Sidebar 1: Review System
I decided to treat the NAC 62, NAP 140, and Hi-Cap as an integral system along with Naim's interconnects and loudspeaker cables. I will, however, report on the system's sound with and without the Hi-Cap, comment on the 62's phono and line sections independently, and evaluate the preamp and power amp separately. Naim recommends that the preamp be placed on a stand or rack other than the one holding the power amp and Hi-Cap. Since this was not practical in my setup, the 62 was mounted on Navcom isolation feet.
Loudspeakers used in auditioning the three Naim products were the Hales System Two Signatures (look for a review of the $3000 System Two next month). The analog front end was a Well-Tempered Turntable, fitted with a Well-Tempered tonearm modified by Lary Pederson of LP Research and Development Lab. (I can enthusiastically recommend this mod to WTT owners.) Phono cartridges were a Audio Technica Signet AT-OC9 moving-coil and, briefly, a Benz Micro MC-3.
Digital playback was provided by a VTL Reference Digital to Analogue Converter, driven by an Esoteric P-2 transport via a 1m run of Aural Symphonics Digital Standard cable (footnote 1). Reference amplification products included Audio Research SP-11 Mk.II, and Classé DR-5 preamplifiers and a pair of VTL 225W monoblocks.
All AC power was conditioned by a Tice Power Block and Titan. The dedicated listening room has optimum dimensional ratios for room-mode distribution.—Robert Harley
Footnote 1: Naim Audio's Chris West, who listens exclusively to LP source after being turned off by first-generation CD players, was quite surprised during his visit by the vast improvements in digital playback realized by the VTL converter/Esoteric P-2 combination.
Footnote 1: Naim Audio's Chris West, who listens exclusively to LP source after being turned off by first-generation CD players, was quite surprised during his visit by the vast improvements in digital playback realized by the VTL converter/Esoteric P-2 combination.
