Help me understand my new CB NAP 110 (and SNAPS)

[hifiaf]

Hi all,

I was the lucky winner of an eBay auction for some nice CB stuff last week. They were listed as a 32/SNAPS/110 "with some Avondale upgrades," but the pictures were blurry and the seller was reluctant to give me much in the way of details. As a result of this reticence, I got them for quite a low price -- and contrary to the usual eBay experience, things turned out to be better than what the seller had explained.

The 32 had been factory upgraded to 32.5 spec and recently recapped (all cards).

The SNAPS is upgraded with 2 x Avondale TPR-2 modules.

The 110 has an Avondale PSU has been fairly recently serviced.

But I have a few questions about the 110.

#1. It looks like the output transistors on one channel are replacements. But they look relatively old. Does anyone know anything about these Toshiba 2SD552s?

These are the Naim ones on the other channel:

#2. I was really after the 32.5 and the SNAPS -- the 110 is a bit of a bonus. But in my few days of listening, I've been pretty impressed with the music coming out of it. And so, naturally, I'm wondering about 110 monos So here is a bit of an out-there question. The transformer in the SNAPS is, I believe, identical to the one in a 110. So I wonder if it could be transplanted and put into service in a mono 110.

Am I right about that? Does it maybe have different secondary windings from a proper 110 transformer? (I assume the SNAPS wants 25V windings). I ask because I have a somewhat complicated idea about turning the SNAPS into a Ryan Sound Labs ZapCap-in-SNAPS-clothing and borrowing this transformer and combining it with one of the two 110 boards to make a mono 110.

Thanks for your help!

 

[hp1]

Hi,
The 32 looks pretty stock except for the muse ? caps and has a 32.5 mother board.The snaps is dual railed to the preamp so has a 5 pin socket,the transformer is as it was made. The 110 looks stock except for an avondale minicaps ps board and the 2 toshiba O/Ds ,the naim 02 transistors are BDY56 s supplied by semelabs but they used american Thomson ones prior to that.

 

[grahamdocman]

if you "recycle" the snaps you'll need a new power supply for the 32.5 e.g. a HiCap or equivalent.

The Avondale mod to the 110 removes the power supply normally found on a 110 which powers a 32, 42 and 62 preamps.

But your though of mono 110's is great, I ran a pair of mono 110's for several years (with the Avondale Minicap6 PSU) and they sang. with the exception of a lower overall power output to a 250, they were IMHO better and you'll find there are quite a few who agree.

 

[hifiaf]

Yes, the somewhat complicated plan is to get a Ryan Sound Labs PSM-2 and one of the transformers they use in their ZapCaps to essentially recreate the ZapCap but in a cute Naim enclosure, to get all the sonic benefits of the ZapCap while preserving the CB look. This is a ZapCap:

Thanks for the insights!

 

[booja30]

Does your 110 have the case on backwards or is it not an original case? It looks like my old Nait 2 when I had it in 'stealth mode' with the chrome side to the rear.

 

[hifiaf]

Bizarrely, it looks like it's an original case, but at some point its polished side was painted over. For the Paradise I'm building, I need to get my flatpopely cases "linished" (or whatever it's called) -- a process I've not looked into, but which can apparently be done at a paint shop relatively cheaply?

 

[eddie pugh]

Completely off topic but seeing as you guys have your sleds removed from the Naim sleeve can you tell me what clearance there is between the underside of the sled and the outer sleeve to accommodate bolt heads and the like used to fix transformer and stand off fixing screws

I have a couple of flatopoly's cases and I'm getting together the fixings for a couple of projects and would prefer not to use adhesive standoffs

Meant to add flats cases are buried under daughters stuff in the boxroom

thanks

eddie

 

[MJS]

Completely off topic but seeing as you guys have your sleds removed from the Naim sleeve can you tell me what clearance there is between the underside of the sled and the outer sleeve to accommodate bolt heads and the like used to fix transformer and stand off fixing screws
eddie

That's easy - none.

Naim used a pressed dish for the transformer mount so that a countersunk bolt would fit. The Nait1 did this without the dish but the transformer is much looser as a result - think large hole with flared sides. Of course the transformer mounting needs to be potted and countersunk too but they were custom made.

 

[eddie pugh]

MJS
Thanks I was afraid that was the case. I'm going to have to dig out those cases and see if there is a mill or two clearance as I was hoping to mount a couple of
small Avel toroids with M5 hex head centre bolts to power my Twisted Pear DAC. Countersinking in the steel sled is not going to be much fun.

The electronics is the easy part, the casing and fixings is such hard work !!

eddie

 

[martin clark]

Eddie

You can get 'low head height' allen-head screws if that would help; I've a few spare in m5 iirc - I'll dig one out & measure it...

ETA: bother, mine are M6, 40mm L; but the head is only 3.5mm h

You might get away more easily with socket countersunk head screws, and a generous countersinking /oversize fixing hole in your sled - to use something like these countersunk socket screws (scroll down)
https://www.namrick.co.uk/acatalog/Home_Metric_Socket_Cap_Head_Screws__A2__35.html

 

[booja30]

Bizarrely, it looks like it's an original case, but at some point its polished side was painted over. For the Paradise I'm building, I need to get my flatpopely cases "linished" (or whatever it's called) -- a process I've not looked into, but which can apparently be done at a paint shop relatively cheaply?

I think you could DIY that one. Get a few grits of sandpaper and put them on a flat surface, then slide the sleeve around on it until the paint wears off. Once that's done then try a smaller grit and only move the sleeve back and forth in one direction and you should get the desired brushed look. You can always use a pro as a backup even if you don't like your results.

 

[hifiaf]

Good advice, @booja30. There's a bit of roughness/pebble finish on the aluminum to smooth out, but aluminum's pretty soft, it should smooth out without too much trouble...

 

[eddie pugh]

Martin

Thanks. Those countersunk socket head screws look like they will just about work for the transformers.

eddie