Hi David now you’ve had a maniacal swivel eyed opinion based on the review of a different amp and some pictures I will attempt to answer your question.
What I found during my years of Hifi ownership is that the room in which a system sits is hugely important and the interaction between amp speakers and a room can make or break a Hifi set up.
When I got my Contour s3.4’s I had a Nap 200 I fell in love with the sound they gave but found that the Nap 200 didn’t have the power to drive them at the listening levels THAT I wanted because of the interaction IN MY ROOM.
I have highlighted those words above for the Naim absolutists who have never been in MY ROOM and heard MY SYSTEM but keep continuing to tell me that I’m not hearing the things I’m hearing.
Anyway after the Nap 200 I tried several other Naim amps up to and including a Nap 300 but with the same results. I tried a few other brands until I tried the Hegel H190 and combined with the Witch Hat Phantom speaker cable I’m very, very happy I can turn the dial as far as I’m comfortable with loudness wise without any degrading of SQ.
Prior to buying the H190 I actually tried a Supernait 2 beautiful amp sounded great at moderate levels but again turned up loud it suffered the same problems as the other Naim.
Perhaps if I’d changed speakers or had the money for a Nap 500 things may have been different but as it is even though it’s SHOCK HORROR made in China and not as tidy internally as Naim I’m very happy.
My advice is try that Supernait3 it may work a dream in your room and if it doesn’t then I can highly recommend the Hegel H190.
I think it’s a common issue with ex-naim owners to show consistency in Personal attacks, name calling, and unable to have a discussion on technical grounds.
What I find strange indeed is the claim that a Naim amp suffers distortion at 12 o clock volume setting.
That is really loud. How many Naim owners actually try to listen at 12 O clock?
Dynaudio speakers are hardly Sensitive, and the older Dynas with the aluminium Voice Coil formers do need some pushing to come to life, that’s more of a legacy Dynaudio (older) Contour speaker problem, which has been fixed in the later/Latest Dynaudios with Black KAPTON, and more advanced Carbon Fiber Voice coil Formers.
Regardless the views of stereophile are here for all to see, and having heard a Hegel 390 with a Dynaudio Contour 60, I won’t say it sounds bad, but it’s made in China, and hence well … a tad bit overpriced maybe?
More money in the pockets of Hegel, but with Naim the margins are actually not that great, they have been the same for decades, and the Wiltshire Naim staff who make our beloved Naim equipment are paid real wages, and put a lot of love into their work.
Don’t take my word for it, just take a look at the pictures above
Considering all the problems SN 3 owners have and the numbers that were returned to the dealer one would think that it was made in Afghanistan… Pictures don’t tell the whole story.
Returns with the same problem point at lacking in design or the way the machine was put together. I do not remember SN 1 & SN 2 having any teething problems.
I am not speaking from a personal experience. I am a happy NAIT 3 owner for 21 years. There was a topic of a few SN 3 owners complaining about the same imbalance between the two channels causing some amps to be returned to the dealer. I don’t see the topic now.
The only point I was trying to make was that just because a component is made in China it doesn’t automatically mean that it is of a lower quality. Otherwise, we should all dump our iPhones.
I hope that your amp is working properly giving you all the expected pleasure.
Has anyone got some pics of their Evoke 10s on stands? I’ve just purchased some in oak and looking for some stand recommendations. I do like the Dynaudio ones but hoping there is something cheaper but as good.
Congratulations on your new speakers. I have seen some of the Dynaudio speaker stands offered for $100 dollars off. I plan to stick with their stands as I can use an adaptor plate specifically for the heritage, and if I’m spending so much, I may as well end up in the poorhouse in style. My real problem is their does not seem to be much information about the different stands and which is designed for what?.
i was going to post my pic but you beat me to it! - the dynaudio stand 10 are pricey but the best stands ive had and a clear step up from £100 richer sounds ones. even better when filled 2/3…
They do look great those Dynaudio stands, I think I prefer the Stand 6 but they sit 4cm higher than the Stand 10, when using a tape measure the tweeters may sit just above the ear.
I think ile have to go for the Stand 10, I think your right Benjy, its one of those buy cheap buy twice scenarios, im happy to be poor for a couple of months, cant do much in lockdown anyway.
Just out of curiosity, what source and DAC are people using with the Dynaudio/Naim combo?
I’ve always found Dynaudios to be softer up top, so thinking a brighter DAC would be good. I used to have an eastern electric DAC Plus with Nait 5i2 and exite x12s and it was an awesome combo.