naim...load of tosh??

[The Devil]

Don't give up, come and listen to my rig, you might learn a little something. FWIW I've heard a Moon setup at my dealer, and it was awful, not that that really means very much necessarily.

Naim kit is sensitive to bad mains and set-up. If you can overcome those problems, it is wonderful (olive range).

 

[merlin]

Thanks James

I won't give up. I still have friends!!

Still don't understand why something with 937 (rough estimate) individually regulated power supplies is susceptable to mains quality though?

And I suspect that even with all the setup and mains treatments, it still doesn't do Nora or Eva justice.

 

[julian2002]

mike,
i've not heard a wadia / spectral / avalon setup so i cannot comment. also it's not about whether you get it or not, if you don't then it's not for you, simple as. however taking the piss because someone does is out of order (imho). just as me taking the piss because you choose to connect your kit up using an elephants penis and some legless reptiles would also be out of order
yes the kit costs a packet but then those avalons aren't exactly cheap now are they? neither is a spectral pre/power especially as they say you have to buy their cables too, now where have i heard that before hmmm.....

ian,
sorry, but anyone who eats a kit-kat the way you do has got to be a bit strange... unreasonable enough?
cheers


julian

 

[timpy]

Originally posted by julian2002
don't even play one of their cd's in your machine or it will taint the rest of your system with it's naimness and it will never sound right again.

cheers

julian

Blast.......

Anyone want a Teac cd tranny, wondered what was up with it?

Cheers

 

[robert_cyrus]

Originally posted by merlin
one of Les' modded Arcams ...

merlin, have you experience of these ? i have an arcam alpha 5+ in my 2nd system, and wondered what les would create given that and £375.
seems a shame not to try
thanks
robert

 

[andy c!]

Why does one diss someone else's system based on the fact their systems sound 'better'?
Surely it's about finding the right sounding stereo system for you, and if you like the sound of it then buy it/stick with it/upgrade it.
If you don't like it then buy something else...
Nothing more than hi-fi polarises opinion more, hence why there are so many differant ways of 'doing it', with different manufacturers making so much differant stuff.

I like the Naim sound, thats why I purchased it. I purchased it 1st 'cos i liked the sound of it (I did listen to other stuff), and 2nd'ly 'cos of the back up and resale values - there was a clear upgrade path.

My 2 penneth worth...

 

[merlin]

Originally posted by julian2002
however taking the piss because someone does is out of order (imho). just as me taking the piss because you choose to connect your kit up using an elephants penis and some legless reptiles would also be out of order
julian

No Julian it's not If you insist on recommending Naim, then I'm afraid urine extraction forms part of the guarantee ( I beleive it's mentioned in the manual)

Nought wrong with a good length of Elephant cock I say! And even I can't say that and the phrase PowerSnake without allowing myself a wry grin and a shrug of the shoulders.

I accept that if I choose to spend my money on ridiculously overpriced penis substitutes, then there are those that will mock. I feel you should accept the same fate

 

[Marco]

Thoughts on Naim...

If Naim equipment wasn't worth mentioning, you'd not be taking about it. Whether you like the stuff or not, no other manufacturers products divide opinion so much, at least here in the UK.

Of course, it's personal taste, but in my opinion Naim make the best CDPs in the world, certainly the ones nearest to the sound of a good turntable. I wouldn't change my CDS2/XPS2 (with new Burndy) for anything...ok maybe a CDS3

Preamps, IMO, are their next best product, but really only when you go up the range. The 52 is a legend and the 552 takes things even further.

Their power amps are very good, but other manufacturers offer similar or better performance for less money, and the 500 is not in the same ball park as other hi-end designs on the market. You need a Naim Preamp to hear them at anything like their best.

Speakers? Not that keen on the tonality of Naim speakers, finding them a bit cold and harsh (overall), but they excel at things some folks can't live without. I like NBLs on the end of a CDS2 and 135s (on Mana), and ditto with DBLs. Was fortunate enough to hear Paul Stephenson's active DBL system driven by a 552 and three 500s, needless to say it was very impressive!

Aro? Prefer the Ittok or Ekos.

Tuners? Nat-01 still unsurpassed, IMO, although a good Troughline or Magnum Dynalab gets pretty close.

Laters,
Marco.

 

[merlin]

Originally posted by robert_cyrus
merlin, have you experience of these ? i have an arcam alpha 5+ in my 2nd system, and wondered what les would create given that and £375.
seems a shame not to try
thanks
robert

Only a really short blast to be fair Robert. Enough though to suggest it represents good value for money and to convince me that it saw of the reference in most departments (a CD3.5 or something I believe) He certainly has a knack for waking up the Arcam kit.

 

[julian2002]

mike,
you say po-tay-to, i say po-tah-to.
i'll keep mentioning naim when people ask for a recommendation you keep fondling your elephant choad.
the real point is that we're both happy with our current systems.. oh... errr... well i am anyway

cheers


julian

 

[merlin]

Originally posted by Marco
in my opinion Naim make the best CDPs in the world, certainly the ones nearest to the sound of a good turntable. I wouldn't change my CDS2/XPS2 (with new Burndy) for anything...ok maybe a CDS3

Marco.

Just wondering Marco, have you heard a good turntable? Certainly the ones I have heard recently could not sound more different to a Naim CD player, although I understand the CD3 is somewhat different.

Have you heard all of the alternatives as a matter of interest, products like the Wadia 861SE, the Levinson 390S, the AR CD3 or the CD12? Or would these be of little interest to you because of preconceived ideas?

What is the vinyl reference that you are thinking of? My guess would be that you are not referring to the likes of VPi, Rockport, Michell or SME.

 

[Alex S]

Still difficult to beat 32.5/HC/250 (with Kans) for the money - titter not elephantine ones. CDPs aren't bad but they're overpriced - see earlier comments re Densen 400XS vs CDS2.

The oddest thing is that Naimees expect you to be able to drop a stone cold DVHX1.2, for example, into an otherwise Naim system and expect great results. When they don't they bleat on about how Naim does everything best. Well, anyone fancy dropping their stone cold 82, for example, into my system?

I've heard a few DBLs, including the ones Marco mentions, and they are indeed impressive in a music trapped in a very large cave sort of way.

Alex

PS Merlin, don't be horrid, I think Marco uses a P3 and has managed to get his CDS2 to sound just like it.

 

[merlin]

Originally posted by julian2002
mike,
the real point is that we're both happy with our current systems.. oh... errr... well i am anyway
cheers
julian

Ah, when I was your age young man, I too held beliefs that time and experience eroded.

Still got the elephantitis though

 

[timpy]

What diameter does the Power cord have to be for one to be regarded as having elephantitis.

Would a Tsunami count, or is that merely a weener?

Cheers

 

[Marco]

I've heard a few DBLs, including the ones Marco mentions, and they are indeed impressive in a music trapped in a very large cave sort of way.

Wot? You didn't like Paul's fabled system?

Marco.

P.S Merlin, by 'good turntable' I was referring to an LP12. The CDS2 (and now CDS3) are, IMO, as close to the sound of the Linn as is possible for a CDP. You probably don't like the LP12, which is fine, much in the same way as I don't like the T/Ts you mentioned, albeit with fairly limited experience of them.

Marco.

 

[merlin]

No Marco, I do have a certain fondness for the venerable LP12, I owned one for many years.

If you could just substitute the words "good turntable" with "Linn LP12" in your round up, I suspect things might be a bit clearer and make more sense to some of us.

 

[cookiemonster]

Ah, when I was your age young man, I too held beliefs that time and experience eroded.

Time and experience does nothing other than to serve up further complexities. When one becomes complex, it only leaves the acquisiton of time and experience for the individual to uphold, in the light of the confounding and often opaque disability deriving from complexity. Age and experience only have the potential to enable one to act with a paradoxical simplicity in a hypercomplex world. They have no bearing on the objective unquantifiable value and justification of belief, other than to compensate the beholder for his complex misfortunes, in the presence of an 'ignorant' and youthful adventurer.

I think all men, post testosterone influx, are distracted by concepts of elephantitis

 

[merlin]

Originally posted by timpy
What diameter does the Power cord have to be for one to be regarded as having elephantitis.

Would a Tsunami count, or is that merely a weener?

Cheers

Timpy, for those of us proudly putting our PowerSnakes on display to the world, I'm afraid the AZ would not really be up there in the big league. I am looking forward to the new Dutch range, the VDH PowerKok. Now they really should have the girth to shock at 10 paces.

Geez Cookie, wow! You too will learn, but only if you go to bed on time, and don't stay up like you did on Sunday!

 

[michaelab]

This thread has reminded me of the scene from "Matrix Reloaded" where Neo is fighting the 100 Agent Smiths

Michael.

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

Originally posted by merlin
I honestly believe that if you put 10 people in that room blindfolded, and compared the Naim setup with say my rig or say a Wadia/Spectral/Avalon combination, about 9 out of 10 people would prefer the American rig (given a varied diet of music).

Now that is a comment that makes sense.
So, 1 in 10 go off to buy Naim, 1 in 10 buy from MF, 1 in 10 buys from ....

Surely a choice of system is purely down to personal preference? Assuming that to be the case, how about just listening to a variety of gear and making a choice from there.
Don't you think that it's a little hypocritical for either side to moan about the others gear. If you don't like it, that's fine, but don't try to stop someone else buying it, just because of your own tastes.