Transparency with Grunt

by gaffer74 on Still fiddling

Description

This was my humble little system so far.

I've always loved Naim sound, with that particularly infectious PR&T. So I eventually saved up enough to take a plunge into the world of Naim. This CD player is great, tremendously fast paced and gutsy.

To achieve a good overall balance, I've partnered it with Valves!

This valve amp is my second (the first is a 35W EL34 UltraLinear integrated which is now in my second system). I needed a bit more clarity to keep pace with the front-end, so opted for the Prologue 2 with KT88's rather than the 1 with EL34's. Wow, this little valve amp could almost be solid state, but it doesn't sacrifice that "valvey" sound despite the huge grunt on offer. I think Naim CD players work very well with valve equipment.

The speakers are very accurate little monitors, that have a nice transparency to them (reminds me of Quad's electrostatics a little), and for the modest price, I snapped them up.

The amount of detail the whole package unearths is amazing. I've had to listen to most of my CD's again as I keep hearing instruments that weren't even there before. Despite this, it all sounds very smooth as well, no listening fatigue here. Naim may not have a reputation for soundstage, but I find I have a stable, accurate soundstage that is deep as well as wide and high. The placement is spot on and never wavers, with instruments and vocals "hanging" in their own space in front of you.

I also listen to bass-heavy music, so after a while I felt I needed more lower end grunt, so added the 10" (peerless cone) active sub to supply it. It's supplied from the amp via a high level connection. In combo with the Quad's, the pairing gels very well i think. I've set up so that you cannot isolate/seperate the sub from the soundstage (it only x-over's at about 60Hz as well) so it sounds like I've bought floorstanders rather than added an earthquake machine!

I finally added a mains RF filter device from Isotek (well known here in the UK) that seems to work quite well.

I listen to an eclectic range of music, from pop/rock to r'n'b/hiphop, from dance/ambient to classical/vocal. This system seems to work very well with all of them to my ears. I tend to sit there with what I call the "head bobbulation" effect, where I can happily tap my feet and nod my head all day without listening fatigue. I think the next viable upgrade might be a tube of Ralgex for my neck and legs!

The other side is that as I'm happy with CD replay now, I was thinking of dabbling in analogue vinyl for my next project (already have an AV system, and I strongly believe hifi should be stereo not multi-channel, and that they should be kept seperate).

All the prices are converted from the UK price I bought them for, and I think the price is under $6k, so I'm very happy with "bang for buck" I get.

Now time for some more music.... :-)
Read more...

Components Toggle details

    • Naim Audio CD-5i
    Entry level naim cd player, but stunning sound. You won't find this level of Pace, Rythm and Timing anywhere else.
    • Chord Company Chameleon Silver Plus DIN:Phono
    Custom made (sent back to Chord to do it for me) Din:Phono cable. In the piccie, you can also see the Carnival Silver spkr wire going to the treble and Carnival Cu wire to the mid/bass of the Quad's.
    • PrimaLuna Prologue 2
    Integrated amp that uses 12AU7's and 12AX7's for the pre-amp section, and four KT88's for the powerhouse (shown here with valve cage removed).
    • Chord Company Carnival
    Cu cable for the wiring run going to the mid/bass unit. I've also custom made a high level run of Carnival wire for the neutrik connector to my sub (which is the piccie shown here).
    • Chord Company Carnival Silver Plus
    Ag plated cable for the wiring run going to the tweeter units. This piccie is actually of the amp glowing at night - thought I'd sneak it in ;-) The Carnival speaker cable can be seen in the interconnect piccie above.
    • Quad 12L
    Quad's newest (mini?) monitors. The finish is superb (Birds Eye Maple with piano lacquer on mine), but the sound is even better.
    • BK electronic XLS200
    This company used to make subs for REL (this is basically an REL Q150 in drag).
    • Target TR60
    Cast iron and filled with sand. 6kg weights added for improved stability. They're standing on marble slabs for extra stability.
    • Floor Tiles Marble slabs
    Placed beneath Speakers and Sub for better isolation and stability (this piccie is another sneaky addition of the components on their own). You can see the marble slabs in the Target TR60 piccie above.
    • Isotek Isoplug
    Plug this into the mains nearby and listen to an improved soundstage (slightly wider and deeper).
    • Duende Criatura Pre-amp Tube Rings
    Teflon/Titanium tube rings for the preamp valves.
    • Project 2 Xperience
    Just bought this TurnTable which includes the Carbon-Fibre 9c ToneArm. Gorgeous looks, gorgeous sound.
    • Grado GF3 Super
    This is a NOS cartridge and sounds very good...nice and 'peppy' to complement the smooth TT.
    • Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Communicator
    Perfect phono stage for my new turntable.
    I use a v short cable from the TT to this phono amp, to keep the signal path as short as possible, with a longer run from this to the PrimaLuna
    • Home Made Shark Co-axial IC's
    Hand made by myself....so only cost me about £15. Wonderful open and transparent sound. Short length (25cm) goes from TT to PhonoStage, with the longer length (75cm) going from GrahamSlee to PrimaLuna

Comments 12

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Owner
Thanx Jh2os
I'm currently moving house so have packed it all safely away.
...can't wait to re-'set it up' though... :D

gaffer74

Very nice system! I had a similar system based around the PLII - paired with Totem Arros and a Cairn Fog CDP (chose this over the Naim at the time, very close decision). To tell you the truth, this was probably one of the most emotionally involving systems I have ever put together. I now have more $$$ in just my speakers than that whole system and I don't know if it's AS enjoyable? Yes, it does a lot of things better, but i don't know if it draws me into the music as much??? I am seriously considering the return to a very similar system. I think you have carefully put this system together, and from experience I'm sure it's pure music to your ears - congrats!

jh2os

Owner
System edited: Well that's it for now. The full system still comes in just shy of $7000, so I'm very happy with my 'Bang for Buck'.

gaffer74

Owner
Jayric, I thought the same thing and had my eye on some Partington Dreadnouhgts, but they'll have to wait till my Bank Balance recovers from the TT/Phono combo =-D

gaffer74

Owner
System edited: TT arrived today. I set it up by eye and it still sounds lovely. Very smooth yet able to Rock when needed...Superb with the Graham Slee Phono Amp.

gaffer74

Owner
Thanx Kid.

Will update the piccies when the TT arrives. I'm going to make some homemade interconnects to go between the TT and Phono stage (about 10-20cm only, to keep signal path as short as possible) and then maybe 50-60 from phono stage to Valve Amp.

PS love the idea of Sonus Faber and valve amps as well. Heard a few setups (namely my amp with your speakers) at the London Hi-Fi show.....sounded amazing

gaffer74

Very nice! Simple is best. I also really like your choice in components. Dig it!

Chris

the_kid

Owner
System edited: I've just added some vinyl replay to my system.....now to buy some LP's.

gaffer74

Owner
Thanx Art.
I love your Nagra monblocks btw, lovely.
You've banged the nail on the head re:SQ, I bet your listening tastes are similar (re: lotsa detail, but relaxing too) from looking at your system.

gaffer74

I like it a lot! Im a big fan of Naim digital: snappy and tuneful as hell, yet never too harsh or agrgessive. Also, the balance of it with the tubed amp and Quad's is well thought out. I bet you hear waaay into the recordings, yet not in a sterile analytical way!

Also, I love that evening glow, My 845 tubes give off a nice lovely glow as well.

artg

Owner
Hi and thanx.
I'm quite pleased with it as I think it sounds like an "all rounder". This is essential for me as I listen to a wide range of anything really. From a bit of Classical (mainly piano pieces) to Latin soundtrack from City Of God (great film btw) when I'm in the mood. I'm also listening to more rock/indie recently like Coldplay/The Zutons/White Stripes/Keane/The Darkness etc. When I was younger, I used to primarily listen to hip-hop, and I still do sometimes...recent albums being Best of Public Enemy, Missy Elliot's The Cookbook and Kanye West's new album. Other faves include Dance/Ambient like Nitin Sawhney/Faithless/Royksopp, but my favourite music remains Motown (spent all day listening to Marvin Gaye on the weekend) and Modern Urban music as it's labelled in the UK (Jill Scott/Erykah badu/D'Angelo/Amp Fiddler/Angie Stone/Johnny Legend etc).
I do actually listen to anything and everything (a full list of my music can be had by going to www.drg4.fsnet.co.uk and clicking on the blue button in the left had menu - don't ask, long story) and I find the system works well with most things. If the music doesn't require bass for instance, but needs a lovely clear soundstage (like Mazurka in F Minor), you simply don't hear a peep from the sub, but when something like Guns'n'Roses needs some oomph, it kinda kicks you in the stomach.
A word of caution on the Quad's though. They may sound nice and transparent now, but it's taken me nigh on 9 months of fiddling re:placement/toe in/pos from rear walls etc to get them sounding just right....worth it when it works though.

gaffer74

Looks great. That's probably the direction I should head.

What sort of music do you tend to listen to?

jderdock

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