Probably 80% of posts on this forum would disagree.
Note…I do not.
Probably 80% of posts on this forum would disagree.
Note…I do not.
With what?
I’ve often been surprised how much I enjoy music in the car which doesn’t really bowl me over in a hi-fi setup, maybe it’s mastered to be better on lo-fi devices, and while better audio equipment generally sounds better it doesn’t always mean you enjoy the subject matter more.
We’re probably thinking the same.
I’ve the same one in my office and it goes out to a Chord Hugo1 → a cheap Chinese made amp → a pair of Neat IOTAs, sounds great to my ears/taste.
I’ve posted a similar answer before,
If you enjoy the music, it shouldn’t matter how or where you listen to it, its still something you enjoy, its still great music.
Gary
I agree I don’t get to use the front room as much as I would like. I can and enjoy listening on anything as you rightly put it it’s the music that counts. I am happy for hours on end sitting in my garden with my DAP or equally my JBL Link 20.
I’m also sad to see you go… Hope you consider coming back just to say hi.
I had a perfectly balanced Naim system of CDX2/XPS2, 202/200/HCDR/NAPSC with Headline 2 and HC into Epos ES11s.
Realised the latter were exposed as having a slightly rolled off top end and thus went on a two year search for “better” speakers which ended with Zu. Worked brilliantly but then one day I woke up and it didn’t. Much faffing about (some may recall the “End Of My Tether” thread) and eventually I realised that there was nothing wrong with the boxes. It was just me.
Realised I loved my music when the system didn’t have eight boxes and lord knows how many temperamental cables and too many inputs for just a TV and a DAC. Having one column of hifi not two would also free up a little living space and allow the speakers further into the room, although Mrs. H. may yet have something to say on that.
Long story but the Headline, HC, CDX2 and XPS2 were replaced by an Innuos Zenith 3 going into a Chord Hugo TT2 DAC in pre amp mode and my love of music was restored. Since then the search for an amp has ramped up and I’m currently having a 14 day home demo of an Enleum AMP-23R with some cheap Audioquest Rocket in place of the A5. The only poster on here familiar with this amp will maybe be @anon27418182 who described it as end game but then moved it on which shows the perils of this game
I’m a friend/ex neighbour coming round Sunday to get a second opinion but find myself in an interesting pace with it. Switched the DAC to DAC mode. I’m not getting the floating 3D soundstage or stunning vocals and midrange. This could be because I need to rethink my speaker positioning.
That aside though it beats the Naim hands down on clarity and PRaT and if I didn’t suspect it had much more to offer/may be a poor quality version of the unit, I’d be tempted to buy it right now. Trading in the Naim brings it down to a price comparable to the four main Naim boxes and, frankly, for me… there’s only one winner.
So, watch this space. My plans to exit the ecosystem are gathering pace.
Worth looking up images of the Enleum. It’s a sexy beast. A petite oil rig with odd ergonomics on the box but a brilliant remote which makes it a joy to use.
I haven’t gone, still pop in now and again as of today. Will post on threads I am interested in.
Saw it last year on Darkos site. Looks good your oil rig analogy quite spot on.
It is an end game amp. It is very special but I could not live with the cost of it - it kept calling at my soul with a house move coming up (now complete). Took a hit when I sold it on but my shoulders were a lot lighter.
My Nait 50 is keeping me suitably entertained now and I’m contented which is the real end game for everyone.
So happy that you are enjoying the Enleum Mike.
I claim no credit for that. Someone else said it and I thought it was spot on.
I think the theory is that the amp only represents value of you use speakers and headphones. I disagree. It’s expensive but extraordinary. Whether it’s my end game I’m not sure yet but it’s mightily impressive. Just need to see if I can get the vocals, midrange and soundstage out of it.
I agree but also kinda disagree.
I’m on holidays (west Cork, going well, thanks for asking, photos? Well here’s one…)
Enjoying listening to music in the car and on a Bose speaker in the house we’re staying in, BUT I know when I get home and fire up my main system and smile stupidly that - for me- sometimes it is about what the music is played on.
.sjb
Agreed, not a good comparison at all, Mercedes is far from its ancient glory not to mention the interior full of colored lights high and low, most reminiscent of tasteless Christmas tree lighting…
Not gone to plan for me. First Enleum on home demo was faulty. Second one? Well I hope it had a fault. The sound stage was shrunken from left to right; the vocals were average and the mid-range non-existent.
Effectively I found it to be as per the two poor reviews rather than the many good ones. A terrible shame as it ticked so many boxes in terms of being a pure integrated; only two inputs; petite and sexy and well suited to sensitive speakers. It just… didn’t sound that great.
Shame. Things don’t always work out how you want them to, which I have found recently. I’m sure you will find an alternative that suits your tastes, maybe it will just take a little time.
Have you other alternatives?
Pass labs maybe? Nagra, First Watt, Luxman?
Good to see you and the family out and about sjb
Good suggestions FR. I believe MSB is also in the same price range as Naim. They are about the only system that I’d move to from Naim.
I remember the End Of My Tether thread , and you seemed highly stressed by it. Many thought simplifying it would be a good thing . I went from this
to a Regaa Aethos
to a Nova
to this
It wasn’t Naim that frustrated me , it was the oodles of boxes , now everything is simplified I am very happy
PS The sound is pretty good as well
The amps I mentioned can work very fine with @mikehughescq speakers, Zu audio, high efficiency. The reason why I choosed them.