New in town! Connection Help? + Possible Upgrades?

Hi-Fi Corner
1

Hello guys,

I’ve tried support from Naim but I was not able to get any answer, maybe the people around the forum can help me better :slight_smile:

I have a NAIM set of equipments, I would like to know how to setup correctly, since I tried but no music :sweat: :

  • 1x Cd5
  • 1x Nac 112
  • 2x flatcap 2
  • 1x nap 150
  • 2x intro speakers

How should I connect this, cable wise, what goes where and first??
P.S. - I’ve already went trough the Manuals & Support :tired_face:

ALSO : I would like to know how can I do to upgrade the source, for example to have like a Bluetooth stream (i.e. - Chromecast :notes:Audio) to stream from Spotify, since this setup does not have any analog connection - what you suggest?

Thank you,
Matias Dos Reis

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Have a look at the product manuals on the main website (they’re not easy to find, but they’re somewhere under Support).

Have a look at https://www.naimaudio.com/sites/default/files/products/downloads/files/Premplifiers%20Reference%20English%20Issue%201i.pdf
The 152XS is probably closest to your 112. The diagram shows the connection to a Flatcap. Presumably the second flatcap powers your CD player.

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Hi @GavingB,

I’ve already went trough this, but still confused!! :frowning:
Maybe should I post some pics?

Thanks,
M

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I’ve just had a quick google for views of the rear of a 112, and it looks different to those in the product manual - sorry.

How about this one! I expect the manual for your CD player will be here too.

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Matias, welcome to the new Naim forum.

OK, first let’s make sure you have all the Link plugs, cables, and other bits you need; You should have a grey DIN5 interconnect, 2 x SNAIC5, 1 x SNAIC4, one small round 5 pin Link plug (for there NAC112), one 4pin paddle link plug (for the CD5), a pair of NACA5 speaker cables of at least 3.5m per channel with Naim SA8 speaker connector at each end, 3 x Naim mains leads, 2 x Naim Narcom remote controls, 1 x Clamp 3 for the CD5 mech. (If you need help with cable ID, see the FAQ on here). Got all that? Great! Now let’s go through from source to speakers. We will first set it up without the Flatcap2 to make sure all is working OK as standard.

CD5 - normally you would use this with the paddle link plug fitted to the LINK socket. Then connect the grey interconnect to the SIGNAL OUT DIN socket with the banded end closest to the CD5. Connect the other end into the CD input on the NAC112.

Then connect the NAC112 to the NAP150 using a SNAIC4 between SIGNAL OUT B on the 112 and INPUT on the NAP150. Ensure that the little round link plug is fitted to SIGNAL OUT A on the NAC112. Also, again ensure that the banded end of the SNAIC is closest to the source of the music signal (so closest to NAC112 in this case).

Connect the speaker cables to the power amp. Note the polarity and also that CH1 = Left, and CH2 = Right.

Ensure that the Intros are assembled with the three PIPs between each top and bottom box, and, if they have outboard crossovers fitted, that these are in place. Connect the other end of the speaker cable to the Intros.(Warning, be careful here as if they have outboard crossovers and they aren’t in place, be sure never to connect to bottom box directly!)

Connect the mains leads to the NAP150 and the CD5. Switch on the CD5 first, followed by the NAP150. Wait for the units to come out of mute. Select CD on the NAC112. Place a CD in the CD5 drawer and place the clamp on top. Close the drawer and press play. Advance volume…

All OK so far? If yes then we can proceed to add the Fltacap into the system. If not, then there’s a problem somewhere that we need to discover…

1 Like
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!!! Thanks!! Will give it a try and see what I get!!! “finger crossed”

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Thank you Richard! Will try this and will let you know…

Much appreciated!!

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The Flatcap 2 can power two things, so we can use it to not only give a dedicated 24V DC to the pre-amp, thus also freeing up the power amp from having to also power the pre-amp, but we can also use the second supply in the Flatcap 2 to upgrade the CD5, by giving the CD5’s analog output stage a dedicated 24V supply as well.

However, before you do that, you will need 2 x SNAIC 5, so make sure you have all the cables you need first, and let us know.

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Mathias has two flatcaps - so one for the pre-amp and one for th CD5

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Good spot Gavin, so an extra mains lead as well. And each Flatcap can be dedicated to the CD5 and the NAC112 respectively.

However, best to get everything up and running as plain vanilla without the Flatcaps first. That way we can see first if there’s a problem in the basic setup.

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Hey @Richard.Dane, thank you!!!

Until this step worked well!! The quality of the sound was low… but I still have to connect the Flatcap!

How should these be coonnected???

Thank you!!!:smiling_face_with_three_hearts::heart_eyes:

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Matias, Ok a good opportunity to do the Flatcap upgrades in two steps. First step is to upgrade the source, the CD5. Make sure all is switched off. Remove the link plug from the back of the CD5. This will reveal a 240 degree DIN5 socket. Attach a SNAIC5 to this (band nearest the CD5) and the other end to POWER OUT B on one of the Flatcap2s.

The second upgrade step is to add a Flatcap2 to the pre-amp. Make sure all is powered off. Remove the little round black link plug from the SIGNAL OUT A socket on the 112. Connect to this socket a SNAIC5 (banded end closest to the 112) and the other end to POWER OUT A on the 2nd Flatcap2. Then connect a SNAIC4 from SIGNAL OUT A on the Flatcap2 to the power amp (banded end closest to Flatcap).

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Richard!
Thanks for the quick reply!!

All is working :musical_note:, much appreciated for the support!!! Ufff, was really disappointing not to be able to get this working…
Thank you for the support!!

:kissing_heart:

Now what would you advise so I could step up from this, to the “future” :joy: só I could get some streaming or let’s say AUX/RCA, só for example streaming or google chronically audio?

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2 Likes
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You could connect a Chromecast Audio to your preamp to get streaming at very low cost. If you want Naim sound quality, an ND5XS2 would fit into your system very nicely. You might need a new rack, though!

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And what about a Snaic to RCA or jack connection?

Is that possible?image

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A Snaic carries DC power as well as signal and ground, and will be DIN at both ends - unique to Naim. Not to be confused with a regular DIN cable.

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Then how can I connect the chrome cast to my preamp?

Sorry very lost here…

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You would need a 3.5mm jack to 5 pin DIN cable to connect it to your preamp.
The Chromecast, and other cheap consumer devices like the Apple Airport Express, have a DAC built in, so they have an analogue output that can be used with a preamp, albeit very much at the budget end of the market. As an upgrade, you can connect it to a separate DAC of your choice, and connect that to your preamp. Or you can go further, and use a Naim streamer instead.

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Nice system and you are correct Matias in that if you want to connect a non Naim streamer or Dac to your 112 then you will need a cable like the one you have shown. Available for a few pounds or many hundreds the one you have in the picture looks like a flashback I use a Chord Chrysalis and Chord Crimson available used for about £30-£50.
You’ve done a reasonable job of separating the system but if possible I would get a rack that will have a shelf for each component or even an AV like the one you have but with another shelf so that you can seperate those FC’s.

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You would need one like this…

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