Like to get an impression on this combo from someone who has it in their home...
Marc

Marc

Simonj seems very pleased with his set. Have a look at his thread down the page.

Nigel

quote:

Originally posted by hungryhalibut:
Marc

Simonj seems very pleased with his set. Have a look at his thread down the page.

Nigel

Nigel-
Thanks. Very helpfull
Marc

Lots of threads on the n-Vi in the Home Theatre room....

I recently took home an n-SUB to use in a 2.1 system with a pair of n-SATs and an n-Vi that had been added to my active DBL setup at home (I'm soon to be moving house, and removed my pair to the confines of our office) for surround purposes (replacing a DVD5/AV2/NAP150 combo that sounded very good as well).

The n-SUB is crossed over at 250 Hz (maximum cutoff setting) but is set lower in level (about 55) with signal inversion switched on–the unit is positioned on the left wall, about 1/3 of the way from the front (octagonal bay opening with n-SATs positioned 3' out / 4' aside).

The setup is quite different than the previous fronts (!), but the n-SATs / n-SUB integrate nicely for music–a bit of trial and error is required to get the balance just right–in a way that reminds me that I should have examined this option a while ago!

Dave-
Thanks..
Just seems to be the best bet and value to go this route..
Marc
I do need to hear /see this combo some how.

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Newman:
Like to get an impression on this combo from someone who has it in their home...
Marc

We do - or, I have often demonstrated and used the full Naim "N" system.
In our large dem room at the factory - the N-Vi more than filled the room - the N-Sub is a particular marvel. For an example - the final tank attack in "Saving Private Ryan" gains enormously from LFE - I don't have the N-Sub at home and was re-watching the film this weekend. The experience without sub is less visceral.

At least I now have a centre speaker ... THAT took me too long.

Yes I am quick – queries on N-Vi probably belong here.

If you use the n-Vi in a 2.1 setting, do the channels have more power than they would in a full surround setting? Or are the other two channels idle or what?

No more power on 2 ch. and with the N-Vi's power supply, i am not sure the 2 chanel will have more ''juice'' available.
In clear: i don't think the L+R will sound better if the center and surround are not used.

quote:

Originally posted by David Dever:
The n-SUB is crossed over at 250 Hz (maximum cutoff setting) but is set lower in level (about 55) with signal inversion switched on–the unit is positioned on the left wall, about 1/3 of the way from the front (octagonal bay opening with n-SATs positioned 3' out / 4' aside).

David,

Do I copy that you have the crossover on the sub set to 250 Hz? It seems a bit high, is this a typical setting with the n-Sats or is this because you have the speakers and sub so far from the walls? I would think a more typical setting for the crossover would be somewhere around 60 Hz with the n-Sats. Maybe a picture would be helpful to show the setup.

Regards,
John

The LFE or ".1" channel the sub works on is 20-120Hz

In addition to this the sub is also fed the bass below 80Hz that the n-sats can't deal with.

If the x-over were set to 80 or 60 Hz then you wouldn't get the upper portion of the LFE .1 channel.

What David's doing is letting the n-Vi decide what the sub is fed, and allowing the sub to deal with the full range of what the n-Vi sends it.

Admittedly 250Hz is higher than it'll ever get - but it's the right setting.

In a 2.1 stereo system you'd set the x-over on the sub to take over where the speakers fall off - this would be necessary as there'd be no processor to act like the n-Vi is doing.

– Room width is approx. 12' with 3' x 2' windows 30" off floor in octagonal bays, approx 17' deep including octagonal bay

– Bass mix is set to "on": sub receives LFE channel (n-Vi @ 80 Hz fixed frequency) + summed LR signal (crossover point at n-SUB is 250 Hz, 6 dB / oct. slope)

I have the n-Vi + n-system setup and I just love it. I went from a much bigger Naim setup to the n-Vi amd I am constantly amazed at what this little system can do. I still smile now sometimes when I put a tune on and think these small boxes shouldn't sound that good. I think it's the n-sub that helps pull the whole system together and is basically a NAP250 (or half) in there. The default setting of 250hz works perfectly with an n-Vi or AV2 as it lets the AV amp work out what to send the sub. I'm not sure how good an n-Vi + n-Sat setup would work with another make sub, I imagine you'd take the sparkle out of it and loose quite a bit of that gel.

Thanks David and SimonJ,

Things are a bit more clear to me. Can the n-Vi process an analogue signal like from a turntable the same way?

No is the answer.
An n-Vi has no analogue to digital conversion circuitry to pass such signals through the processing circuitry.

Hence analogue stereo signals are only fed (unmodified bar the volume control) to the left and right front speakerrs, just as a NAIT5i would do were it between the same source and speakers.

It can apply processing to digital inputs though, and has 3 digital inputs and 3 analogue available.

Thanks much for the explanation.

quote:

Originally posted by John G.:
Thanks David and SimonJ,

Things are a bit more clear to me. Can the n-Vi process an analogue signal like from a turntable the same way?

The n-Vi can play any analogue signal, with phono you may obviously need a phono preamp. I use an iPod through my n-Vi. It cannot convert the analogue signal to digital and then feed part of the signal to the sub, but it can feed the main front speakers with stereo no problem. To feed the sub for both AV and music you will need to wire the sub from the n-Vi twice, one with a normal single phono for AV and a two with a special Naim made SNAIC type lead fed from the n-Vi's front preout for bass with analogue music. I do not have this lead so my occasional iPod listening lacks a little, well a lot of, bass!!

Hi SimonJ,

You can plug your iPod into a 'flying cow' (external DAC) then into one of the digital inputs on the n-Vi.
You then have digital processing of your iPod's analogue signal and your bass back.

Or if you have a PC with iTunes on you can take the PC's SPDIF into the n-Vi.

This will also work for phono stages.