advertisement


Naim@higher Volume

MrPinkEyes

MrPinkEyes

Come on Pooh
Is it just me? But i find Naim audio when turned up seems to lose its lolly including the DR gear from the 500 down, though the 500 is a nice way to become deaf…..
While im a fan boy and enjoy the sound signature, i have found at higher levels it becomes less enjoyable exponentially, it just seems to get all shouty. Is it the A/B distortion aspect? I herd this from a number of different Naim systems with reasonable speakers Focal sopra 2, high end SF, spendor1/2 (roll off way down low) SL2 etc. I was looking at their forum and somebody had posted about heat, a few comment on how Naim crank in the volume department which made me laugh, obviously they may of never experienced what real high end power can be like Class A amplification at @#$ RMS etc. I find sore ears from Naim Audio at high volume fast as opposed to high volume Class A much more easygoing. I understand many reasons from room acoustics, rack, input level, source etc but as a whole Naim don't do loud well imo. Knowing that this forum is packed to the rafters with real life electronic engineers could anybody please tell me why?or is it just my petal ears?
Cheers
 
There’s probably something in this, just the way they set up the sound. I enjoyed a pretty upscale naim system for many years but my current set up is a lot cleaner at high volume.
 
Del monaco said:
I enjoyed my Naim when I had it but it did sound constricted and a little shouty on some music sometimes.
Click to expand...
Seems to be good at volume when playing female vocalists and the like but if you put something busy on it falls to pieces.
Just would be interested why that is. Is it to get this sound at that volume you sacrifice some other area.
A few of my friends who have other branded gear like Naim but what puts them off is this issue. It is a common saying amongst us “Naim do not do volume well”
 
MrPinkEyes said:
Seems to be good at volume when playing female vocalists and the like but if you put something busy on it falls to pieces.
Just would be interested why that is. Is it to get this sound at that volume you sacrifice some other area.
A few of my friends who have other branded gear like Naim but what puts them off is this issue. It is a common saying amongst us “Naim do not do volume well”
Click to expand...
It was nice with solo instruments, string quartets and jazz for example. With Mahler or
Bruckner it didn’t really do it.
 
Depends on the setup. With vinyl, I regularly played at 1-2pm on my 72 vol control with a 250 and it always sounded superb. Switch to digital and it was not the case.

The only Focal based system I’ve heard was at Salisbury and that sounded edgy and horrible.
 
JezmondTutu said:
Depends on the setup. With vinyl, I regularly played at 1-2pm on my 72 vol control with a 250 and it always sounded superb. Switch to digital and it was not the case.
Click to expand...
I did use the internal Naim card for vinyl but things improved when began to use a Graham Slee outboard stage. Still not great with orchestral but nice with smaller scale music.
 
MrPinkEyes said:
Seems to be good at volume when playing female vocalists and the like but if you put something busy on it falls to pieces.
Click to expand...

Certainly my experience, with a Nait up to a 250. Simple, clean recordings sound fine but I like rock and Indie. As the volume goes up the sound gets progressively less pleasant, long before the amp shuts down.

Yes, the source makes a difference, Naim CD players are just horrible up loud, but it's an issue even with an LP12. And I know it's the amp because I changed to Meridian 105 amps and the problem went away. They stay clean until they shut down. Naim amps are just not as powerful as some people think and are voiced to sound impressive. Wins in a dem room but wears you down in the long run.
 
JezmondTutu said:
Focal based system I’ve heard was at Salisbury and that sounded edgy and horrible.
Click to expand...

I've heard Statement and some large Sopra's at a show.
Simply horrible peaky unnatural performance.
Played too loud, people left shortly after arrival.
With price in mind of this setup it was shockingly bad.

I would prefer a Nait/nSat setup or anything that size price really
 
Mr Pig said:
Certainly my experience, with a Nait up to a 250. Simple, clean recordings sound fine but I like rock and Indie. As the volume goes up the sound gets progressively less pleasant, long before the amp shuts down.

Yes, the source makes a difference, Naim CD players are just horrible up loud, but it's an issue even with an LP12. And I know it's the amp because I changed to Meridian 105 amps and the problem went away. They stay clean until they shut down. Naim amps are just not as powerful as some people think and are voiced to sound impressive. Wins in a dem room but wears you down in the long run.
Click to expand...

I think it’s entirely down to room and partnering equipment. I’ve heard Naim based systems that have blown my socks off and some that have sounded dire or just not to my taste. Heard more than most as I used to help out at my friends Linn/Naim dealership.
 
PerF said:
I've heard Statement and some large Sopra's at a show. Simply horrible peaky unnatural performance.
Click to expand...

I've only heard a few Focal speakers at a dealers but I thought they all sounded bad. One, absolutely horrible. And not cheap. I don't get it.
 
Mr Pig said:
I've only heard a few Focal speakers at a dealers but I thought they all sounded bad. One, absolutely horrible. And not cheap. I don't get it.
Click to expand...
I think it is a UK audio thing. We have probably all heard similar reference points: Rogers, Tannoy, Quad, Linn, Naim and so on. I am assuming there is a similar, parallel, continental history of speakers that just didn't make it "over here" that perhaps leads naturally to Focal's present range, perhaps not, any help here from French fish? Still, my point, if indeed I have any, is this: Focal come from another history and their presentation doesn't seem to work in the UK with many, ahem, older customers. Local Focal dealer was saying something similar after I gently asked if he sold many. He had Graham Audio on dem at the time ...
 
MrPinkEyes said:
Is it just me? But i find Naim audio when turned up seems to lose its lolly including the DR gear from the 500 down, though the 500 is a nice way to become deaf…..
While im a fan boy and enjoy the sound signature, i have found at higher levels it becomes less enjoyable exponentially, it just seems to get all shouty. Is it the A/B distortion aspect? I herd this from a number of different Naim systems with reasonable speakers Focal sopra 2, high end SF, spendor1/2 (roll off way down low) SL2 etc. I was looking at their forum and somebody had posted about heat, a few comment on how Naim crank in the volume department which made me laugh, obviously they may of never experienced what real high end power can be like Class A amplification at @#$ RMS etc. I find sore ears from Naim Audio at high volume fast as opposed to high volume Class A much more easygoing. I understand many reasons from room acoustics, rack, input level, source etc but as a whole Naim don't do loud well imo. Knowing that this forum is packed to the rafters with real life electronic engineers could anybody please tell me why?or is it just my petal ears?
Cheers
Click to expand...

concur….I had 4 Naim systems, sound stage collapsed at low volumes (and the balance too) and the sound became shoutier and more unruly when pushed above the “sweet” spot….
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top