I have decided to upgrade my superb AE 509s to Acoustic Energy Flagship Corinium Floorstanders.
I also use a Hicap DR with my Nait XS2.
I had no issue whatsoever driving the 89db 6ohm AE 509s, but am a little concerned on whether the 92db 4ohm Corinium may be a little too much for my XS2 to drive adequately?.
I did consider a move to a Supernait but actually prefered the sound of the Nait XS.
Specs wise the Nait XS2 supplies 100w into 4ohm.
I ran an original XS into Dynaudio Evoke 50, which are 4 ohm, no problems at all
Well after a bit of googling, looks like the XS2 should be fine driving the AE Corinium.
According to an online Lab Report the Nait XS2 can output 128w into 4ohm, actually more than its rated 100w
And has a momentary dynamic output of 178w into 4ohm. Also mentions the Nait XS2 as being very tolerant of difficult speaker loads
I do wonder if you are heading into mullet territory. Going by specs is all very well, but doesn’t always capture whether a speaker/amp combination works well. At least some AE speakers have a reputation for not being especially easy to drive and one reviewer says as much about the Coriniums.
I can’t help thinking that spending the same amount as a speaker upgrade on your electronics might yield better VFM. At least it would surely be worth demoing the alternatives at your dealers.
Roger
From the sound level point of view, the Coronium will use less power to play at the same loudness , But in practical terms a lot would depend on how challenging a load each speaker may be, in respect of which average impedance is nly a part. Other than trying and listening, one thing you could do is research how even is the Coronium impedance curve cmpared to the 509, and what is tge lowest impedance, which the average figure from specifications doesn’t tell. If they are similar then the xS2 should have no greater difficulty driving one compared to the other,
I think difficult low impedance loads is where Naim amps particularly outperform other amps of similar power. 4Ohm speakers in and of themselves are common and that fact alone wouldn’t give me much concern, nor would steep dips into <2Ohm territory.
I’d be more inclined to ponder the impedance and power requirements in the context of the room size and the volume being listened to.
One key aspect of low impedance output is that from the amp’s position, yes, the power output increases. But the headroom doesn’t. The rating on the power supply is static and does not scale with impedance, so if the peak output capability of an amp is, for example, 350w, and it is rated as 70w per channel in to 8 Ohms, and 140w into 4Ohms, the differential headroom into 4Ohms is much less. So while a 4Ohm speaker presents no problem to the amp, in practical terms there may be issues with the ability to drive loud volumes in a large space while still sounding dynamic and uncompressed.
Though a 4Ohm speaker with bass response that rolls off in the 80-60Hz range may be less of an issue from a headroom perspective, especially when augmented by a subwoofer.
I have demoed many other different Speakers, Integrateds and DACs and posted my thoughts and views here on the Naim Forums
I love the sound signature of Acoustic Energy and would not choose any other brand, they pair exceptionally well with Naim amplification, far better than Focal speakers IMO.
I also love Chord DACs which IMHO Chord Electronics are the best DAC manufacturers.
I found my naim nait XS2 more engaging and musical than the supernait. I suppose I could look into Naim separate Pre Power Amps.
My Shanling ET3 is a highly regarded CD transport that punches well above is price tag, as does the Chord Qutest DAC.
Sometimes it isnt just about the price tag of system items , but actual performance and bang for buck.
Agreed. If I knew back then what I know now, I probably wouldn’t have upgraded it.
As a fellow owner of AE speakers, I was certainly not trying to persuade you to choose another brand. And I also have a Qutest, so not attempting to push you away from Chord, either. My point was simply that moving from 109s to Coriniums involves a significant investment and keeping the 109s but putting the money into the electronics might give better results. I haven’t done the comparison, so my simple suggestion was auditioning both before spending the money would be worthwhile.
Roger
Of course, you can try and give it an audition, may be you find it ok, however I would not ever expect the XS, not even the SN3, or even a 250, to be able to drive well these AEs with a low nominal impedance (expect lower in real life), complicated crossover and multiple drivers. Minimum would be the 350 imho.
I am moving from Acoustic Energy 509s to Corinium, not the budget 109s.
A couple of years ago I spent a few weeks home and demo room auditioning different speakers and Integrateds.
At home I had Spendor A7s and D7s, Dali Rubicon 6s, Wharfdale Evo 4.4, Focal Aria 926, Also store demoed B&W 603 S2s, Monitor audio silver, Wharfdale Linton, Focal Kanta No 2, Focal scala utopia evo. I even had a listen to a pair of Marten Birds powered by my Naim XS2.
Of all the floorstanders I listened to, well except the Focal scala utopia and Marten Birds, which I couldnt afford. I settled happily on a pair of AE 509s.
I also demoed Supernait 2, Exposure 3010s2, Rega Aethos, Sonneteer alabaster integrateds, I prefered the Nait XS2
I had the Naim DAC V1 and thought the Chord Qutest sounded a million times better (sorry Naim) and the Naim DAC V1 was the higher priced unit.
The equipment I use with the 509s worked great together, no weak links and so far listening to the coriniums, its still that same AE signature sound, smooth, warm dynamic, detailed and fast.
But the soundstage with the corinium is more expansive and I am hearing a lot more details in the music. The Tetoron soft dome tweeter is a lot better than the carbon fibre one in the AE509. It adds more detail, extension and air to the higher frequencies. This was the only real niggle I had with the AE509s. Upper range extension, air and clarity was lacking.
Bass control in the Corinium is tighter, faster with better layering than the AE509s. Dynamics with the Coriniums on some of my albums has surprised me and I have once or twice lowered volume at certain moments so not to scare my neighbour. The Nait XS2 is doing its job very well powering the Corinium.
So far the Nait XS2 (With Hicap DR) is doing its job just fine, dynamics are great, big spacious sound, Bottom end is tight and impactful. I do have a moderately sized listening space. Not too small by any means, but not a school hall.
According to online sources, The impedance is described as being “firmly pegged around the four-ohm mark”.
Naim Audio amplifiers are renowned for their use of unusually large toroidal transformers, which contribute to high peak power capability and excellent transient response, rather than a high continuous RMS power rating.
High Peak Capability: While Naim amps might have lower RMS wattage ratings compared to some competitors with similar peak capabilities, their power supplies are designed to provide a peak power output of about five times their rated RMS power before clipping. This translates to an impactful and dynamic sound that many perceive as being more powerful than the RMS rating suggests, sometimes referred to as “Naim watts”.
Sorry, misprint. Meant 509 not 109.
Roger
Great to hear that it works for you in your room!
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