My bedroom system comprises Bluesound Node 2i/NAC42/NAP110/SCM11.
When I set it up I just left all settings at default and enjoyed the convenience of being able to control the volume via the app.
Out of curiosity I’ve just switched to a fixed output level into my NAC42. A very pleasing upgrade in SQ at the flick of a switch and I think I’m only just hearing how good the 42/110 pairing is.
Looks like I’ll be revisiting a few favourite albums
I’ve found in my set up that paying careful attention to installation details can pay huge dividends in terms of increased enjoyment. Either free or at minimal cost. Get all this right and when you do spend money to upgrade then you will be getting the absolute best from whatever you buy.
Perhaps you could elaborate a bit on the specific installation details that you have found most beneficial? Having recently upgraded I’m keen to get the best out of my NC investment. I’ll admit I’m a novice in these matters, so any guidance would be really helpful.
Nothing much constructive to add to the original post I’m afraid!
But, I’m very very happy with my recently acquired 42.5/110 as well. They sound indecently good for the money they cost, even after having them serviced. Amazing things, and perhaps now more than previously, I think I understand what all the fuss was about Naim back in the day, they’re a lot of fun. I can see why those people who look back on their early Naim systems say they do so with fond memories!
I’ve done quite a few things over the years, but here’s some experiences might be useful to some people.
Mains. I’m lucky enough to be able to have Chord mains blocks now, but before that I used home made blocks using MK or Crabtree sockets. These cost very little to make and sound really excellent. I personally wouldn’t bother with any commercial block until you get to the £1K mark or so, when you can get really worthwhile improvements. Otherwise just stick with home-made IMO. Mains is really important - don’t under-estimate the effects of a decent mains feed.
Racks. If you can’t afford a good quality commercial rack then IMO stick with lightweight furniture from the likes of Ikea. Don’t waste your money on isolation devices to place under equipment on these. Any that are worthwhile are very expensive. Most of them give with one hand and take away with the other or just sound plain wrongl IME. If you must use something then small cork discs, available from craft suppliers, are cheap and probably as good as any low cost commercial option. But I really wouldn’t bother.
If you’ve got a proper rack then make sure it’s assembled correctly and place spike shoes between any spikes and the floor, even on carpet. Don’t spike directly to the floor. Same with speaker stands.
It goes almost without saying that it’s really worth taking a lot of time to position speakers for the best sound. This really can have a profound effect.
Take time to dress cables as well as you can. IMO avoid cable lifters - they have a noticeable effect on performance - it sounds worse.
Leave your Naim kit switched on at all times for best performance. This really is worthwhile IME.
Beyond these pretty obvious things you just develop a feel for what is right in your own set-up and can tweak it here and there as time goes on.
One thing I’ve definitely learned is that any commercially available option that works well is going to be expensive. Don’t waste your money on the latest wonder devices that cost a few tens of pounds. They don’t work.
No worries. I should really have added the caveat that this is all just in my own experience and my own system and to suit my personal preferences but I’m sure you realise that. Some people may strongly disagree with some of the things I’ve said and I wouldn’t argue with them. No two systems or rooms are the same and everyone has their own ideas about what sounds good.
As time goes on you will develop a feel for what works with your system and what sort of things suit your preferred type of sound. Most importantly do have fun.
@MrFixit, PJL makes a good point above. If you’ve not done so already, then I’d suggest a dedicated mains install (plenty of threads on the forum about this topic) as a good starting point.
I appreciate domestic circumstances may prevent this, but for the price of a decent mains block, it’s well worth doing if you are able to.
The biggest issue is that my music room is on the far side of the house from the meter and fusebox. Running a cable around the outside isn’t going to get approval from SWMBO!
However, we are looking to get Solar Panels installed which might give me the opportunity to run a cable up through the roof space and down the side of the music room which would be less disruptive and not really show that much.
Given our house is a new build (2020) the electrics should be good, and we are in a rural location, so any improvement might be less than others might gain.
Same here, but not a problem running the cable up through from the garage consumer unit location, through some upstairs built in wardrobes into and across the loft to drop through to the lounge on the other side of the house.
As the Solar guys would be running cables into the loft it would just be one more down the other side and then in through an outer wall. So not much more work/ disruption. I’ll check for some posts showing how it needs to be wired in.
That’s a good point, but as far as I understand it, it’s at least as much about what other appliances share a circuit with your hifi, as it is about having new wiring. Creating a dedicated circuit allows you to better isolate the hifi from everything else.
The ring main for the music room includes a fridge freezer, my UPS powered computer rack and the lounge (TV primarily). Occasionally I get hum from my system when (I believe) the fridge freezer kicks in, but it’s slight. So isolating it could bring some benefit. Only one way to find out .
Always nice to enjoy a new house…best not to take anything for granted. Ask or consult a good sparky, who is prepared to acknowledge mains can be an issue for sensitive electronic kit. Cable runs don’t need to be by the shortest route and good sparky will likely be able to devise an unobtrusive route.
Creating an additional ring may be an option, certainly removing the ‘noisy’ items from the same ring as music kit is highly desirable. There are a number of ways of achieving effective isolation, if a complete and separate cu based dedicated mains is tricky.
I still struggle to understand how is this possible, is there any kind of filtration installed along with the dedicated mains that would effectively isolate it from neighboring circuits?
Perhaps I should have said “as I recall others recommending it”, rather than “understand it”. I’ve fallen foul of simply repeating dogma. I only have anecdotal evidence that in previous houses things like fridges motors clicking on and off only affected devices on the same circuit. I do not have a dedicated circuit for my hifi here, nor the electrical expertise to explain why a separate circuit might help.