Naim advice
- Thread starter LMKipper
- Start date
The Exposure integrated is better than either. ☺I've had a Nait 1 and serviced Nait 3 at the same time and did some comparison w/rest of the system and room identical. Amidst a chorus of disbelief, I liked the Nait 3 better and, to me, it sounded more solid throughout the range. Should point out both were in a small room at meagre volume levels, rarely cranked up either of them. Of course this post was talking about the Nait 2 in the first place.
Howdy
pfm Member
Steve, I really respect you and like your contribution to the forum, but I find your constant, ad nauseam Naim-bashing - even when it's clearly off toppic, as in this instance - rather annoying.
LMKipper,
if you search the forums, you will find some preferred 180 over the 250 with comments about the 180 sounding faster with better dynamics but without the refinement of the 250, which is regulated. The 250 may need serviced every decade or so whilst the 180 could go longer. I am using a 180 bought used and never looked inside to see if it was recapped. It sounds fantastic.
Also, you will find varied opinions on Teddycaps. I did not get on with a Teddycap as I thought it lost the Naim sound. Now using a Avondale Hicap, which is fantastic.
Additonally, conventional wisdom seems to be that Supercap is superior to cobbling together two hicaps for the 82. A single Hicap will be an improvement and required if using a 250 while the 82 may be powered from the 180.
if you search the forums, you will find some preferred 180 over the 250 with comments about the 180 sounding faster with better dynamics but without the refinement of the 250, which is regulated. The 250 may need serviced every decade or so whilst the 180 could go longer. I am using a 180 bought used and never looked inside to see if it was recapped. It sounds fantastic.
Also, you will find varied opinions on Teddycaps. I did not get on with a Teddycap as I thought it lost the Naim sound. Now using a Avondale Hicap, which is fantastic.
Additonally, conventional wisdom seems to be that Supercap is superior to cobbling together two hicaps for the 82. A single Hicap will be an improvement and required if using a 250 while the 82 may be powered from the 180.
jusphish
Enthralled by Naim
I used to run an Exposure 3010S which was rally great. Matched very well with a Rega P3-24. I don't have experience comparing with Nait 1/2/3 era equipment, but the Supernait 2 did blow it away (at 2x the price of course) placed into the same system.
jusphish
Enthralled by Naim
With a NAC 72, I spent some time deliberating over an olive HiCap and a Teddycap. They both sounded great and quite similar to me. Ultimately I went with the Teddy as it actually did lose one part of the Naim sound: transformer hum!
As much as I loved the look and consistency of the 72/HC/140 stack, I had to go for silent running as it was a near-field setup.A little perspective would be useful here.
You need to understand that this is a Hi-Fi forum. It is not populated with normal human beings. The inmates are predominantly saddos obsessed with constantly upgrading their systems and there is pretty much no limit to the time, effort and money they think it is reasonable to spend in doing so. The brand of pre-amp you have, Naim, is a perfect example of product range which dove-tales perfectly with this obsession.
Forget TeddyCaps, FlatCaps and DutchCaps! What you already have is very revealing and high-quality pre-amp. The idea of upgrading it further when you're using it with budget ancillaries and have limited funds is utterly ridiculous. Mate it with a decent power-amp and you have a top class amplifier.
I would go for an NAP-180. It's good enough to be a suitable partner for the 82 and powerful enough to drive any of the speakers you are realistically likely to buy. Then forget the amplifier. It's the best thing you've got by miles.
Since when is expressing a preference Naim-bashing? The man has some Naim gear, which he likes but he's looking for a change/improvement, we are discussing Nait 2/3 and 32/90 alternatives, whether they sound different despite sharing most electronics, and I say I prefer the direct competitor Exposure to either, having compared A/B. That's not Naim bashing at all. What is it about Naim fans? Look, I'll give you a free go. I have a Quad 303 in part of my system. Do you prefer something else? Be my guest, I promise I won't be upset. In another system I have Quad ESL57s. Prefer something else? Crack on. I prefer a Garrard 401 to the LP12. So what? This is audio, people come here to talk about something of very little importance, which item of consumer electronics they prefer to another and why. It's not a religion, it's just my opinion alongside everyone else's.
Are you sure?
Possibly only a cult.
Howdy
pfm Member
Great, you go from "live and let live" preaching to calling me a member of religious sect in a single paragraph only to finish it off with calling me a member of a cult. Thank you. But how can you be sure your Naim-bashing isn't one of these?
Miss Ariel
pfm Member
At the end of the day we all love music - Good kit to your own ears just takes you there.
Because the cult bit is a joke, soft lad. Lighten up. I'm pulling your leg.
Are you sure?
With a NAC 72, I spent some time deliberating over an olive HiCap and a Teddycap. They both sounded great and quite similar to me. Ultimately I went with the Teddy as it actually did lose one part of the Naim sound: transformer hum!
Yes, without question Teddy’s products sound great...just a different flavor no risk of the Naim hum. Ironically, I now have a 72 and when I tried the dual Teddycap, was with a 282. Who knows...could very well be I would like a Teddycap with the 72.
If you get a NAP180 then maybe you can try having it power the NAC82 instead of the HiCap. If there isn't a big loss in quality then sell the HiCap. You'd probably get a similar amount to what you paid for the NAP180.
Later on you can decide how far you want to go down the path of PSU insanity...
Later on you can decide how far you want to go down the path of PSU insanity...
James
Lord of the Erg\o/s
I'm not sure if there is anything sonically wrong with the NAP90. I had one briefly with a NAC102, when I decided the boxes must match aesthetically.
I think the main problem with the NAP90 is reliability. ISTR it has some thermal issue that doesn't present in NAIT2 guise. In any case, the NAIT2 seems a better performer than the sum of its parts to me.
Since you mention aesthetic matching, I wonder if you and @Mr Pig are talking about the same NAP90... There was the NAP90 slimline and the NAP90 shoebox which was made in both CB and olive versions (IIRC). The olive NAP90 would have matched your NAC102 so I'm guessing you either had the CB or the slimline version. Or did you just mean you wanted a full width amp for the NAC102?
James
Lord of the Erg\o/s
None of the NAP90 variants are full width and height like the NAC102. The NAP90/3 version I had briefly was full width, slim-line.