And the journey starts

Instead of a Supercap, you can have 282/hicap, which saves you some money for an Ndx2.

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I can see the Nova has 2 types of preamp outputs but not sure which one is best and how I can connect it to the 300DR

With a 282, Supercap, 300 and £10,000 speakers, you should be looking at an NDX2 and 555PS as a source, if you want to stick with a Naim source. An ND5XS2 would be woefully inadequate.

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You’d need a Y lead: 4 pin pin to two XLRs.

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I think, technically you can connect the Atom/Nova to another pre-amp.
However, since you cannot bypass the pre-amp in either unit, you will have 2 in the chain, and there’s only so much to be gained (or lost; and a lot of waste on either unit, if you only use the streamer/DAC).

I guess, the ND5 XS2 would be appropriate / better suited than the Atom (except for the missing display; all other streaming functions are the same), given the similar price point and being dedicated to the job in your planned system. (I cannot comment on “adequate”, compared to NDX2 in comparison.)
You’ll have to see, if you get a positive outcome from swapping Nova with either Atom/ND5 XS2; likely yes, but likely not a fortune?

I need to go for the best (within my reach) equipment for the foundations first (i.e. amp, preamp and power supplies). The sources will come and go but the foundations will always be there (hopefully :crossed_fingers:). Aside from that my OCD will never let me enjoy the half box design of the hicap.

The NDX2 is rather expensive for my taste as well so I will have to keep reading and researching more before I make a decision in regards to it. Afterall the only music that it will serve is from Spotify and FLACs from attached external HD.

I agree.

It’s fun getting new gear but unless you’re loaded it’s also sensible to think through where you’re heading and how to get there. If I were in your shoes, at the very least I’d hang on until next spring to see if a 272.2 arrives, particularly since you’re looking to keep box count down.

On the speaker front, I’d add ATC SCM 40s to your audition list. Even new, they’re much cheaper than the alternatives you mention and there’s some good second hand bargains around. A 300 should drive them very nicely.

Finally, I’d suggest auditioning the complete system you’re working towards even if it’s not affordable at the moment. Trying to choose your speakers by listening to them on the end of a Nova/300 setup is likely to be misleading.

Have fun

Roger

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£13k just for a streamer? Not a chance! It is never going to happen (unless I win the lottery).

Even if we go by the “source first” logic, that streamer is only being fed by Spotify so going for more expensive aint going to improve it much.

ND5XS2 should be perfect for my needs. No screen to go wrong, just pure utilitarian design and in perfect matching with the rest pf the system.

One could argue that the 300, 282 and whatever speakers you plan to get are totally wasted on Spotify. You seem to have got things totally the wrong way round. I wouldn’t use more than a mu-so if Spotify was my only source.

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As HH says a 4pin to 2 XLRs. I have a Nova into a 300DR in my second system, works well. Way better than just the Nova. The cable is non standard though, i made my own by modifying a Cord Chameleon. I’ve seen them on the bay from time to time if you take a look. Phil

I think iliria is planning to mainly use locally ripped files and vinyl, and the streamer is just a convenient add-on, not a main source.

@iliria: If so, a used NDX2 without a PS would be a better match, can be had a year old for under 4000 EUR, and can be upgraded with a PS later, in case streaming does become more important

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Thank you. Any particular ones recommended or just any will do? Bearing in mind that this is only a temporary short term solution.

I’m sorry but I disagree. I have heard Spotify coming out of a mu-so and it does not compare to Spotify coming out of my Nova + Focal 716v speakers.

Aside form that streaming is not my only/main source of music. Vinyl and FLAC/CD are too.

How do you get your flac files into the system?

Ah, that makes sense. I have been searching for a 4pin to 2 XLRs cable for the past 15 minutes and can’t come across one. I thought I was doing something wrong. Is this the only way to connect the Nova to the 300?

Through the streamer.

You should also be able to use a couple of RCA to XLR cables but you need to modify one as the XLR end is handed left/right. The pin outs are all clearly marked so its quite easy or there plenty of cable makers will provide one for you.

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Blimey, this sounds like a nightmare. How can Naim offer a preamp option for the Nova when there’s no cable to allow it to connect to one of its own amps. Very strange.

I’m sorry to be a pain but is there not some sort of adaptor that would allow me to conect the two XLR cables that came with the 300 to the Nova’s end?

If not, would you happen to know which cable makers to approach so I can head in the right direction? Please?

As you have probably gathered, i am useless with this sort of stuff.

PS: Just checking it is a 4pin XLR male to 2 x 3pin XLR male that I need isn’t it?

The issue here, though, is that the source and then the pre-amp are the foundations of the system. If you don’t get that right, your power amp and power supplies will expose the limitations of the source. The 300 really deserves a NDX2 or 272, both with power supplies - that’s how the Naim systems are designed.

If you are building around high end speakers, you need to have the best source, there is no way around that.

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What is your phono for your technics tt? I see you have an entry level mm cartridge also.
So finally it’s not very common to begin with big speakers, then big amp, without having a matching pre and a source at the level of the electronics.
Not common.
But I hope you will succeed :+1:

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