Rega Aura versus Naim Superline

Phil, congratulations on beating that bloody wretched disease (lost my father-in-law that way) and raising so much money for a great cause. It certainly puts HiFi and first world problems in perspective.

Let us know how you get on with the Superline and 552DR.

nigelb posted:

Phil, congratulations on beating that bloody wretched disease (lost my father-in-law that way) and raising so much money for a great cause. It certainly puts HiFi and first world problems in perspective.

Let us know how you get on with the Superline and 552DR.

Nigel, Thanks for your kind words. You might like to read my Facebook blog via the link on robocap dot org dot uk. You don’t need a Facebook account. The pilgrimage was a life changing experience. The daily blog amounts to 30 pages but lots of people enjoyed it.

Will posts updates. Thanks for your insights on the 552 too.

Phil

@Richard Dane, Could I ask whether you use a dedicated power supply with your Superline and what type of IC cable?

Phil

Filipe, I power from the 552 and use a SNAIC.

Second best to a supercap with a Burndy.

Emre posted:

air plugs, power supplies, excess cabling....... I am all Naim but not for phono stages  

Interesting! I've been a dormant audiophile for 20 years, and just joined the Naim family (500DR/n272/555DR), and need to upgrade my deck and phono stage. What would you recommend?

[@mention:77314878605052384], Rega have a good range of vinyl equipment to suit all pockets. They are easy to setup particularly if the cartridge is factory fitted. Their best is up with the best at many price points. You need to decide where your system is heading in the longer term first.

Phil

Phil, Have you actually got a Superline at home, and at steam pressure yet?

I now have a demo Superline thanks to Naim. It’s been running for 4 hours and playing for about 2 hours. It has a brand new SNAIC from a HiCap should I wish to try that as well rather than powering off my 252. I can turn off the CDX2 and the nDAC powered by 555DR with the Aria without discernible sound difference. The CD music sounds amazing although in time I may want more. Reading the ND555 impressions in the last few days I find myself able to say similar things. So to begin with the system setup remains the same, even if it may not be ideal.

My initial impressions of the Superline are that it is better than the Aria. Hardly any surprise. In so short a period of time I am very happy to say Kate Bush’s Lionheart sounds beautiful and a great improvement on the Aria. Equally Sandy Denny singing Fotheringay sounded just right because I was drawn in by the beauty of her voice, whereas with the Aria I was not so fully.

My earlier demo of the Aura had flaws but it created a very full sound from all instruments which sounded balanced. So I guess I heard the music as intended rather than with bits partially muted. It was truly exciting. I don’t feel that quite yet, and it was a strong first impression of the Aura. The flaws related to the RP10/Aphelion being on glass allowing more feedback from the speakers and the toe on the speakers not being the best to create a room filling sound. Both of these changes came from recent forum threads, which I am grateful for. 

So right now I am looking forward to further improvement as the Superline warms up after nearly a week since the previous demo. 

I will get back to you later after much more listening.

Phil

Michael Jackson - Thriller - vinyl

This is just not thrilling with the the Superline! Recessed door slamming, backing vocals, wolves howling, and not enough excitement or foot tapping. Some might say you need a SuperCap as well making this a £7k package as opposed to the £4k Rega Aura. The Aria has the virtue of being a good value compromise. And before you ask the digital is turned off so it not a setup issue. Well I suppose it may require patience so I will report back in a week or sooner if things change.

This assessment would not be complete without consideration of the digital sound. I have to say that it is different. Listening to Ryan Adam’s Heartbreaker on CD I would have say there is a mellowness to the sound (some high frequencies missing with drums sounding more pronounced). 

So perhaps this is a pointer to Superline needing its own power supply. This is exactly what I would expect. Alternatively maybe the 552 can power it better, but I would not like to be boxed into more upgraditis! If the Aura ticks the boxes it must be a good solution.

Phil

JeredH posted:

Emre posted:

air plugs, power supplies, excess cabling....... I am all Naim but not for phono stages  

Interesting! I've been a dormant audiophile for 20 years, and just joined the Naim family (500DR/n272/555DR), and need to upgrade my deck and phono stage. What would you recommend?

? had/ have a brinkmann fien.... but now i would go for a tube Audio Research ph9, i listen mostly jazz on vinly and tubes are something else

Powering the Superline off the 252 really does take the sparkle off the digital sound. All the really exciting sounds of Genesis Nursery Cryme has been replaced by something that is recessed. If I didn’t know what it should sound like (say track 5) I might not be disappointed. Superline/HiCap costs as much as the Rega Aura.

I think I will have to fit the HiCap.

Phil

Let it settle for at least a week, day two is a low point for a Naim box that’s been moved. I had even something as robust as a 250-2 (ex demo) sound dull on the second day after it came home bungeed on the back of my Moto Guzzi, if it hadn’t been a Sunday it would have gone back.

Try with and without a low value cap plug.

yeti42 posted:

Let it settle for at least a week, day two is a low point for a Naim box that’s been moved. I had even something as robust as a 250-2 (ex demo) sound dull on the second day after it came home bungeed on the back of my Moto Guzzi, if it hadn’t been a Sunday it would have gone back.

Try with and without a low value cap plug.

 

Thanks Yeti. For the time being I have put the Aria back because powering from the 252 affects my digital sound as I described above. I was going to use the HiCap but it uses 4 pin Din on it preamp output as does SuperCap! Shame as I have Super Lumina IC. 

I accept that time is needed but I have no desire to degrade my digital side permanently or buy a dedicated PS and new SL IC. Right now back to the Aria and see if a solution emerges which may be another demo of the Aura which really impressed me. 

Phil

Yup, you'll have the 3 day up and down - second day always the worst. 

I’d say stick with it. 

SuperLine with a SuperCap is a way to go though

Richard Dane posted:

Yup, you'll have the 3 day up and down - second day always the worst. 

When I get a 4 to 5 pin Din IC I will try the Hicap. The digital sound is affected for instance Genesis Nursery Cryme has some really fast loudness changes which are lost along with other degradations mentioned. It came back immediately I put the Aria back. 

I can accept waiting for the vinyl replay.

Phil

Give it a few days but if no better stick with the Aria Phil. It’s a brilliant stage and you can go on a lovely holiday instead.....

Regards

David

My Prefix is sounding great, btw...

S3 posted:

Give it a few days but if no better stick with the Aria Phil. It’s a brilliant stage and you can go on a lovely holiday instead.....

Regards

David

Need the HiCap with 4 to 5 pin Din first. I agree that the Aria is brilliant but it can’t do everything as well as the Aura. I do believe that taking a system apart can revitalise a system. I may decide when I try the 552 that it is the best solution.

I can do the holidays as well! Backpacking is fun and doesn’t cost as much!

Phil

S3 posted:

Give it a few days but if no better stick with the Aria Phil. It’s a brilliant stage and you can go on a lovely holiday instead.....

Yeah but what if the man wants to take his vinyl to the nth?

Phil

Maybe, as someone says, sometimes the best move is no move.

I would wait for the release of the new RP10.

M.

Matteo posted:

Phil

Maybe, as someone says, sometimes the best move is no move.

I would wait for the release of the new RP10.

M.

[@mention:1566878603935180], My RP10/Aphelion sounds really really good with the Aria but in a different league with the Aura. I can’t imagine that a P10 neo (guessing what they might call it) would be significantly better. The P8 neo was basically a RP8 with a new TT power supply based on the RP10 PS. 

I am looking fully at the options including a 552. 

Phil

Christopher_M posted:

S3 posted:

Give it a few days but if no better stick with the Aria Phil. It’s a brilliant stage and you can go on a lovely holiday instead.....

Yeah but what if the man wants to take his vinyl to the nth?

Like many, I like to consider upgrades, but I weigh up the worth carefully. I take the view that it’s part of the dealer service.

Phil 

Filipe posted:

Matteo posted:

Phil

Maybe, as someone says, sometimes the best move is no move.

I would wait for the release of the new RP10.

M.

[@mention:1566878603935180], My RP10/Aphelion sounds really really good with the Aria but in a different league with the Aura. I can’t imagine that a P10 neo (guessing what they might call it) would be significantly better. The P8 neo was basically a RP8 with a new TT power supply based on the RP10 PS. 

I am looking fully at the options including a 552. 

Phil

That’s right, other than the power supply, the new P8 is basically the same as the RP8. Other than a new arm, new plinth and new bearing of course. Hang on, that basically all of it.