So I might start a small business when I move home which maybe a cafe or cafe/bar or something to that effect.
Presently, I have a 250/272/XPS/Rega Planar 6/Focals. These all will be only for my home.
I was looking into going down the secondhand Naim route for the potential business but I’m unsure if Naim is the best option.
Here is what I’m looking for ideally. Great sound. A nice warm, full sound filling the space without overpowering conversation anywhere in the area but with the option of rocking the place out if needed. So I imagine I will need at least 4 speakers. No plans to drag all my cds and vinyl in to the place so I will rip them all if that is the correct turn of phrase.
In the public area I will have a fully automatic turntable (don’t want them to destroy a really good full manual one) for the customers to bring in their own records to play as long as it’s not metal rock or never ending house music
I called Naim the other day, to ask their opinion. They gave two options:
Maybe AV2 (I don’t know anything about this unit) and possibly two NAP 150 (I don’t need to go the DR route for the public). He suggested possibly Kef Q350 being a nice bookshelf speaker or Neat for a very warm sound.
The next option he suggested was I think Uniti but can’t for the life of me remember.
So what do ye think or any other suggestions please? By the way, I’m not married to Naim so fire away
What style is the place? If it is retro / hipster etc I would go the old Naim direction, either Chrome Bumper or Olive.
Otherwise I would go for the SuperNait 1, it has loads of power, is a bit on the warm side and has a dac. A simple streamer into the SN1 works. The SN1 has no phonostage.
Never crossed my mind. I have heard lots of music in Irish cafes and pubs growing up and it never seemed to be an issue and I have never heard people discuss it.
If I do try it, it will be rustic, industrial with lounge couches, some tables, cafe bar and try throw a little New York in to it. Good music, books, photos, board games, small plates of good food, etc. and hopefully good conversation without smart phones (that part maybe a dream) and anyone on social media will be put up against the wall haha
I have the AV2. It is a brilliant piece, but I have only been satisfied with it in context of an AV system. I had a Nap 140 and a Nap 200 connected. I also ran a Nait 5 with it.
Purely for Hifi, the sound was thin to my ears. Purely hypothetic, but that could be since most of the AV stuff is fat sounding and Naim likes music. So for AV purposes and musicvideo (like digital concert hall) it works fab.
If you are going for an automated TT, make sure it has an internal phono stage already. If so, it works fine with the SN1.
If you want something that anybody can use - even young children - that is utterly foolproof (just put on record, close lid, press play) and yet still sounds great then I would recommend a Technics SL-10, SL-7, SL-15, SL-DL1, or SL- QL1. There decks were superbly engineered and can perform to a surprisingly high level (the SL7 in particular). The SL-15 is probably the rarest one, but it also provides the facility to select a particular track or sequence of tracks to play. P Mount Cartridges of all qualities are still widely available, as are styli, including some nice Jico replacements for the stylus on the excellent P202 which came as standard with most of these.
No not yet. Only started thinking the music set up in the last couple of days. Prior to that I was debating the whole food thing. Just didn’t want to go down the whole restaurant rabbit hole.
Any ideas on the speakers? I have focal aria 926s for my personal naim home set up but they would not work in a cafe.
Do you like wall/ceiling mounted loudspeakers, or floorstanding? If floorstanding I would suggest Naim Ovators. Reason for that is that they are very well build. Steel grills. Rock solid and do Jazz well.
Thanks. Any particular reason? Sorry like I said outside my personal home system (250/272/XPS), I’m a novice on other Naim products but I will look into all your suggestions after this.
We have something similar at our bar/restaurant.
For years using a Yamaha natural sound integrated amp. Forget the model, but a fairly beefy looking job. Has digital and a phono input for vinyl.
Used with a device running a subscription service into the digital input. If a punter wants to listen to something particular just a quick search and bobs your uncle. Used with B&W mini speakers mounted on the walls and corners.
You want something reliable, doesn’t mind being turned on and off everyday and fairly inexpensive to repair or replace.
A technics turntable of some sort.
Sounds good and goes loud nicely when a lock in party is going on (remember them)
Good luck.
Haven’t totally decided. I guess, the best way to say it would be two memories that i have had over the years are:
My friend had a lovely custom system in his car. You were engulfed in the sound but everyone in the car could hear the conversation as we’re enjoying the wonderful tunes at a good loutish volume
I remember being in a cafe in the lower east side in New York. It had a small tube amp and two front speakers which emitted this incredible warm sound even at a low volume you could hear it all over the pretty big cafe.
Do not know if that helps?
Also, my focal arias 926 without the grill is a really nice look but that might be asking for trouble as I found out when my friend attempted to once put his finger on the tweeter. I caught him in time.
Well I will be once all this crap is over and I finally leave New York after 20 year here. I wonder will I regret it. Nay, it just will be just a new chapter.
