Naim Fraim - is it worth it really?

Hi-Fi Corner
1738

Did it save you a lot going for Fraim Lite base vs Full Fraim?

1739

Thatā€™s one Fraim standard base. I did that because tv is hanging above so the Fraim canā€™t be higher then that.

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1740

And I can always order missing shelves when I decide to go for full base version.

1741

I think your solution is clever. Nice work.

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1742

Thanks!:blush:

1743

Looks great, Kacper, congratulations!
Just noticed also your beautiful set of speakers: great floorstandersā€¦ one simple question: which jumpers do you use? ā€¦ and was the difference substantial?

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1744

Hi @Mike12 ,

thanks! Those are Chord signature, I havenā€™t noticed any difference but I also didnā€™t really compare them with the original ones

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1745

Nice Bluray Player, i also own that one. But it does not have the privilege to sit on a Fraim :slight_smile:

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1746

There is one thing about the Fraim setup that I have been wondering for ages - Do you let your glass touch the pin at the back of your Fraim shelf? I do not, but you may do?

1747

I donā€™t let the glass touch the pin

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1748

I have my glass so itā€™s flush with the front of the veneered shelves, same for the components.

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1749

No, the glass should not touch the pin. The pin is just there to prevent the glass from sliding off the balls backwards when you press hard on the front panel of whatever kit you have on the shelf. You should have the glass aligned with the front of the Fraim. As Stephen says above, the kit sounds best with the fascias aligned flush with the glass and the shelf fronts.

2 Likes
1750

Every six months or so ( if you feel that you have the ability to) strip down and tighten up the FRAIM. Roy George promoted tight not snug. Lots of rubbish written about donā€™t do it but itā€™s just that.

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1751

You really couldnā€™t make this stuff up on here!

Naim FRAIM. Wasting peoples time since 2002ā€¦

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1752

Err? Wasting peoples time? I really cannot fathom that one out. Like you mean it leaves you hanging outside when the door slams shut or something?:thinking::melting_face:

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1753

I was referring to the continual upkeep and maintenance seemingly required to ensure a lump of wood and glass performs at its best. Utter nonsense. :man_shrugging:

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1754

It certainly is. I havenā€™t touched mine in over a year. Rock solid.

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1755

Once Fraim has bedded-in i.e. usually after c.6mā€™s post initial construction, IME it only needs a revisit every 12mā€™s or so ā€“ and thatā€™s normally done as part of the usual strip & clean routine. Itā€™s a very easy DIY build.

With respect, itā€™s not ā€˜utter nonsenseā€™ as, demonstrably, Naim kit (especially the amps) likes decent support & isolation, part due to the transformers et al. Ok, itā€™s perhaps more finickity than some brands but you pays yer money and makes yer choice.

1756

As a no-Fraim-ownerā€¦

Do almost all of us agree with these?

  1. In most situations, good hi-fi works audibly better on decent stands than on floors, book cases etc.
  2. Improving audibly on decent stands involves a good deal of bother, even if possible.
  3. Among decent stands, Fraims are pretty expensive, but hard or impossible to beat sonically in many situations.
  4. Dusting a hifi probably gets 4+ hours per year, which may put an annual (say) tightening exercise into context.
  5. Most decent stands need no adjustments ever, but they may well work less well audibly than a Fraim.

If those all seem fair, you still donā€™t have to buy a Fraim - rooms, hi-fis, tastes, budgets all differ, but doing so is not a sign of madness. - unless perhaps you have an LP12 and a bouncy wooden floor.

If you do think most of those statements are wrong, you also donā€™t have to buy a Fraim, but need not treat owners as idiots.

If comparing owning a turntable (esp. an LP12) to owning a half-decent (or better) streamer, I suspect that that you could make a very similar list!

6 Likes
1757

All fair IMV. If only Fraim (and any kit support for that matter) was self-cleaning :grin:

When Fraim came out many years ago, there were Forum debates about the merits of Hutter (the multi-level towers especially) and other supports. Fraim must be seen in the wider content and, as you say, itā€™s in no way an obligatory purchase.

With Naim kit the primary aim remains to keep the boxes apart, with the cabling (ideally) hanging free.