5 Lego bricks only 2 shelves

Hi, first post here, a recent convert to Naim.
I have a very heavy and sturdy shelving unit to has to house my hi fi units, it is not a dedicated hi fi unit but is is extremely robust and my current power units have av mounts on. Only 2 shelves are available for my little hobby.

I currently have Supernait 3 with ND5 SX 2 streamer sitting on it on the top shelf.
The bottom shelf has a HiCap DR on it. The shelves are a good half a metre apart.

I am about to upgrade the SN3 to a 282 and 250 dr so will have 5 boxes-
Streamer
282
250
HiCap
NAPSC

So, what is the optimum placement for them?
I’m presuming on top shelf power amp with pre amp on top and then streamer on top of that with Hicap and NAPS on bottom shelf?
Or should the 250 go on the bottom shelf as well with Hicap and NAPSC on top of it?

Any advise for a Naim newbie welcome

Thanks
Gary

Hi Gazza19, and welcome!

How wide/deep are the shelves, and can you get all the boxes on them without stacking the boxes? Or is stacking, one box directly on top of another, definitely required? Can you get boxes next to each other on either shelf? Hope that’s clear??

Any chance of a pic of the unit?

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Welcome Gazza…….i can blame you for everything😂

Gazza

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Hi, stacking Naim boxes has a significant effect on their performance and should generally be avoided. At the very least, you should keep the preamp and streamer away from the power amp and power supplies.
The NAPSC is quite small, maybe you can put it on the floor behind the shelves?

When boxes are close together it also makes cables more difficult to manage. Try to run cables that carry low level signals well clear of mains power cables.

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The shelves are 34 inches wide. I can’t get 2 full size units abreast but could do a full size and smaller unit together.

photos attached of the current setup.
IMG_3109

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I think both of us can get away with “It wasn’t me it was the other Gazza” :grinning:

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Thanks ChrisSU, that would be optimum then, streamer and 2082 on top shelf and power etc on the bottom shelf.

That’s a very nice headphone too!

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Others have already provided much better advice than I could! Is that top shelf with the headphones on usable at all? I guess being quite high up putting significant weight on might not be too clever!? Though it does look like a substantial piece of furniture :slight_smile:

(I know you said only two shelves, but it’s clearly three if you include the headphones :wink: )

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Are you aiming for the ndx2? As that might be better to upgrade the streamer before the amp. Or a half way house: ndx2, 282/hicap into sn3 as power amp.

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Hi Gaza 19
Nice rack you have there. Was wondering what the mains extension block you have on the bottom.

It’s a Russ Andrews

I haven’t yet ordered the amps so the streamer upgrade may be the right way to go?
Any other views on that?

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What about if you got an atom HE and a power amp. That would then fit on the one shelf

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The Elephant in the Room is the OP’s Rack.
Nice piece of furniture, but not suitable for the sort of Naim set up the OP aspires to.
The solution is to get a dedicated HiFi rack, with enough shelves for the equipment planned.

That is the advice from this long standing Naim owner.

But… YMMV… :face_with_spiral_eyes:

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There looks to be four shelves in total but someone’s aesthetics is blocking use of the upper two for anything but headphones. Assuming you can’t overcome that can you add extra shelves to the bottom half, either pegged to the supports or standing/hanging on the existing ones?

Fraim or isdoblue might look better though.

Isoblue might just fit standing on your existing shelves but you’d have to measure, they’re 635mm wide but stability may be an issue without a slot for the wedge.

image

I agree with @IanRobertM.

The rack should really be thought of as part of the system. Fraim would be ideal, but if that’s too pricy, there are alternatives, Isoblue, for example.

Roger

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I would definitely look at a streamer upgrade before adding the 282/250. NDX2 would be a much better match.

As if one Gazza wasn’t enough….: :stuck_out_tongue::grinning:

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We have a solution!
The Isoblue will fit on the bottom shelf!

Many thanks for all your help.

It also looks like the streamer upgrade will be first as well

Thanks again all