New System Ideas

Hi-Fi Corner
41

Yes I’m sure it will be fine, but ——

I’m not familiar with the amp and cd you have so looked them up. I think the sn3 will be a downgrade from everything I read about the A5 kit?
Have you listened and compared?
I’d be tempted to keep the A5 as the main system and upgrade the tt source and speakers if you are unhappy with what you have.

If you want a system for the bedroom then look at sn2 rather than 3.

If you want to replace the main system with Naim then I think you will need to look at a hicap/nac82/nap 250 level to match the A5.

42

I’d hope if you went to a dealer with 10k that they’d find it in their hearts to help with cables :slight_smile:

Good points raised by Bruss though, I hadn’t looked into the quality of the gear you’re replacing.

43

Very surprised you think sn3 would be a downgrade when you compare the cost. The A5 amp was £1500 back in 2005 even with inflation the sn3 is considerably more expensive.

I must say the amp has served me very well but I’m striving for something better in the log run. What I notice is that when there is a lot going on in a certain track it starts to unravel and sounds a tad harsh.

Having said all of that I haven’t heard the sn3 just assuming it would be quite a bit better?

44

Fair enough. Naim kit never sounds harsh to my ears but speakers are often where the harshness comes from. I guess it is also possible that the A5 electronics have diminished over the years as does Naim electronics, hence Naim continues to service older kit. Don’t misunderstand me. The sn3 is a very good piece of kit but the separates from the 82 and up level will outshine it. Also if you go for the P8 would you not want a mc cartridge? If so the sn3 will need a phono stage. Again it may be better to go for a serviced sn2 plus a good phono stage. So many variations but you have a good set up to compare against.

45
Rega P8 bare 1,870 1,870
Gold Note ph5 949 949
Hana SL 639 639
Hicap DR 1000 800
NAC 282 2800 1100
NAP 250DR 2500 1500
Speakers ?
Proac response dt8 2800 2800
Spendor A4
12558 9658

All spent for you
(Alternatives are 82 and non dr 250 and hicap)

:smile:

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46

Naim Supernait 2 : 1,5 k
Naim Ndx2 : 3k
Naim Xpsdr : 2k
Rega Aria phono: 500 GBP
Rega Rp8 / Apheta 2: 2k
Proac Tablette signature : 1k
Total second hand : 10k.

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47

Hard to argue against that list 8)

48

Nice list, but good luck trying to find a secondhand NDX2 for 3K in the UK, unless its been dropped and kicked around a bit!

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49

OK, I’m a new guy here, and new to Naim with a SN3, but I’ve never seen such brand loyalty. Good thing Naim doesn’t make a Turntable or there would be no discussion of the Rega 'table.

You guys do realize there are plenty of really good phonostages, network streamers, etc that don’t have the Naim logo on them… right?

I have looked through the system pictures here and it does seem many of you are totally dedicated to Naim products. I’ve never seen anything like this in my 60+ years of HiFi audio system buying.

50

I bought a used Sn2, Dac-V1, stageline and a pair of used Dynaudio Special40’s with stands(€2000 + €2000). Together with my Thorens, Node and cd player it does the trick very well.

51

There is/was a Naim turntable and it is/was a cracker.

I’ve been a Naim customer for 30 plus years. I have product in my rack that goes back to the last century

My CD player was bought in 2002, I had it serviced last year and it sings like new

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52

Fancy that, on a Naim forum. Who’d ‘ve thunk it.

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53

Go hang out in a NAIM dealers demo room and give a listen to their complete product line. The loyalty part fell into place for me because of great service, price, ability to home demo products prior to purchase, warranty, and resale /trade in value of products. …and it all sounds mighty sweet.

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54

Naim’s turntable wouldn’t fit the budget here, but I am pleased to lots of recommendations apart from mine for the excellent Rega turntables - presumably you are too?

I was also pleased the support for the excellent phono stages from Rega and Graham Slee, though I am in the minority that rate the Dynavector option even more highly.

To be fair, a lot of us think that Naim offers good sound-per-£ in both amplification and source boxes like streamers. That is probably why many of the suggestions include those Naim boxes, and perhaps also why we are posting on a Naim forum. Were you expecting most replies there to suggest that most or Naim stuff is dreadful and that their amps should be avoided like the plague?

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55

No, of course not. I’m also a member of the PS Audio forum, as I own some of their gear, There you will see PS Audio forum members discussing all manner of gear from all kinds of manufacturers. In general members there like the brand, but don’t show nearly the same kind of loyalty you folks seem to share. Heck, even Paul, the owner of PS Audio chimes in and discusses other gear by other manufacturers.

But then, I think much of the brand loyalty here is related to the UK produced gear and actual HiFi dealers that are closely knit to their customers. Something we don’t really experience in the US.

Most of our HiFi shops changed into Home Theater and Multi-Channel audio specialists. Oh, there are a few large two-channel dealers in the larger cities selling mega-buck equipment but that’s really not the norm at all here.

It’s all a learning experience… and I was just surprised to see extent of the brand loyalty here, that’s all.

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56

I’ve been having a bit of a rethink and done a u turn. I have sent a message to John Sampson to get some information on upgrading my MF A5 amp, I’ve read good reports from others who have done similar. I will then keep my Spendor A6e speakers and spend £3/4 k on turntable phono stage. And then look at getting a streamer. This will probably save me best part of £4k if all goes well. Thanks for the feedback and ideas you have given me, I’ll report back later when I get some info cheers

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57

Yep. I ran the original XS3 built in phono stage, then a Stageline N, now a Graham Slee. And my network streamer is a NP5&Mk 1 Hugo. Plenty of alternative kit run by folks on here. Some members don’t run Naim kit at all, and even that’s allowed :wink:

@vinylMessi - Graham Slee make some nice phono stages, and importantly a loan scheme so you could try at home before buying.

I recently auditioned 3 turntables at the GBP 4k level (with cartridge), Technics, Michell and Origin Live, I think you’re in for a treat once you start listening to a few.

58

But you will have noted not all - some don’t currently even have any Naim gear!

Something else that clearly varies is disposable income, or at least the amount that the member feels appropriate to spend on hifi, while some people buy mainly or only new, and others vice versa whether to simply afford anything or to maximise buying power. Mechanical things, in particular CD players, are subject to wear and benefit from purchase new. Others like speakers last decades without significant deterioration. With electronics, amps also tend to last for decades though some need servicing quite regularly (Naim every 10 years or so). Meanwhile digital devices, in particular DACs, have been going through significant improvements in recent years, and although streaming from ones own store is not challenging, streaming from online providers can require frequent updates, and earlier streamers might not be the best choice.

59

There are lots of people who don’t rate Naim and also don’t post here, so I’d agree it’s not an unbiased sample, though I see lots of non-Naim suggestions here too.

FWIW, some kind souls were just explaining to me on US site Audiogon that, contrary to impressions and some posted remarks, they do permit comment from people not currently resident in the USA. Local effects apply in lots of places imho.

Mind you, like many of us on this site, a large slice of those posting there are fans of (say) Wilson, Well Tempered, Martin Logan, Krell, Shahinian and other ‘local’ brands. It is certainly true that a greater % of dealers in the UK carry Naim, Linn, Spendor, Neat, B&W, Michell, Quad, ATC and other UK brands than is seen in equivalent US dealers, and you get a slightly different brand mix in a typical shop in Sweden, Germany and Japan too.

Similarly, people recommend what work well for them over brands that they have rarely encountered. I am not sure that that is, or should be, a surprise.

Dealer networks, market penetration, product longevity and brand synergies and local market economics in one or more countries may all be a diversion from this thread anyway. After all, we are all just trying to help, and if people get advice that leads them to good kit that they end up liking then I’d suggest the exercise has been worthwhile.

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60

Welcome to the Naim forum then :rofl:
You will find similar devotion in Linn, Devialet, Audio Note, MBL …forums. You are not in a general audio forum here, but Naim.

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