Look good in the room, and much more ‘user-friendly’…easy access to cabling, the shelves ‘slide’ pretty easy…and also sound good to my ears.
[quote=“hungryhalibut, post:4901, topic:13622, full:true”]
Goodbye Fraim, which rather dominated the room and clashed with the speakers, hello Isoblue Special Branch.
Goodbye Fraim, hello proper Frame of mind. Nice move, HH, to get rid of your clash of civilizations between the high tech rack and the (semi) down to earth sound system.
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Answered here I believe:
Our friend @anon27418182 refers to a ‘momentary lapse of reason’ on my part. While disappointed that there wasn’t a Smiths reference instead of a Floyd one, it’s been interesting. As you’ll be aware my hearing is distinctly dodgy these days so I decided that the 555PS was wasted and that I could happily live without it. So I disconnected it and all seemed fine.
However, 24 hours later I was listening to something and somehow it didn’t sound quite as I’d been used to. Somehow the music wasn’t hanging together as well, and the overall sound was a bit thin.
I therefore reconnected the 555 and there was an immediate and very significant improvement - even though the PS had been turned off for 24 hours. The music immediately came together and was much more involving. The sound was bigger, more stately and majestic, if that makes sense. I’d never done a careful comparison of the NDX2 with and without the PS; when I bought the NDX2 I just attached the PS. So I now know exactly what it does, and it does a heck of a lot, even with my electric hearing.
The reason for this post? To encourage you to get a power supply before upgrading the amplification. It was very very clear to me, even with dodgy ears and ‘just’ a Supernait. And to encourage the OP to get a proper Naim power supply. They are not cheap but are very worthwhile.
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If someone has an Ndx2 into SN3 for example, I am not sure that 9 k spent for an upgrade is the best to buy a 555 dr, for example.
In that case, 9k on 282/250 will give better results I feel.
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Some people want less boxes and a simplified system. Source first et al.
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If your speakers are perfectly happy with a Supernait 3, and you don’t want to add more than one box, it can make perfect sense. There is no right or wrong.
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Thanks Haim. I like the clash of civilisations comment. The Fraim looked nice with the SL2s and the maple matched perfectly. But with the oak speakers on their black stands, the Fraim looked somehow wrong. I’m sure I’ll lose Forum cred points, but the main thing is that it fits the room much better. It just looks right. A room should be for living in, not a shrine to the hifi.
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If you miss the fraim you could do as I have done with naim glass, cups n balls … added a bit if clarity and pace to mine
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That’s not for me. If I’d wanted to have glass, balls and cups I’d have kept the Fraim. I’m not going to bastardise my Isoblue, which is lovely just as it is. Simple is good. Anyway, I think Isoblue looks a bit crap with the extenders.
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Aargh … When a mate first brought his missus up for a listen, that was exactly her opinion of the massed ranks of black Fraim and black boxes, though, in mitigation, I do have the luxury of a separate music room. 
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That’s a different thing entirely. When the hifi occupies the sitting room, a balance is needed.
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And the better half will appreciate also.
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Sitting room? I thought it was a hi-fi room!
Talk to me AFTER my marriage for an update in attitude. 
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I take it that you now know what the acronym SWIMBO stands for 
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Oh yes - I became acquainted with it working at the hifi shop where I was introduced to Naim!
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I was more talking about the optimal sound quality upgrade for 9k. Even with little bookshelves as Proac tablette signature, 282/250 with bare Ndx2 will give better results than Ndx2 / 555dr/ SN3.
But of course, as you said, if the number of boxes is concerned, then 555 dr is the best way to go to have the best 3 boxes system.
ND555, 555PS, SN3 is 3 boxes too 
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That looks excellent - moving to Isoblue does suit your system and room. I currently have Isoblue (one stack) but in contrast to the change you’ve just made, I am currently contemplating moving to two stacks of Fraim (along with other upgrades to the system). I have followed your many changes over the past few years with great interest, particularly as your lounge looks very similar to ours.
Funnily enough, my wife is not a big fan of Isoblue and prefers the Fraim, although when I say prefer, I think she means the Fraim is the lesser of two evils! Our system is in our main living room so, as you say, even though my wife is amenable to the proposed changes, I don’t want the system to dominate the room.
I think I’ll just have to give this some further thought.
That looks really good - less imposing and fits the room better.
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Got to agree with the last two posters, HH, the Isoblue looks SOOO much better than the Fraim. Classy.
I personally really dislike the Fraim look - SOOO ‘bling’ … (cue fire, plague and floods hitting Warsaw any moment). 
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