If the case is to maximise sound quality, of course a dedicated audio rack is the best to go.
As having nothing between the speakers, acoustic panels or bass traps in the corners, no glass in the room…
But everyone is not obliged to search audio nirvana. A nice room in which we feel confortable is also an element for audio satisfaction. If we feel good we appreciate more the music.
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One of the problems of social media - people say things that they would never dream of saying directly to someone’s face if they were visiting their home
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I didn’t say anything negative about it, merely saying that I don’t like its aesthetics, as part of effectively observing that we all have different tastes, I would be surprised if the OP found that unreasonable, though of course people’s sensitivities differ.
Interesting comment, being new to this forum I thought this was a maim hifi community based on good manners. Anyway, I can source you one if you like it so much:joy:
Shall we get back to speaker advise which was my question.
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Thank you👍
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I think the support will alter the acoustics but it is the OP’s room and I totally agree with you on the aesthetics.
There are some wonderful rooms where the audio system and the room become part of each other. Lynton’s room springs to mind , there was also a system I remember seeing in a room of (sorry about this) Corona Orange
There is more than one system where there is no rack , just a shelf .
I just hope the OP is happy with the comments on offer /
Best wishes
Ian
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I’d leave well alone. This is based on my experience of upgrading my Naims and finding my speakers got better and better with each improvement to the electronics. And you’ve done the electronics.
A warm welcome to the forum.
Best,
Chris
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Hi @Huxleyaston
You bought yourself a wonderful system that will bring you years and years of joy. I never owned PMC loudspeakers, yet many people have them so expect that they are pretty good. I did own Focal Kanta 2 loudspeakers and can definitely recommend them. They are a perfect match (detailed, very good imaging) with your system and your SuperNait 3 can easily drive them. The Kanta 2’s are already very strong in bass-delivery so - unless you have a very large room - I do not see a reason to go for Kanta 3’s.
Please do ask for a home audition of the speakers: the Kanta’s are very direct and “in the face”. this makes them attractive but for me it didn’t work in the end, so I moved to speakers that are slightly more “relaxed”. Like mentioned in this thread, the Kanta’s do really benefit from the Gaia feet. Strongly recommended.
In terms of furniture, tricky one: for me zero discussion that a decent rack helps. I enjoyed a Quadraspire for years and recently moved to a Fraim. The Fraim is very good, but the difference with the Quadraspire is - to my ears - minimal. Also in this thread it was recommended to go for a dedicated “spur”: put that on top of your list 
… very interested in hearing your final choices and observations.
#MerryChristmas
Iver
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Some Naim kit is definitely ‘tuneable’ by upgrading the support used, particularly their CD players and olive era preamps. The new kit has more attention to design regarding this, so should be less fussy. What’s far more important IME is making sure there’s no stacking or close sideways spacing of boxes - something that really robs their ability to do the thing that sets them apart from any other HiFi brand in the first instance. When I look at that system I see a lot of money invested in add-on power supplies that are probably detracting as much from the music as they are adding, given the highly compromised placement of everything. I’d even be inclined to run the NDX and SN as a 2 box system to give them the room they really need.
The speaker choice question? Almost irrelevant until the kit placement conundrum is addressed IMO.
From front line experience I totally disagree.
I started with the single box options as you suggest and added the Hi-cap DR then later the XPS DR, both made significant improvements than a two box option. If they didn’t I wouldn’t have made the £6k additional a investment.
The stacking of the HI-Cap may well make a further difference, I will experiment.
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You might well argue it sounds better with the added power supplies, but until you’ve properly addressed the placement issues you really aren’t getting good value from the big amount invested so far. Isolation pads and platforms won’t really address those issues.
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How good is good enough?
You’ll know it’s good enough when you stop wondering if you should change the speakers.
And if getting to 100% is perfect, I’m intrigued, product placement would account for what c.% improvement opportunity, in your opinion?
The OP wonders if he has to change speakers because he has Naim components since recently and he sees that Naim go with Focal. So he wonders more about compatibility.
I think it’s that at least.
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Don’t exaggerate Mr Tibbs. You are right, placing power supplies on a dedicated rack, not the same as the components, is the best to go.
But I would say that already adding ps give maybe 30% improvement, then putting them on a dedicated rack gives 10% more.
Correct. My question is should I change speakers. I haven’t tried any other speakers with my new Naim equipment, so it’s an unknown to me.
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I can only speak for myself, but I bought a Trampolin 2 for the LP12 and, much more recently, isolation feet for the speakers because these items have moving parts. As for the Naim boxes, experiments such as this one have, to my mind, made a compelling case that it’s nearly impossible for microphonic vibrations to produce audible effects in equipment in normal use. So, I don’t worry about the rack.
Incidentally, I use a couple of old Ikea Corras nightstands to house my gear, which IIRC are made of the same stuff as the Lack table. My wife likes the looks of these and will not allow any hifi racks into the apartment, so it may be fair to accuse me of bias here!
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And the answer to your question is: only if you don’t like the speakers you already have. There is no ‘should’ about it.
My thoughts on this thread. You are probably getting 90-95% out of the performance of your new and wonderful electronics. A few here might argue a bit less. Personally, following this investment I would wait at least six months and enjoy what you have in a lovely room that you obviously enjoy. Understand if anything seems wrong or annoying over this time and then get your dealer in to suggest solutions to the problems identified. The advice on stands etc is all valid but it can draw you in to becoming a bit obsessive. Just enjoy it.
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