naim user defects to valves !

[brian t]

hi everyone, have been using naim kit kit for years until now ! just for a laugh i purchased a yarland fv34c intergrated amp 12w output it cost me about £160 . i connected it to my naim sbl speakers not suitable for valve amp really and guess what it blows away my naim gear. i have an active system - 4 monobloc amps, naxo xover, 72 preamp, 2 hicaps,etc . so much more detail cymbals and reverb are so much more clearly resolved than before, ok low frequency exstension is much less but thats probably due to not using compatable speakers. i only brought this amp as it was cheap as was goin to use it for a second system not now! just cant believe this little budget amp is better than my 12 box naim setup. looks like i have to eat humble pie and admit you guys are no to something just wish i had found out sooner you now have a valve convert, better late than never ! has anyone else heard this amp its a real giant killer. cheers

 

[Zen Mod]

hehe , now you can forget all about FI-FI mumbo jumbo and just listen to musiiiiiiiic with toooobs!

 

[EC8010]

hehe , now you can forget all about FI-FI mumbo jumbo and just listen to musiiiiiiiic with toooobs!

Or possibly even with valves

 

[planet10]

It was a little dumpster driver SEP EL84 that did my NAIMs in (i'm still hanging onto my NAIT II thou)

dave

 

[markp]

I've always found NAIM stuff to be too laid back for my taste. The sound colored by omission.

 

[Mike C]

just cant believe this little budget amp is better than my 12 box naim setup.

I can!

Because I went from Naim gear to valves about 5 years ago ....

My 62/140 wasn't a bad combination for the money (bought used); when I went
to a 72 and added a hicap, it was 'more of the same' but I wasn't really that
satisfied with it.
I went to a Naim evening when they went through the range, and though the
result wasn't bad (er .... £30,000's worth by then), I wasn't too impressed by the
moderate 'more of the same' improvement at every stage, at heavily increasing
amounts of money!

So before contemplating upgrading to say an 82 preamp, I decided to look into
alternatives; and the best bet seemed valves.
First I bought a power amp - Assemblage ST-40 EL34 push-pull, and this
slaughtered the 140. It wasn't subtle! Bass lines were far better defined for a
start - and people say Naim has good bass???? Musically it was far better
everywhere.
A kit Assenblage L-1 preamp followed, then a used SFP-1 phono stage and
results were very good indeed; better than the best that Naim could do.

I'm now into DIY and in every case I'm pleased to say that results have improved
further.
The ST-40 is doing great service on loan to a friend, driving Martin Logans
in a decent system (SME 20 front end), a good improvement over his Chord amp.

Now here's something you really should try in my view.
Another friend has active Namin SBLs (Naim crossover, 2 x 250's, and a 72 pre
which we know is the weak point of the system).
We tried my 'Nina' preamp in his system - and wow, did it *sing*!
I still prefer an all valve setup, but I could live with that result; far more musical
than with the 72, and still with all the dynamics and drive of a Naim setup.
Next day, when the 72 went back, the comment from the owner was .... my
system is broken! It sounds like a cheap transistor radio by comparison.

So you could try a really good valve pre and drive your Naim system with that;
you might like the result a lot.

Or just go for valves everywhere ....

 

[protos]

Me too.

I was using Naim gear for the last 20 yrs.
42/110
72/hi-cap/180
250
Still have the 42/110 for sentimental reasons and since it doesn't fetch that much on the market anyway.
I was always surprised that with efficient speakers the difference between 110/180/250 was always small.
There was almost no difference between the 42 and 72 without hi-cap.
I was never really happy with the sound of the amplification.I think a major culprit is the 72.It really colours the sound and I have tested in many combinations and comparisons.I have heard the newer pre's and they are much better but at what price!
I decided on diy after realizing that the next step upgrade would involve many thousands of pounds/euros for relatively little difference.
Now I have the cream of DIY amps:
1.Battery pwered gainclone
2.Pass Aleph-X
3.SET (300b)15watt with EML 520 valves
and they all beat the Naims quite clearly!
Welcome to the club.

 

[russel_h]

I recently bought one, it cost me around 180UKP inclusive delivered from Hong Kong based www.cattylink.com. and I have to say it is a bargain. I am comparing it against my home brewed monoblocks, and considering it costs about one third of the component cost of my current amplifier it does very well. You could make a very listenable system with this amp.

Russ

 

[markp]

I think a lot of Naim's good reputation is due to nationalism. The British are proud of one of their products and it colors their opinion of the sound.

 

[russel_h]

sorry should be www.cattylink.com ,not with a full stop at the end.

 

[russel_h]

>I think a lot of Naim's good reputation is due to nationalism.

No, I am British and cannot stand the sound of Naim kit. However the people that do are not lying, it just has a sound they like which seems to be half decent bass, poor midrange and an abysmal treble performance.

 

[protos]

As you know naim users talk a lot about prat= pace ,rhythm and timing which is their holy grail.Everything else doesn,t really matter to them.
In truth Naim does this well and with certain type of music conveys the rhythmic qualities very well.However some would say that this effect is overdone and makes other type of music too aggressive.
I think the new breed of naim amps are probably better.
However a good amp should do everything well.
You should hear the timing of my set amp- now that is something that I expected I would miss but it is better than ever.