Mike's system

Mike said:
Fair point! The treatments were for the horns. Now that they are gone, the treatments are not as prevalent.

I actually took down four at a time, used the clap test, walking around the room, while focusing mostly on the listening position and continued removing four at a time until the life came back in the room. Not very scientific, but I was maybe a little anxious to get the life back in the room or perhaps it was the whiskey acting that night. [emoji14]


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Hi Mike,

I totally agree with this approach and believe that less is more when it comes to room treatments. Absorption and diffusion at a few key reflection points and that’s it. I can’t tell you how many rooms that I’ve been in that were treated by “experts” that were completely overdone and sucked the life out of the room.

Bravo!
Ken
 
Agree Ken. I think my favorite process to deal with room acoustics has been revealed by Marty (above). Even if the results are not great, it’s fun trying to execute it!
 
Update on my home system….

I still haven’t received my NAIM NAP500DR amp, but hey, I only ordered it on March. [emoji15]

I received my 552 preamp a few weeks ago and it’s been breaking in nicely and is quite the step up in sound and weight (!!) over the 252.

I received my 555 streamer, but no power supply. [emoji848]. So I can’t use it. I should get two power supplies next week. I decided to go for the dual PSU setup.

I’ve found the Wireworld Starlight 8 Ethernet and Starlight 8 SPDIF (digital RCA) to sound the best from my N20 to the NAIM streamer. I don’t understand this, but it is what it is. NAIM is weird.

All NAIM FRAME racks are in and looking awesome. I have the custom shelf from Europe which sits on top of the NAIM FRAME for the giant Kronos Turntable. I may replace the one Quadrasphire rack I’m using with one more NAIM FRAME next year.

I’ve spent the past month or so experimenting with cables and power conditioners. The Denali 6000S V2 is what I’m using now and sounds the best. The synergy between Shunyata and NAIM is undeniable. I would love to see Shunyata make “for NAIM” cables. Ultra low capacitance speaker cables, 4 pin and 5 pin DIN’s, etc. But I’m likely dreaming….

For cabling, I’m using all NAIM SuperLumina, except for one custom made XLR to 5 pin DIN cable I had made by Chord Cables for my Doshi Tape pre to the 552.

For power cables, I tried AQ Thunderbird, Firebird, Dragon, Nordost Valhalla 2 and Odin 2 and Shunyata Alpha V2, Sigma V2 and Omega V2. My favorite with NAIM was Sigma V2. I found the lower noise floor and meat on the bones sound works very well with NAIM gear. I found NAIM does not like silver on the power too much.

Last night I experimented with the Nordost Grounding System (QKore6). I was frankly, blown away by the results. I posted my findings on another thread. I will be getting two QKore6’s and might get a QBase8 to tie together power and signal grounding.

I had an awful time finding the route cause of the hum between my Trinnov front L/R outputs (XLR) and the NAIM 552 Cinema Bypass input (5 pin DIN). I tried everything and frankly found the simplest solution to be the best: 5pin DIN to RCA, using a Cardas RCA to XLR adapter I had laying around and then a long run of XLR (some old Kimber) to the Trinnov. Voila! No hum. Trinnov recommends another RCA to XLR adapter called a 322x 3-pin XLR female to RCA female adapter, so I’m going to try those when they arrive from Amazon on December 1.

I should be seeing my Kharma Midi’s with upgraded OMEGA drivers (from the Veyron series) before the end of the year.

As for my NAIM 500 amp? God only knows. I called NAIM UK and they said “ain’t shipping this year buddy.” Ugh.


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Post some new pics Mike and I bet this was said in the most respectable British accent right? Red highlighted below.

Mike said:
Update on my home system….

I still haven’t received my NAIM NAP500DR amp, but hey, I only ordered it on March. [emoji15]

I received my 552 preamp a few weeks ago and it’s been breaking in nicely and is quite the step up in sound and weight (!!) over the 252.

I received my 555 streamer, but no power supply. [emoji848]. So I can’t use it. I should get two power supplies next week. I decided to go for the dual PSU setup.

I’ve found the Wireworld Starlight 8 Ethernet and Starlight 8 SPDIF (digital RCA) to sound the best from my N20 to the NAIM streamer. I don’t understand this, but it is what it is. NAIM is weird.

All NAIM FRAME racks are in and looking awesome. I have the custom shelf from Europe which sits on top of the NAIM FRAME for the giant Kronos Turntable. I may replace the one Quadrasphire rack I’m using with one more NAIM FRAME next year.

I’ve spent the past month or so experimenting with cables and power conditioners. The Denali 6000S V2 is what I’m using now and sounds the best. The synergy between Shunyata and NAIM is undeniable. I would love to see Shunyata make “for NAIM” cables. Ultra low capacitance speaker cables, 4 pin and 5 pin DIN’s, etc. But I’m likely dreaming….

For cabling, I’m using all NAIM SuperLumina, except for one custom made XLR to 5 pin DIN cable I had made by Chord Cables for my Doshi Tape pre to the 552.

For power cables, I tried AQ Thunderbird, Firebird, Dragon, Nordost Valhalla 2 and Odin 2 and Shunyata Alpha V2, Sigma V2 and Omega V2. My favorite with NAIM was Sigma V2. I found the lower noise floor and meat on the bones sound works very well with NAIM gear. I found NAIM does not like silver on the power too much.

Last night I experimented with the Nordost Grounding System (QKore6). I was frankly, blown away by the results. I posted my findings on another thread. I will be getting two QKore6’s and might get a QBase8 to tie together power and signal grounding.

I had an awful time finding the route cause of the hum between my Trinnov front L/R outputs (XLR) and the NAIM 552 Cinema Bypass input (5 pin DIN). I tried everything and frankly found the simplest solution to be the best: 5pin DIN to RCA, using a Cardas RCA to XLR adapter I had laying around and then a long run of XLR (some old Kimber) to the Trinnov. Voila! No hum. Trinnov recommends another RCA to XLR adapter called a 322x 3-pin XLR female to RCA female adapter, so I’m going to try those when they arrive from Amazon on December 1.

I should be seeing my Kharma Midi’s with upgraded OMEGA drivers (from the Veyron series) before the end of the year.

As for my NAIM 500 amp? God only knows. I called NAIM UK and they said “ain’t shipping this year buddy.” Ugh.


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Thanks for sharing Mike! And so sorry that your 'stuff' is so delayed.

If by some chance your two 555PS come in separately it would be interesting to hear your review of one vs two, but the conclusion is quite foregone. (I'm slumming it with one and don't really have the Fraim space to add another.)

If you don't sell a ton of Naim it's hard to justify buying demo cables, but your views on the Chord burndies would be interesting too. The few folks I know who have them rave about them, starting with the ND555 burndy. But unless you snuck in an order I guess you missed the price increase!

Please post pics of the shelf for the turntable. My former RP8 and P10 and current Naim Solstice fortunately fit and were happy on top of Fraim glass.

For AC power I'm using a dedicated circuit and Ansuz C2 ac distro and cables. The few folks I know who use Niagara like them. I dont think I know anyone using Shunyata and there is significant "legacy" Naim lore that "power conditioners" can rob the prat. Of course that's all based on 20+ year old reports, not on today's technology.

My 500DR is having no struggle what-so-ever driving these ex-dem S5MkII's.
 
nc42acc said:
Post some new pics Mike and I bet this was said in the most respectable British accent right? Red highlighted below.
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Sure!

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8e84ee460267b8d1d5d5fd318c731bf2.jpg

c3ed8e9aba12bb217ada14f84d53b3e3.jpg

455b01cf7411ea696054bc857adfef56.jpg



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nc42acc said:
I thought the same thing Randy. I guess Naim components are very multi chassis design centric. Looks great though with the symmetry.
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NAIM is crazy. Every box has at least one separate PSU. Each turntable needs its own Phonostage and that Phonostage needs its own PSU!


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Looking good Mike. Amazing how much it transforms the room with everything racked, just speakers on floor.
Parker
 
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