Pider Makes a Decision (Finally)

[Jerome W]

Congrats John !

I like Naim a lot.
Which speaker cables do you use ?

[Pider]

Originally Posted by Jerome W

Congrats John ! I like Naim a lot. Which speaker cables do you use ?

Thanks, Jerome. My speaker cables are the POS brand, salvaged from an in-wall install that my ex had done at her new place. Got any recommendations?

[Pider]

Originally Posted by bart

John, congrats! Enjoy your toys!

Thanks, bart!

I am definitely having a good time checking it out. Not totally convinced that it's what I want, but it is an improvement over the little NAD. I'm learning a lot about my preferences in sound.

[Pider]

Originally Posted by Yamaki

Congratulations, John, on a successful upgrade!

Thanks, Michael.

We still have to get together and talk gear, maybe have a listening session at Echo. I do like the Naim, but the mc275 VI still is haunting my dreams.

[Pider]

Originally Posted by hkval

John, this is exciting news and a great move. I think your toes will be doing a lot more tapping with the Naim NAIT XS 2. My den system is pound for pound, dollar for dollar the best little system I have ever heard. Even the audiophiles that visit my home agree with this. The Naim will smooth out with 50+ hours on it and the musical soundstage will amaze you. I love the Dynaudio speaker line and believe you always get a speaker that competes with or excels over ones costing twice as much. Keep us posted, Howard

Howard, thanks!

You are the one who got me on this path. Not sure if I'll end up keeping the NAIT XS 2. I'll try to explain why in a review later this week.

What I am experiencing in the meantime is a big step up from the NAD / 140 combo, that's for certain. Your review of the Naim NAIT XS 2 with the 140's convinced me to give this combo a try, and the result has certainly been more than favorable. As you said, the combo is very musical. As I go up the SQ ladder ever so slightly, I do find that your source material better be good! I need to lose the MP3 collection. It just can't cut it with how revealing this is. I'll have to start replacing my favorites, many of which I no longer have the original discs. But that's a good problem to have.

Thank you, Howard, for getting me going!

[hkval]

John,
1. Wireworld Equinox speaker cable works beautifully with this combo - very smooth and quite reasonable price wise.
2. The Naim Nait XS2 needs to be on 24/7 and, doing this, you should find that brightness disappears and body is fuller with extended soundstage.

I like a variety of gear but, for musicality(PRAT), the Naim is at the top of my list. As Puma Cat stated in another thread, the Dynaudio Focus sounds really good with many different electronics.

My Den does not have a dedicated circuit so I use a RGPC400 and, opinions may vary, but the difference in overall performance was dramatic. I would never be without it.

Howard

[Yamaki]

Hey John...I have a question about the Naim unit...

Where are the pictures????

Also, how's your schedule? I was thinking of heading over to Fred's to listen to some speakers if you want to hook up and listen with me. Maybe we can get some bento on Hawthorne?

You are welcome to dive into my meager collection of CD's and borrow any you'd like to rip.

[Pider]

Howard,

Thanks for the suggestion. I will PM Ivan and see what can be done about speaker cables. I'm sure he'll have a suggestion or two.

The XS 2 does not have a standby mode, which took me by surprise, so, yes, it does have to be on 24/7, unless you are able to reach in the back for the hard on/off switch. Not easy, given my setup. The more I play it, the more I'm impressed. That whole thing about PRaT, toes a tapping, is amazingly true! I cannot tell you how many times I've found my feet tapping away, even to the point of needing to get up and start dancing. I kid you not. Right now I'm listening to an old MP3 of a Belafonte recording and cannot believe how much music I have missed until now. It's like an entirely different experience. And this is just an MP3. My HD and lossless recordings bring out even more.

One problem is that I have what I think is a transformer hum. I live in an old (1924) house, and although there's a new panel, I'm not all too sure that they rewired the circuits. I do know that the one I have everything on is not grounded, at least that's what my ground indicator tells me. I'm thinking of putting in a dedicated line. Shouldn't be too hard. I've got to fix the hum, though. It really bothers me. I'll look in to the 400. Maybe that's something that will help.

I'll enjoy this for awhile, but I already have a desire to either snag a 160 or move up to the Contour line. These Dynaudio speakers are amazing. I am glad I followed you down this path. A very good pairing, indeed. Anyone who wants to get into some very fine sound for not that much coin of the realm should check this pairing out. Amazing music.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by hkval

John,
1. Wireworld Equinox speaker cable works beautifully with this combo - very smooth and quite reasonable price wise.
2. The Naim Nait XS2 needs to be on 24/7 and, doing this, you should find that brightness disappears and body is fuller with extended soundstage.

I like a variety of gear but, for musicality(PRAT), the Naim is at the top of my list. As Puma Cat stated in another thread, the Dynaudio Focus sounds really good with many different electronics.

My Den does not have a dedicated circuit so I use a RGPC400 and, opinions may vary, but the difference in overall performance was dramatic. I would never be without it.

Howard

[Pider]

Originally Posted by Yamaki

Hey John...I have a question about the Naim unit...

Where are the pictures????

Also, how's your schedule? I was thinking of heading over to Fred's to listen to some speakers if you want to hook up and listen with me. Maybe we can get some bento on Hawthorne?

You are welcome to dive into my meager collection of CD's and borrow any you'd like to rip.

LOL! Ok, ok. I'll take some pictures. My kit is so puny compared to everyone else that I've not jumped on the visuals, but okay. Tomorrow, when there's some light.

Yes, let's get together and go check out some gear. I need to fly if the weather turns good this week, and then I'm off to Palm Springs for awhile. Let's check back in with each other in a couple weeks. I should have freed up by then. Looking forward to it! We need to have a PDX listening party. I know there's a least 5 of us on the list.

Cheers!

[Pider]

You know, I've often wondered who the heck would stay up 'till two in the morning playing one song after another, just having one heck of a good time with their gear.

It's a beautiful morning here in PDX, and after four hours sleep, I cannot be happier. I couldn't shut off the Naim NAIT XS 2. It just kept surprising me at every turn, from Brahms to the Beetles, from acoustic to brass to acapella to whatever I threw at it, the room continued to be filled with sound like I'd not heard before out of my little Dynaudio 140's.

I usually don't get to do much extended listening of any type, but Melinda is out of the house, so the time was perfect. It's a smallish older house with no insulation anywhere (1924 vintage, beautifully decorated by Mel), so no matter where the system would be placed, there would be no place in the house for her to escape. When you want to just experiment, the listener is the only one really who is enjoying the musical moment, so I tend to wait until she is gone. But even then I'd not stayed up and kept going because I just couldn't bear to turn it off. This was a first.

One thing I like about the Naim is that it disappears visually. It's so little! But its sound is big when you want it to be. Time for new speaker cables, new IC's, maybe even a new DAC. And maybe a plane ticket for Mel. She loves Hawaii at this time of year!