Naim 72/hicap/140 connection to MF XCANV2

[El Hefe]

Hi all, A friend is in a dilemma. He just purchased the MF headphone amp. Using an RCA to DIN IC, he connected it from tuner output of the Naim pre amp to the Line In of the MF headphone amp. However, the volume from the MF amp is very low. He has to crank up the MF volume know to 12 o clock to get a decent sound through his audio technica w1000. When i was usig the headphone amp, i only need to crank it up to 9 o clock. Any ideas whats the problem with my friend's set up? Is there any signal loss through RCA to DIN conversion?

 

[Andrew Everard]

He needs to be going from a tape output, not the tuner input.

 

[El Hefe]

Thats what I told him as well. I am not familiar with Naim amps but was a bit skeptical when he said the pre amp has a tuner output instead of input. Anyway, he tried using tape out/rec as well but same issue. Whay else should he check or try?

 

[Andrew Everard]

No, it doesn't have a tuner output. only a tuner in and two tape outs. Could it be he's using a cable wired up for input rather than output, as the signal out uses different pins on the DIN to the signal in?

 

[idc]

Any spare output on the amp, apart from one with a phono stage for a TT will do.

The ATs are 40 ohms and SPL of 102 db/mW which is pretty sensitive. I would expect the volume control to be closer to 9 than 12 on either of my MF X-CANs. But the volume pot is not the best and it could well be different amps will have their volume controls at different positions to get the same sound. Plus you have different ears!

 

[El Hefe]

Thanks all for the reply. I have told my friend to set up the MF X CAN with another hifi set up with RCA connection. If thats working, then at least he knows that the XCANS is OK. Only then try to find the problem with the Naim.