Or Jessye Norman singing Beim Schlafengehen from Richard Strauss’s Four Last Songs. Absolutely magnificent!
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Really interesting to read this post.
I was having a fit last week. My system (Zenith/Hugo2/SN2/SM100s) sounded tinny and compressed. I’ve been suffering with Hyperacusis for a while and mild tinnitus. Some days things are fine. Other days the whole system is ‘off’. Stress. Tiredness. They all play a role.
I had a system a few years back which was way too aggressive and forward. Made me jumpy. I think it actually contributed to my Hyperacusis. I mean I was already set up for it; OCD, need to hear the music being present and anxiety. Effectively I was training my brain to over obsess. Now it’s over sensitive. I get eardrum twitches at sharp sounds. Isn’t it ironic?
Try not to obsess too much. It just makes you ill.
Adam
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Hi Adam… I had ProAc SM100’s and found the tweeters to be very un ProAc like, rather aggressive . The Studio 100 are really a great Studio monitor but I found them hard to listen to for long periods. If you can swing it cost wise I suggest the ProAc D2R… the ribbon is a Wonderfull tweeter. Or if the D2R is a bit much $$ try and get a listen to Dynaudio Special 40’s no grit or glare. Dynaudio make the best Soft dome tweeters, IMO. FYI Tinnitus sufferer too.
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Cheers Opus
The SM100 are quite revealing but I find more musical than D2. Not tried D2R though. D20R was one of my faves but room size doesn’t permit. Although with the current system the the SM100 seem ok now. That might go backwards when I plug a 282/250 in in about 2 weeks time. We’ll see. I might change them to some Tab 10 Sig for room size which might take the edge off slightly.
I struggle with Dynaudio. Sound constrained to me. What about ATC?
Here’s hoping the 282/250 works for me.
Dynaudio’s need lots of power, they just don’t come alive if underpowered. No real experience with ATC. ProAc D2R is amazingly great. Sounds a lot like D20R with a bit less bass extension. Not cheap but worth every Shilling!
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250DR enough power? The other issue I found was the rear firing port. But the drivers are very together sounding. Especially contour range. Maybe when I have a bigger room. I heard some Excite X18 once, the lower end range. However they were quite exciting. Funnily enough. I didn’t find the Special 40 quite so exciting. And neither special. But then I don’t think a Supernait is that super! Rather more excellent for the price.
Haha, I have Special 40’s and had an SN2 with HCDR that just wouldn’t drive my S40. I think the right amp would be 300DR… but in the US it’s so over priced $14,000 
I’m waiting on a new mystery amp, and I think I’m also going to upgrade my S40’s to the new Dynaudio Contour 20i, but that wouldn’t be until the fall, 20i won’t be in the US until August. FYI I heard S40 being driven by Audio Research Ref 75 SE Wow!
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Ha. It’s all taste. Contour are beautiful. A new mystery amp? What’s that? Sounds mysterious. Audio Research are lovely but I always miss Naim. Even the Dutch and Dutch 8c have been considered and they are amazing. Cardoid. DSP. Brilliantly enjoyable. End game. Control wose they’re better than any passive I’ve heard.
Well a bit of cable redressing a change of speaker placement and all is well again until next time. Still prefer headphone listening on a different system at the moment but at least normality has returned. Well until my Witchhat cables turn up and then it’s start again most likely but at least I can hide the damn stuff more easily than NACA5.
Just an opinion based on my experience if you have had the equipment for 30yrs and not worked out if some really good components exist in it then there probably is not any. How long do you want to wait now for satisfaction. I would scrap the lot and may be go in a different direction with a complete set up what has been sorted out by a good dealer. And give major attention to the spk they need to present music with the style and scale you require for instance some people like Tannoys so much the other equipment can be a little less than perfect.
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Totally agree with the above
Life’s too short to suffer a medeocar system
Dear AC
I hear your comments, and in the current climate the following information may be relevant. Under conditions of stress, our hearing apparatus is affected, and we do lose auditory acuity.
Here is a reference: [The Relationship Between Hearing Loss and Stress](http://phb.secondsensehearing.com/content/relationship-between-hearing-loss-and-stress#:
I can’t offer a quick solution, and of course all other comments here are valuable as well.
All the best.
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I wonder if it’s not the complexity and fragility of the Active system the main reason.
I have often read by those with active Naim system that it can sound marvelous one day and bad the next day. Some were tired by that and went to passive.
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I had Dynaudio Contour s3.4 the older ones on the end of a bolt down 250, CB250, Olive 250, 250-2, 250DR & a Nap 300 and they where underpowered I blamed the room but it wasn’t until I stopped using Naim I now have a 250 watt per channel Quad Elite QSP power amp that they came alive and it wasn’t the room.
Speakers or amp first that’s the first choice and then buy an amp or speakers to suit. Some speakers need more power than a Naim amp can give.
Thanks Alley_cat. Apart from the low mood this post almost exactly sums up my current view on it. A few months ago it all sounded wonderful from low volume on up to Way Too Loud. I believed that finally the system was what I’d strived for over the years; it’s not now. It’s not even difficult to put a finger on it - bass is lightweight and lacking except on tracks where the bass really is to the forefront, and even then it lacks definition. And as bass corresponds to volume winding it up a bit is self-defeating as it now sounds harsh at higher volumes. Double whammy then. Not much realistic bass, harsh top end.
I’ve done the usual stuff - cable dressing, rebuild the Fraim, disconnect and reconnect leads, tried tweaking speaker positions but unlike our chum @Peder who can identify noticeable changes with a few mm of movement it doesn’t have any noticeable effect.
I’m not ready to throw it all out, but it’s a bit disappointing to have the Muso on in the office all day and find that infinitely more satisfying than a pile of boxes that in theory should be absolutely superb.
Is there such a thing as a Naim Whisperer, who can earn him or herself a decent fee for identifying what’s wrong and what it needs to fix it? Nearest dealers are an hour plus away and prob aren’t keen to do home visits yet.
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I have posted this before on another thread but I would recommend, if you haven’t already go for a thorough hearing test v with and audiologist. As you age… Your hearing changes, particularly the ability to pick up high frequency sounds… Eg Ts and Ss in speech.
Much of your perceived deterioration on sound could be down to your hearing.
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We all desire something close to a concert hall in our home but it’s easy to listen to the equipment rather than the music. And when that happens thoughts like I paid a lot of money for this kit and it sounds dull, harsh muddy etc can creep in.
Personally, I think the frame of mind you are in or mood has quite a bit to do with the enjoyment of music. If I am more than half full a 320 spotify stream on a Sonos in the kitchen will sound good. And with those pieces I know well it’s as if the music I hear is the recording which is embedded in my head/mind rather than what is actually playing on some kit. Those pieces I know well are those pieces which I have known for 50 years or more and have played again and again because they “just do it for me” and I love them…they sounded good on a tape Walkman despite the odd bit of wow.
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Thanks all for the varied, helpful and interesting replies.
Have had a couple of days downtime from replying to suggestions but will do so soon.
Cheers - AC
Histories most amazing orchestra playing the most amazing score in the most amazing venue could sound a bit rubbish - if you weren’t in the mood for it.