Sound like live music, not Hi-Fi. Nothing else at the show was anything like as good.
Having said that, I only heard it playing well recorded acoustic music. How it might have coped with rock or pop I don't know.
DNM Amps anyone used them or heard them ?
- Thread starter Miss Ariel
- Start date
Sound like live music, not Hi-Fi. Nothing else at the show was anything like as good.
Having said that, I only heard it playing well recorded acoustic music. How it might have coped with rock or pop I don't know.
Ditto.
I heard the full DNM rig with Reheko speakers at a hifi show many years ago. Seem to recall listening to a recording of flamenco guitar or similar. Very impressive.
Several years later I ended up with a DNM 3c preamp and the PA3S power amp. Enjoyed them - transparent, fast and punchy sound. As suggested above, on some recordings it was a really great sound but not consistently so. They weren’t harsh sounding but probably a bit lean so speaker matching was quite important. I seem to recall them working well with Harbeths. (I also tried the rehdekos but they turned out to be dreadful - by some margin my worse ever audio purchase)
I don’t have any understanding of electronics but I was quite taken by an approach that didn’t go for super heavy amps or bling. The units seemed to be very nicely put together and were unbelievably light (transformers housed in a separate units). I kept them for quite a few years.
I heard the full DNM rig with Reheko speakers at a hifi show many years ago. Seem to recall listening to a recording of flamenco guitar or similar. Very impressive.
Several years later I ended up with a DNM 3c preamp and the PA3S power amp. Enjoyed them - transparent, fast and punchy sound. As suggested above, on some recordings it was a really great sound but not consistently so. They weren’t harsh sounding but probably a bit lean so speaker matching was quite important. I seem to recall them working well with Harbeths. (I also tried the rehdekos but they turned out to be dreadful - by some margin my worse ever audio purchase)
I don’t have any understanding of electronics but I was quite taken by an approach that didn’t go for super heavy amps or bling. The units seemed to be very nicely put together and were unbelievably light (transformers housed in a separate units). I kept them for quite a few years.
Stemcor
I should be listening to music
You are of course correct. Many thanks for pointing this out. If only I had looked a bit more carefully and had a fully working memory.
Stemcor
I should be listening to music
I can only assume that the designer of DNM
believes that shielding is not appropriate. I have been told by one designer (obvs not DNM) is that putting amps in metal cases creates eddy currents and stops them from leaving the case. Having no shielding is a problem as well as a benefit as siting the amp becomes more crucial. I had some problems with my phono stage until I really understood what was happening.
so the amps are the best thing since sliced bread but his speaker wire is the opposite. How come? I did try the speaker cable and agree that the sound wasnt good ( with my bits and pieces). But rather strange he seems to have got the cable wrong?
JTC
PFM Villager...
I used the DNM cable with their amps and it was fine, I also tried it with a couple of other amps over the time I had it and it was fine too. I doubt it would suit Naim, and its unique construction maybe wouldn't suit all amps, but it wasn't dramatically different to other cables in or around its price. It's a bit like NAC-A5 in its approach, inasmuch as it seems to have been designed as a 'system' cable, with results outside of the brand not guaranteed. And it was priced similarly - i.e. not pennies, but not Nordost money either.
I don't understand the science of cable types any more than the next man, so can't really comment, but I was happy enough with it at the time although it was a bit fragile given its solid core construction.
I'm trying to recall if I had any shielding/noise issues when I had my DNM. I think it was fine in this regard, no obvious hum and I think the amps were dead silent in terms of 'ear against speaker' tests. The Naim 250 I had afterwards was far more susceptible to noise, and had a tendency for its toroid to 'sing' at certain times of the day. (In my opinion in hindsight, the 250 was definitely a step backwards in SQ as compared to the PA3^S (there can't be many people who've owned both, so different that they are) but it was in a different system and the 52/SC/250 amps were quite a bit different to the 3B Primus/PA3^S setup. Both very good, mind you, but the DNM amps had a sound that were definitely more what you might call holographic and textural, whereas the Naim was thicker but maybe more forgiving of bad recordings? Memories from a LONG time ago now, and I never had the chance to audition both in the same room at the same time....
mansr
Objectionist
The cables use thin, widely-spaced wires. This gives high resistance, high inductance, and low capacitance. Together with the speaker impedance, this alters the frequency response. The single most important requirement for a speaker cable is low resistance. If that is met, it's hard to get the rest so wrong as to matter much, though it is possible. The classic heavy-gauge zip cord is perfectly suited as speaker wire. There is no need for anything exotic.
mansr
Objectionist
The signal levels in a power amplifier are high enough that shielding is probably unnecessary unless there is an unusually high level of interference. In most locations, it will likely be fine provided a distance of a few inches is maintained to any power leads carrying high currents. That's not saying anything about what interference the amp might itself cause, though for class A or AB this is unlikely to be a problem.
Phono preamps handle very small signals, and this makes them quite sensitive to interference. Shielding is thus advisable for them. Highly sensitive scientific instruments use shielding. It works. Use it. Treat anyone who suggests otherwise with suspicion.
A5 is just a heavy multi-stranded copper cable. I can't see why it wouldn't work outside a Naim system, or inteen not sound similar to other heavy copper cables?
My Naim kit used to hum at 11:00 pm every night. I assume it was a signal being sent within the mains to communicate off-peak appliances, something to do with the switch to off-peak electricity anyway. The XPS was the worst, that thing was crazy loud.
Julian Slinn
pfm Member
interesting as whilst i spent a decade and a half working in the hi fi sector during the 90s to 2005 I found Linn and Naim and chord monster Van Der Hall Cable to be pretty average and it was the likes of DNM that was superb along with QEDs silver and stepping up in price Kimber cable. NAC 5 was so bright forward bass less in comparison It was the first thing to get thrown out of systems be them Naim or not, NAC 5 worked with the SBLs and naims amps with other speakers and it was the limiting factor. Linns k20 although better than the NAC5 was still pretty average. Doubling up and shot gunning the K400 proved a better response. Like everything speaker cable is system dependant.
tuga
Legal Alien
Have you ever measured or seen measurements of one of their amplifiers?
I have always been curious but never came accross a test report.
tuga
Legal Alien
@Jim Audiomisc has investigated the DNM speaker wire design here:
https://audiomisc.co.uk/HFN/Cables1/OhmImprovements.html
https://audiomisc.co.uk/HFN/Cables2/OhmAndAway.html
https://audiomisc.co.uk/HFN/Cables3/TakeTheLead.html
JoeJoe
pfm Member
I find DNM Reson speaker cable to produce the cleanest and sweetest of sounds, especially in the treble. It just seems to take away the harshness that some tweeters impart. It tightens up bass too. It’s the only cable to sound noticeably different to all the others I’ve used. And there’s been loads. However, the flip-side of the coin is I find it lacks the weight and warmth that multi-strand brings to the party….I still swap it in every now and then (or use it as a problem solver). Kraftwerk and all Electronica never sounded so good to my ears as with Reson in the loom.
I always wanted to hear one of Dennis Morecrofts amps as a couple of HiFi dealers ( at the time ) told me they were totally sublime. I never got that privilege, I hope the OP gets the chance…
I always wanted to hear one of Dennis Morecrofts amps as a couple of HiFi dealers ( at the time ) told me they were totally sublime. I never got that privilege, I hope the OP gets the chance…
Miss Ariel
pfm Member
Joe Joe as the OP on this thread 2 years later I still haven't heard them and perhaps never will.My post was more intrigue as the design is quite radical in some respects like the use of din sockets,low output power,star earthing and made in incredible small numbers etc.But TBH I am not electronic minded talking about amp design.
I know the interconnect @ speaker cable is very marmite.Some people love them others think their awful,maybe its a amp speaker synergy.
Don't use mine so much as have gone over to Atlas cables which I really like and have got a Rega Aethos which will be my last amp as it just sounds fabulous and can drive my Magneplan 1.7 speakers effortlessly.
I know the interconnect @ speaker cable is very marmite.Some people love them others think their awful,maybe its a amp speaker synergy.
Don't use mine so much as have gone over to Atlas cables which I really like and have got a Rega Aethos which will be my last amp as it just sounds fabulous and can drive my Magneplan 1.7 speakers effortlessly.
I'll have to dig out my old DNM cables again. Gathering dust for years. Used in a great sounding system I heard years ago. Biwired dnm. Even mains cables were solid core Dnm.
Micro mega , Crimson and Proac. Way out my price range . Also heard used with Rhedeko speakers in a home cinema. Fantastic.
' The best sub £1000 cable we've come across. ( Dnm used in biwire config').Poor material value.Impedance rises at hf. Provides real insight into the texture and harmonic colour of different instruments without sounding remotely artifical or intrusive. Shy away from lengths more than 5m and this should prove cheapest way to the stars.
L = 4.35 mH, C = 84 pF , R = 266mOhms ,
Per 5mtr biwire or per meter ? '
From Cable choice supplement - August 94 .
I tried about 10+ years ago and I'm sure it softened the sound a bit . Lost mid slam of Exposure cable , and Naim. Cant remember amps and speakers used then though.
Time to try again.
Micro mega , Crimson and Proac. Way out my price range . Also heard used with Rhedeko speakers in a home cinema. Fantastic.
' The best sub £1000 cable we've come across. ( Dnm used in biwire config').Poor material value.Impedance rises at hf. Provides real insight into the texture and harmonic colour of different instruments without sounding remotely artifical or intrusive. Shy away from lengths more than 5m and this should prove cheapest way to the stars.
L = 4.35 mH, C = 84 pF , R = 266mOhms ,
Per 5mtr biwire or per meter ? '
From Cable choice supplement - August 94 .
I tried about 10+ years ago and I'm sure it softened the sound a bit . Lost mid slam of Exposure cable , and Naim. Cant remember amps and speakers used then though.
Time to try again.
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