Can any Naim owners help ?

[nws56]

My 62/Hicap/140 's sole duty these days is to provide stereo from the outputs of the TV . It has been running for nearly 20 years now and I've been advised to relace all the internal capacitors before they start leaking . If they haven't already .

This will cost around £700 allegedly , which would also buy a reasonable AV receiver . My dilemma is whether to stick to the exciting and dramatic stereo sound or have a less dynamic sound coming from all directions . Are there any Naim users who have been through similar experience ?

System is PS3 , 62/Hicap/140 , Ruark Talisman floorstanders .

 

[roger06]

I wouldn't hesitate to go down the surround route. If TV sound was designed for stereo then that would be a different matter - but it isn't.

Obviously stereo is better than just the TV speakers but I find the dialogue spread between L & R is too detached from the image and I find it annoying after a while.

I've just bought a Yamaha RXV1065 AV receiver - it's RRP is £700 but I got it online for £509. It has pre outs so the front L & R channel are fed into my Nait 5i snd it sounds great.

 

[nws56]

Thanks for answering . But I'm confused ; what has the TV sound got to do with it ? I have no interest in broadcast TV sound quality , only the sound accompanying films on DVD and BD . Have I not bypassed the TV's own sound by using those phono outs on the back of it ? The sound I'm getting can be tremendous or timid , depending on the disc , but I'm only getting 2.0 of it . The missing 3.1 can only be had by a 'downgrade' to an AV receiver as far as I understand it . And this is precisely my quandary ; a dynamic 2.0 or a relatively docile 5.1 ? From your own description you seem to be doing both ! I want a single solution - but which ?

 

[Sliced Bread]

If music is more important to you (or the main purpose of this amp) then stay stereo, if BD and DVD is most important then go for a Surround Amp. But (and this is a big but), you will need to factor in the price of centre and rear speakers (ideally a decent sub too). This may mean cutting the 700 pound budget to your amp quite dramatically (especially if you include a sub). This might be counter productive and result in a sound that, while 5.1 (or 5.0) won't be as impressive as your stereo set-up and may even leave you cold.

Just a thought, for what it's worth, but If I was in your shoes I'd definitely figure out what the total budget is and listen to a surround system in that budget.

My other thought is that 700 pounds to maintain your current amp is quite a big outlay. I've never heard your amp, but you might benefit from having a listen to some more modern stereo amps in the 700 pound range. You just might find something you like.

 

[Anonymous]

youll have to spend a lot more than £700 to buy an av receiver even remotely equal to your naim

given that its the two fronts and main speakers that do 90% of the sound unless its one of those movies crammed with special effects id either get the naims serviced or look at a naim 5i or similar and live without the sound of bullets ricocheting around the room

 

[jetjohnson]

I'd have a look on the NAIM owners forum (just google it) you'll get loads of NAIM advice on there!

 

[nws56]

Thanks for your reply John . Yes , I'd forgotten to total up all the extra speaker costs . Music is more important - but the music accompanying films ! So would you say I would be better served staying with stereo ?

 

[nws56]

Thankyou for replying . Dealers I spoke to laughed when I asked for a comparable sound quality from an AV receiver ; but £3000 will get one apparently . Only the Supernait gives an all round improvement over my old gear - at £1700 - so that's out too . Your comment about the work done by the front pair is perhaps the key to the whole thing ; if it really is 90% of the soundtrack then why bother with the tiny missing bit . Do you live with a surround set up yourself or have you decided it's not worth it ?

 

[nws56]

Jetjohnson - thanks for that, will look .

 

[Sliced Bread]

Glad to be of help nws56. I have a surround setup, but if it helps I've seriously considered going back to stereo. Films can still sound good and I want my music back My setup isn't bad at music (for a surround setup), but a similar or less expenditure on a stereo system would have produced a far more musical sound.

Take Care

 

[nws56]

Thanks for the quick reply John , and for your candour . It is , perhaps , exactly what I was wanting to hear ...... but I wonder how much of a minority viewpoint it is .

 

[Anonymous]

depends on the movies you like if you like the action packed blockbusters then surround sound is OK if you prefer movies with more dialogue than explosions then its of marginal benefit and none for music

my av equipment is in the shed where it has rotted peacefully for a couple of years

 

[SpiceWeasel]

Does your current set up still sound/work ok? If the capacitors are starting to go then I would expect the drop in sound quality to be noticable. If it still sounds as good today as it ever did then personally I wouldn't be spending £700 on a repair that you might not need yet. If it starts sounding weird then it is time to think about a repair or buying a new set up.

There is a way to incoporate multi channel sound but still keep your current hifi setup. To do this you would need an av amp that has multi channel pre outs. Your current stereo system would still be used for stereo playback and would also be used as the front L/R of a multi channel system.
To do this you connect the front L/R pre outs on the av amp into a spare input on your stereo amp/pre amp using a phono cable. The av amp would then be used to power the centre,rears and sub. You then set the volume of your stereo amp to a known level, 12 o'clock for example and then run the av amp auto setup to match the other 3 speakers to your stereo speakers. This only needs to be done once.

For stereo playback you just use your stereo system as normal, with the av amp switched off. For 5.1 you would need both your stereo system and the av amp switched on with the stereo volume set in the known position. The av amp remote will then control the volume of all the speakers.

So you still keep your superior stereo system for stereo playback, and have a half decent system for 5.1 films/music.

 

[roger06]

nws56:Thanks for answering . But I'm confused ; what has the TV sound got to do with it ? I have no interest in broadcast TV sound quality , only the sound accompanying films on DVD and BD . Have I not bypassed the TV's own sound by using those phono outs on the back of it ? The sound I'm getting can be tremendous or timid , depending on the disc , but I'm only getting 2.0 of it . The missing 3.1 can only be had by a 'downgrade' to an AV receiver as far as I understand it . And this is precisely my quandary ; a dynamic 2.0 or a relatively docile 5.1 ? From your own description you seem to be doing both ! I want a single solution - but which ?

Hi

What I meant was sound destined for your TV - so TV broadcasts, DVD, BD and even VHS if you still have such a thing...

None of it (well very very little) is designed for two channel output. I've only got my foot on rung one of the Naim ladder with CD5i / Nait5i but know how good the sound is. For me though, the surround element of multi channel for BD, DVD and TV etc is more important than the quality (if that makes sense).

That said, I can listen to two channel hi fi through the Naim and just love it - but DON'T feel compromised when I put a Blu Ray on through the multi channel system...

... not sure that all makes sense but I hope so!

 

[nws56]

Thank you all for replying ; it has really helped clarify my muddled thoughts .

One off ; - Sorry to hear that your AV gear isn't loved or wanted . This is precisely the end game situation I want to avoid ......so for now it's going to be refurbishment of the Naims and later borrow a receiver from a dealer just to try it . Yes , ' effects steerage ' is of no concern to me , only the emotion of the musical content . But then again , how do I know this if I haven't tried surround ?

Spice Weasel ; - according to the technicians the deterioration is so gradual that you don't realize anything is wrong until the day that you find yourself not listening to music anymore . Or until the leaking fluid causes a short circuit which blows the drive unit(s) in the speakers . I've experienced the latter with an A&R A60 . And , funnily enough , don't play music anymore . I never knew you could run both AV and stereo together - thank you for your concise explanation . It sounds like the ideal solution , and after my plastic has recovered from the Naim refurbishment it will be tried .

Roger06 ; - now I understand . Thanks . It is good that you can enjoy both systems , and although it wasn't what I would have liked , I am probably going to do the same . Or at least try it .

 

[Anonymous]

Hi,

EDITED BY MODS for House Rules infringement

I've had stereo hifi separate systems for over 15 years and only ventured into a decent surround sound setup a year or two ago. I bought an Onkyo receiver and KEF3005SE speaker set to accompany an HD-DVD player (ha!) and shiny new tv. If I had the choice again I wouldn't have bothered. It sounds greats in action movies etc, but for me, nothing like worth the cost for the number of films I watch - I just got carried away.

I've always used my separate hifi for music (based on a lower-level naim amp than yours - the 90/92) and when parts were being repaired recently I tried via the Onkyo/KEFS - no chance I would be happy for music long-term.

Basically, if you're happy now and aren't wanting lots of swooshing surround sound effects, I'd try and find a cheaper source to recap your amp.

Cheers,

Rob

 

[nws56]

Thank you for replying Rob ; the concensus seems to have swung in favour of 2 channel judgeing by the posts received . Not what I would have expected on an AV forum . Still aim to try a receiver in the future though . In the meantime the amps have to be done , and in fact they just have been . Perhaps this isn't the place to start an Avondale Audio / Naim thread , but WOW the sound hasn't merely gone on to a new level - it's moved to a new planet .......and for less than I was quoted to simply maintain the standard sound .