Just for clarity, by distortions I mean anything that alters the signal in any way from what is in the recording, so not just harmonic or intermodulation distortion etc, but waveform/timing, dynamic range, frequency range and anything else.
Yes a concert hall modifies (or in the above description distorts the sound), as indeed will the listening room no matter how treated, but should the electronics more than can be avoided? Some may say yes (e.g. they like the limited bass, enhanced rhythmic cues, muted sounds, or whatever - which may include the âNaim soundâ) but others not - so provide the ânotâ (as far as technologically possible within the budget) and add selectable choices of âsound signatureâ - which for Naimis obviously that âNaim soundâ.
Of course you would have to have a good enough time as the base to be able to do that! But naybe Bain is there now?
IB, you appear to feel that the sound of Naim kit (pre-amp in this case) is one of distortion or of something âaddedâ. Nothing could be further from the truth. From day one, JV designed the NAC 12 to remove as little music information as possible and add as little distortion as possible. Itâs as true today as it was then, although Naim have have learned much along the way, and got better at it over the years.
As for some kind of specially tailored âNaim soundâ, no such thing, unless youâre talking about sounding more like actual music, in which case, spot on.
Interesting, though, how some people regard the olive series amps as being more the true âNaimâ sound than the more recent priducts, whereas others seem to regard the more recent ones as being better because they are more neutral, so losing some of those characteristics of old.
Perhaps I was wrong, but my interpretation is that over time the original focus on accuracy in the timing aspects above all else resulted in quite significant deviations from accuracy in other parts of the signal, creating a characteristic sound. Then over time other aspects have been improved also (while not letting go of timing as the core need), so overall becoming more neutral.
As for sounding like actual music, that is indeed what we all (?) want out of our systems! And indeed if developments over the years have got closer that is indeed a good thing - however it appears that a proportion, possibly very small, of Naim aficionados prefer the sound of the older gear. A means of offering that in future amps might keep them on board. But then again if may be contrary to Naim philosophy, recognising that things have improved and sticking to the improvements - which is wholly understandable from a music and hifi perspective, if not necessarily from that of marketing.
âactual musicâ has always been an odd one for me. There have not been too many times in my life where I have had a great seat/position at a concert where the sound quality has also been top notch. Tallis Scholars at St Johns Hall, Suzanne Vega at Brighton and Steve Miller at the Roundhouse are three that spring to mind (utterly glorious!). Some off the greatest concerts I have attended have had sound quality way below what I would tolerate from any system - let alone a high end one. The recorded quality of live shows is usually much better than what can be experienced as part of the audience - I know as I have recordings of concerts I attended. Even at small venues the sound is more often than not too loud and often dominated by the drums (typically) or another instrument. I greatly enjoy âactual musicâ as part of the live experience but much of what I enjoy at home is the result of countless hours in the studio and the mixing abilities of the engineers etc. There are some great, often quite raw, âliveâ studio recordings that I really enjoy (try Sweet Tea by Buddy Guy) and these probably get the closest to âactual musicâ in your living room - for rock anyway. Classical (particularly Opera) and other non-amplified music probably fare better in the main. No system though will replicate the likes of Black Sabbath or Zed Zeppelin at full throttle - neither would you want it to I suspect. You can enjoy live music and your system as separate experiences in my view. On the pre-amp question it is an absolute necessity in my mind - Naim power amps are designed to be driven by a pre - ideally a Naim one.
I concur with this interpretation. My first Naim amp (42.5 / 110 / SNAPS) was huge fun but could get a little shouty (or boisterous, depending on perspective). The 72/Hi/180 was better, losing none of the timing, but showing occasional glassiness. An olive 250 fixed the issue, restoring a wonderful sense of groove (that a 250DR did not provide). Now with a 252/SCAP fronting the 250, Iâve reached a level where violins are almost neutral.
Re preamps, Iâve tried replacing the 252 with three different volume controlled DACs (Resonessence Mirus Pro, Metrum Pavane with volume via Roon Core, Merging NADAC). While the most balanced presentation came from the Merging DAC, it could not match the 252 for musical engagement.
Thanks for the info on the Chord volume control. It looks like they use 64 bit processor. That would give more options for how to implement the volume control on the digital side and not have the down effects that Naim must be talking about. Since Naim use 40 bits processing, it does seem like a proper digital volume control could be implemented even if it meant truncating to 32/24 bits. From what I read, we are not getting full 24 bit source material yet, more like 20 bits typical on the good stuff.
Well the Nagra Melody is a new product. The review I read just extended my audiophile vocabulary to new heights. They suggested that it had âsonic transparency and exactitudeâ. Never heard of âExactitudeâ before, but it sounds good. Not a proper English term, I am sure. Perhaps we should start a new thread on the definition of Exactitude?
Itâs an English term too. It was famously used (in antonymic form) by Churchill in parliament in the phrase âteminological inexactitudeâ (i.e. a lie).
Churchillâs use if such an overblown phrase was intentional, as openly accusing a British MP of lying in Parliament is forbidden and would have resulted in his expulsion from the house.
Yeah, you could use those phrases, but I doubt youâd find any style guides advising it. In an audio context, as Chris says, accuracy is generally a better word to use. The famous use in parliament was largely for effect, rather than simply him saying what he meant.
I have no experience of the 150X. My comparison was with the 180. The 250 brought more warmth and body, better defined bass and improved listening ease.