135's high on fun factor

NAP 135's are horrible, horrible amps. I will do you a service and take them off your hands.

Absolutely - truly horrid, useless in fact - I will give you £10 for each of them......  

These disingenuous comments about your lovely 135s are in poor taste, they are just jealous. Far better to keep them and flog me that 500 for a tenner.

My 135s have been away getting serviced by Chris West of AV Options. Being difficult with no hifi for past 3 weeks.
Cant wait until they are returned -  can you hear me Chris???  I NEED them soon !

Great amps, david

i have run 4xNAP135s active in a previous setup and they were fantastic -- full of grip and power! i stull have one pair now driving Kan1 and they seem to get n fine. The Kans really wake up when driven by 135s.

enjoy...

ken

I have a 6pack of 135s. They dance.

I love my 135's - one of the best vfm investments (bought 2 years ago) I've ever made, along with the 52 I picked up 5 or 6 years back.  I'm sure your 500 will be "on song" when you get it back, but it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on how the fun factors compare.  I keep meaning to try to demo the 552/300 set up to make my own comparison.

bluedog posted:

I love my 135's - one of the best vfm investments (bought 2 years ago) I've ever made, along with the 52 I picked up 5 or 6 years back.  I'm sure your 500 will be "on song" when you get it back, but it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on how the fun factors compare.  I keep meaning to try to demo the 552/300 set up to make my own comparison.

bluedog, you should definitely do this demo if you get a chance. the outcome may surprise you...

enjoy

ken

I'm not sure I dare risk it Ken

bluedog posted:

I'm not sure I dare risk it Ken

a home dem will definitely be worth it, bluedog...  

enjoy...

ken

135's were made when music had swing and they certainly swing.

Stuff right now, is tuned in today's rubbish music, more Adele. Frankly it's Olive all the way. Although the 272 in 555DR is very Olive in my book.

bluedog posted:

I love my 135's - one of the best vfm investments (bought 2 years ago) I've ever made, along with the 52 I picked up 5 or 6 years back.  I'm sure your 500 will be "on song" when you get it back, but it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on how the fun factors compare.  I keep meaning to try to demo the 552/300 set up to make my own comparison.

Or...You can run your 52 with a 300DR.  I am loving this combination, best sound I've known.  Still breaking in too.

jon honeyball posted:

I have a 6pack of 135s. They dance.

They'd sound even better if you kept them still and stacked 'em on a rack

ken c posted:

i have run 4xNAP135s active in a previous setup and they were fantastic -- full of grip and power! i stull have one pair now driving Kan1 and they seem to get n fine. The Kans really wake up when driven by 135s.

enjoy...

ken

Ah memories. Used to love playing something like Radio Gaga to impress visitors when I had some Kan 1s bolted to the 135s. In fact bugger the visitors used to impress myself.

steve95775 posted:

ken c posted:

i have run 4xNAP135s active in a previous setup and they were fantastic -- full of grip and power! i stull have one pair now driving Kan1 and they seem to get n fine. The Kans really wake up when driven by 135s.

enjoy...

ken

Ah memories. Used to love playing something like Radio Gaga to impress visitors when I had some Kan 1s bolted to the 135s. In fact bugger the visitors used to impress myself.

almost as if they were made for each other, right? i owned IBLs once but driven by 250 olive. i wonder what they are like with 135s...

enjoy

ken

I still use 135s, now driving B&W 804s, but for years I had Micromega Trio and TMS/Artemiz/Shiraz/Artaxerxes into 82/HICAP/235s driving Epos ES14s. I lost an ES14 to a lightning strike while away, I still miss the drive they had on the end of the 135s, I listened to many potential speaker upgrades when I had them, but despite all of the improvements in bass depth, soundstage, high end control, none made the music more fun than them, and the 135s do the same for me, I enjoy music with them. 

Epos ES14 !! Those were the good old days, eh?

enjoy

ken

ken c posted:

Epos ES14 !! Those were the good old days, eh?

enjoy

ken

Had a pair for years on the end of a 82,Supercap and 250 cracking pair of speakers 

I run Royd Doublet's on my Olive 82/HC/250. Very like Kans, but a bit more refined....?  (I had Kans before the Doublets.)

Epos ES14's I do remember those too....

ES14s were Kans with more bass! Had them both and still have them running in my lesser systems. The ES14s were designed with a 250 and resulted in a minimal crossover which is why they are so good with Naim amps. 

I ran a pair of serviced 135s for a while and they were brilliant (coming from an olive 250). Temptation led me to switch to a 500 (actually is was auctioned at 5k so no brainer) which I have to say is a different beast. When I sent the 500 back to the mothership, I was lent (thank you Grahams Hifi) a non-DR300 to fill the gap. I would still say in my personal view the 135s were far better than 300 (can't vouch for 300DR) in all areas and just was so enjoyable. Now, my 500DR is 6m post DR and has really opened up (again in the last 2wks). 500DR and me will not part, well, ok, unless I make a Statement!

ayisgroovy posted:

ES14s were Kans with more bass! Had them both and still have them running in my lesser systems. The ES14s were designed with a 250 and resulted in a minimal crossover which is why they are so good with Naim amps. 

I ran a pair of serviced 135s for a while and they were brilliant (coming from an olive 250). Temptation led me to switch to a 500 (actually is was auctioned at 5k so no brainer) which I have to say is a different beast. When I sent the 500 back to the mothership, I was lent (thank you Grahams Hifi) a non-DR300 to fill the gap. I would still say in my personal view the 135s were far better than 300 (can't vouch for 300DR) in all areas and just was so enjoyable. Now, my 500DR is 6m post DR and has really opened up (again in the last 2wks). 500DR and me will not part, well, ok, unless I make a Statement!

i have been through 250CB passive to 2x250 Olive active into SBLs -- then to 1xNP300 into SL2s -- eventually onto 552, NAP300 passive into SL2s. The change from 250 to 300 was very significant, especially in musical subtlety. The upgrade to 2x300 passive was a natural next step -- and this was thoroughly enjoyable.

Long story - circumstances forced to change my system quite a bit and i ended up with 552/2x135s and then 552/4x135s into SL2s.

what was clear was how different the 135s were to the 300s before then. 135s were into fun, drive, balls.. etc  -- whereas the 300 emphasized finesse and subtlety -- at least that's how my daughter described it.

I agree with you completely on the NAP500DR. It makes any comparisons with the 135s or 300s totally and utterly pointless. but of course, i havent heard the 300DR ...

enjoy

ken

ken c posted:

Epos ES14 !! Those were the good old days, eh?

enjoy

ken

I've had two pairs of these over the years. The Chesham built single wire, concave dustcap and chipboard edges showing on the back are the ones to have. Just brilliant with a 250 & astonishing with 135's ime.

G

Ken and Ayis groovy : can you please be explicit

Does 500 DR have the fun, balls and drive of the 135 ?

I assume the answer is "yes and much more" but still would like a confirmation.

I've only really heard the classic Black series Naim, so these comparisons are interesting and a little worrying, I mean is the 135 the ultimate expressing of the Naim boogie factor, or is a current 500 DR  that ultimate expression.

 Or maybe it doesn't matter as much as choice of source. interconnect, speaker cables?

analogmusic posted:

Ken and Ayis groovy : can you please be explicit

Does 500 DR have the fun, balls and drive of the 135 ?

I assume the answer is "yes and much more" but still would like a confirmation.

I've only really heard the classic Black series Naim, so these comparisons are interesting and a little worrying, I mean is the 135 the ultimate expressing of the Naim boogie factor, or does a current 500 DR is that ultimate expression.

 

your assumption is correct. though its actually "much, much, more, and then some..."

now the boring bit: it goes without saying that this is in the context of my ears, my system, my preferences blah blah blah...  etc etc etc...

enjoy

ken

Ditto Ken C's response. It is a completely different beast to the upside. Saying that, the boogie/£ ratio renders the 135s in second place easily and by far! A word of caution on the newly DR upgrade of 500 - out of the box will put a big smile on your face but there will be an initial 3-4m period of on/off days before the 500DR burns in and settles. Then it will surprise you again (more smiles) around 6m!