The power amps and PSUs do have switches on the front, unlike sources. I do think these heavyweight boxes tend to warm up faster, but perhaps the switch on the front is there because there’s no sensitive line level signal going through the box, so internal layout and cable routing is not as difficult to get right.
There are ways of having switches at the back, but actuated from the front, which I have seen on a number of pieces of equipment (not just HiFi). Basically a rod going from the button at the front to a switch at the back.
Cd5si at the back. ND5xs2 at the front. And I don’t leave the CDP on. Only turn on half hour before use. Bit of a PITA if I’m honest. Had to move the rack back from the wall a bit to accommodate.
I would have loved to have a set of those tannoy Td series speakers.
Great looks. Looks that said they should sound the business,and indeed they sounded as good as they looked from the brief listen when cajoling my dealer to set them up with parasound amps with a cds3 Naim front end.
These were magnificent speakers indead. The imaging was that good the I bought a TDC center speaker and decided to sell it again shortly after as the sound did not improve much. And also I did not have a clue where to place the center in our living room. 
Front stage without center:
Front stage with center:
The TD-8 speakers allowed for unlimited music listening. The presentation was beautiful 3D, dynamic and also a bit on the warm side of the spectrum. And that was something I was able to live with for years, but in the end I decided I wanted something more neutral (if such a thing even exists in audio reproduction).
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My journey to addiction started with my Dad’s HiFi. A Garrard 301 like the one below with a Leak valve amp, but built into a cabinet of his own making. A huge pair of floorstanding Wharfedale speakers rounded things off. Musical memory can be unreliable, especially after 45 years, but I thought it sounded amazing..
My own first ‘proper’ HiFi was from Student days. Dual 505 turntable, Akai amp and Mission 700 speakers all bought from Richer Sounds, London Bridge.
After a couple of years of employment I was up to join the Naim ownership club in 1985 with the classic, LP12, mk1 Nait, Kans system. Like this image, including the Sound Org table (but minus the Lingo). Happy days!
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This Ferguson System 25 was my very first hifi in 1980. Part Christmas present, part bribe/reward for ‘O’ Level studies/success. From then on I was hooked.
I bought my own system upgrade in 1986 - Technics separates and some used KEF Reference 101’s. I then made the mistake of buying What Hifi and discovering to my dismay that my system was actually pretty crap. So after about 2 years of ongoing research and saving I bought my first real kit in 1990 - an original Xerxes with Tabriz Zi and Corus Black, Musical Fidelity A100 and Alphason Amphion speakers. A Marantz CD63 KI Signature was added a couple of years later.
In 2001 I was struggling to find somewhere to service my Xerxes as the motor wasn’t “kicking” in the manner it should.
I found a dealer who could service but, but as it meant a hefty journey we arranged a do it while I wait service. Whilst hanging around I listened to some kit in their dem room and went home with my repaired Xerxes along with a CD5, NAC112, NAP150 and some KEF floorstanders. A couple of months later I added a Flatcap2 then a couple of months after that a used CDX.
Then the real madness started and I’ve ended up with Roksan Xerxes 20 plus, Artemis 2, Dynavector XX-2, Reference Power Supply, CDS3/XPS2, NAT05 into NAC252DR, NAP300DR through Totem Mani-2 Signatures.
Edit: Just remembered the first “upgrade” was the addition of a Pioneer Graphic Equaliser to that first Ferguson system..
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You should trust your ears, not a magazine. 
But I get your point.
I’d not heard of specialist audio shops back then @anon29651526. I bought the HiFi from the same place my parents bought their TV. It was still better than anything any of my friends had though.
That magazine sent me down a very expensive, though equally enjoyable path.
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It all started with a wind up 78 RPM portable with groove damage from the lead in groove. We then went to a radiogramme from Stone’s in Wimbledon and cost from memory £49, or guineas perhaps. It had a Collaro autochanger and if you so desired it would grind its way through half a dozen LPs. Subtle?
A visit to an Audio Fair in Russell Square London, showed me there was a lot more to be had from specialist equipment. This was circa 1960/2. I think I was hooked then!
My father and I then bought a Garrard 4/HF a very junior version of the 301 in looks only… We by-passed the radiogramme Collaro and he built a wood plinth to house it. Probably not much better sounding. However.
I was still inspired by the 301, the BBC used them, and this finished up in a cabinet from Larg’s of Holborn, what a snooty shop, with an SME 12" arm which had just come out and a Decca FFSS adaptor to fit. The amps were valve Quad 22 stereo and power amps with KT66 valves. I then got myself, one by one, two Lowther TP1 corner horns. All in a small terreced house. My very tolerant parents.
The cartridge was then changed for an Ortofon SPUG/T moving coil which had a built in transformer in the head shell as the Quad was MM only. I think it was a rerto move on reflection.
Then having moved house and got married I heard there was a groundbreaking TT made in Scotland. Had to have one and it was a revelation in about 1980. This now had a 9" SME and a Shure V15 and subsequently an ADC26 which came with three interchangable U shaped styli.
I was now onto the Quad 33/303 transistor combo and from a shop in north London, Studio 99 long gone. BBC LS5/1AE floor standers made by KEF.
I P/E the first LP12 after about 5 years for another one. It sounded cleaner with less flabby bass. The only part left now is the outer platter. Tangerine Audio etc.
Would a mint first generation Sondek unmolested be sought after for that very reason?
Then, at long last, Naim arrived and a 32/250 taking me throuh in quite a few stages to my 552/500.
When the first LP12 arrived my wife was working and my job as a sales rep gave me pretty flexible hours. She did a lot of evening charity work so off with the TV and on with the music.
Have to say that was the time when I played a lot of LPs, more than I do now, even though my current set up is miles ahead of that first LP12. In an odd way that might have been the musically most satisfying time in my last 40 years of listening. LP12: a game changer? Yes in my book.
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Reborn in 2020; previous audiophile life not important. 
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How are you finding Hegel vs Naim?
Life before Naim, well that was a long time ago as I got my first Naim in 1981 (42/110). If I recall I had a Quad 33 and 405 with KEF Concorde speakers and a Michell Focus 1 turntable with and SME 3009 and Ortofon VMS 20 E MK2 and also a Nakamichi 582 cassette deck which I kept for 20 years.
Tim
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Before Naim, I had an Audiolab 8000A, earlier release made in England. It was fantastic I thought. This is almost 20 years ago. Funniest thing was that it was a nos I found during a work trip in Singapore at the Bose store where some colleagues pulled me there to listen to “hifi”. I noticed their Bose speakers were powered by Audiolab 8000A so I asked if have new ones. They had two, new unopened in box, and it was <$700 Aus so I immediately bought one and carried it home. 
It’s worth noting that the Audiolab 8000A while not hooked up to speakers right now, apart from two of the rca ports have a little bit of play, it is still working perfectly.
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On the amplifier front Exposure through various upgrades ending with huge and very heavy Exposure 16 power amps driven by a 21 pre-amp. Sounded excellent but not appreciative of our rural power environment as they caused blackouts each time they were switched on! Before Exposure was my first proper amp in the shape of an A&R A60 and its complementary tuner, the T21. The Exposures drove EPOS 14s, 25s and finally 30s. I liked EPOS for some strange reason!
Okay late to this one but here goes.
Music has been an obsession from childhood, piano lessons on to guitar (never any good!), Dansette record player and then Phillips music centre. Built up a collection of the great 60/70s artists and backwards into jazz and classical. About 1978 I went to Lasky’s in Tottenham Court Rd and came home with a Pioneer 512D, Pioneer Amp (can’t remember the designation) and Wharfedale Denton speakers. Sounded great.
But turbulent times were ahead! I happened to work with @davidhendon of this parish and he always had a copy of Hi-Fi news and Record Review to hand and had a high end system including Nakamichi cassette deck. One lunchtime he invited me to go with him to hear the latest iteration of the Quad ESLs (Quad amps and Oracle TT I think David?). Well that was it but for a while impending marriage and first home purchase curtailed ambitions. But eventually I upgraded to an Ariston RD80/Linn LVX/K9/Rotel 840/Rotel 850 tuner/Heybrook HBS1 and later added an Arcam CDP (what a gem that was). That system lasted >20 years but on moving to this house I promised I would invest in a “reference” level system. I temporarily had an Arcam A85 with Dyna Contour 1.8s and Rega P25 TT, but eventually home demo’d Naim amps and the rest as they say is history.
Regards,
Lindsay
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I need a new turntable as my Mitchell Focus 1 was wearing out. I made the mistake of popping in to a local Hi Fi shop that had just opened up a branch in Harpenden. Studio 99 so I booked a demo of what was then a basic LP12 with arm and cartridge but the guy in the shop said it sounds good but you should hear it with this amp. Fantastic revelation, it was a 42/110 so I spent a lot more money than planned and that was 1981 and has been continuing for the last 39 years.
Tim
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Cant be completely date specific, started post O level 1973…
Garrard 86 SB and shure cartridge, teleton amp with slider volume controls and Celestion Counties…lovely.
Hifi answers etc and my first and so far uncured bout of Hifiitis set in.
Leak 2030s and much head ache
Got a p/t job
Era mk6x deck and cambridge audio p6 ( never worked right) so with refund bought naim pre and power v small 42/110??? And a pr of IMF tls50II s lived it…
Got engaged, JBE Slate deck with sme 3009 and better shure…( should have been cooker).
At one point 1991 ish sold it all and bought Townshend Rock reference and GlastonburyII speakers Dynovector gold? 2 DPA 50S and DPA pre. Cdx and PS of some sort.
1998ish went Mark Levinson…variously 380s pre 436s then 33ref and uprated 390s with 37 to top dac and cd.
Had a mad moment and switched back to naim. Full 500 ststem and DBLs 
.
I was the prat. And James at Tom Tom was happy…i called him and said, sorry mate but its all very High Def, but like HDTV. At this stage 2007/8 we know what else was happening.
Back to ML 326s and 532 with glastos ML37 and 360s…there followed a period of introspection…Divorce and falling asleep in DSOM.
Sold all hifi.
Met someone in 2011, married in July 
. And following a complete howler of a tax bill calculation started again.
Pics of my legendary sauna system are in systyem pics.
NDX2 555ps, UnitiCore, townshend allegri + antique ML 33H and KeF ref 5 grade b…Allegri upgraded to Reference and the NDX/555 traded for dcs Audio Vivaldi and network bridge.
BUT.
Having not been on my bike (gf orders) had intermittently used Tacx TTS4 trainer in loft space to MUSO 1…
Following bout if Covid Corpulance have upgraded to Tacx Neo2T…
And, although not yet arrived
NDX2 XPSDR/252 SCDR/250Dr…PMC 25 21s
Carrot and stick all rolled into one…
More life before naim i know, with a continuing thread…
Who knows may test drive 252 in system1… its incurable isnt it really?
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I had a Denon AV amp, B@W sub, B&W speakers and an Arcam CD62 in about 2008. I realised I pretty much only used it for music so though I would test out another amp. I went to my local dealer (Sound Org. York) who setup and Arcam CD player with some B&W speakers to allow me to test out a few different amps. I think I tested a Rega Brio, some kind of Arcam and a Nait 5i and I was blown away between completely different sound of each of the 3. I didn’t realise how much of a difference the amp would make. I had also never heard of Naim at the time, needless to say I loved the Nait and I have never looked back from Naim. I went CD5i next, then N-Sats, then I got a bit carried away peaking at an CDX2/82/PSC/HiCap/200/NAT02. Today due to family/dogs/money/space etc I only have a Muso QB2 but it still brings me just as much enjoyment as before.
Dave
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