I currently have the full 500 series, all DR’d, with active SL2s, Super Lumina’d throughout. It all sounds magnificent. Very difficult to stop listening! However, the sixteen boxes are on Fraimlite, and my lovely wife has suggested that, for my 80th birthday, I treat myself to full fat Fraim.
It’s the only move upwards I can take (I can’t afford, and don’t want, Statement). I’m slightly hesitant, because the kit will be sitting on glass, and I’m worried that this might ‘harden’ the sound a little, which I wouldn’t want. And it’s a big outlay. Obviously it wouldn’t be possible to get a full set of Fraim to trial at home. Maybe I should try it in stages?
I’d be interested in the experiences of anybody who has upgraded from Fraim Lite to Fraim, and what sort of improvement it has made.
Hi M. I can’t help you on upgrading to the fat Fraim as I went from wall shelves and a converted record cabinet to the full Fraim in one hit. All I can say is its a product you would not expect to be that good even though its far from cheap.
Ihad my dealer build up two towers and it took a day and a half to set up.
I have 500 like you into B & W 802.D3s.The openness and bass solidity are outstanding.
Maybe you can do a deal in upgrading?
Go for it.
Not gone from Fraim Lite but I did have a Quadraspire. I wouldn’t worry as the full fat Fraim seems to counter what you expect from glass. In fact it just sounds very fast and neutral not glassy at all.
It’s strange the Mana tables use to play the same trick, you’d expect all that steel and glass to sound very zingy but if anything the Mana sounds a little on the dark side.
i think you should do it mate, i went from fraim lite to fraim with a more modest system and the difference was worth it for me. i can only imagine what it will do for you
There are a number of threads extolling the benefits of the full Fraim system.
Do you have a dealer, where you can listen to the same set up on Fraim and Fraim Lite racks.
I have the SimRak which has glass shelves on a tripod system. I posted a question about the 282 on top shelf “singing”, but was reliably informed by @Richard.Dane that this is a good thing.
It’s funny you should mention that. I just had some GIK room treatments done and it has helped ‘quieten’ my room a fair bit. But while testing it with a sharp hand clap, I can now detect a very faint but perceptible ring in my room trailing the clap - I’m figuring it’s my Fraim as there’s not much else it can be in there.
You could experiment (upgrade) what you have by just buying the bearing shoes, ball bearings and getting some glass (to Naim spec). I suspect many dealers have spares.
Check the shelf specs but as all Fraim risers are common across FL and full-fat Fraim (FFF), then your FL shelves should accommodate these items.
I’d start with sources and pre first-up if it was me.
Of course, you won’t have the recess on FFF shelves for the bearing shoes to sit in but…not such a loss. Perhaps a tiny amount of Blu-Tac to hold the shoes in place?
I recently upgraded from fraimlite to fraim for my pre and streamer. I was quite surprised the difference some glass made! More detail and more enjoyable. I’m sure you wouldn’t be disappointed. Given the suspension systems in some of your 500 kit with their solid feet (no rubber), I would think they would love some glass to sit on?
The Fraim is much much better than the Lite. It’s not just about the glass and the cups and balls; Fraim had a decoupled base, a different shape to the shelves, and posts to stop the glass shooting off the back. I’d say it’s a case of do it properly or don’t do it at all.
I’m just curious. How does it take a day and a half to set up two Fraim racks?
I have two bases, each with three standard Fraim levels and a Fraimlite as the top, with an eight-box Naim system. I don’t think it took me a half day to get it all build and sited, and I used Richard Dane’s instructions for assmbling the Fraim.
My dealer + one arrive with boxed Fraims which in total stand just short of 2m high.
CD555 and LP12 both on wall shelves are removed and placed to one side. Wall holes made good.
In the mean time all the contents of the record cabinet, 500 etc are powered down aqd also placed to one side. Record cabinet removed ans a few years of dust on walls and floor are removed.
Part 2: Both Fraims were built up on the brain/braun principle and wired up as we go.
At this stage its time to return the next day and power up.
All OK except with the LP12 playing and the TV on there is hum on the TT. LP12 back to base to have a check over. OK, so ask our helpfu Naiml moderator what might be the problem.
Solution, just do one or the other. fine by me. An earthing problem.
These days I would no longer wish to do job like this. Greatful it wall done without any fuss.
Yup, I did all the same stuff. Well, OK I do still have two holes in my wall from a Solidsteel wall shelf that need to be spackled and painted next time I disassemble and move it all. But that’s not more than an hour’s work.
Your Fraim stand 2m tall? Wow, mine are 72cm each with four levels. How many levels do you have?
Not trying to argue it, just curious what makes a build take such a long time.
I have a total of nine shelves and boxed up from Naim thats how high they all stand, about 2mts.
Watched all the work being done and had no issue on the time taken and quality of work.
Can you not do more Fraim racks? That exceeds what Naim recommends, by quite a bit. I wonder if that affects the benefit of Fraim for the upper levels? Personally, I would worry about stability for 2m height Fraim.
The maximum number of Fraim or FraimLite levels (excluding the base level) is six when standard length uprights are used and two when extended uprights are used. Do not exceed these limits.
Although it would be very difficult to demo a full set of Fraim versus Fraim lite with your active system your dealer might be able to set up a simple passive system demo for you to compare, maybe a Pre Amp > PS > 500 > PS > Speakers.
If you go for the full Fraim I would recommend using the clear plastic glass locator things as they stop your glass shelves moving and possibly chipping the glass or damaging the veneer on the shelf.
I don’t use those those glass locator’s because I think they are more fussy then worth, but I do affix little 3M rubber bumpers to the front edge of the glass, to prevent chipping if they get pushed into the metal stanchions. I learned that the hard way when my 80 lb Rottie would hip-check the shelves. She’s gone now and my other Rottie keeps his distance. I don’t even notice they’re there, but it’s an effective measure.
