Author Topic: Naim and British prat, are they freaking kidding or are they up to something?  (Read 11450 times)

Offline Bemopti123

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So, I am embarking into making a pair of Oris Horn/OB with a Lowther PM6CAs and Onken/Vifa Cabinets.  I do have plenty of amplification to get the pair running, but I am somehow intrigued with this whole Naim idea.

Why?  About 1-2 years ago, I was asked for HIFI advice from a female friend of mine who had her Pioneer Elite receiver FRY when there was a thunderstorm.  In order to replace them, we ran into different choices.  Was it going to be a Naim Nait 5I, a Blue Circle Integrated or separates.

We ran a friend's Naim Nait 5I with the speakers that we were going to use, the same pairs that I have, which I also recommended to my friend along with her Pioneer Elite receiver back in 2001. 

My friend was a Naim convert and he kept on barking up this entire PRAT stuff...That it controlled the speakers well etc....

So, in the end I wind up getting a Naim Nait 5I from the used market and had it run at my place before handing it to my friend.

While I had it in my use, I kept on feeling that something was missing.  Was it the soundstaging or something else that Naimies always keep on claiming is not important.  I do not know, but perhaps I was not easily convinced.

FF, now, Naim is coming out with the Supernait, and there is a new line of speakers that are supposed to be a match made in heaven....The Kudos.

I read in a review that the Naim with the Kudos monitor, the C-10 or some other model and someone wrote the unamable word along Naimies, "soundstaging."  Actually, that someone expressed great admiration with the almost holographic soundstaging.

Now, I wonder, am I missing something or are Naimies into something GOOD?  Are they smoking something or am I missing the whole NAIM point?

Are there any NAIM converts or vice versa, people who switched out? 

PS:  The possible heresy I might go for.....Oris or Basszilla like set up with a Nait 5I.  Is this nuts?

Offline richidoo

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When a speaker is custom made for the amps, anything is possible. That is the ideal situation, and why audio pros use active monitors for ultimate performance. Likely Naim's older stuff might not always play well with other speakers, especially big American iron with driver area measured in sq ft instead of sq inches and impedences down well below 4ohms. That is not very polite, typical American barbarism  8), and a lot of European gear just doesn't like that.  To me prat means a speaker with good 200Hz acoustic power and relatively low phase angle at that freq. along with a source (and amps) with high current power supply. Fast clean potent mid bass is prat. Stereofool's Linn CDplayer has lots of prat, but my SB does not.  :cry:  Just my opinion, not scientific fact.
Rich

WEEZ

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Hi,

The guy to ask is mcrespo71. He's not registered here...but he is on AC. I'm pretty sure he has an all  Naim system.

The only Naim component I've had in my system (for a week's audition) was a CD5i cd spinner. And it was pretty nice. In fact, I almost bought it. But there was something about it that made me have second thoughts. When I tried the CEC...I had found my spinner.

The Naim had a slight tendency to sound hollow...not 'thin' (quite the opposite). Very 'round' sounding. Maybe a slightly elevated mid-bass which made the midrange sound suppressed slightly. Maybe this is prat? Beats me. It was very nice. Just not nice enough.

I have read that the 'newer' Naim gear can reproduce a better soundstage and more precise imaging than the older designs. The CD5i was okay in this regard. Not as good as the CEC, though.

WEEZ

(oops...Rich's take is that mid-bass = prat. He could be right)

Offline Bemopti123

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am I darn or what?  So, PRAT can be interpreted as what it is given out by equipment that has high current+ reproduced by a speaker that emphasizes a sort of rhythmic midrange hump+some pseudo bass?  Damn, if it is this what some call PRAT, then perhaps I have been into it for the latest couple of years with fullrange driver speakers, no crossover etc...

I know and have met Mcrespo from NY Audio rave.  The thing that I want to find out is some really analytical take on the Naim phenomena but with a more "balanced" opinion in its sound.  People who have Naim equipment, I sort of perceive as "fundamentalist" in what they believe is what truly counts in sound experience.  Thus, most equipment is inadequate, unless it has got that PRAT right.  What can get that PRAT right?  Naim, according to them. 

LKdog

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Never understood WTF PRAT is.  :rofl:
The Brits had a love affair with monitors and systems that could likely sound engaging in smaller euro-size rooms than the typical USA size mondo size homes. Never seemed to worry much about any signal below 40hz.
I actually have a pair of this type of monitor I use for my Pro Audio/computer DAW nearfield listening (ALR/Jordans).

Trust your ears as always.
I don't know the gear you mention, but if it is good sounding to you and your friend that is all that matters.

WEEZ

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It's been said that Rega has 'it' too.....

Offline rollo

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Synergy baby. There is a lot to be said for a single Manf. system. All components are voiced for each other. Gain and impedance issues are non existant. The cables as well are part of the system synergy. Now Pace, Rythm and Timing are a good thing. The toe is tapping for a reason. Naim got it right IMO.


  rollo
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