NAD c542 and rega apollo
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Bronze Member Username: LuxendelGondelsheim, Baden-Württe... Germany Post Number: 32 Registered: Oct-07 | Hi to all! Is there really such a big difference between the Rega Apollo and NAD C542 and if there is, is it REALLY worth the money? Here in Germany the Rega is about 950 to 999€. The NAD C542 about 590€... Just curious....  |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1064 Registered: Jun-07 | I thought it was. The C542 is a good player for the money, but the Apollo is a GREAT player for the money. Is it Twice as good? No. But is it better? Totally. Welcome to the hi fi world my friend. Pay double for that much needed extra magic. |
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Bronze Member Username: LuxendelGondelsheim, Baden-Württe... Germany Post Number: 33 Registered: Oct-07 | LOL Was just thinking...maybe I upgrade next year.... Right now, all kicks butt nicely...  |
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Bronze Member Username: LuxendelGondelsheim, Baden-Württe... Germany Post Number: 34 Registered: Oct-07 | Could u please describe the difference a little, Nick? If u find a minute or two... |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1066 Registered: Jun-07 | Separation of the Instruments, highs are nicer and more detailed. Bass is tighter. Less grit. Wolfsen DAC's vs BEE. The Wolfsen's are of better quality, that is what the Apollo has. For the price, the C542 is a great performer. It just doesn't compete against the Apollo. If you want that NAD sound in a cd player that competes against the Apollo, look at the NAD M5. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 6015 Registered: Feb-05 | I've owned both decks and the difference is substantial. The Apollo is smoother with a more analog sound...still a long way from the lp but pleasant none the less. The NAD is more grainy sounding and doesn't get the leading edges of the notes right. The Apollo is infinitely more musical in the sense of making sense of music where the NAD simply plays the music. |
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Bronze Member Username: LuxendelGondelsheim, Baden-Württe... Germany Post Number: 35 Registered: Oct-07 | Thank u, I unnerstand.... Could I theoretically buy the Rega Apollo in the States, since the dollar is bad these days... Where would I have to look (shipping to Germany...)? Gracias |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 6018 Registered: Feb-05 | Not sure Thorsten..perhaps contact The Sound Organisation which is the US distributor of Rega. http://www.soundorg.com/ Steve is very good to his customers. |
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Bronze Member Username: LuxendelGondelsheim, Baden-Württe... Germany Post Number: 46 Registered: Oct-07 | Would I be REALLY able to hear the difference on my system with this amp and these speakers?? NAD c370 KeF iQ 7 (connected via T+A speaker six -cable) |
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Bronze Member Username: LuxendelGondelsheim, Baden-Württe... Germany Post Number: 47 Registered: Oct-07 | Would I be REALLY able to hear the difference on my system with this amp and these speakers?? NAD c370 KeF iQ 7 (connected via T+A speaker six -cable) |
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Bronze Member Username: LuxendelGondelsheim, Baden-Württe... Germany Post Number: 48 Registered: Oct-07 | Sorry, did a mistake....double posted. |
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Bronze Member Username: LuxendelGondelsheim, Baden-Württe... Germany Post Number: 49 Registered: Oct-07 | I could get the NAIM CD5i for 990€...as an store-audition-piece, with full 5 years warranty... Is it better than the Rega Apollo? |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 6100 Registered: Feb-05 | You'll get mixed reactions on that . Even at the Naim forum many Naim owners like the Apollo better. I think they are about even and it depends what your other gear is and personal preference which you will like better. The New Naim CD5i italic is better thanthe older version and may have taken the leap over the Apollo. |
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Bronze Member Username: KillamabillaClear Lake, TX USA Post Number: 43 Registered: May-07 | haven't heard the Naim but yes the Apollo is far better than the c542. Then again I was never convinced of the 542's greatness to begin with. |
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Bronze Member Username: LuxendelGondelsheim, Baden-Württe... Germany Post Number: 51 Registered: Oct-07 | Deed is done... Went out and bought the Naim CD5i-2. Gave the NAD C542 in payment... 1st impression out-a-the-box...EXCELLENT!!!!! Need more testing and burn-in-time... But already NO REGRETS!!!! |
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Bronze Member Username: LuxendelGondelsheim, Baden-Württe... Germany Post Number: 52 Registered: Oct-07 | I just listened to the Led Zeppelin 4-Box-Set with the new NAIM...unbelievable difference!!!!! I call THIS NOW "music therapy"... And its only day 2.... The dealer told me that the CD5i-2 is even better than the CD5i.... I am in bliss....} |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2661 Registered: Sep-04 | Thorsten, Now that you've bought it I can say this... The Apollo is a great player, but the new CD5i-2 is actually a lot better. The CD5i was a good player but it was run close by the Apollo since this was a) a lot cheaper and b) did some things better than the Naim. The new CD5i-2 improves every aspect of performance of the CD5i for the same price and the Apollo has gone up in price, so now the Naim makes a lot of sense as a viable alternative. And it takes a couple of weeks to run in. Leave it on all the time on repeat for a week or so. After that just leave it on. Are you using the RCA outputs or the DIN output? The DIN output is better, but it may be difficult for you to source DIN-Phono cables and Naim's HiLine is a LOT of money... Enjoy, Frank. |
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Bronze Member Username: LuxendelGondelsheim, Baden-Württe... Germany Post Number: 55 Registered: Oct-07 | Thanks, Frank. Cool input. 1) About the run-in time...I understand the week-long repeat-thing...but I am not really comfortable with leaving it on for all time.... We live in a wooden house...Is it really that good to leave it on the whole time??? Doesnt it shorten the life-span of the player??? Thunder and lightning-issues??? Hmmmm, not really comfy....any help??? 2) DIN is not possible. I love my NAD C370. Its such a great amp. Also harmonizes very well with the NAIM. I still use the OEHLBACH CHINCH "NF 14-Master-Set". About 80€ per 0,5m. The NAD hasnt DIN-connections... |
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Bronze Member Username: DudywoxerScunthorpeUK Post Number: 38 Registered: Mar-06 | you can get Din to RCA cables mail order from http://www.flashbacksales.co.uk/acatalog/Quad_Interconects.html |
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Bronze Member Username: LuxendelGondelsheim, Baden-Württe... Germany Post Number: 56 Registered: Oct-07 | Thanx, Colin... Would this REALLY improve the sound??? Read this: "Gold Plated 4 Pin DIN Plug - 2 Phono Plugs EHG Cable Featuring Gold Plated DIN connectors, all the solder joints in this cable are made with silver solder for enhanced audio performance. Cable type is Extra High Grade OFC Please Note: The 4 pin DIN plug should not be connected to Naim equipment. Since the NAD has no DIN...} |
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Bronze Member Username: LuxendelGondelsheim, Baden-Württe... Germany Post Number: 57 Registered: Oct-07 | One thing I instantly realized straight out-of-the-box...the TIMING. My goodness.. As a metalhead, I love the new Amon Amarth-CD "With Odin on our side". There is one song, "Gods of war arise". I was used to that track on the NAD C542. When I first heard it on the new NAIM, I was utterly shocked. I thought: "Wait, something is wrong. Its way too fast...but wait again..the vocals are totally in-tune and right...GASP." I then realized 1st-hand the meaning of "accurate timing", just then, with this song...cool. The double-bass, the riffing...I heard a fully "new" song...unbelievable. Same thing then happened on the 2nd listening-in day with Coheed and Cambria,"2nd stage...". Again, totally different timing...MUCH MORE tight, precise, on the point... GREAT STUFF! |
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Bronze Member Username: LuxendelGondelsheim, Baden-Württe... Germany Post Number: 59 Registered: Oct-07 | Hmmm, after a private talk with a HIFI-dealer in Germany, I am quite confused... He told me NEVER to use KEF-speakers with NAIM-gear. And I also heard "NEVER to use NAIM and NAD together". 1) I am not able to find any reason why NAIM-gear should not sound fine with NAD-gear... My NAIM CD5i-2 and the NAD C370 harmonize very very nice.... 2) Also I cannot hear anything bad that would suggest that NAIM and KEF are not compatible.... I guess it is in the ear of the behearer, right? Any opinions???? |
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Bronze Member Username: LuxendelGondelsheim, Baden-Württe... Germany Post Number: 60 Registered: Oct-07 | Interesting, these rumours are not new.... http://www.hifiloudspeakers.info/speakertalk/viewtopic.php?t=19 |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2677 Registered: Sep-04 | Thorsten, In my opinion, Naim and NAD are a reasonably good match, if not ideal. t least NAD has a similar approach in presentation. I'm not really a big fan of KEF speakers, finding them a bit bright for my taste, but there are people who like the combination with Naim amps. Personally, I would go with Focal at the same price. One of the best interconnects you could buy used to be the Chord Chrysalis DIN-2phono (about £50). This was very close to Naim's own interconnect but Chord have stopped making it and replaced it with Crimson which I am not suchh a fan of. Since Chord stopped making Chrysalis, Naim themselves have started supplying their interconnect in DIN-2Phono. Someone has compared the two and says that the Naim cable is slightly deeper in the bass (good thing) with a bit better resolution. I was surprised to hear about this since the Naim cable looked so much like Chrysalis (although both companies admit they get the wire from different suppliers). I believe the Naim interconnect is not much different in price, perhaps £60 or so. Otherwise the interconnect I would suggest is Chord's Cobra3 which can be ordered in any configuration. It's about £65 and it's good, especially in NAD systems. Up to me, I'd probably jut go with the Naim interconnect but if the price is much higher than I suggested, I'd go with the Chord Cobra. Yes, it makes a difference, not HUGE, but there is a definite improvement in timing, coherence, detail retrieval, life and energy. I have compared precisely the same cables in both DIN-RCA and RCA-RCA, as well as using the standard interconnect against (much) more expensive RCA-RCA interconnects in complete Naim systems. In that situation, the more expensive leads usually had greater resolution and depth, but were less involving indicating worse timing or rhythm. Regards, Frank. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 2417 Registered: May-05 | Thorsten, If you like the CD5i that much and want to improve the sound of the system even more, have you considered the Nait5i? I used to own NAD. Its a very good product for its price, but it in no way compares to Naim. If you think the 370 and CD5i pair up well, the Nait5i will pair up significantly better. IMO, the NAD is slowing the CD5i down. |
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Bronze Member Username: James_lehmannPost Number: 22 Registered: Nov-06 | Well, I'm glad you're so psyched about the Naim CD5i/2 Thorsten! Mine arrives tomorrow! :-)))) Like you, I also have a NAD370 which in my opinion is a superb amp for the peanuts you can get one for these days. But on this occasion I'm going the whole way for a complete upgrade and getting the Nait 5i as well. I'm so looking forward to plumbing these puppies straight into my PMC TB2's, but like Frank, I've tested way too much gear in my time to think that the sound I'll get tomorrow will be how my system sounds in two weeks time. Run-in time is a proven factor in how your system sounds, especially with speakers, the nice thing being that if you like the sound 'out of the box' it's only going to get better! FWIW I leave all my gear (including my recording equipment) on all the time - like, for years on end. Unless I go away for more than a few days in which case I do switch it off and unplug - but that's more to do with lightning protection than anything else. If you think about it people leave freezers and fridges on for years and I'd certainly put a lot more trust in the reliability and safety of a Naim than I do in some cheap Chinese-built refrigerator! |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 2418 Registered: May-05 | Sorry Thorsten, I didn't see your post in the intergated amps section. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2680 Registered: Sep-04 | Thorsten Sorry I didn't answer your previous question on leaving it switched on. Naim components are made to be left on all the time - that's why the power switch is on the back. Naim components are all run in class B which means there is only a very small quiescent trickle of power going through them when there is no signal, usually just enough to keep them warmed up to operating temperature. To quote the Naim manual: Naim equipment takes a considerable time to run in before it performs at its best. The duration varies, but under some conditions the sound may continue to improve for over a month. Better and more consistent performance will be achieved if the system is left switched on for long periods. It is worth remembering however that equipment left connected to the mains can be damaged by lightning. Idle current usage of a CD5i when not playing a CD is very low (something like 10w). Life of the product remains typically 10 years before a service is recommended. There are some who would say that switching on and off the product is actually harder work on those components because of the process they go through, rather than the steady-state situation of leaving it on. Regards, Frank. |
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