What has been your best tweak or upgrade in 2018?

A nice tweak for not a lot of dosh was swapping the Cirkus subchassis for a used Majik one on the LP12.  Gives a much more organised presentation and it's easier to follow what's going on.

Santa is still on his way...
...but should arrive in a few days!!! 

TomSer posted:

Santa is still on his way...
...but should arrive in a few days!!! 

TomSer, with that lot I would check that Santa is not stuck in the chimney somewhere.

If you enjoy your ND555 as much as I enjoy mine you will be one very happy bunny indeed.

Seasons greetings and happy listening.

Allegri+ with Fractal F1 RCA>XLR I/C, and Q2. The Allegri+ may be a game changer for those who do not mind getting up to change the volume! ????

Chag -

Hello Chag

I forgot about the Townshend Allegri+ before the Townshend DC 47.  It is truly a game changer.  The DC 47 adds a remote control and more and smaller steps as well as other micro-phonics upgrade.  Its a one input and one output device, with no selector switch.  I use my ND555 to select inputs, so I don't need another selector switch.  I really appreciate all the Naim Forum posts about the importance of a preamp.

I plan to upgrade to the Fractal interconnects soon.  I assume that you went from the Allegri+ with RCA to your power amp with XLR's?  Did you consider the XLR's an upgrade even though it was not truly balanced?  Struggling with this very question right now.  Are you using the DIN or RCA output from the Naim device driving the Alegri+.  Thanks for any advice you can provide.  Seems like this topic has conflicting opinions.  

2018 was a fairly momentous year for me. I changed my Dynaudio Contour 1.3 mkII’s after many years and thinking I would always have them - for Special 40’s. They are well-named. 

I have an NDX2 on loan over Christmas & New Year. Some serious listening to do once family have gone, but it is likely to be the priority for 2019 if I can afford it. 

Olly

In the past couple of weeks I moved from a bare NDX to a nice mint and serviced NDS from a highly respected dealer.  The difference as you would expect is not subtle and I am delighted with the change.

Thank you to all those people trading in their NDS's for a new ND555, I'm more than happy with a hand-me-down!

Graham Russell posted:

Moving on from Linn sources. KDS replaced by Tidal Camira DMC DAC and the LP12 has just gone in anticipation of a new deck in the New Year

Hi Graham,

If I may ask are you getting the 2 box Tidal Camira ? I believe it can come with the optional clocking box ,I am very interested in the Tidal gear having heard some of it at RMAF 2015 along with hearing the Naim Statement at the local dealers home/show rooms .Also as I own a KDS Katalyst I am interested in how the two differ sound wise, I understand  you also use Vitus amplification ( I like Vitus Class A)

Thanks in advance

Russell

Unintentional but as I listen I am amazed.

A recent move of the hifi racks to be between the speakers (a downgrade out of space necessity for kids) led me to replace the generic mains distribution block and 5m chord it was on with a Furutech block. I had intended to add a PowerLine to this since I no longer needed 5m of extension cable. I ordered one but it took long for my wife who wanted the racks moved and there was no way, once in place, I was going to be able to get round the back to swap the cable. So I bought a Furutech Empire 5mm lead. This cut 30% off the distance to the CU and somewhat offset the effect of moving the hifi to no go zone.

For what it's worth, I can attest that putting racks between the speakers really does have a negative effect. I think it is 30% psychological (the empty space really helps the brain build the soundstage) and 70% actual reduction in accuracy.

I digress. On Christmas day, the PowerLine I ordered ages ago (thank you Parcel Force for leaving it in your depot for 2 weeks doing nothing before leaving the country) arrived. Unable to add it to the main system that already has 3 of them, I chucked it on the UQ2 in the office. I had utterly zero expectation of any benefit here. Generally, the more tweaky the upgrade, the better the system needs to be to be sensitive enough to benefit from it. Not only was this just a UQ2 but I use really low cost Qacoustics 3010 speakers. It sounds fantastic - within limits.

Until a day ago, I would have told anyone contemplating adding a PL to a UQ2 that they were chucking money down a drain. And yet... the reduced noise floor and increased dynamics have made more difference on my UQ2 than 3 PL did on the main system. I can neither explain it or understand it. But the increase in performance on the UQ2 actually makes the crazy expensive PL a really good value for money upgrade in this case.

On day 1 I put the change down to a long overdue power cycle of the UQ2. But a day later the improvement is so obvious. 

Olly posted:

2018 was a fairly momentous year for me. I changed my Dynaudio Contour 1.3 mkII’s after many years and thinking I would always have them - for Special 40’s. They are well-named. 

I have an NDX2 on loan over Christmas & New Year. Some serious listening to do once family have gone, but it is likely to be the priority for 2019 if I can afford it. 

Olly

I too have been considering changing my Contours Olly - what will the S40's do that they don't and what have you found to be the best position for them in terms of walls and toe-in? Did you listen to anything else? I've tried ATC, PMC and ProAc and none could match the Contour to my ears.

Bailyhill posted:

I am pretty sure that this is well beyond a tweak , and while I did not intend to do a big upgrade, circumstances dictated a rocket ship ride.  In 1980-84, I was a founder of Apogee Acoustics and designed the Full Range Ribbon and the Scintillas before it was suggested that I take my life in another direction.  That resulted in a 34 year hiatus from audio...........

 

Bailyhill,

That is quite a journey you have been on. Back in the day many years ago, my dream was to upgrade to a pair of full range ribbon Apogee speakers and very nearly purchased a pair of (pre-owned) Scintillas until I was advised that my Primare 928 Monoblocks that I owned at the time and thought were indestructable, would have gone up in smoke trying to drive them. It was a choice between swapping my Primares for a Krell ‘tank’ of a power amp & buying the Scintillas or keeping the Primares & settling for a pair of Magnepans. I settled for the Magnepans, but I still sometimes wish I had bought the Scintillas. 

Glad to hear that you are back enjoying high quality music again. 

Jonners posted:

Olly posted:

2018 was a fairly momentous year for me. I changed my Dynaudio Contour 1.3 mkII’s after many years and thinking I would always have them - for Special 40’s. They are well-named. 

I have an NDX2 on loan over Christmas & New Year. Some serious listening to do once family have gone, but it is likely to be the priority for 2019 if I can afford it. 

Olly

I too have been considering changing my Contours Olly - what will the S40's do that they don't and what have you found to be the best position for them in terms of walls and toe-in? Did you listen to anything else? I've tried ATC, PMC and ProAc and none could match the Contour to my ears.

Totem Sky’s have to be worthy of an audition if Dynaudio special 40’s are of interest. 

feeling_zen posted:

Unintentional but as I listen I am amazed.

A recent move of the hifi racks to be between the speakers (a downgrade out of space necessity for kids) led me to replace the generic mains distribution block and 5m chord it was on with a Furutech block. I had intended to add a PowerLine to this since I no longer needed 5m of extension cable. I ordered one but it took long for my wife who wanted the racks moved and there was no way, once in place, I was going to be able to get round the back to swap the cable. So I bought a Furutech Empire 5mm lead. This cut 30% off the distance to the CU and somewhat offset the effect of moving the hifi to no go zone.

For what it's worth, I can attest that putting racks between the speakers really does have a negative effect. I think it is 30% psychological (the empty space really helps the brain build the soundstage) and 70% actual reduction in accuracy.

I digress. On Christmas day, the PowerLine I ordered ages ago (thank you Parcel Force for leaving it in your depot for 2 weeks doing nothing before leaving the country) arrived. Unable to add it to the main system that already has 3 of them, I chucked it on the UQ2 in the office. I had utterly zero expectation of any benefit here. Generally, the more tweaky the upgrade, the better the system needs to be to be sensitive enough to benefit from it. Not only was this just a UQ2 but I use really low cost Qacoustics 3010 speakers. It sounds fantastic - within limits.

Until a day ago, I would have told anyone contemplating adding a PL to a UQ2 that they were chucking money down a drain. And yet... the reduced noise floor and increased dynamics have made more difference on my UQ2 than 3 PL did on the main system. I can neither explain it or understand it. But the increase in performance on the UQ2 actually makes the crazy expensive PL a really good value for money upgrade in this case.

On day 1 I put the change down to a long overdue power cycle of the UQ2. But a day later the improvement is so obvious. 

I experimented with a PL on both my UQ2 and its successor, the Atom. It made not one iota of discernible difference to either! On the other hand the two in my main system proved to be well worth the outlay! Over the 4 years I have been a Naim owner and member of this forum I have come to the conclusion there are very, very few ‘givens’ in this hobby. Even those that have the support of 95% still need to be tried out with an open mind, and may not work in every situation.

The only time I ever get a little bit tetchy is when I read pronouncements from the few who seem to believe their opinions or experiences ought to be engraved upon tablets of stone and presented as the immutable truth!

Popeye posted:

Totem Sky’s have to be worthy of an audition if Dynaudio special 40’s are of interest. 

Yes, I have thinking about those - my dealer handles Totem (but not Dyn). TBH I had hoped to upgrade without the price tag but I think it's inevitible. Good call Popeye, I will put them on the list for 2019. 

JimDog posted:

Getting a 272.

(Also cartridge, belt, phono stage and rack.)

Then buying a pair of Allaes yesterday, which should be delivered before the end of 2018!

A total revolution in my lifelong interest in musical reproduction (that was until now self-defeatingly anti-technical)...

I have a pair of Allaes, I auditioned the usual suspects up to £4000 and couldn’t find anything better, bought some SBLs which are supposed to be better, bought some S400 Ovators sold them both and the Allaes are staying, can’t find anything I like more than them!

Nick

RussR posted:

Graham Russell posted:

Moving on from Linn sources. KDS replaced by Tidal Camira DMC DAC and the LP12 has just gone in anticipation of a new deck in the New Year

Hi Graham,

If I may ask are you getting the 2 box Tidal Camira ? I believe it can come with the optional clocking box ,I am very interested in the Tidal gear having heard some of it at RMAF 2015 along with hearing the Naim Statement at the local dealers home/show rooms .Also as I own a KDS Katalyst I am interested in how the two differ sound wise, I understand  you also use Vitus amplification ( I like Vitus Class A)

Thanks in advance

Russell

Hi Russell

The Camira I have is the new single box DMC DAC. Apparently it outperforms the previous one by some margin at a lower price. It is simply a better resolving, more natural player than the KDS Katalyst (which I previously owned). Obviously the best test will be to try one in your system and let your ears decide

Yes Vitus Class A is superb, especially when fed with better sources than Linn

An Airlink transformer and a Lingo 4.

I'm at a stage where there is satisfaction and sticking with the brands I have would mean a massive expenditure.

Diminishing returns was really brought home when my Transfiguration Axia S was inexplicably damaged, the Transfiguration exchange was ridiculous (I paid £995 for the cartridge, with increases exchange is £1700), so had it rebuilt, then in the heat of the summer with only about 150 hours use it began riding lower and lower. I ended up with an AT 33 PTG iii for £400. To my ears, the difference is marginal, certainly not worth the current Transfiguration cost.

Upgrading from my old and much appreciated Dynaudio Contour 1.8 Mk 2s to the big Dynaudio Contour 60s was very significant.

NAP 300 in place of NAP 250 CB added more grip, power and finesse.

Superlumina DIN on CDS3 in place of Hiline was also a big improvement in terms of getting the most out of this excellent source.

A change of Lyra, from Skala to Etna SL wrought huge improvements, depth, scale, detail and a massively reduced noise floor. The gap between the CD player and LP player is now very wide. But I do have a whole new LP collection  to enjoy. I await an opportunity to try the latest G3 mains block.

I sent off my old (2006) Naim CD5i back to Naim for a service and new transport earlier this month. This was so I could hand the player over to my son (Charlie) as a Christmas present. To say he is pleased is an understatement. Naim have done a superb job to this old player, it is like brand new!! My son is forever grateful at what Naim have done and so am I, best tweak this year without one ounce of a doubt. Thanks Naim, you really have made our Christmas!!

Just to conclude: my son has this Christmas now upgraded from a Denon DM39 (all in one) to a Naim CD5i - Onkyo A-9010 amplifier into Q Acoustics 2020i - his first serious system and to say he is over the moon is an understatement!!!

Enjoy your festive holidays folks!!

TomSer posted:

Santa is still on his way...
...but should arrive in a few days!!! 

That is one heck of a tweak.You will have a busy 2019 listening to sweet music.

NAC 552 CD555 vs 272 full SL

Ak sp1000 and walkman 1z with Focal Utopia with kimber cables...

2019 will be year of the Dac/streamer.... NDx2 or Dcs Bartok or Hugo Tt2..

for me it as the purchase of an LG OLED B7 65 and 55 for my lounge and bedroom, and absolutely fantastic TV.

I don't miss my outgoing 64 inch Samsung plasma at all.... 

Also purchased the AudioQuest dragonfly red while my Chord Mojo was away for a battery change... The AudioQuest is a very good performer.... it doesn't perform as well as Chord Mojo, but seriously good musical DAC for the money. I could listen to entire albums without the urge to switch off the DAC or skip tracks.

I also learnt that laptop/USB to my ears is not the best way as a source into my Chord Dave, a proper streamer like HDX or Aurender sounded much better as a source through SPDIF (avoiding USB)..... but the allo DigiOne seems very inexpensive and I will try that first before spending big money on an expensive streamer.

I've heard the Blu2 Mscaler with Dave in my home a few times now... WOW.... absolutely magical and musical. The best digital source I have ever heard.... 

analogmusic posted:

for me it as the purchase of an LG OLED B7 65 and 55 for my lounge and bedroom, and absolutely fantastic TV. 

I was always a plasma tv person, but replaced my man cave 50 inch Samsung plasma with that 55" LG OLED.  It really is fantastic; there's a reason it's reviewed as the best tv on the planet.

Indeed My reference used to be my 43 inch Pioneer Kuro which I had for a while but the LG Oled is so much better than the Kuro....