If you don't remember I have a NAD 314, Ultech UCD-100 and PSB 1000i
setup.

The past several days I've spent going to various Hifi shops
in NYC. I still haven't heard the Bryston B60 amp either. I went
to Harvey Electronics and they do have them in stock but don't
have any on display. Plus the only models they have in stock
are the 60R for $1795, I guess if I want just the regular without
remote they would have to special order it. They did however
have the 3BST amp with a B4? preamp not sure what preamp it was
but it was not the bp20 which I would have liked to hear. So anyway
I listened to the 3B-ST,BP-4 with a pair of KEF speakers(I think, they
weren't any of the main players I'm used to NHT,PSB,B&W,etc.)
and Adcoms newest CD player. Well to my ears the sound was too bright.
My ears were bleeding. Could this have been the Adcom cd-player? Or
perhaps the unknown speakers(I think KEF)? I also had a slight cold
that day and my left ear was kinda clogged too. I still don't want to
give up on Bryston gear but that audition wasn't very impressive. I
want to still try the Bryston gear with a different cd-player and
different speakers.

On other days when I didn't have the cold I went to these stores:
At Sound by Singer I heard the Krell300i and I thought it had plenty
of detail and got me into the music but it was slightly edgy. I heard
the Arcam 10 there too and thought it had a smooth rolling sound to it,
but thought it was over-priced at $1599.

You wouldn't believe it but at Innovative Audio I heard a Naim Nait 3,
CD3.5, Linn speaker setup and I was quite fond of the sound of this
combination. And supposedly the Naim is bright? I thought it dug up
plenty of detail and I had a great time listening to all kinds of music.
For some reason though this Naim combo seemed to be great for instrumental
music, jazz, classical, rock,etc. but once I started playing some vocal
music the vocals were just there and I thought they kinda got lost with
the surrounding instruments, but I will have to audition it again to make
sure of this. Maybe it was the Linn speakers? DAMN!! Synergising is so
damn hard to get right!! Anyway I think Naim is probably out because
even though the Nait 3 is relatively cheap ($1200) in order to get
that sound I heard in the dealers I would prob have to get the CD3.5
which is over $2k and I can't afford that right now with the Nait 3
as well. What really impressed me is that the music came ALIVE and
I felt like dancing the whole time. The problem with Naim is also that
you have to kinda get their products like interconnects and the like right?
Would the Naim Nait 3 with my Ultech and PSB speakers sound as good
if not similar?

At Park Audio I heard the Classe CAP-80 again, this time not at Lyric.
Park was using Joeseph monitors with it and I thought it sounded VERY
good on vocals, and above average on symphony music. Though I think
the setup at Lyric matched more of what I would hear in my own place
since they had the CAP-80,CDP.3 with Stratus Bronze speakers.

The Naim Nait seemed to represent each instrument better individually,
but I think the CAP-80 makes it "flow" more smoothly. Its a hard call.
I would also think the CAP-80 is more compatible with different types
of speakers than the Nait but I could be wrong.

I still like the Classe CAP-80, but I want to see what else is out there
as well. Anyone know of any Audio Analogue dealers in NYC? Or how about
any Bryston dealer that has a B-60 on display that I can hear?

Thanks.

 Re: Search continues.. Int Amps:Bryston,Classe,Naim,etc. - Chris B 07:52:00 4/02/99 (0)
 Re: Search continues.. Int Amps:Bryston,Classe,Naim,etc. - BillM 11:38:05 4/01/99 (0)
 Re: Search continues... - Stephen 08:36:32 4/01/99 (0)

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 Re: Search continues.. Int Amps:Bryston,Classe,Naim,etc. - Chris B 07:52:00 4/02/99 (0)
 Re: Search continues.. Int Amps:Bryston,Classe,Naim,etc. - BillM 11:38:05 4/01/99 (0)
 Re: Search continues... - Stephen 08:36:32 4/01/99 (0)
 Re: Search continues.. Int Amps:Bryston,Classe,Naim,etc. - omer 03:13:27 4/01/99 (0)

I must say first I'm a Naim fan.

What Linn speakers have you heard ? are these the Keilidh (floor standing, around 1300-1400 $) ? because these make the Naim sound a little bit more bassy and deep than it is with other speakers. I prefer these to Naim own speakers at the price (the Intro's). In general, Naim and Linn are quite synergetical themselves, these companies used to collaborate once.

I use only a Naim amp, and many others are like me - you simply have to get a new quite cheap interconnet or convert yours for the cd->amp.
It would also be advisable to use Naim's own cheap speaker's cable.

I've never heard it, but from what I've read the Ultech can fit nicely. Don't know your speakers. Notice that the Naim is not very strong. While it can handle the speaker, it sounds strong and in control. But if the speakers have too low an impedance, its hard-to-believe 30watts may not suffice.

When I've been to the US, I visited Stereo Exchange on Brodway, and heard a SimAudio integrated at ~1800$ (pw 5000 ?) that they were thining of start selling. I don't know if they did. That's a great integrated. It has a Naim drive, along with a somewhat richer sound, and much more power than the Nait3. If I were you, I wouldn't make a move without hearing it first. I've heard good things about the Exposures also. I would choose from these three : Naim, SimAudio, Exposure.

cheers, Omer.