@DiggyGun suggested that I have one thread that summarizes where I am at.
I have a new Series 300 system (322,333,250, NCV TT). I am quite pleased. The 333 and 333 are connected via a Chord Sarum T. I found that to be quite an improvement over my Epic X.
The 332 and 250 are connected using the supplied Naim cable. A Sarum T is on order. I have not tested the difference, because of disability, but trust my dealer, with whom I have a 40 year relationship and who provides needed home setup support.
My CD5si failed at home, but when taken back to the dealer, works without issue there. The Naim CDP has had intermittent issues in my home. I also felt I wanted a better CD player, given my new system. My dealer recommended the Luxman D03X and I am fine with that. A Sarum T XLR cable has been ordered for that.
I am using the Rega P9 with the Naim NCV TT. It is powered by the 332 8 pin DIN. I have no immediate desire for the PS. The P9 has an Exact MM. my dealer recommended keeping it and only replacing it with a MC, when the time has come. The few times I have listened to records, it is a big improvement from the SN3. I am glad I did it.
I replaced my HiFi racks with SolidSteel series 5 five shelf. Two racks. This allows me to have the NPX300 for both the 332 and 333 should I want that at a later date.
The system sounds really good without the power supplies so I am unsure if I need one or two or none.
My dealer gave generous trade in allowances.
The biggest improvement has been moving from the Spendor A4 to the D7.2. My dealer felt the speaker change was necessary step before I changed the system.
I don’t think any dealer is being helpful other than to themselves almost forcing you to buy Boutique cables you don’t need before they even get the system working properly first.
Seems like simple setup mistakes as an excuse to plant seeds of doubt to up sell.
I don’t like the Modus Operandi
They can’t get his basic system to work never mind shoving multi grand interconnects his way
I don’t think he is being treated fairly.
There is much confusion about the settings of his install.
I’ve said enough hope he gets fixed out.
It is of course your money and your choice, but did you actually ask for ‘upgrade’ cable recommendations? Last thing i’d do is buy new amps and start swapping out perfectly good Naim cables before letting the system and your expectation settle. If after some months you decide to try out new cables, at least let the dealer loan you some before splashing out.
Building a system with multiple changes over a short time always seems risky to me. It gets hard to work out what is doing what etc, not least when components have long (speakers) and variable burn-in times.
Purely from my sofa my advice would be to listen to listen to music more than the dealer, and lock away your credit card for 6 months. I think I suggested something like that in one of your threads a few months ago but obviously without effect as so much has changed in your system since!
NYC is not the UK. Home auditions are not done and even if they were, with my disability I could not connect things. I really wish everyone would stop this type of comment. If I could be more self sufficient and less dealer dependent, I would be. BTW the dealer has been honorable throughout my system upgrades and I trust his recommendations.
I really wish you’d stop asking for opinions and advice, then systematically dismissing every piece offered. Gone on too long now. Just keep asking the dealer and do whatever you’re told.
If you like to play records, buy records.
Get a good MC pickup. Maybe a Audio Tecnica Art9, Dynavector XX2 or similar. And a high quality riaa. Then the quality will be night and day compared to what you experience today.
Dealers have huge margins on cables. Of coarse they want you to buy cables.
For me , I think you have made good choices till now.
A 333/332/250 system deserves good cables. The stock one, I tried, are very very average. Chord works very well with Naim.
The Cd5i was a good match with the SN3. But absolutely not with the 332/250, which deserves something like the Cdx2/ Xpsdr, however discontinued.
Just a reserve: the Luxman. It’s very different from Naim sound. Have you heard it and liked it ? Personally, as you don’t want to buy outside of your dealer place, I would then choose much more a Rega Isis.
Thanks for your suggestion of the Issis. We are spooked by Rega CDP Units. We had three Rega Saturn players. All failed. Gave up the ability to initialize the CD after less than six months for each unit. Also we found the LCD panel ( orange tiny letters on an orange background) to be unreadable. The Luxman also has the same lettering, but it has a panel zoom option which should really help. I am not sure of the Issis cost but it may be beyond budget. Thanks for your suggestion.
Thank you @Jaybar for creating a simple summary of the situation. You clearly have got good engagement from the Naim forum community.
Also, I applaud you for clearly stating many times the limitations under which you operate - cf declared disability, geographic location, nature of the property in which the HiFi operates and local HiFi retail availability.
Best wishes and do keep us periodically updated on your HiFi journey, I for one am interested.
Thanks. I suspect it will take 2-3 weeks for the new CDP and cables to get to the dealer and then for the tech to get to me. Waiting is the hardest part.
Have you auditioned the NCV TT with the NPX TT as an alternative to the Sarum T. Budget restrictions aside, it was a no brainer for me to go with the PS. The Sarum T made little to no difference in my system although my TT is a P10 into a 222. Just a thought..
I checked the price of the Isis. Beyond what I want to spend, even for the SS version. Naim pace and rhythm and timing is an attractive feature but I can happily enjoy a CDP with a different signature. I was attracted to Naim b/c of its reliability and support. Its PRAT is a bonus.
I’m not using the Sarum T on the phono stage. I am using the Naim 8 pin DIN to power the phono stage. If I got the PS for the phono stage I would not have room for an NPX300. Which is more important?
OK then I guess what I am saying from experience is that I wouldn’t be too hasty to dismiss the impact a separate PS can make particularly in relation to the NPXTT without auditioning same..
