Conference hips::uk_audioo

    Naim amps are not "unconditionally stable" they have been known to blow
    output amps when used with cable similar to monster cable and speakers
    like the old Quad electrostatic. Not sure about bi-wireing though.
    
    Have you considered the Linn CD player ?
    
    	Rik 

    
    I think the proble with the Naim amps is that they don't have a Zobel
    network in their output stage. This means they dont like looking at
    cables with a "high" capacitance, the output transistors can go into
    oscillation and blow.
    
    What this means is that many high end cables with individuly insulated
    conductors which tend to have a high Capacitance are out. It also makes
    Bi wireing a bit problematic.
    
    My advice would be talk to a Naim dealer, or read the cable spec' very 
    closly. It may also be an Idea to post this question in the US Audio 
    conference, and see what other Naim owners use.

    I tried Linn K400 bi-wire cable on my Naim amps, soldering the hi/low
    pairs together at the amp banana, and bi-wiring at the speaker end (KEF
    Q80 speakers), and the result was OK. Bought Naim cable and reverted to
    mono-wiring instead and the uplift in sound quality had to be heard to 
    be believed. I'm now convinced that Naim know what they're talking
    about, so my advice is use Naim speaker and interconnect cables, and
    forget the 'faffing'.
    
    They're reasonably priced too !
    
    Pete

    Pete, this info is indeed very helpful.  Thanks.
    
    I spoke with my Naim dealer about speaker cables.  They said they only
    had one model called NACA.  But I've seen references to NAC A4 and A5
    before.  Do you know the difference between the two and which one is
    meant for the 140?  The owner's manual has diagrams showing A4 for
    bi-amp cable config and A5 for tri-amp config.  (Naim is a rarity here
    and local dealers have little knowledge or enthusiam for it.  I went
    through a long selection process, and finally settled for Naim in spite
    of the poor dealer support.)
    
    BTW, can I convert the 140 (or the 90) to a monoblock for bi-amp
    set-up?
    
       joseph

Hi

NAC-A5 is the current Naim cable (NAC-A4 has been superceeded, so your dealer
shouldn't have any left).

As far as I know, the stereo amps can't be monoblocked (but you could try 
writing to Naim Audio, Southampton Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire and asking).

Dave

I've auditioned the basenoter's setup. I was particularly impressed by
the Naim/Epos matchup. However, I'm not ready to fork out the money for
the Naim 72/140. So I'm considering the lesser models from the Naim line-up.

I've listened to the Naim Nait3 + Epos ES-11 setup. But I found the Nait3
not powerful enough to drive the ES-11. Voice was OK. But dynamic passages
, such as impact on drums, was severely subdued. So Nait3 is crossed
out from my list.

The only model left is the 92/90 combination. The problem is that the
dealership in Hong Kong is so small, I cannot sample the 92/90 combo.

So I'm asking whether anyone has experienced the 92/90 combo. Is there
noticeable difference between the Nait and the 92/90? Does the NAP90
have enough oooomph to drive the ES-11?

Any comments/hint will be appreciated. Many thanks in advance

-KK

    I have had Naim gear in my setup for about a year and I have found it
    to be agreeable with biwiring.  I would highly recommend using Naim
    cable throughout.  I have heard other low-capacitance cables with the
    Naim (eg. Exposure, Linn, etc.) and NONE of them even came close to the
    Naim cable's transparancy and detail.  Go for Chord interconnectsm,
    too.  They are designed in very close cooperation with Naim engineers -
    so, needless to say, they fit the best.  When Naim does something,
    learn to trust it, because they know what they're doing.  I have
    listened to my setup (Naim 42.5, HiCap, NAP250, Rotel RCD855II, Apogee
    Centaur Minor) in close comparison with a system costing four times as
    much (Mark Levinson, Wadia, Counterpoint, B&W) and the Naim completely
    destroyed it.  NO JOKE!!!  And, no, I'm not biased because I own Naim,
    and, no, I'm not deaf.  Naim is that good - even with the Rotel as the
    front end.  Listen closely to Naim - they'll set you streight.
    
    Dan Siegrist

    Re: .7
    
    > Naim cable's transparancy and detail.  Go for Chord interconnectsm,
    > too.  They are designed in very close cooperation with Naim engineers
    
    Any recommendation on particular Chord model?  There is a standard cable
    that comes with the Naim package for connecting between the pre/power amp.
    Would I gain much replacing it?  Finding cables for Naim is very much
    like a betting game to me because the DIN connection makes it very
    difficult to borrow cables to experiment with.  But I am sure this will
    pay off...
    
    > learn to trust it, because they know what they're doing.  I have
    > listened to my setup (Naim 42.5, HiCap, NAP250, Rotel RCD855II, Apogee
    > Centaur Minor) in close comparison with a system costing four times as
    > much (Mark Levinson, Wadia, Counterpoint, B&W) and the Naim completely
    > destroyed it.  NO JOKE!!!  And, no, I'm not biased because I own Naim,
    > and, no, I'm not deaf.  Naim is that good - even with the Rotel as the
    > front end.  Listen closely to Naim - they'll set you streight.
     
    I share the same opinion.  In one occasion, I had an A/B comparison
    with a Mark and found the Naim gear to come fairly close sonically.
    That's the reason I choose Naim, even knowing that I cannot get much
    support from my dealer (and the sole distributor.)
    
    On the subject of bi-wiring, is the improvement (if any) more related
    to the way the speaker's crossover is designed?  Would bi-wiring be more
    demanding on the amp?  I read from another notes in this conference that
    bi-wiring was added to Epos more for marketing reasons, but I have seen
    big difference bi-wiring Epos ES11.  A friend of mime suspected that
    the difference might be due to the replacement of the poor hi/lo section
    jumper cable that came standard with the ES11.  I guess I'll have to
    borrow a pair of ES11 for a couple of days to really find out.
    
       joseph

    Does anyone has any experience with the optional NA 328 board for the
    NAC 72?  This is a variable sensitivity board for the CD input.  It
    provides an adjustable gain of 25 to 350mV/47kohm, whereas the standard
    CD input is rated at 75mV/100kohm.
    
       joseph