Hello I need your help.
I recently acquired an additional NAP 160 in the intention of biamping my system (worth a shout I thought). My system is now two NAP 160’s with a SNAP powering the trusty 12s.
The issue is that I’m only getting one speaker working with other putting out a humm.
On the SNAPS it mentions one amp into socket 1 and the other into socket 4 with the 12s into either socket 2 or 3.
I’ve swapped one amp from 2 - 4 and vice versa. So I know the amp is working so it could be the SNAPS is bad or I’m doing something completely wrong.
Your thoughts or advice would be completely and utterly appreciated
Are you using a NAXO here? Remember that where Naim refer to bi-amping or tri-amping they are referring to active rather than passive.
I don’t think you can use your SNAPS to passively bi-amp in the same way as a HICAP, without feeding both amps from one output, which would require a custom interconnect.
I’m not I just assumed I connected the second amp to the SNAPS but it looks like I need to connect something into the socket three HiCAP or something. I’m a complete newb here and completely out of my depth. So it would appear that I need a Hi-cap and just use the SNAP for the 12s, bugger
So question, it would appear that I can either sell the SNAPS and get a HI-CAP to replace it, or get a HICAP and connect the Hi- CAP to the SNAPS or vice versa! Or as Rich says get a custom interconnect. Without getting shot down from the Naim elves, does anybody know where I can get a custom interconnect with 1No 4pin din to 2No. 4 pin dins?
You don’t say which speakers you use, but biamping does not usually bring great rewards. You’d very likely be better using a single 250 than two 160s, which is a neater route. That said, some love the sound of the 160.
As to the lead you could ask your dealer, or maybe Witch Hat or Chord could make you one up. It’s not carrying power so the discussion should be ok here.
You don’t need a SNAPS and a HICAP. You just want a HICAP in place of the SNAPS. Make sure it’s a pre '93 unit that still has the single rail 24V supply intact so it can easily power your NAC12. The HICAP then provides the two stereo DIN4 outputs you need to go to the pair of power amps.
p.s. I would be wary of a custom “shotgun” interconnect. It may push the SNAPS into instability as it wasn’t designed to drive such a thing.
I did consider the possible downsides of running two stereo amps off one socket and on reflection it’s probably not a good idea. I was thinking more of the Y lead that is used to take two mono channels to a 300 for example. An older Hicap is a more elegant way for sure and should improve the performance of the 12. I still wonder if just sticking with one 160, or getting a 250 is the better way. It seems a lot of faff for something that may yield no improvement.
Thanks Richard, I’m only asking as looking at the SNAPS manual it shows them being connected. I agree I don’t see the point of having both. Just trying to make it work so that the misses don’t cut off things that I’m quite attached to. The y cable is the cheapest option and worth ago before I punt an extra 400£ on a hicap.
But isn’t the SNAPs just a power supply for the Preamp though. Surely (am I’m not an Electrical Engineer), by splitting the signal (ok that sounds bad) with the cable just doing what the Hicap is doing internally!
I thank you all for your thoughts, and I think I’ve gotten the Answer of Nah you cant do what you want to do, so sell the SNAPS and get the HICAP instead and all should be fine.
It is, but the signal also goes through the power supply (keeps the earths together) and was designed to only drive a single SNAIC. It may be fine, but no way to know without trying.
Well I bought the bullet and bought the HiCAP seemed the better solution that trying to mess about with special cables etc. Now the fun begins and will continue to look and search for a NAXO or SNAXO or what ever.
I just assumed I connected the second amp to the SNAPS but it looks like I need to connect something into the socket three HiCAP or something. I’m a complete newb here and completely out of my depth. So it would appear that I need a Hi-cap and just use the SNAP for the 12s, bugger
