I would think it possible to check with other makes or remote what codes they use but it’s probably a lot of research/work.
Okay… early stage BUT I think it’s better direct to the power amps; no external pre-amp in the chain!
The comparison isn’t exactly fair because the power amps have XLR input so I can use the balanced outputs on the bartok. The CA2 pre-amp I’ve been using only has RCA inputs. However I think it’s better direct bartok to power amps (2 x P1 in my case). I still have the detail, imagery I had before but now with some of the low end grunt back. Before, with the CA2 in there, it was superb detail and clarity and excellent sound stage but a tadge light at the bottom compared to the outgoing ndx. Now, bartock direct to the power amps I have all the pluses but a little more weight at the bottom. Back-to-back tests are always hard because of differences in sound levels so I’ve been using a sound meter to try and make it similar with both setups. Only two albums so far (War of the Worlds and Tubular Bells) so I’ll carry on testing before deciding if the CA2 is going on ‘the bay’!
btw this is bartock - 2xP1 - SCM40 speakers
Shame there are no analogue inputs, just to give full pre-amp flexibility.
A number of years ago I bought the Bel Canto 3.5vb DAC which did have analogue inputs as well, unfortuneately although it was a good DAC it was a poor pre-amp.
btw… a red letter today.
I am now NAIMless… The ndx is sold and on it’s way to the buyer so the house is now NAIM free. It’s been emotional living with NAIM. Back in my youth, my dream was an LP12 plus NAIM amplification but it took 30 years before I had the spare money. Then for 6 or 7 years I’ve been a dyed-in-the-wool NAIM fan with multiple black boxes on the evo rack. Now it’s all gone except for a couple of NAIM interconnects in my bits box.
We will see you again in the « back to Naim « thread.
More seriously, enjoy your new Bartock.
Well I’ll still partake of the forum, music etc…, but I think it’s only good manners to tone it down when it comes to opinions and comments wrt NAIM products etc… It’s a bit like if you didn’t vote then you don’t have the right to criticize.
You have a review of the Bartok in the last Hificritic magazine.
Apart that I was joking…
Thank goodness it is only a hobby and not a religion!
M
So ask Santa for a Muso QB2 for the kitchen?
Roger
I’m now 100% using the Bartok direct to the power amps… The sound is, IMHO, better than with my CA2. I idly considered if it was worth throwing the money at a ‘reference’ upgrade for the CA2 (c. £1700 from FidelitySound) but shelved that thought. I think it’s better to sell the CA2 and put the money into something else. The question is, as a pre-amp, how much to spend to better the Bartok built-in stage? At this stage I’m thinking along the route of SCM50 active speakers and reduce the box count to one! So, in this application, one could consider the Bartok as a 272 alternative.
or …just box it up, settle down to listening to music for a year or two.
that’s what I did, Bartok replacing 272 into active ATCs, kept it simple
simple way to lose a great preamp
Yes… as I say, if I’d gone with the ‘reference’ upgrades for the CA2 it would probably have narrowed the performance gap but I’m not convinced it would have bettered the built in pre-amp stage. Maybe it would have done but there was not option to trial this upgrade.
I’ve just boxed up the CA2 and reduced the shelf height of the evo… I’ve been so used to it towering almost as high as the speakers; it looks quite low now. Makes me wonder what to do if the power amps go along with two more shelf’s
use the space for dCS master clock Steve
Just read it… the conclusion was as good as a ND555/PS555DR.
Whouah, at less than 1/2 the price !
Was it Martin Colloms the reviewer?
The main review was by Rafael Todes.
Rafael tested it direct into his power amps and said it was brilliant. Colloms also evaluated it compared to his 555/500DR setup and reckoned it’s as good BUT thinks the volume control on the Bartok is not as good as it could be so suggests an alternative would be better. He doesn’t say a complete pre-amp just a better volume control. I think he means passive auto-transformer volume controls - I’ll have to go and look that one up.
He uses Townsend allegri plus. Is it possible for you to post the review here? Some have done it recently with the nd555 review from Hificritic.
Or just the Martin Colloms opinion ?
I’ll have to copy it so…
“First impressions were most promising, with powerfully extended crisp bass, well timed too, an analytical yet essentially neutral timbre and very clean and extended high frequencies. Image depth, width and focus were top class, and here it proved quite hard to separate from the '555 in absolute quality. Dynamics were very well resolved and the performance was well upbeat, both for rock and classical: Undoubtedly a result.
While still very neutral in the now familiar dcs vein, here the sound was less clinical and more musically organic than I had previously experienced with this genre, and thus the Bartok could be a shoe-in for the big NAIM streamer in many systems, so close is the overall quality of the two.”
He then goes on to suggest an alternative to the volume control would be better…