Advice on changing my system from neutral to coloured

Onion
Posts: 135
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 10:10 am

Advice on changing my system from neutral to coloured

Post by Onion »

Hifi

Hi guys,

Just wondering if somebody can put me in the right direction here.

My current system is a Naim Nait xs int amp, naim ndac, and dynaudio focus 160 speakers. I have these since last Christmas, but have been primarily boxed up in my mothers house as I do not want to set such expensive equipment up in my rented / shared accommodation. I set it up on some weekends, and one thing I find is that the system seems quite neutral, or maybe bright. Yes, detail is amazing but I think I as a listener would prefer a more warm, rich, entertaining sound. I do remember hearing an arcam solo on Demo once with b&w speakers and I thought it was wonderful. Even though it was playing at such a low volume level, it seemed to me to be great. That's one other thing about my system, I have to raise the volume of it before I start to enjoy it.

The second (and of lesser importance) issue with my current system is the user experience. I would like to select music from a digital library from couch etc, instead of loading wav files onto a USB and plugging into my dac, as is the case at the moment.

So, I am thinking of making a change, do you have any advice for me?

Thanks so much
sbgk
Posts: 1950
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2013 9:45 pm

Re: Advice on changing my system from neutral to coloured

Post by sbgk »

Onion wrote:Hifi

Hi guys,

Just wondering if somebody can put me in the right direction here.

My current system is a Naim Nait xs int amp, naim ndac, and dynaudio focus 160 speakers. I have these since last Christmas, but have been primarily boxed up in my mothers house as I do not want to set such expensive equipment up in my rented / shared accommodation. I set it up on some weekends, and one thing I find is that the system seems quite neutral, or maybe bright. Yes, detail is amazing but I think I as a listener would prefer a more warm, rich, entertaining sound. I do remember hearing an arcam solo on Demo once with b&w speakers and I thought it was wonderful. Even though it was playing at such a low volume level, it seemed to me to be great. That's one other thing about my system, I have to raise the volume of it before I start to enjoy it.

The second (and of lesser importance) issue with my current system is the user experience. I would like to select music from a digital library from couch etc, instead of loading wav files onto a USB and plugging into my dac, as is the case at the moment.

So, I am thinking of making a change, do you have any advice for me?

Thanks so much
This guy went the other way from coloured to neutral, seems reversible

http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/show ... p?t=145549
Onion
Posts: 135
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 10:10 am

Re: Advice on changing my system from neutral to coloured

Post by Onion »

:) funny.

This is the only way I can verbalise what I am hearing...

Anybody offer some advice? Thanks
sbgk
Posts: 1950
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2013 9:45 pm

Re: Advice on changing my system from neutral to coloured

Post by sbgk »

member cvrle59 has a Naim system and seems happy with the way using MQn has transformed his listening experience, sounds like you just need a laptop and usb cable to try it out.

otherwise I would say warm sounding speakers, but you have speakers so maybe different interconnects or room treatment or power supply improvement.
Onion
Posts: 135
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 10:10 am

Re: Advice on changing my system from neutral to coloured

Post by Onion »

sbgk wrote:member cvrle59 has a Naim system and seems happy with the way using MQn has transformed his listening experience, sounds like you just need a laptop and usb cable to try it out.

otherwise I would say warm sounding speakers, but you have speakers so maybe different interconnects or room treatment or power supply improvement.
Thanks
tony
Posts: 3144
Joined: Mon Jan 18, 2010 2:36 pm

Re: Advice on changing my system from neutral to coloured

Post by tony »

sbgk wrote: Thanks so much
This guy went the other way from coloured to neutral, seems reversible

http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/show ... p?t=145549[/quote]


What's the story here we have already employed GerryD to make remarks like this
Are you not wandering away from the unfinished 24bit work on another thread?

It looks like another JKenny in de house god help any apprentice troll.

Isn't there a naim forum which would hopefully cover a subject like that. Failing that sloopjohn will probably be along shortly as he is a naim type of guy and might know more here.

As a suggestion would something in the PMC line not be worth trying out if it is possible for you to test? Older spendors S5E. Are you located in Ireland? If so Cloney would chip in with advice as they are naim dealers now
GroupBuySD DAC/First Watt AlephJ/NigeAmp/Audio PC's/Lampi L4.5 Dac/ Groupbuy AD1862 DHT Dac /Quad ESL63's.Tannoy Legacy Cheviots.
Onion
Posts: 135
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 10:10 am

Re: Advice on changing my system from neutral to coloured

Post by Onion »

Was thinking more about this, a uniti 2 or superuniti may work and maybe some b&w speakers instead of the focus 160. That might get me in the direction I am going for?
sbgk
Posts: 1950
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2013 9:45 pm

Re: Advice on changing my system from neutral to coloured

Post by sbgk »

tony wrote: What's the story here we have already employed GerryD to make remarks like this
Are you not wandering away from the unfinished 24bit work on another thread?
tact isn't my ting
User avatar
DaveF
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Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2010 10:38 pm

Re: Advice on changing my system from neutral to coloured

Post by DaveF »

In general, speakers and how they interact with the room will have the biggest affect in overall tonal balance or presentation of your system.
If you're looking to make a major shift from what you have in this regard I'd start looking at speakers first. Have you heard Harbeths before? They might give you the warm sound you're looking for.
"I may skip. I may even warp a little.... But I will never, ever crash. I am your friend for life. " -Vinyl.
Michell Gyrodec SE, Hana ML cart, Parasound JC3 Jr, Stax LR-700, Stax SRM-006ts Energiser, Quad Artera Play+ CDP
Onion
Posts: 135
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 10:10 am

Re: Advice on changing my system from neutral to coloured

Post by Onion »

Two things id like to change in my system

1. Not have to crank up volume so high to hit sweet spot.
2. Less fatiguing listen, less brightness with a warmer fuller sound, while preserving as much detail as the focus offers. ( harbeths? Any others?)

Went to a friends house, where he has an old arcam alpha 8 with wharfdale diamond 9.1s
I interchanged the components in the different combinations while keeping the dac constant as the source.

I found that speakers make biggest difference, but the amp interchange, well there was a drop with the arcam, but less so in comparison to the speaker change.

Point taken on room positioning, and room environment, but i haven't found it to matter as much in my limited experience.

I can see how this hobby can become frustrating and expensive.
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