Another Fraim Stacking question

[nautilus]

Hi, I’ve currently 2 stacks of Fraim - one brain and another brawn stack.

The brain stack is as follows:
552DR
ND555
Superline
500DR

The brawn stack is as follow:
Turntable
555DR
552DR PS
500DR PS

Is this the optimal order or would another different order be recommended?

Thanks for your input.

[Darkebear]

The brain stack:
ND555
552DR
500DR
Superline

The brawn:
Turntable
555DR
552DR PS
500DR PS

This is what I’d try - easy to swap only one side to see if you like it or not and then go back if not.

Reasons:
1. I prefer source at top and always found that better. Pre at top next if possible but may not be best if it means the source slips down.
2. The 500DR Head just just sounds so much better not on the bottom shelf where it can be a little lifeless and dead IMO. If nothing else try it up one level and see how it sounds - and it helps cable-dressing to the supply.
3. Getting the Superline farther away from the ND555 should reduce digital noise effects.

Also take care dressing the cables off the floor and not touching rear wall or each other - in that order of importance.

…and consider adding an empty fraim shelf under some components to give them more space - they sound better. I use Medium levels to achieve that, but also find one empty level (with the empty glass shelf) improves the system performance to a level that more than covers the extra cost - certainly at this level of components it will be obvious with a demo.

But domestic concerns are high for many (most) so you need to juggle the compromise that suits you.

DB.

[Bart]

YMMV of course, but the pretty consistent advice I got was preamp above the ND streamer. That’s how I have it now, due to that advice, and I have zero interest in swapping them to determine if I hear anything different

And the turntable atop the brain stack.

[Yeti]

I have:

Brain;
Turntable ( its ps off Fraim but plugged into second socket on block)
552
Superline
555 (earth switch to chassis)
500

Braun;
Tuner (NAD 4020A plugged into second wall socket)
DVD5 (digital output to 555) (plugged into 6th socket on block)
500ps (plugged into 5th socketon block)
555ps (plugged into first socket on the block)
552ps (plugged into 4th socket on block)
Supercap (plugged into 3rd socket on block)

This was arrived at after some experiment but I’ve never tried the 500 head higher up. I had its ps on the bottom too initially but was disappointed with the 500, moving the ps up to its present position improved things a bit but and when it went off for DRing I found my 250 preferable, even in the brain stack and that preference persisted upon the 500s return. At the time the brain was
TT
CDX2
552
Superline
500

Moving the 552 to below the TT brought the system to life, I think maybe because it was now higher than the 500ps and less affected by it and the next ps down which at the time was the supercap but that is better (than even the 552ps) on the bottom shelf. Burndys cross but don’t touch and only the 500’s brush the carpet lightly.
I also found plug order important so I’ve put them in. The result of all this with NBLs gives very good swing with a great sense of ensemble but individual instruments can be made to stand out more at the expense of that by changing the socket order, particularly demoting the 555 in favour of the 500, maybe it would be better with the 500 on the second wall socket but the the tuner messes everything up is plugged into the block so unless I go digital for radio 3 there it stays. Moving the TTps to second place from last was a revelation.
The system lacks a bit for scale and depth for orchestral music but both are the best I’ve ever had them in my room, which I think is the major limiting factor.

[nautilus]

Thanks for all your suggestions.

I’ll give the suggestions a go and see which is the best.

With regards to the plug order, I’ve an unswitched double socket with the 500PS plugged into 1, and a wireworld matrix in the other. The ND555 and 552PS are plugged into the Wireworld sockets 1 and 3 which are supposed to be star earthed. Any suggestions on whether this is preferable?

Thanks.