Chris Tarling
Yellow Hound
Currently making some changes in my system following a small windfall...
Previously:
Rega Planar 3/Elys 2/Neo modified with SRM/Tec Silent Base, Tangospinner belts pulley sub-platter bearing and platter, Michell Tecnoweight
Meridian G06.2 CD
Naim NAC92
Naim Flatcap
Naim 90 x 2, bi-amping the speakers
B&W P5 loudspeakers
All of the Naim equipment was serviced and modified as far as was reasonable by Sean Jacobs at Custom Hifi Cables in Spring 2019.
Latest changes:
Rega Planar 10/Alpheta 3, Aria phono stage on order
Witchhat Naim interconnects on order
KEF R11 loudspeakers installed.
Naim NAC72 (serviced in Spring 2019) being evaluated...
So the NAC72 was a bit of an impulse buy - it came up for sale and as it was in excellent condition, and crucially recently serviced, I jumped at it. When I bought the KEF R11s my fear was that my amp set up would just not be up to the job of driving them and I was entertaining ideas of a NAC72, 2x NAP140 set up.
I had hoped it would be a great step up from my NAC92 but curiously my initial impressions are not favourable. I am finding the midrange glassy and strident. Detailed, but fatiguing.
Loudspeaker cable currently is a high sliver content industrial cable - I have some left on the roll in the garage which may remind me exactly what it is.
Do I persevere with going forward, or go back...?
Going forward I'm still thinking of the bi-amped NAP140s, probably with a TeddyCap PSU added to replace the Flatcap.
But my experience with the NAC72 has really thrown me - I thought it would work well with the Flatcap and NAP90s.
Am I seeing a fundamental mismatch with the strident mid range or something that can be tweaked, maybe Witchat N2 loudspeaker cable would be worth trying?
If I had more cash I'd probably sell the Naim gear and look seriously at the Hegel H390, which I believe is a good match for the KEFs.
I would welcome your thoughts please...
Previously:
Rega Planar 3/Elys 2/Neo modified with SRM/Tec Silent Base, Tangospinner belts pulley sub-platter bearing and platter, Michell Tecnoweight
Meridian G06.2 CD
Naim NAC92
Naim Flatcap
Naim 90 x 2, bi-amping the speakers
B&W P5 loudspeakers
All of the Naim equipment was serviced and modified as far as was reasonable by Sean Jacobs at Custom Hifi Cables in Spring 2019.
Latest changes:
Rega Planar 10/Alpheta 3, Aria phono stage on order
Witchhat Naim interconnects on order
KEF R11 loudspeakers installed.
Naim NAC72 (serviced in Spring 2019) being evaluated...
So the NAC72 was a bit of an impulse buy - it came up for sale and as it was in excellent condition, and crucially recently serviced, I jumped at it. When I bought the KEF R11s my fear was that my amp set up would just not be up to the job of driving them and I was entertaining ideas of a NAC72, 2x NAP140 set up.
I had hoped it would be a great step up from my NAC92 but curiously my initial impressions are not favourable. I am finding the midrange glassy and strident. Detailed, but fatiguing.
Loudspeaker cable currently is a high sliver content industrial cable - I have some left on the roll in the garage which may remind me exactly what it is.
Do I persevere with going forward, or go back...?
Going forward I'm still thinking of the bi-amped NAP140s, probably with a TeddyCap PSU added to replace the Flatcap.
But my experience with the NAC72 has really thrown me - I thought it would work well with the Flatcap and NAP90s.
Am I seeing a fundamental mismatch with the strident mid range or something that can be tweaked, maybe Witchat N2 loudspeaker cable would be worth trying?
If I had more cash I'd probably sell the Naim gear and look seriously at the Hegel H390, which I believe is a good match for the KEFs.
I would welcome your thoughts please...