Mysteries unfolded:
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Naim
tuners seem to need quite high signal levels. Surely
tuners of this quality should work with even very
small levels of signal? |
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Our tuners are designed to offer the
best possible sound quality from a broadcast signal,
not to pull in very weak or distant stations. They
require a very high quality signal to achieve this
(Garbage in, garbage out . . .) and weak stations
cannot be resolved to an acceptable quality level.
It is also important
to remember that a strong signal may not automatically
ensure optimum sound quality: even a strong signal can
be spoiled by interference from other signals, affecting
the sound and in some cases causing the tuner to drift.
So, a good, directional aerial that rejects interference
is virtually a prerequisite. |
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How can
there be no interaction between power feeds and audio
signals when running both through the same SNAIC interconnect? |
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The DC power feeds passing through the
SNAIC contain virtually no AC components. Since only
AC can be coupled to adjacent conductors in the cable,
the power feeds cannot interfere with the audio signal.
The supplies also have minimal source impedance (less
than 0.1 Ohm) and this prevents supply modulation
by the very small signal currents. |
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Why are signals
routed from the preampthrough the SUPER-CAP, HI-CAP
or FLAT-CAP to the power amp, rather than directly
from the preampto the power amp? |
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The absolute earth reference for the
system is the reference for the preamp, which is
the SUPER-CAP, HI-CAP or FLAT-CAP earth. The signal
is routed from the preampto the power supply using
the same interconnect that takes the power feed from
the power supply to the preamp. It also connects
the two earths together.
This minimises
differential voltages caused by interfering electric or
magnetic fields being generated between the power feed,
signal and earth, so maintaining the correct
relationship between signal and earth inside the power
supply. The power amp is connected to the properly
referenced signal at the power supply output. |
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Didn't
Naim used to say that unipivot tone-arms could never
work? |
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It's true that we said this on a couple
of occasions before we found a way to make one properly
and realised that what we had been told by other manufacturers
was not necessarily the whole story.
A properly designed
unipivot arm has many qualities that place it above
conventional gimbal bearing arms, such as reduced
torsional stress placed upon the cartridge as it tracks
records that are not perfectly flat. |
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Why does Naim not
agree with bi-wiring and tri-wiring passive loudspeakers? |
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It's true that we are not great fans
of multi-wiring passive loudspeakers in accordance
with current vogue. Our belief is that if the crossover
has been correctly designed, a single run of cable
between amplifier and loudspeaker offers the best
sound, as well as making it easier for the amplifier
to drive safely.
Obviously, if the
speaker crossover has been deliberately designed to
sound better when bi- or tri-wired, then it quite
possibly will; but that's not to say that it wouldn't
sound better overall if it were designed for single
wiring in the first place, as our speakers
are. |
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Naim always
used to promote the need for rigid fixing of loudspeakers.
Why then are Naim speakers designed in such a way
that a certain amount of flexing of some components
is possible? |
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One of the principles behind the design
of all our loudspeakers involves shifting unwanted
system resonances outside of the audio bandwidth,
thus reducing their effect upon the music signal.
This is achieved by allowing key components to move
at controlled rates and so isolate them from external
vibration sources.
Rigid fixing of loudspeakers can couple
them to the energy stored within floor or wall surfaces,
which is then reflected back into the system. Our
approach combines a careful balance of rigidity and
flexibility, so key components move predictably. |
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NACA 5 is
not user-friendly |
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Well, we wouldn't claim that it's easy
to use, but in many ways it is neater when installed
- and more importantly sounds better - than other
cables.
When formed around
corners and placed hard against skirting boards, it
stays in place and doesn't tangle or twist like more
flexible cables. |
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