A bit too bright

The move from a CD5x to a CDX2 also came with a brightness problem, solved by a move to Fraim Lite, though unexpectedly on my part, a later move to full Fraim was even better. Speakers were Thiels with metal dome tweeters and metal main drivers but running with first order crossovers, The brightness, most evident on solo piano music, was just where the they overlapped the most but only apparent when excited by the change to CDX2. Vinyl never had the same issue. I find it quite believable that a change to an NDS from NDX could have a similar effect.

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The key thing here is that an NDX, or whatever the previous player was, has Naimā€™s isolating rubber feet. The NDX by contrast has hard metal feet, which couple with the internal suspension.

I know Fraim is glass, but itā€™s a clever combination of glass, the steel isolation and the wood below, with each level separate. The Quadraspire is simply glass sheets supported by fixed columns. Putting an NDS on this is a potential recipe for extrem me brightness.

The answer here, as I suggested above, is to put the NDS on a wooden table as a test. Another option, before spending a lot of money, is to borrow an alternative rack from a dealer.

Yes it will take time but we are talking about a Ā£30,000 hifi here. Surely itā€™s worth the effort and expense to get it supported properly. You can fiddle about with towels and cork but ultimately the best place for the glass Quadraspire is a skip. In the time spent on this thread the problem could very likely have been resolved. There is no point going round in circles. Itā€™s simply a case of trying a better rack. There is really nothing more I can add.

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For whatā€™s itā€™s worth I have run into similar problems in the past when following the Naim upgrade path without listening to the ā€˜betterā€™ component(s) at home in my system first. Obviously you just need to re-address the systems balance so itā€™s to your liking again.

Although itā€™s worth a bit of experimenting (replacing glass shelving with wooden ones does make a difference), my guess is that in the end you are going to have to change your speakers. There are lots of brands to try which have a less prominent treble and might be to your liking in your ā€˜newā€™ system such as Proac, Neat, Dynaudio.

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Hi. I take this thread to ask. I have an Atom a few months ago (and a balance of money in my favor with the provider to use). With these months of listening I am noticing that the Atom has an accentuation of rhythmic hits and a certain elevation of high frequencies. I would describe it as a little activated loudness. That I find it tiring after a long time of listening. I have for now some old 3-way Infinity loudspeakers (which I will change) with van den hull goldwater cable. I wonder if it has to do with my setup or if itā€™s more of Naimā€™s distinctive sound? If I use the balance to change to Nova that I read that it is softer and I would like a flatter sound and that it does not fatigue me? what do you think? :::

It is most likely a result of your speakers and how they (and you) are positioned. The Infinity SM 115 have a HF Frequency adjustment, have you experimented with that?

A Nova will probably not give you a softer or flatter sound than an Atom.

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Itā€™s been walking across rocks for too long?

Hi bitsrbits.
Sorry for late response, Iā€™ve been away. I understand itā€™s always difficult to decide to change cables after running them under the floor. If you decide not to try naim speaker cable, perhaps look at the other cables in the system? What interconnects are you using? And also look at acoustic panelling, just a couple of panels behind the speakers will turn down the brightness significantly. Or add a rug to the room.
A few years ago I sold my NAP300 and bought a NAP300DR. I experienced a deeper bass without any increase in brightness. More of a master tape sound, deeper blacks etc. Thinking of this I donā€™t think your change in sound is related to the DR upgrade at all. . .

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Hope ok to post non advtg links? I find this fellow pretty authentic. He supports what he says with some science. Wonder what others think? I definitely did get a tonal improvement pulling my speakers 85cm from sidewalls, leaving 1.95m between them but reducing soundstage a little. A worthwhile trade off in my circumstances and preferable to treatments in my lounge.

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Tarun talks sense seen it before very informative why do people measure from wall to back of speakers :thinking: . Sound comes from the front of speakers therefore makes sense measuring from wall to tweeter front. It does make a big difference as stated by Tarun 85cm 850mm to tweeter

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Good video, but I have to take issue with his point about the 85cm tweeter to wall minimum. It may be a good general principle supported by science, and it may work for many speaker models, but I think itā€™s wrong to present it as a universal rule.

Some speakers are designed to work closer to the front wall than that, and wonā€™t perform at their best when that optimal distance is exceeded. Iā€™m thinking of SBLs, which are generally agreed to work best when very close to a wall (preferably a solid masonry wall). Iā€™m also thinking of those Linn Kan aficionados who reputedly cut away their skirting boards to leave just enough room to slide a Rizla paper behind the plugs.

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You can try sorbothane with Naim, depending on stand typeā€¦ Naim however typically are designed to allow the chassis to hard couple to the frame support, and let the frame support dissipate the energy.

I have found in the past on wooden frames, sorbothane and Naim can work well, most notably in my experience the CDX2. However I found with Naim if you can get some full fat (glass shelf) Fraim that trumps sorbothane on wood.
You will alter the sonic character of the Naim device to some extent using sorbothane on wood, typically a slower, warmer sound, with usually more diluted transients, the latter depending to some extent on the support you are using as wellā€¦ which is really why Fraim in my experience works best with Naim as it gives the performance envelope that was originally intended by Naim.

Kind of like producing music and changing the attack and release of your compressor for parts of your mix :grinning:

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