CD5X, Nac 72, Hicap, Bolt down 250, SBL's.

Interesting. Looking forward to reports.

Don't forget the useful setup guide for the sbl's

Your probably going to have to rebuild them to get the best from them ....

Bob, should be an interesting time ahead.  But remember, this is about as far from a system you can just "throw together" as it gets, particularly with SBLs in the equation. Make sure you have an SBL gasket rebuild kit ready to go. That said, my biggest concern is fronting it with a CD5x.  I'm just not sure how that will go, but I guess you're going to find out.

A few years ago i fronted a 72 hicap 135s + SBLs with a CD5x & flatcap which sounded very acceptable.

People often say the 72 is a superb vinyl pre to use [which i agree] but IME the 72 performs just as fantastically well with CD players too, the better the CD player the better the SQ, however the earthy laid-back sound of a 72 can have a forgiving nature with lower end players and tuners.

Also tried the above ^ with 180 which was also very satisfaction to include a detailed leanness which was pleasant in smaller room listening being closer with less distance between sofa -to SBLs. The 135s has a more 'room filling' capability with a splendid punchy bass line. A very satisfying budget naim system to live with without any real obvious pangs for upgradious  : )

Debs

naim_nymph posted:

A few years ago i fronted a 72 hicap 135s + SBLs with a CD5x & flatcap which sounded very acceptable.

People often say the 72 is a superb vinyl pre to use [which i agree] but IME the 72 performs just as fantastically well with CD players too, the better the CD player the better the SQ, however the earthy laid-back sound of a 72 can have a forgiving nature with lower end players and tuners.

Also tried the above ^ with 180 which was also very satisfaction to include a detailed leanness which was pleasant in smaller room listening being closer with less distance between sofa -to SBLs. The 135s has a more 'room filling' capability with a splendid punchy bass line. A very satisfying budget naim system to live with without any real obvious pangs for upgradious  : )

Debs

My 72/HiCap/180, fronted by a humble bare CD5 is sounding rather wonderful to my ears, as I write    5 x 4 room, PMC TB2i speakers.

We must never under-estimate ANY Naim CD player ! ........ nor the 72's abilities with CD 

Thanks for all the answers so far but as I only own about a 100 CD's or so the CD5X as good a player as it is will almost definently be moved on.

My main interest is testing the 72 against my 102 and also hearing what a set of SBL's will sound like in my small back bedroom. I have always been really interested in the SBL's  seperate sealed boxes  design.

After a drive up to Hartley in Kent today and a busy day tomorrow it me Fri, Saturday before I get to have a serious listen.                                                           

Bob the Builder posted:

My main interest is testing the 72 against my 102 ...                                                         

That's easy to answer:

The 102 has awesomely superior SQ, audio electronically intelligible with a frequency range as wide as a mouth on a wide mouthed frog - which has croaked.

The 72 is a music making marvel with earthy mood enhancing magnificent,  has soul and can rock n roll : )

naim_nymph posted:

Bob the Builder posted:

My main interest is testing the 72 against my 102 ...                                                         

 

That's easy to answer:

The 102 has awesomely superior SQ, audio electronically intelligible with a frequency range as wide as a mouth on a wide mouthed frog - which has croaked.

The 72 is a music making marvel with earthy mood enhancing magnificent,  has soul and can rock n roll : )

I have the 72 connected to the 180 this evening and for me at the moment the 102 has a slight edge. I will connect them both up and side by side test them over the weekend.

I'm afraid the SBL's have been given the big thumbs down from my better half on the grounds that they are even uglier than the SL2's I was looking at a couple of years back.

"Why do Naim make such ugly speakers?' she asked me when I unwrapped them usually if something sounds really good I'm able to persude her but the SBL's are just too ugly she said.

I think about getting a pair of SBLs, and then deconstruct them - since they need to be resealed anyhow. I have a grafitti artist in my private network and he'll be the guy to paint the cases of the SBL's in a fancy way.

Well, just a thought to get the missus' approval.

That's a shame about the SBLs.

Christopher_M posted:

That's a shame about the SBLs.

And even more of a shame about the SL2s.  

What finish are the SBLs? That can make a big difference in how domestically acceptable they are. And remember, they don't live out in the room, but rather up against the wall...

What I very much like about the SBL's and SL2's is that they go against a wall - or close to a wall. Many other vendors should do so as well. The problem I have with the SBL's and SL2's, is that they use wood-like veneer. It suggests wood and I don't like that. If they were available in piano black (red, yellow, pink etc ... , it would have been different for me.

Ardbeg10y posted:

The problem I have with the SBL's and SL2's, is that they use wood-like veneer.

The veneer was wood on my SBLs.

They are the walnut veneer ones,  I've actually had them rigged up this morning and despite a lack of bass which is because they aren't set up properly and don't even have the spikes fitted despite that they are without doubt the best value used speakers I have heard and if I didn't already own a set of speakers I loved I would be searching for a black pair.

Furniture is one of the few things we disagree over she hates brown natural wood and prefers white or black mdf rubbish and I love real furniture hand crafted real furniture and actually really like the walnut veneer on the SBL's and Richard is absolutely correct they do disapear some what up against a wall.

The row over the SL2's went on for a couple of weeks they were the beech ones I think quite light and it was only finding the Dyns I now own which are a very dark rosewood veneer that brought an end to it.

I had a Nap 300 at the time and the SBL's although pretty expensive and slightly over priced were in premium condition and would no doubt have been a great match but to be fair if I had tried them and they didn't work I would have lost quite  a bit on resale. 

However I ended with the right speakers in the end which of course she never throws in my face   because as we all know and shoot me for being sexist but the fairer sex are never guilty of that are they.

Anyway the 102 is still winning the race with the 72 and I have had to buy a din - xlr cable for the bolt down 250 and am still looking forward to hearing that.

It took me a few hours of listening to realise the 102 lacks the musical foot tapping capability of a 72,

even tho the 102 has a far cleaner voicing and wider window of frequencies, initially it's rather deceptive.

Don't sell on your 72 just yet 

Some prefer 102, some 72, etc ...

No I will leave the two together for a while yet I'm going to leave the 72 on for a couple of days now but my initial reaction after three records played on each was that the 102 had a cleaner and fuller bass. 

The 72 must be saving itself for the introduction of the bolt down 250. Until then, it's just saying to itself, 'Nah, leave it mate. Not worth the bother'.

Well I still have my 102/Napsc/HC/180/Dynaudio Contour s 3.4's.

The CD5X/ 72/HC/SBL'S are all gone 

The CD5X was actually a very, very good CDP and I can imagine how good a CDX or CDS must sound but I just didn't have the CD's or the room.

The 72/HC was really, really nice but didn't end up offering enough of an upgrade to make me give up a remote but it was close.

The 323/5 MC Phono boards were also very good and if you have a Naim pre that takes boards then they have to be one of the best value phono amp options out there.

The SBL's with Mk 2 bass drivers again offered incredible value for money but just didn't suit even my second system.

I still have the Bolt Down 250 at the moment and it might end up staying as it really is something very, very special and is as toe tappingly good as anything I've heard and it really deserves a matching pre amp the 102 and the 72 although obviously a good match were not a perfect match.

So I'm back where I started with 102/Napsc/HC/180 but am picking up an 82/SC/250 on sunday so it may end up as that 2nd system.

I can't wait for this bloody foot to heal so that I can get back to work and cure the boredom that's driving me to try all this equipment.

It's a terrible old life.......