Naim Xs or Cyrus 8VS2

 

New member
Username: Jeffbucks

Post Number: 8
Registered: Oct-06
Hello everyone.After some good avices from frank I'm thinking about spending my budget on amp and source.
I found Naim and cyrus realy attractive from everyone's point of view;(also good reviews in HiFi choice and absolute sound).

Unfortunately haven't had the chance to audition them so far and won't till next month but like to know your perspectives,

The first system is:

Nait XS with CD5i or CD5X (it seems that for just 500 GBP difference Nait XS sounds much better than Nait 5i) do you think there is much difference between two sources?

2nd system:

Cyrus 8VS2 integrated and CD 8SE.

is there a major difference between cyrus integrated and pre/power?

My room is about 14x12,speakers are focals 706v which I bought last week.

Thanks folks.
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 3530
Registered: Sep-04
Finder,

both are good systems. Personally, I was playing with the CD5x/NaitXS versus the CD5i/Nait5i and I must say that the former was a good deal better. I suspect the XS had a lot to do with it since it had better grip on the speakers I was using (Naim n-Sats), especially at the volume I was using them! :-)

With your easy to drive speakers, I would probably go with the CD5x into the Nait5i rather than the CD5i into the XS simply because you can't expect the signal to improve after it's left the CD player. It's an easy demo for your dealer to setup for you. Ask him to take you through the options. Don't listen to the CD5x into the XS unless you have the cash for the combination!

As for the Cyrus combination. It's a very strong combination. Yes, the Pre/power is better, but again, you should really consider the PSX-R option into the CD player before anything else in my opinion. The new Cyrus player is very strong indeed and I can certainly understand why people would choose the Cyrus over the CD5i (but not a CD5x).

Good luck!

Frank.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 11505
Registered: Dec-04
How's that Jeff?

Frank, you are a credit to our community.

Orbisons GH on master viyl, side 4
 

New member
Username: Jeffbucks

Post Number: 9
Registered: Oct-06
very nice Frank,
I would agree on CD5X/Nait 5i combo. and definately audition it first but since the difference of 5i & XS is not much I think I'll prefer that in case of upgrading to other speakers in the future; since you told me PSX-R will improve cyrus CD8's sound much; does it mean that same rule will apply with CD5X and Flat-cap2X?

and just for curiousity have you auditioned Sonus Faber Cremona auditor M,Electra 1007Be,and any bookshelf dynaudios with Naim?
 

Platinum Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 11510
Registered: Dec-04
I heard the anniversary edition standmount Dyn's on Naim.
Punchy.
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 3537
Registered: Sep-04
Finder,

Interesting that you're already considering your upgrade options. Bad sign. Fact is, if you're seriously thinking about upgrade scenarios you REALLY should consider the CD5x, for the following reasons:

1. Yes, the CD5x is a really good CD player.

2. Yes, the CD5x gets appreciably better with a power supply attached.

3. The Nait5i-2 is a nice powerful amplifier which will show what the CD5x is capable of.

4. Upgrading the amp will not be let down by the CD5x as easily as the CD5i (which is good but not in the same league).

Of the speakers you mention I have played with the 1007Bes which are very good, but not with a 5-series Naim system. Minimum I have used with the 1007bes was the CDX2/202/200 which is 3-4 times more expensive than what you're looking at. There shouldn't be a power issue with the 1007bes because they are quite easy to drive, but they will reveal what's hapening up the chain rather ruthlessly I think, which is not a good situation to be in. Build speakers up slowly so they don't unbalance the system too much.

On Saturday I was playing with the CD5x, NaitXS and n-Sats again with a customer. He was really taken with what he heard. Now, most people will tell you that n-Sats don't really have enough bass, but we were there and trying various music and only really wanted more bass on one or two tracks. I even brought in the Naim n-Sub to show how we could get that extra bass but funnily enough what we found was that we couldn't tell any difference on many of the tracks wer played, but occasionally certain tracks really did have that extra octave of bass. The strangest thing was that switching off the sub while playing the track didn't result in you saying 'oh bring it back'. It still worked very well musically since the n-Sats don't have an overt character. Of course, bright albums like The Fratellis came out bright, but this was just revealing rather than anything else.

I've also used Dynaudio standmounts with the 5i system but not the XS. The Dynaudio FOCUS 110s work well in their way with the 5i-2. It's a full sound of course, much more full than the Naim speaker sound. A lot of people like the extra bass and power this provides. I think the FOCUS 110s are much much better than the eXcite X12s, but I haven't tried the X16s. I imagine that the XS will drive the FOCUS 110s better than the 5i-2 since it does have that extra power and the extra large power supply.
 

New member
Username: Jeffbucks

Post Number: 10
Registered: Oct-06
Great info.thanks.
What do you think about interconnects & speaker cables?I'm also thinking about Flatcap-2x and you are right definitely,bad sign.

I've heard Naim has cables which works very nice with it's own stuff.
My current speaker cables are Monitor Audio cobra6 silver. Interconnects: Optiocopuler Vanden Hul.

And if it has the option of XLR.

What's the difference of XLR and optical sound wise?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Jeffbucks

Post Number: 11
Registered: Oct-06
Yes Nuck, one of my friends also told me about punchiness of dynas.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Jeffbucks

Post Number: 12
Registered: Oct-06
Guys you are so lucky that can go to Bristol show, I couldn't find tickets !but definitely will do it for next year.
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 3541
Registered: Sep-04
In terms of the Bristol show you can just turn up and pay at the door. You do not need to book in advance. I am awfully tempted to go this year since Naim are revealing one or two directions they're taking and providing a Bentley to listen to their Naim For Bentley system. I'm sure they'd let even me have a listen!

Finder, in terms of cabling up Naim gear it's very simple indeed. Use stock Naim interconnects, power leads and speaker cable, the latter preferably made up with Naim's own plugs (usually you need your dealer to make these up since they're a bit of an art).

If you want better than stock cables, save up (a lot) and go for Naim's premium power cords (the PowerLine at £400) and interconnect (the HiLine at £525). They're big bucks and the advice is always to simply get the better equipment first because you can always optimize it later. Don't forget the CD players come with a stock interconnect which may look really low rent but which is actually very well suited to the task.

The expensive Naim cables are unique in implementation, but their main effects are improvements in resolution, scale and space, rather than the more emotive drive and snap that is the Naim trademark. Sure, they have more impact and can be more visceral, but the basic cables have no obvious flaws. You could move over to other cables (such as Flashback which I've heard lots of good things about) but the problem there is you don't know whether there will be a change in musical balance. This tends to be very subtle but slowly and surely you play less music - until you 'try' the originals again and realise what you've been missing. It's weird.

So in my view - get the best you can afford now and plug up with the stock cables and stock Naim NACA5 speaker cable. If there's any money left in the wallet, use it to ensure you have a decent rack. Look to Quadraspire (not the Reference), isoblue (excellent value for money in the UK), Hutter. Naim's Fraim is great but costs more than many people's HiFi. Of the more sensibly priced ones, the isoblue is the best musically. If space is a premium, the Hutter has a 500mm square option which is nicely handy since it's just that bit smaller while just fitting the Naim kit in it.

Once you've sorted that lot out, then look at the non-standard cables. At least that's my opinion...

Frank.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Jeffbucks

Post Number: 13
Registered: Oct-06
Frank By ticket I meant flight tickets to UK! IOI

Yesterday I Found a dealer selling Vincent audio products. I auditioned a TAC 88 tube with elac 204.2 speakers, I really liked the warm sound of the amp but the thing really moved me was a small reddish tube called synthesis made by italy I guess.

He tested first with elacs and then with electra 1027s, wow with just 15wpc that was fantastic. female voice was so real that I could feel her each lip touching the other one!
I talked to Naim dealer which I'm going to meet after two weeks, he told me that I will definitely love naims voice too since it's warm and detailed,he also sells Jadis. I took a look at the website, fancy gear but they look expensive!
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 3544
Registered: Sep-04
Hmmm, I wouldn't normally describe Naim as warm...incisive, fast, fluid, dynamic and powerful, yes, but warm? Not really.
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