I wonder if others have had similar experience and outcome as we mostly talk about downsizing, simplification or managing cost in the sense of a compromise and a downgrade in sound quality?
In my case here not really something I necessarily intended or planned as I’ve been quite happy with my P8-222-250. Have not been looking for any further simplification and even tried the NPX300 but decided not worth the layout.
At some point I got a Nait 50 (as you do), which reminded me how immensely engaging and transparent lower power high quality amps can be, in a way the very decent and respectable 250 just cannot quite. I am now using two such amps - the N50 and a Nytech poweramp across my 2 setups.
Separately and just randomly, I had the opportunity to audition a pair of Swisscable reference speaker cables and, to my dismay, I liked them so much that I thought they could replace my ChordMusic. Which they did.
This allowed me to add the NVC TT instead (something I wanted for a while), and a Hana ML.
@garcon Yes - agree with your ideas around the simplification. Reminds me of two different ideas - one from the Western philosophy and another from the Eastern Philosophy
In architecture - we have a saying - less is more!
In hindu philosophy - one must go through the myriad of life to finally achieve ‘simplification’ aka nirvana.
By the way - I love the Rega and Hana ML combo, beautiful sunergy!
Downgrade to upgrade is absolutely a real thing and not in your head. There are two general reasons why this might happen for someone:
Expensive component mismatch. This is most common with extremely demanding speakers that an amp fails to control well. Then replaced with much cheaper speakers and suddenly “click” it all works.
Hi-Fidelity - Fussy Setup problem. All high end systems contain a double edged sword whereby to make a system as sensitive as possible to the slightest microdetail naturally means making it sensitive to other things too like cable dressing, microphonics, RFI, you name it. You can’t have it magically be more sensitive but less sensitive. Given sufficient challenges, a simpler setup may be on a more favourable side of that equation where it is sensitive “enough” but no so sensitive it gives rise to new problems.
Someone could fall foul of either or both. My big Naim system is extremely capable. But it shows up problems too if anything is setup or matched carelessly. My simpler cheaper office system is better in some ways. Certainly less fussy.
I have another system in the kitchen but the speakers are way too difficult for the amp to control well. I can honestly say on that system, Qacoustics 2010i sound better than PMC Twenty5.23s. At seveeral $K less, you can almost hear the amp sighing with relief when I tried that.
Three of the best amps I’ve heard to date; Quad IIs, Leak Stereo 20 and the Nait 50. The Nait continues to astonish… and has me thinking it’s the quality of those watts, not the quantity (in each case)
I saw many having separate aren’t as happy as having integrated (I was too), mostly because Naim got everything packed well in one box VS customers simply won’t go far to do a great setup for their system.
Mismatch of cables, wrong placement of components (that TT PSU on Naim amp…), jaw dropping differences of before and after a Burndy massage etc. For separate you wouldn’t know how easy you lose the lovely low ends and music flow until you try it. All those qualities could easily come with integrated (but in less amount)
If you have done all that I don’t think a N50 would come close to separate – heard many brands’ upgrade are side way but isn’t for Naim.
Thanks all for your comments, super pertinent points.
It’s been a mixed one and while the amp decisions were fairly easy, I guess it took some courage like to part with my what I thought of as irreplaceable speaker cables, clearly made of some “unupgradium”. I was under no illusion that I am, technically speaking, upgrading them but it was a first to hear something so close, especially in terms of their rather special relaxed flow and realism, and working essentially equally well with my Martens at such a (relatively) reasonable cost.
I am actually still in MM mode and yet to fit the Hana ML (only heard it before when making the choice) but will do this weekend!
