This has been a very long journey as I first wanted an active Naim 135’s system when I was about thirteen/fourteen after seeing and reading about one in a very Pro Naim/Linn HiFi magazine (can’t remember which one) back in about 1985/86.
I then listened to an active Naim System with SBL’s in a HiFi shop that was on Deansgate in Manchester around the same time so 13/14 years old 1985/86.
Of course I couldn’t afford it at the time so had to settle for a Harmon Kardon PM635 amp and Linn Index speakers and a Technics 1210 with a Stanton 500 cartridge (all of which I still have).
Whoever it was in that HiFi magazine that suggested pairing Linn Index speakers with a flea powered Harmon Kardon PM635 should of been reprimanded.
Anyway I turned fifty a couple of weeks ago and finally got my own 135 active Naim system set up (and nearly working) on my Birthday.
Please you have it all working. Any changes you make, imho take it a step at a time, rather than connecting everything at once. Blown units are not a happy proposition.
Just one thought, you have a s-cap2 on your 52 and an oliver s-cap on Snaxo. One forum member with active, believes from his own listening, that the supercap on snaxo is perhaps the most important component of an active system and that it even merits, when used on a fraim, an empty level below it, placing it IIIRC on the top shelf, ymmv. With thanks to darkebear who has extensively recorded his active thoughts.
Enjoy your active. I had active SBLs before I took the opportunity to acquire a pair of then passive (now active) S600s.
Hi Neil, your opening comment made me chuckle. What could possibly confuse or prompt any cursing?
Here, four stacks of fraim, countless p-lines, numerous i/cs + DIN/XLRs, a special order length active i/c and there is that pesky A5 speaker cable, all six - four in the wall/ floor and the extra loafing about after going from bi- to tri-active.
The photo shows p57 (on the right) which was inaccurate when originally printed and has a factory sticker affixed over the snaxo connections, you can just see the shadow.
The Naim connections guide of 62 pages is no doubt long out of print, if @Richard.Dane doesn’t have a copy, plz let me know and I will scan and send a one.
All worthwhile when it comes on song - thanks to JG who converted S600s from passive and MR who highlighted they were voiced to NAP300s, so I swapped out 135s first, then added the third NAP300. It is unfortunate that many either have not heard active or have been unable to accommodate all the extra. Naim system and speakers at their best.
Thanks for the thoughts Neil, I shall chuckle each time I use my active system.
I also have S400s elsewhere, now whatever happened to the active project for them…would you like to take that on?? Errrmmmm…I guess that is likely to be only a maybe perhaps!
My file copies from the original first print run have the sticker in place, and (luckily) I don’t think any escaped into the hands of the general public without it - the guide being supplied to naim staff and dealers only.
As you would expect, naim proofed the guide at artwork stage and the error was noticed after printing, and they were all returned to company who printed them, to print and add the sticker.
I think it comes down to the fact that active crossovers don’t come through the service dept. that often, we also rota the listening duties within the team. This, coupled with the various different flavours of Naxo/Snaxo & their different socket assignments lead to confusion.
Even the person who created the connection guide got confused!
When I first got it all working after @NeilS help it wasn’t sounding it’s best and had been sounding better with one of the drivers not working, the Naim prat had gone.
I’ve currently got a Phoenix Net on demo and I remembered I switched the output socket I’d been using so can only imagine that the socket hadn’t been used before and wasn’t already burnt in.
Anyway it’s been running about a week now since I got it all working and it’s been improving day after day.
I should really of just switched the socket on the Phoenix Net back to the one I was using before but by the time a realised it was already sounding better.
Anyway the last couple of days it’s just been getting better and better and is sounding fantastic.
I’m currently using 5m of Nac A5 on the tweeters and 3.5m of Nac A4 on the mids.
I haven’t tried my SL2’s active yet as my old 3.5m Nac A4 won’t reach and my other set of 5.5m Nac A5 currently needs new plugs as one broke so I am waiting for some 5.5m Witch Hat Phantoms that I ordered which I’ll use on the tweeters and one set of Nac A5 on the mids.
