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SNAXO 2-4 in SNAXO 242 configuration

D

Dufour

Active Member
As part of my "Going active journey" I am planning to use dis-similar amps (NAP180 with a NAP250) to power my SBLs until I can go fully active with 2 NAP250 which is my planned objective. The NAXO and SNAXO 2-4 both are configured so each amplifier supplies either the left or right channel with both the bass and treble output frequencies.

Working with dis-similar amplifiers, this won't work in the current configuration and would obviously sound imbalanced. Is it an options or even feasible to switch outputs, so that the SNAXO is rewired in a similar configuration to the SNAXO 242. In effect having one amp driving the tweeters (NAP180) and the other driving the woofers (NAP250). In my view (please feedback) the 242 configuration also requires negates the need for amps to be of similar age or state of service.

I would like to know what was the rationale for Naim to switch configuration from an amp per speaker to the current SNAXO 242 configuration of a tweeter amp and a woofer amp?

I have read that it's best to have the better amp on the tweeters; is this correct as the tweeter load on the amp seems very light for the amplifier compared to the channel driving the woofer. This can be demonstrated by switching off the power amp which silences the bass quickly, but the trebles continues on until capacitor reserves are drained.

I attach an internal view of my SNAXO firstly as i found it hard to source an internal picture, also it shows the green common -ve across all outputs indicating that rewiring could be done to replicate SNAXO 242 configuration.

SNAXO2-4.jpg


I have a HICAP and a low output dual 24v supply, I my system I have configured it so that the low capacity PSU feeds the SNAXO and the HICAP feeds the pre-amp. I did it this way because the SNAXO is an almost an empty box (electronic wise) and I don't think will place much load on either of supply. Any views on this?

Finally I love the sound of active, and Im only half way there!
 
Hi, i have some experience of what you are planning. I had a snaxo 3-6 which i rewired to have treble mid and bass all on there own dins running 3 different vintage naim amps, a 160 and two different age 250s. main job is tracking the leads so that you connect to the correct din in the correct channel.lead length needs consideration also so that you dont have to add length to any.

Also i have two powersupplies one a hicap and one a teddy reg supply.When the teddy regs run the preamp they are stone cold, when they are put on the snaxo they heat up quite seriously, so much so that i removed them back to the pre (note i am using only two regs so two 27v rails.) so the snaxo appears to draw much more current than the pre.

regds
david
 
I'm currently running a 250 on the bass and a 180 on the treble of my SBL's. I haven't tried 180 bass 250 treble. I may do one day but I really don't get the reasoning behind it, especially since my old ears don't go very high anyway.
Anyhow, all I did to my snaxo was to swap o/p1 on socket 4 with o/p 2 on socket 5. That gives both bass outputs to one socket and both trebles to the other, so it is possible and easy to do.
There are so many ways to go with Naim preamps, crossover, and power supplies. Go with what you can afford to do now and improve the supplies later. There's loads of info here, check avondale and teddycaps, for example.
 
I can certainly confirm that a Snaxo2-4 uses a lot of current relative to preamp circuitry and hence is a heavy load on the PSU.

The Snaxo 3-6 is actually too big a load for a single Hi cap really but the 2-4 is OK provided the hicap is only doing that.

I think the naim suggestion of putting the better amp on the tweeters in a 2 way system is pure bunkum TBH. The tweeter amp hardly does any work relative to the bass amp. Obviusly you can try it both ways but I suspect that you'll prefer the 250 on the bass. I can see the logic of putting the best amp on the mid drivers in a 3 way system though.
 
I have bought a snaxo 36 for isobariks recently and having owned a 36 for dbls in the past soon rewired the output sockets so they are layed out as a 236. If you used the naxo or snaxo 36 with 135s it was a nightmare trying to sort out which lead went where.
 
i understand that the arguement for better amps on HF is that more "detail" and information is in the higher-frequencies, so its more critical that the amplifier be in complete control.

However the last time I saw anyone do an A/B comparison to show how putting "excessively powerful" amps on the HF helped (and it did) was with active stage monitor wedges about 20 years ago, so not necessarily of much use to you.

I do know that putting a 110 instead of a 250 on my HF sounds horrible, but that's hardly a fair comparison...

Best answer is - try it out yourself, nothing to lose!


Thanks for the info about the power-draw, I'm still thinking about what to do about all my hicaps at present, didn't think the NAXO drew very much power o_O!

p.s.
golden rule of going active : LABEL and DOUBLE CHECK then TRIPLE CHECK your speaker connections. Always fire up a HF before LF amplifier and make sure its coming out the right hole - frying your tweeters is very easy!
 
Someone will no doubt correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the Snaxo 3-6 is the only Naim kit which uses every regulator in a supercap. Even Naim recognise it's a power hungry beast.
 
Fully agree - as have travelled down the active route since last summer with my Isobariks - first using a NAXO 3-6 on hi-cap, then SNAXO 362 on HiCap and ultimately SNAXO 362 and supercap via burndy.

In all cases, the HiCap was having its work cut out - and runs quite warm when in use, versus when in quiescent mode.

Definately follow the advice on labelling and checking at every stage, connections, phasing of the speaker lines, and powering up.
It is not a job you can even contemplate if you are pushed for time of likely to get distractions whilst doing it!
Good luck - its well worth it.
Richard
 
I leave the tweeter disconnected at the speaker end until I have the bass and mid range units working properly.
 
iamjohnwayne said:
Anyhow, all I did to my snaxo was to swap o/p1 on socket 4 with o/p 2 on socket 5. That gives both bass outputs to one socket and both trebles to the other, so it is possible and easy to do.
Click to expand...

Reviving a very old thread here but thinking of doing this myself and looking for clarification that this is really that simple?
 
Last edited:
Actually thought about this & what I think I mean is “will it need to revert back to vertical (original) arrangement to setup as 4 pack?
 
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