as soon as possible
DPS 3 Turntable with NAIM ARO Tonearm and Transfiguration Phoenix Cartridge
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STAY TUNED
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March 2009: The Rack Set up
Herewith the actual set up.
Naim CDX2 / 555Ps / Naim Powerline
Naim Hiline
Naim Nac 252 / Supercap2 / Naim Powerline
Naim Nap 250.2 / Naim Powerline
DPS3 Turntable / Naim Aro / Transfiguration Phoenix Cartridge
Einstein "The Turntable choice"
Naim Headline / Npsc / Grado RS1
Naim Nac A5
Kharma 2.3 CE
More to Come...........................................
December 2008: The Equipment Rack
After one year of researches I've decided:
I wanted to have an equipment rack more specific for my Naim System.
I wanted it outside the listening room to avoid any resonance.
Unfourtunately the NAIM FRAIM could not fit in the selected space and no other rack in the market had the same appeal to me.
The only solution was to project and build my own rack.
I've taken inspiration from the Living Voice and Finite Elemente ones:"compact" double racks to house everything.
1.
Three hard cherry wood indipendet shelves.
I've taken inspiration from the Living Voice and Finite Elemente ones:"compact" double racks to house everything.
1.
Three hard cherry wood indipendet shelves.
2.
Each shelf has been thought as a grid structure with 2 plywood panels lean on.
Under each panel, 4 steel spikes.
3.
Each shelf is hang on three solid cherry wood uprights.
Each shelf is separately decoupled from the uprights thanks to a screws/rubber rings system, providing a second level of isolation.
5.
Everthything had beeswax finishing.
The set up was easy...
and this is the result.....with the rubber sheet of a new turntable.....
The solid cherry wood structural grid has holes fitted with 1,2 cm teflon cilinder and 2 steel circles to house the spikes providing a first level of isolation.
3.
Each shelf is hang on three solid cherry wood uprights.
Each shelf is separately decoupled from the uprights thanks to a screws/rubber rings system, providing a second level of isolation.
4.
The shelves/uprights rack sits with spikes on teflon/steel circles fitted in a sinlge hard wood base, providing a third level of isolation.
At the end, three Finite Elemente CERABASE supports under the base provide a fourth level of isolation.
The shelves/uprights rack sits with spikes on teflon/steel circles fitted in a sinlge hard wood base, providing a third level of isolation.
At the end, three Finite Elemente CERABASE supports under the base provide a fourth level of isolation.
5.
Everthything had beeswax finishing.
The set up was easy...
and this is the result.....with the rubber sheet of a new turntable.....
More to come..............................................
2008: 555PS, NAIM HILINE
....my upgrade path was started and nothing could stop me.
At the beginning of the 2008 I've traded the 202/200 combo for the 555ps and the Hi-Line.
Together with the 252/SC2 one, this is the biggest upgrade that I've ever done.
The 555ps tooks the CDX2 to the next level.
In these years I was dreaming about the CDS3/XPS2 , now, with the 555ps, not anymore.
The difference between the CDX2/555PS combo and the CDS3/XPS2 combo, to my ears and at my Naim dealer shop, was really sublte.
The CDX2/555ps is really close to the CDS3/555PS.
As I've recognized with the HiCap2, the powersupply is the most important thing in the NAIM SYSTEM chain.
The soundstage is more wide and reliable.
The sound is bigger,more balanced, with better controlled and tight bass.
The detail add reality to music in the right way.
There's more presence and body even at low volume.
Again, thanks even to the Hi-Line, MUSIC is more MUSIC.
...Yes, the Hi-Line, what can I say about it?
It's the perfect cable in the chain:
It does his job in the best way: adding detail, timing, presence that were there...... but a little bit less.
The best thing to understand and realize it..... is to take it away.
it just enhances the natural Naim sound.
more to come..........................................................
November 07: Kharma 2.3 Speakers
First of all I was disappointed for the B&W 804 harshness and their strange mid-hights resonance in my enviroment, then for sure the 252/250.2 could deserve something better.
Everything started from Geoff experience...about Kharma speakers.
I've started some web-surfing, reading reviews and opinions about them.
I was more interested in the Kharma 3.2 ( suggested frontend from AUDIOFEDERATION in expensive HI-END system): Small and suitable, I thought, for my listening room.
Then I was luky to have a comparison audition of both Kharma 3.2 and Kharma 2.3
My first impression was that both were TRANSPARENT speakers but the Kharma 2.3 were in any case far better:
Even if, thanks to the CERAMIC TWEETER the hights were smooth and sweet in both, the big brother had better, controlled tight bass and a BIGGER SOUND.
At the end I went for the Kharma 2.3.
These are 3-way speakers, in my opinion, the "must have" for a front-end.
FYI: At the same time I could even check the CRM series with FOCAL TITANIUM Tweeter.
To my ears they were too much analitic for me; to much surgeon like, loosing the sweetness and silk sound that I really love.
Was quite a mass to take this speaker ( 50kg each) in their wood case at the second floor...but as soon as I connected them to the CDX2/252/250.2 combo.. all my hardwork had the right return.
Just with a rought placement in my listening room these speakers fullfilled the enviroment that reacted in an amazing way to their way of sound.
Thanks to the ceramic tweeter and midrange the B&W 804 harshness disapperead.
I've started some web-surfing, reading reviews and opinions about them.
I was more interested in the Kharma 3.2 ( suggested frontend from AUDIOFEDERATION in expensive HI-END system): Small and suitable, I thought, for my listening room.
Then I was luky to have a comparison audition of both Kharma 3.2 and Kharma 2.3
My first impression was that both were TRANSPARENT speakers but the Kharma 2.3 were in any case far better:
Even if, thanks to the CERAMIC TWEETER the hights were smooth and sweet in both, the big brother had better, controlled tight bass and a BIGGER SOUND.
At the end I went for the Kharma 2.3.
These are 3-way speakers, in my opinion, the "must have" for a front-end.
FYI: At the same time I could even check the CRM series with FOCAL TITANIUM Tweeter.
To my ears they were too much analitic for me; to much surgeon like, loosing the sweetness and silk sound that I really love.
Was quite a mass to take this speaker ( 50kg each) in their wood case at the second floor...but as soon as I connected them to the CDX2/252/250.2 combo.. all my hardwork had the right return.
Just with a rought placement in my listening room these speakers fullfilled the enviroment that reacted in an amazing way to their way of sound.
Thanks to the ceramic tweeter and midrange the B&W 804 harshness disapperead.
No " listening fatigue" at all.
Thanks to the 23mm Kevlar woofer the bass were amazing.
Tight and controlled ( with the 250.2 contribute)
The soundstage were wide and with the correct depth.
No more, neither less then the reality.
Thanks to the 23mm Kevlar woofer the bass were amazing.
Tight and controlled ( with the 250.2 contribute)
The soundstage were wide and with the correct depth.
No more, neither less then the reality.
I think of these speakers as a gentle, sweet lady.
They are so balanced that are perfect for acoustic, classical and jazz music...but even for Electronic and rock music ( if well recorded ;-).
Perhaps without the necessary wickedness for Punk and Hardcore, but for sure,even more with NAIM behind them,with the correct timing and PRAT.
( My Naim Dealer when come to my house said: WOW! This is the first time I hear KHARMA sounds in the right way!)
More to come.......................................................
October 07: Nac252/Supercap2
... I was ready for the BIG step:
This was another world.
I've started to understand what is Hi-End.
Even my Arcam Dvd player was better.
The CDX2 and the P3 turntable were differend players.
The instruments were more real, more vivid.
The soundstage was deeper, bigger, more plastic and 3D.
The soundstage was deeper, bigger, more plastic and 3D.
simply, True.
This is what a preamplifier can do.
It's the "heart and the brain" of the system.
It's the "heart and the brain" of the system.
It's the orchestra leader.
ps: Here some interesting link about the 252/SC2/250.2 system.
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May 07: The Nap 250.2
In May I had the opportunity to upgrade for a fair price my Nap 200 to the Nap 250.2
I have to say that I had great doubts about this deal becouse for me the Nap 200 was really a good amp:
What made my mind up to this decision was that I would have like to make this as a further experiment in the NAIM UPGRADE PATH (the HICAP2 was the previous one), just to "hear" again if this MYTH was real or just an audiophile marketing trick.
Now, I have to confess that, to my ears, the Nap 250.2 is more then "a better amp".
It's a far better amp.
To my ears, in my enviroment, the Nap 250.2 added scale, warmth, detail and its control of the B&W 804 was miles away from the Nap 200.
Its Mid-Bass are amazing,
it has a full sound with more body,
it has more grip and more sound character
...and at it's price point in my opinion it's a bergain.
I begun to belive in the NAIM UPGRADE PATH.
More to come
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One Year later (2007)
At the beginning of the 2007 I've bought the HICAP2 for the Nac 202.
To my ears, the UPGRADE was more then subtle: Amazing what a powersupply can do.
Everything was more real, with more presence and detail.
Music was more music.
The same time I've added the Hicap2, I've even changed the system layout.
CDX2 and Nac 200 were on the left side
Stageline, NPSC and HICAP2 in the Middle
Nap 200 on the right side.
Everything was on black glass shelves
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The Beginning (2006)
Was the 2006.
I've started with a the Hi-End "EntryLevel" series.
Preamplifier: Nac 202 ( with NPSC added in a second time)
Everything was set up inside an handmade "Ad Hoc" furniture that could fit inside my diningroom.
The Furniture had 2 sliding panels in order to protect the system.
At the start everything was set up on a single side:
the Nac202 on the Nap200
Stageline on CDX2
Everything was on woodshelves.
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Why Naim? Be Inspired......
Was a friday evening, september '05...
The last day of work of one of my worldwide business trip.
I entered in a Naim dealer with my 5 reference CDs.
I sat down and the dealer turned on a NAIT5 and a CD5x, with a pair of B&W803 speakers as front end.
I kept silent for a while.
After around 10/15 minutes, one of my preferred track started to play, I woke up and said:
"HEY DUDE! LISTEN, THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE SONG!"
After one year of various listening sessions of different CDPLAYERS, AMPLIFIERS, PREAMPLIFIERS, SPEAKERS Brands, was the first time:
I was not listening to the audio equipment.
I was listening to the music.
More to come...........................................................
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