated amps and separates, including outboard power supplies?

The fallacy I see is in just counting boxes. Wouldn't you prefer a simple two boxes system of SN2-CDX2 over the four boxes of 112-150-CD5XS-Flatcap?

Personally, I find the need for the sound and current to weave their ways through sixteen boxes quite mind boggling.. I hope nothing is lost in the process.

tonym posted:

 

DBLs sat on my DIY "Mana"-type platforms. These work remarkably well - the three sets of spikes mean the speakers rock about if you push them, so a bit counter-intuitive. All to do with isolation.

What did you do to deal with the effects of the low ceiling ? Very nice setup.

Bert Schurink posted:

tonym posted:

 

DBLs sat on my DIY "Mana"-type platforms. These work remarkably well - the three sets of spikes mean the speakers rock about if you push them, so a bit counter-intuitive. All to do with isolation.

What did you do to deal with the effects of the low ceiling ? Very nice setup.

He bought more Fraim stacks when the first one hit the ceiling!

There are rooms that no matter how often I see them I am always able to enjoy seeing them again. Tony's is one of those.

tonym posted:

DBLs sat on my DIY "Mana"-type platforms. These work remarkably well - the three sets of spikes mean the speakers rock about if you push them, so a bit counter-intuitive. All to do with isolation.

A bit like the Townshend (spelling?) seismic sinks of yore? Designed to provide a degree of compliance at very low frequencies?

Nick from Suffolk posted:

tonym posted:

DBLs sat on my DIY "Mana"-type platforms. These work remarkably well - the three sets of spikes mean the speakers rock about if you push them, so a bit counter-intuitive. All to do with isolation.

A bit like the Townshend (spelling?) seismic sinks of yore? Designed to provide a degree of compliance at very low frequencies?

Indeed, very like Townshend platforms Nick. If you Google "Townshend Seismic Isolation", there's a very informative video on the site. OK, they're advertising their product, but I did try their experiment of using a seismometer app. on my iPhone on top of the speaker. Before fitting the platforms, if you stamped on the floor next to the speakers you got a fair amount of deflection (sorry, didn't measure the amount - something I know you'd do!). With platforms in place, repeating the exercise detected practically no movement. 

Bert Schurink posted:

tonym posted:

DBLs sat on my DIY "Mana"-type platforms. These work remarkably well - the three sets of spikes mean the speakers rock about if you push them, so a bit counter-intuitive. All to do with isolation.

What did you do to deal with the effects of the low ceiling ? Very nice setup.

Hi Bert, I wouldn't consider my ceiling particularly low, and certainly not for an old cottage. The room's remarkably benign acoustically - put it down to the mud, dung, straw, and hazel sticks that make up the walls.

tonym posted:

Nick from Suffolk posted:

tonym posted:

DBLs sat on my DIY "Mana"-type platforms. These work remarkably well - the three sets of spikes mean the speakers rock about if you push them, so a bit counter-intuitive. All to do with isolation.

A bit like the Townshend (spelling?) seismic sinks of yore? Designed to provide a degree of compliance at very low frequencies?

Indeed, very like Townshend platforms Nick. If you Google "Townshend Seismic Isolation", there's a very informative video on the site. OK, they're advertising their product, but I did try their experiment of using a seismometer app. on my iPhone on top of the speaker. Before fitting the platforms, if you stamped on the floor next to the speakers you got a fair amount of deflection (sorry, didn't measure the amount - something I know you'd do!). With platforms in place, repeating the exercise detected practically no movement. 

You can get up and dance as much as you want then!

And get a couple of phones set up with seismometers and you might be in with a chance of independently verifying the existence of gravitational waves! You might have to remain very still for that to be effective, though.

Maybe not gravitational wave but you might detect the next North Korean test or the next “big one”.

I’m curious as to whether wattle and daub makes for any damp problems? My 1932 brick and cinderblock did when the damp course failed. I had a fair few albums with mold contamination (those with paper inner sleeves) by the time I worked out what was going on. Replacing the membrane piecemeal did give me the opportunity to move an inconvenient doorway.

Gravitational waves? Yes, loads round here, see 'em most days.

We've had a few damp problems over the years, but not often with the wattle and daub - having no foundations is a bit of an issue, as is water creeping down chimneys. The shelf you see to the left of the right speaker used to contain some of my LPs but, alas, a leak developed in the wall above, water ran off the beam going across, and dripped onto the covers. I sometimes crave a modern bungalow...

ChrisSU posted:

Bert Schurink posted:

What did you do to deal with the effects of the low ceiling ? Very nice setup.

He bought more Fraim stacks when the first one hit the ceiling!

How did you guess?

With the 555 CD player on top, it became inconvenient to load.