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urquattrogus

Member
Messages
838
Naim sound separation is just awesome been tempted to switch for a while but always been put off as it is only 2 channel not great for home cinema but now we watch less and less films through the amps it might be time to re look at switching back to a purely Hi-Fi 2 channel system.

The best thing about Naim is by most people's admission PRAT (pace rythm, timing etc) in others words you enjoy the music. They are clever though, slippery slope of box swapping!

The best thing if you want to use cinema too etc is to use a "Home Theatre" bypass on a 2 channel Naim amp or similar.

Gives the best of both words...

Did I say all of that in a very Nasal voice, I did in my head anyway :saifi:
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,538
The best thing about Naim is by most people's admission PRAT (pace rythm, timing etc) in others words you enjoy the music. They are clever though, slippery slope of box swapping!

Personally I always found Naim a bit warm. Cryus is my preferred non-Maserati waste of money :)

C
 

Chrisb2015

Member
Messages
538
At Naim price levels you really owe it to yourselves to listen to some active speakers. If timing, separation, control and clarity are your requirements then active can’t be beaten. There is a reason why the pro studios use them.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,538
Why should actives be any better than (say) monoblocs? Never quite got my head around the teory

Cheers
C
 

Team GCR

Member
Messages
1,152
At Naim price levels you really owe it to yourselves to listen to some active speakers. If timing, separation, control and clarity are your requirements then active can’t be beaten. There is a reason why the pro studios use them.

I've never been a Naim fan either, I used to use Radford solid state amps, then Chord but now have Audio Research pre and power.

Pro studios also use passive speakers, PMC are widely used in recording studios.

IMHO you cant beat the control a pair of nice big mono power amps used as a stereo pair.

I have a matched pair of Audio Research Ref 210 power amps driving my PMC Fact 8's and the soundstage, openness and musicality has to be heard to be believed.
 

m1980k

Junior Member
Messages
467
Equipment from different manufacturers does have a different sound and it's all down to personal taste. You have to try different things. It also helps if you don't listen to equipment that's better than yours! I sold all my hi fi separates years ago and now I'm happy with the Sony soundbar and sub I bought recently https://www.johnlewis.com/sony-ht-mt500-wi-fi-bluetooth-nfc-compact-sound-bar-with-ultra-slim-wireless-subwoofer-hi-res-audio-chromecast-multiroom/p3178606 - it sounds a million times better than my Sonos 5, helped by the sub. Also streams Spotify and other services.

I was going to get a DAC for my phone, but then I discovered that Spotify on Android doesn't output USB audio so it wouldn't work. Only Spotify on a laptop will work with a DAC. And Spotify has been rumoured to have an upgrade to bring sound quality up to Tidal standard in the works, but that's been going around for a long time now... like the rumoured Maserati Alfieri...
 

Chrisb2015

Member
Messages
538
Passive speakers all use crossovers to filter the LF and HF, this introduces audible distortion and compromises as a crossover point has to be decided upon by the manufacturer based on a number of factors like drives and cabinet construction etc. When using actives there is no filter as such as the amp is connected directly to the drive units and no crossover point. The sound is audible clearer.

As for studios using PMC and others like B&W this is almost always because of sponsorship and it being commercially beneficial for the studios in question. ATC are another big sponsor of the large studios. No sound engineer, studio or person doing nearfield listening would seriously promote passives over actives unless they were given the stuff for free. FWIW I have both, but am in no doubt about the technical advantages of active. It does however stop you tinkering which for HIFI types isn’t generally seen as possitive.

Cheers
C[/QUOTE]
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,538
Passive speakers all use crossovers to filter the LF and HF, this introduces audible distortion and compromises as a crossover point has to be decided upon by the manufacturer based on a number of factors like drives and cabinet construction etc. When using actives there is no filter as such as the amp is connected directly to the drive units and no crossover point.

How can this be? Surely there must be some way of separating the HF and LF and sending them to the correct drivers?

<edit>

OK quick google. Looks like typically active crossovers and amps for each driver, so better ability to 'tune' and design the amp <> driver match. Interesting.

Cheers

C
 

m1980k

Junior Member
Messages
467
Sound engineers and audiophiles have been in disagreement since the beginning of time (or at least the advent of recorded sound)...
 

Chrisb2015

Member
Messages
538
This is largely true, but I tend to side with the people who make the stuff (music) rather than the people who buy stuff from HiFi companies. Then there is the matter of the science, which is hard to argue against. Often those die hard audiophiles are the ones who buy all the snake oil products promising better sound despite there being no evidence to support it. Cables being one.
Sound engineers and audiophiles have been in disagreement since the beginning of time (or at least the advent of recorded sound)...
 

Ebenezer

Member
Messages
4,442
And then there was the guy at one of the HiFi Shows I went to selling some gizmo to stick on the top of your speaker to do something with the high frequencies.... Didn't fall for that one!
Eb
 

zagatoes30

Member
Messages
20,756
The one thing that has stopped me moving to Naim is the fact that my Tag McLaren 100x5R is that it provides five true monobloc amplifier modules in a single chassis. Each power amplifier module contains its own mains transformer, bridge rectifier and energy storage capacitors, so it can drive each loudspeaker totally independently
 

Wack61

Member
Messages
8,764
I'm playing amplifier switcheroo at the moment

trying to make my mind up between the sonab and a Marantz PM7200 which is 25w class A whatever that means, and a lot more watts not class A
 

TridentTested

Member
Messages
1,819
Just had a trip to Blackpool and handed over £400 for a pair of Spendor S6e Floorstanders

I've got the S5e which I also bought used for a similar sum. I love them. Made on the south coast.

I made the mistake of looking at Spendor's web site recently wondering if I should consider replacing them with their current equivalent. Yes, if I'm willing to drop £7k on a pair of speakers.