I think you’re doing the right thing moving the main system to that room. It’ll end up being your main room for critical listening so it makes sense to have the best gear there. After doing that, it’s then just a case of getting the right structure (rack) and connections between everything so it works well for you.
Once you’ve found the spot for the rack, then you can look at speaker cable. It would’ve been nice to use the SL speaker cable but there are a lot of very good options available that are a lot kinder on the pocket. Certainly to kick things off with in the new location.
I’m really pleased with it @frenchrooster. It’s really proving to be quite an excellent free upgrade by just reconfiguring the room and moving the main system in. The sound quality is quite a bit better, even with the temporary setup - the room interaction is much more immersive and the main rig tightens up the bass and gives the much wider, deeper and clearer presentation. It’s a win all round really.
I’ve been silently watching some of the room and set up threads and that’s helped a lot with setting everything up. In some ways, I should have taken this route originally, but it’s only now that the option is there to shift the focus in that room more towards music than work.
The S/L speaker cable being 0.5m short is a nuisance, but I’ll just swap it with the NAC A5 that’s on the Nova once I get a rack in. It would actually work if the rack was in the left corner, but we still need that desk there for a year or two yet.
Very good news !
Why not sell the superlumina to your dealer and get a Fraimlite ?
I say that because my first rack was a Quadraspire. I didn’t liked it . Poorly made and was bouncing.
Get after a Lovan, very good for similar price.
Just discussed it with Mrs Mike and we looked at what is the best aesthetic option in the room. So, I’ll go for the Fraim Lite in Cherry with black legs and use my glass shelves and stainless ball bearings and get some Fraim cups.
@anon4489532, could you please remind me what order you have your system stacked? We have the same boxes, but I have the HiCAP and headphone amp/PS as well. I’m planning for a Fraim , as per above.
I have the SN at the top, then NDX, radio, 555. I’d put the Hicap where the radio is. The NDX could go at the top but to me it looks wrong and it’s much easier to grab the volume knob with it at the top. The Burndy is looped and doesn’t touch the floor.
This is sort of what I hoped would be the case for you. When it’s set up in a larger room there are so many other elements that will interact with the sound, reflect it etc. Especially a family room that can’t be turned into purely a listening room. When you get up close and personal with it, you can avoid the interferences from other furniture etc.
I found in the smaller room where I was a lot closer to the speakers, it felt like the sound was bigger than in a larger room, it seemed to surround me more. The soundstage and imaging became so clear and lifelike… it was like you were at the edge of the stage and they were right in front of you.
Now… in your own space you’ll be free to tweak and listen as much as you like Enjoy
Thank you so much for your help. I’ll post an update once I have more time with it and get a rack ordered. The rack will have to be ordered from the UK, so it will be a month or two before it finds its way to New Zealand.
Yes, and quite lovely with a well recorded Blu-ray concert on the big screen.
What about two short stacks of Fraimlite or Quadraspire with the TV across the top? That’d still allow you to use the SL cable. Can’t remember is you have a turntable - that’d have to be on it’s own stand/table to one side!
That’s a good suggestion thanks. The large TV has the stands at each end, so it needs the large cabinet and I’m not keen on wall mounting it. I could put a full rack or two lower racks where the boxes currently are, but the SN2 needs to be behind the right speaker for the SL cable to reach - as I have it currently set up. I’m not sure that’s ideal, but it certainly sounds pretty good with the current set up. I do have a TT to accomodate at the top of a rack too - so 5 shelves at least. Otherwise go with a single rack where the NDX2 is positioned and revert to the NAC A5.
@Mike_S, as you have heard and liked some Heed gear, have you heard the Heed Abacus dac? My friend who bought the Heed Elixir / Innuos Zen mini is wondering on it.
Here is Richard Dane recommendation for the length of the speakers cables.
Personally, I would not use less than 3.5m of NACA5 with the current Naim power amps (the integrateds and all-in-ones may well be happier though). I felt the power amps also sound better with 5m or more per channel. With the minimum of 3.5m the sound was just a bit “edgy” whereas everything seemed to flow with much more ease with the longer lengths. FWIW, I use 10m of NACA5 per channel with my own NAP250DR.
My S/L is 3m I think, the A5 is 4m. I ordered the Fraim Lite today. My dealer thought either have it as clear of the speaker as possible and use the S/L or put the SN2 in the TV cabinet with the rack further clear of the speaker. I think I’ll do the former.
No, but I have the Heed Daculius, which I ran off my Blu-ray player to the Heed Canaot. I find it very engaging and musical, quite a Naim type presentation. I’m sure the Abacus would be a good match with the Elixir.