3 amp options...

[Dan Turner]

I was looking to try a Supernait that my local dealer had on an ex-demo deal for £1750, but was beaten to it by someone else. i'm going to save up until I can afford one at full price, and then try to get a demo, but I thought of another option, and my dealer suggested one too.

My option was to get a 2nd hand Naim NAP 250/2 - this obviously doesn't have the convenience of the Supernait as I would still need a separate pre and Dac, but TomTom Audio have them 2nd hand for £1650, which is over £1k off the new price. Does anyone know if it's possibe to buy/have made a cable that has 2 phonos at one end and the suitable DIN socket on the other for connecting to the NAP250's input? Is there any potential pitfall of using my Creek pre with it in this way?

The option my dealer suggested (I said I was after a bit more immediacy and impact) was to have power amp modules retro-fitted to my speakers by PMC and turn them into active speakers (similar sort of £ to other options). This is an interesting option, but on the down side it's virtually impossible to audition first and it ties speakers and power amplification together thus limiting future upgrade flexibility.

Thoughts on the relative merits of these 3 options?

 

[Andrew Everard]

No reason why you couldn't run a cable from your existing pre to a 250/2 as far as I know; no idea how it'll sound, though.

And good though the PMCs are with amp packs on the back, that won't make them active, but rather passive speakers with amp packs on the back: the crossover will still be passive, and you won't have an amp per driver. PMC does make the TB2S2-AII (snappy, huh?) but turning your current speakers into those will require rather more radical surgery.

I'd stick with the SuperNait idea: another one will turn up, and your dealer might be able to put out feelers either back to Salisbury HQ or via the trade-only section on the Naim forum to find out if there are any more around at the mo.

 

[Dan Turner]

Andrew Everard:
I'd stick with the SuperNait idea: another one will turn up, and your dealer might be able to put out feelers either back to Salisbury HQ or via the trade-only section on the Naim forum to find out if there are any more around at the mo.

Thanks Andrew - good advice as always. I am going to hold out and try the supernait, and if that means saving a little more and buying at full price (assuming I like it) then fair enough, but I will certainly see if my dealer can put the feelers out.

Cheers.