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Naim 52 cable upgrades + Servicing advice

linntroika

linntroika

pfm Member
Hello

I have a very late 2002 Nac52 which was serviced in 2013 (by Naim) and contemplating getting it serviced again. It still sounds Fab to these ears but i know its probably now due a service(or is it ?)

So my first question is do i send it to Naim , Class A or witch hat ? - is there much difference in price/quality between all 3 ?(my gut feeling is to send it to Naim for resale purposes - if i ever decide to part with it)

As for cable upgrades i will start with the Burndy
The Chord variant is probably out of my reach price wise, however i use a TP burndy on my source (CDS3) and am pretty impressed with the latest version regarding build/ Sound quality . The Teddy /Witch hat burndys are similarly priced - has anyone done a comparison and if so what were the differences ?
I know witch hat do a Morgana burndy , which i would consider - anyone auditioned one of these yet ?

Lastly the 52 snaic - is there much point in upgrading this from the original Naim ? ( as far as i am aware the burndy cable upgrade will make the more significant improvement )
On doing a bit of research i see i can acquire a relatively inexpensive hatpin 5 (WH)or /TP snaic.
WH also do a Morgana Snaic at £450 or possible AR sound Lunar equilateral £538(i use Lunars between CDS3/52 + supercap /power amp)

Thanks in advance for advice
 
Pre-amps can go 20 years without a service, I wouldn't worry about it. Even the Supercap should be good for a few years yet. WH can do some DR-like upgrades on the Supercap though.
Class A is a Naim-approved service agent. WH are ex-Naim but not approved. It means they can do stuff to units that Naim wouldn't let them do in the factory ;)

The 5 pin SNAIC between the 52 and Supercap only carries power for the lights and control - there's absolutely no benefit in changing it for anything else.
The Burndy will make a difference. I designed the HP18 Witch Hat Burndy to keep the signal as separate as possible from all the power lines inside. The Morgana version takes this even further with far more separation and isolation and better signal conductors.
 
MJS said:
Pre-amps can go 20 years without a service, I wouldn't worry about it. Even the Supercap should be good for a few years yet. WH can do some DR-like upgrades on the Supercap though.
Class A is a Naim-approved service agent. WH are ex-Naim but not approved. It means they can do stuff to units that Naim wouldn't let them do in the factory ;)

The 5 pin SNAIC between the 52 and Supercap only carries power for the lights and control - there's absolutely no benefit in changing it for anything else.
The Burndy will make a difference. I designed the HP18 Witch Hat Burndy to keep the signal as separate as possible from all the power lines inside. The Morgana version takes this even further with far more separation and isolation and better signal conductors.
Click to expand...
You won’t get much better advice than that!
 
I’ve been running a Morgana Burndy for exactly 7 days now. It replaced a WH hat-pin,itself a significant upgrade on the Naim Burndy. My new cable is still improving but on the cliche scale it’s way past “making the old one sound broken”and “night and day difference”and heading towards “new record collection”.
Witch Hat’s own description of the benefit is very accurate. The soundstage is deeper and quieter and quiet sounds are much more resolved; in tune and on time. The music is fuller and more present, the bass much stronger. Morgana leads seem to open the music right up, much more clarity but without a hint of the clinical.
I have 3 Morgana leads now and I switched from a5 to phantom but this might be the most profound change yet.
It sits between a 52 and a super cap, and it just seems to give you a better preamp.
 
From the Naim 252 Manual : For best performance the Burndy and 5 pin DIN cables should be run as close together as possible
 
Whilst i defer to Marks greater knowledge on these matters, i did find the WitchHat snaic a decent improvement on the standard Naim one on digital duties- seemed to clean things up significantly- perhaps only psychological or a case of bad cable dressing when i went back to the Naim one!
 
I've been looking out for a late NAC 52 since before Christmas, but due to me dallying, I've missed out on several, including two really good offers here on pfm!
 
wylton said:
I've been looking out for a late NAC 52 since before Christmas, but due to me dallying, I've missed out on several, including two really good offers here on pfm!
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've lusted after one for some time. Not sure how I get it through the approval process though....I've already got a 102 & an 82. :D:D
 
I was fortunate enough 6 years ago to purchase a Mint 52 from a fellow PFM for £2250 full serviced by Naim in 2013(when it arrived it was indistinguishable from new)they just seems to increase in value . I deffo wont be selling mine as a 552 is well outside my budget . No matter what you say about Naim there are certain iconic models that just hold their value . In 1990 i purchased a 72/hicap/250 - all olive for £1700 and sold it 21 years later for £2K :)
 
I have to agree with the W.H Morgana, I have all the interconnects well. Night and day. Also have the Phantom speaker cable, great value for money in terms of what you get back in improvements.
 
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