I went down the rabbit hole with Hifi pretty deep (not with Naim) and when listening one day, and deciding something else wasn’t quite right (again) I saw the light. Sold everything and had a break. Decided I’d spend the money on more music, and go and see as much live performance as I could instead.
I now have basic systems with a Nait 5i in one room and a UnitiQute 2 BT with some LS50’s in the living room and it all suits me perfectly.
Not judging anyone else, you do what suits you best. I’m happy with what I have and don’t lose sleep worrying about details like cables, power, racking or redecorating our family home into an anechoic chamber with sofa’s etc.
Every now and again I’ll do something silly like look at £80k worth of kit and think wow, but I’ve learned to step back from the edge of the rabbit hole, and swallow the blue pill.
I have an 82 & 72, 2 HiCaps, a 140 and a 250. Its enough…!!
The 250 has been with me since I bought it new, in 1985. Approaching another service, in a year or so.
The 82 was the revalation, for me. I had had a 72 then a 102 - the 102 never seemed quite right to me. It even went back to Naim once. But the 82… even un-serviced (bought pre-loved) it was just fab…!! I had in service & its been going strong ever since…
The 140 has just (this week!!) been serviced - for the 1st time in 28 years. Sounding great… with more to come, no doubt.
Ease of seeing live music depends on where you live, and who/what is playing in the present tense. When I lived near London I used to go to a gig/concert about once a week as there was lots of choice and at that time many bands around that I liked. Not the same now - different location, different times. The beauty of recorded music is being able to hear whatever, whenever, and however often I want, which really is a luxury - as is having a system on which the music sounds great, as opposed to a feeble imitation of reality. That said, my introduction to recorded music was my parents’ wind-up gramophone playing classical 78s with all its acoustic limitations and surface noise and a running time of maybe only 5 minutes a side, yet that was wonderful at the time - I suppose it is a matter of what one is used to.
I suppose I’ve been lucky in that although over the years I’ve never felt that, though I have been aware that there is always something better.
My wife and I enjoy listening to our choice of music and internet radio through our new Uniti Star driving our venerable pair of Credo speakers . We are both in our early seventies and enjoy good health and a comfortable lifestyle .
If I won the lottery ( which would be highly improbable as I have never ever bought a ticket ) spending large amounts of dosh on new hi fi would be not my first choice .
Nac 52, 3 Nap 250-2 amps w 362 snaxo, CDS3 w 555PS, Nakamichi DR1, and B&O 1800 TT into NBLs sound sublime. I would search for CD555 and a better TT if the lottery paid off but very content with my system.
Me too. The range on the Nova when fully tweaked is quite staggering, i’m hearing things i’ve never heard before. I think the spacing of components on the single Fraim is adding the final tweek. Its difficult to believe I could achieve more even from my old 252/300 set up. What would a Supernova sound like…doh, here we go again!!
I am still in wonderland since my March Uniti Star purchase. I am checking every review of every paired speaker I can find, but to be honest, my listening room is so small (and so badly insulated from the downstairs neighbour) anything more exciting than my Dynaudio Emits would be madness objectively… Or downright anti-social.
I am just sitting down and enjoying music. Only since the Uniti I am able to appreciate uncompressed recordings. I hadn’t even heard of the term before I buried my old Amp. While I am typing this, the outro of “Take me to the Mardi Gras” is washing over me like a musical tidal wave.
When I get bored of these sensations I’ll start really thinking about something new. Until then I’ll just keep myself informed. Unless that lottery ticket turns out to be a winner (new house, new listening room, new options. Ah the joy of fantasy)
I guess it depends on your streaming habits. If you are content with local files and the LP12 is the main source, I would guess the 300. If you fancy the new streamer capabilities, NDX2(/XPS)
Well, I’m sticking at the moment whilst waiting for the much anticipated 272.2/372 (or maybe 572). Rest of system which comprises 555 PS, 250.2 and ProAc D20R will stay whatever. That would be a nice 3 box system that would last me some time I think with any other tweaks more likely to be room correction etc.
I know there is better sound quality out there, and I don’t mind funding it, but I don’t want my room to look like a hi-fi shop, so 3 or 4 boxes is my max. (For that reason NDX2, 555, 282 with 2 power supplies is a non-starter for me.)
If 272 replacement doesn’t arrive I’ll remain happy but maybe check out a separate non Naim DAC and one of the small inconspicuous streamers (Sonore?)
No plans to upgrade. Don’t really need anything. No nothing else. Until I get a Morgana din/xlr, a ps for the 272, a cisco switch, maybe a real fraim, I wonder if my speakers will need upgrading after that?!