Naim Nait 5si or Icon Audio Stereo 40 KT88

[chebby]

Try and include a couple of the Spendor 'Classic' range. (SP2/3R2s for example) and/or the Harbeth Compact 7ES-3s.

Nice easy load from the Spendors (nominal impedance of 8 Ohms and minimum impedance of 6.8 Ohms and 88dB @ 1metre) so your amp isn't suddenly going to be asked for double the power (or more) at the drop of a hat because of some wild impedance dip occurring at a particular frequency.

 

[plastic penguin]

Not bought it yet, will do later in the year.

Quest started by looking at speakers. I was going to spend up to £3000.

The KT88 amp, after I have sold kit I will no longer need, will cost me about £1000.

Nice!

Nice one. Given the retail value of the Icon did you not dem Naim XS?

 

[FennerMachine]

Hi PP, no, I demoed Naim Nait 5si and a Naim pre/power combo. I preferred the 5si as the pre/power was a bit 'too much'. Naim amps controlled the Quad 11L speakers very well but the Stereo 40 with my Quad 21L2's was just more realistic and natural sounding.

 

[NHL]

Hi PP, no, I demoed Naim Nait 5si and a Naim pre/power combo. I preferred the 5si as the pre/power was a bit 'too much'. Naim amps controlled the Quad 11L speakers very well but the Stereo 40 with my Quad 21L2's was just more realistic and natural sounding.

German Audio.de refer to the Naim sound as 'plastisch', but still give the amps good grades. I'm still interested in either the 5si or the 70W XS.

 

[nima]

There's more then one meaning to "plastisch", not all are negative or have negative connotations.

 

[plastic penguin]

Then Stereo 40 amp. Better but still something wrong. The overall music was good but the bass was missing. It was a large room (approx 5.5mx7m) with speakers behind mine so thought this may be affecting the bass. I persisted with some more music trying to ignore the bass issue. I played various tracks from a range of music.

My patience eventually paid off. Something must have needed warming or loosening up as after about 30 minutes with the Stereo 40 things fell into place! Everything started to sound better and the missing bass arrived! Played a few tracks that didn't sound right before and they sounded great!

Decision made – Icon Audio Stereo 40 KT88.

Sorry FM, only just seen this post. This is the problem with valve amps, they'll need a period to warm up, to hear them at their best... everytime you switch on. This is where a conventional SS amp has the advantage: Switch on 'n' go.

 

[FennerMachine]

Hi again PP. That's not a problem, I often have long listening sessions so that's fine.

 

[floyd droid]

This is the problem with valve amps, they'll need a period to warm up, to hear them at their best... everytime you switch on. This is where a conventional SS amp has the advantage: Switch on 'n' go.

Here you go again, another generalisation gleaned from the tinterweb :wall:. Depends on the amp PP. Yup my 845 monos take a while to get up to speed I can hear the changes over a period of time. However my 300B monos only take a few minutes. Of course ,as you state , thats the advantage of SS. Thats the only miniscule advantage* over valves that I can think of mind .

* this depends on what amp too. Stevios Elicit as one example

 

[happyclappy]

I owned both of them, they are distinctively different!

 

[NHL]

I owned both of them, they are distinctively different!

Owned, but 5si was released a couple of months ago?

 

[CnoEvil]

I owned both of them, they are distinctively different!

Owned, but 5si was released a couple of months ago?

It's possible he's talking about the 845s vs 300Bs from Icon Audio.

 

[plastic penguin]

This is the problem with valve amps, they'll need a period to warm up, to hear them at their best... everytime you switch on. This is where a conventional SS amp has the advantage: Switch on 'n' go.

Here you go again, another generalisation gleaned from the tinterweb :wall:. Depends on the amp PP. Yup my 845 monos take a while to get up to speed I can hear the changes over a period of time. However my 300B monos only take a few minutes. Of course ,as you state , thats the advantage of SS. Thats the only miniscule advantage* over valves that I can think of mind .

* this depends on what amp too. Stevios Elicit as one example

"...gleaned from the tinterweb." And you accuse me of generalising. I have actually heard valve amps and don't have an issue with their SQ. But as an all-rounder? Can't make honey from dog s**t.

I just get fed-up with hearing such ridiculous statements as "SS amps and/or any component that resembles life is EDITED" And you say I have a problem with hearing?

 

[chebby]

I have actually heard valve amps and don't have an issue with their SQ. But as an all-rounder? Can't make honey from dog s**t.

What do you mean by 'all rounder'?

An amp is an amp whether it's valve or solid-state. What can your amp do - as an 'all-rounder' - that a valve amp can't?

If you don't 'have an issue' with their sound quality then why are you calling them dog s##t ?

 

[stevebrock]

Yep my Elicit takes a while to come on song!

As soon as I get in from work I turn it on, then pop in shower, dinner, kids etc then its ready for some juice to go through it!

 

[CnoEvil]

"...gleaned from the tinterweb." And you accuse me of generalising. I have actually heard valve amps and don't have an issue with their SQ. But as an all-rounder? Can't make honey from dog s**t.

I just get fed-up with hearing such ridiculous statements as "SS amps and/or any component that resembles life is EDITED" And you say I have a problem with hearing?

I can only say that every SS amp I have owned needed to warm up before it sounded right.

I don't wish to argue, but which Valve amps have you heard, as they can sound very different (or be made sound very different with tube rolling)?.....and a wrong speaker match can give a poor impression.

 

[floyd droid]

As soon as I get in from work I turn it on, then pop in shower

Oooh you little minx :twisted:

 

[plastic penguin]

"...gleaned from the tinterweb." And you accuse me of generalising. I have actually heard valve amps and don't have an issue with their SQ. But as an all-rounder? Can't make honey from dog s**t.

I just get fed-up with hearing such ridiculous statements as "SS amps and/or any component that resembles life is EDITED" And you say I have a problem with hearing?

I can only say that every SS amp I have owned needed to warm up before it sounded right.

I don't wish to argue, but which Valve amps have you heard, as they can sound very different (or be made sound very different with tube rolling)?.....and a wrong speaker match can give a poor impression.

One that springs to mind (I think) was Dynavox, although no idea of model type. And more recently, couple of years ago, Fatman iTube, which was set-up and running in the shop. They sounded fine for their respective monies. TBF, they were only fairly brief listen, but didn't make me go "WOW!"

Certainly the Leema and Arcam sounds wonderful from the off. Out of my 14-thousand odd posts, I've not recommended Leema or Arcam as much you may think. If I do I usually give a small caveats: Avoid Arcam if your speakers are tricky to drive, so not recommended for parties. The Leema I would avoid if you have crummy room acoustics and/or have bright sources and speakers.

The advantages IMO are prcatical ones: SS don't tend to overheat, nor do they drain the National grid. And IMO SS amps tend to look nicer. Don't want an amp that resembles a model factory from the puppet show Thunderbirds.

 

[chebby]

One that springs to mind (I think) was Dynavox, although no idea of model type. And more recently, couple of years ago, Fatman iTube, which was set-up and running in the shop. They sounded fine for their respective monies. TBF, they were only fairly brief listen, but didn't make me go "WOW!"

Certainly the Leema and Arcam sounds wonderful from the off. Out of my 14-thousand odd posts, I've not recommended Leema or Arcam as much you may think. If I do I usually give a small caveats: Avoid Arcam if your speakers are tricky to drive, so not recommended for parties. The Leema I would avoid if you have crummy room acoustics and/or have bright sources and speakers.

The advantages IMO are prcatical ones: SS don't tend to overheat, nor do they drain the National grid. And IMO SS amps tend to look nicer. Don't want an amp that resembles a model factory from the puppet show Thunderbirds.

The Fatman iTube was a cheap hybrid design with MOSFET power amp stage and only a valve pre-amp. (I used one with a pair of MA BR1s as TV speakers for some time.)

I'll let others argue your other points.

 

[JamesMellor]

Yep my Elicit takes a while to come on song!

As soon as I get in from work I turn it on, then pop in shower, dinner, kids etc then its ready for some juice to go through it!

I find this aswell , a shower and a cold beer and it sounds better , but I'm not sure if its the system or me thats changing .

James

 

[floyd droid]

One that springs to mind (I think) was Dynavox, although no idea of model type. And more recently, couple of years ago, Fatman iTube, which was set-up and running in the shop. They sounded fine for their respective monies. TBF, they were only fairly brief listen,

So in reference to my 'none too subtle' reply which caused a minor s**t storm ( I loves it I does ) , you have no idea how long they took to 'warm up' !.

Anyhoo , Thunderbirds are go 8).

 

[stevebrock]

Floyd you are bad

 

[plastic penguin]

One that springs to mind (I think) was Dynavox, although no idea of model type. And more recently, couple of years ago, Fatman iTube, which was set-up and running in the shop. They sounded fine for their respective monies. TBF, they were only fairly brief listen,

So in reference to my 'none too subtle' reply which caused a minor s**t storm ( I loves it I does ) , you have no idea how long they took to 'warm up' !.

Anyhoo , Thunderbirds are go 8).

First heard a valve amp way back in the mid-70s, when my cousin had one. Don't even try and ask what make it was, genuinely can't remeber.

As I mentioned before there's been many valve or WWII tube :bounce: amps I've heard. Some left me with a positive mark, others didn't. Exactly the same as SS amps. Some are really good, others are crud. So to answer your "warm up" question, yes. Some I've known thru personal experience, while others I've actually asked the dealer.

As regads SS amps need warming up, well that's like reviewers/manufactuers stating that when you switch off the display on a CDP it improves the sound. It is so negligible it ain't worth the keyboard tapping.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfIAKj3Gl1E Look at 1.13. Spitting image.

Apologies to the OP for the thread derail.

 

[chebby]

First heard a valve amp way back in the mid-70s, when my cousin had one. Don't even try and ask what make it was, genuinely can't remeber.

As I mentioned before there's been many valve or WWII tube :bounce: amps I've heard. Some left me with a positive mark, others didn't.

What on Earth do your cousin's 1970s hi-fis and World War II have to do with this?

 

[stevebrock]

As regads SS amps need warming up, well that's like reviewers/manufactuers stating that when you switch off the display on a CDP it improves the sound. It is so negligible it ain't worth the keyboard tapping.

PP's specialist subject on MasterMind is talking *ollox

 

[floyd droid]

Lol.