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]

Originally posted by choky
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]

Originally posted by brian t
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.