Opinions on stageline vs. 323 boards
- Thread starter jwilding
- Start date
Gaius
pfm Member
I've spoken to Naim on this, I have a 72 so very similar.
The Stageline is effectivley the cards in a box.
Upside is better isolation and can take dedicated power supply.
Downside is another cable in the chain and cost.
Don't forget when CD became the main format the built in phoho stage stopped and we then had line only amps; more to do with cost cutting I'm sure.
Now vinyl is in demand again everyone has to make a separate off board phono stage.
The Stageline can be powered direct from the modern Naim pre amps but would need at a min an i supply to work with your 32.5 but can take a FC or HC too.
I've stayed with the cards.
The Stageline is effectivley the cards in a box.
Upside is better isolation and can take dedicated power supply.
Downside is another cable in the chain and cost.
Don't forget when CD became the main format the built in phoho stage stopped and we then had line only amps; more to do with cost cutting I'm sure.
Now vinyl is in demand again everyone has to make a separate off board phono stage.
The Stageline can be powered direct from the modern Naim pre amps but would need at a min an i supply to work with your 32.5 but can take a FC or HC too.
I've stayed with the cards.
Eyebroughty
JohnC
Hi,
I have a 32.5 with two different sets of 323's that I can use.
I upgraded to an external phono stage, took the 323 boards out the 32.5, put in wire links and the difference was quite marked.
I accept that the phono stage I have is not a stageline but I suspect you would get the same order of difference in favour of the stageline as I did going to my phono stage.
I talked to a number of people including Naim a while back and they all suggested an external phono stage would give better results.
However as with most things you really need to hear one to decide.
Cheers
John
I have a 32.5 with two different sets of 323's that I can use.
I upgraded to an external phono stage, took the 323 boards out the 32.5, put in wire links and the difference was quite marked.
I accept that the phono stage I have is not a stageline but I suspect you would get the same order of difference in favour of the stageline as I did going to my phono stage.
I talked to a number of people including Naim a while back and they all suggested an external phono stage would give better results.
However as with most things you really need to hear one to decide.
Cheers
John
uncl_nigel
pfm Member
The Stageline is worthwhile if you are going to feed it from its own power supply and remove the phonocards from the pre. If you do this your pre-amp AND your Stageline will both sound better.
Otherwise keep your phonocards and buy a present for your partner.
Otherwise keep your phonocards and buy a present for your partner.
hornblower
pfm Member
Thanks also, Gaius, this has answered quite a few questions for me also.
Regards
John
Regards
John
misterc6
Wasted and wounded, it ain’t what the moon did
If you are using a Stageline with a good quality external power supply then it will outperform 323 cards in a 32.5 for a number of reasons. The main reason is that each channel has a separate dedicated power rail rather than sharing a single rail, possibly with other boards, in the 32.5. I'm not sure but it's also possible that more recent Stagelines are more like the 523 than the 323.
An alternative approach, which is well documented in the DIY forum, is to feed the 32.5 with a single raw dc supply and put individual regulators inside the 32.5 - one for every board that you are using. That will improve its performance on all sources and cost a great deal less than a Stageline plus power supply.
malcolm
An alternative approach, which is well documented in the DIY forum, is to feed the 32.5 with a single raw dc supply and put individual regulators inside the 32.5 - one for every board that you are using. That will improve its performance on all sources and cost a great deal less than a Stageline plus power supply.
malcolm
