Recap Naim NAP 250

[pault]

Can anyone recommend a good techo to recap my 25 year old Naim NAP 250 ?

I am in Brisbane, but am not allergic to posting to someone who comes well regarded.

There is nothing wrong with the amp to my cloth ears, but I am told they should be recapped every 10 years.

TIA

Paul

[metal beat]

Go to David at Caxton audio -18 Latrobe Tce Paddington .

he will get them re-capped if they need to be. he is also a Naim dealer and a gentlemen to boot.

[alittlewino]

Go to David at Caxton audio -18 Latrobe Tce Paddington .

he will get them re-capped if they need to be. he is also a Naim dealer and a gentlemen to boot.

echo that, David will call it straight for you FME.

cheers from the wino

[just2ch]

Any recommendation for a good service agent in Sydney? I have contacted the Naim distributor in Sydney (Audio Genesis) and been told it would cost $900 - $1000 to have a 250 recapped which sounds a bit expensive. It would only cost around £300-350 in the UK to have the 250 full serviced at the Naim factory.

Thanks,

J2CH

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

Any recommendation for a good service agent in Sydney? I have contacted the Naim distributor in Sydney (Audio Genesis) and been told it would cost $900 - $1000 to have a 250 recapped which sounds a bit expensive. It would only cost around £300-350 in the UK to have the 250 full serviced at the Naim factory.

Thanks,

J2CH

Any decent tech should be able to do the job for you. Even using the best caps available, the cost should be considerably less than $1k.

Edited November 21, 2010 by Zaphod Beeblebrox
Brain fart

[xtrachewy]

Any recommendation for a good service agent in Sydney? I have contacted the Naim distributor in Sydney (Audio Genesis) and been told it would cost $900 - $1000 to have a 250 recapped which sounds a bit expensive. It would only cost around £300-350 in the UK to have the 250 full serviced at the Naim factory.

Thanks,

J2CH

It would be interesting to know based on man hours why it should cost so much more than UK ??

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

It would be interesting to know based on man hours why it should cost so much more than UK ??

It depends on the approach taken by the various people involved. If, in the UK, the owner sends the amp direct to Naim (the logical thing to do), then Naim would perform the job, internally, using their own techs, at the prevailing hourly rate + materials and return it for X Pounds. If, in Australia, the amp is sent to a dealer, then the dealer would probably send the job to their tech (usually an external contractor). The amp would then be charged at a rate of X Dollars + materials X dealer markup. IOW: The dealer markup will amplify the cost somewhat. This is pretty standard practice throughout the industry. The other issue which needs to be bourne in mind is that the cost of materials (the caps) will be somewhat less expensive in the UK, because they are probably European sourced components and are not subject to a range of taxes, profit margins and shipping charges that they will be in Australia.

FWIW: My investigations reveal that Australian techs are generally paid less than European techs.

[just2ch]

Any decent tech should be able to do the job for you. Even using the best caps available, the cost should be considerably less than $1k.

Thank you ZB. The only concern is if original Naim parts are used if the amp is to be serviced by a non-authorised tech. I understand Naim uses some mediocre components in their amps but if the replacement parts could retain the Naim sound, I'd rather have the amp serviced with these parts. Besides, authorised serviced Naim stuff tend to hold their value and are much easier to resell.

It would be interesting to know based on man hours why it should cost so much more than UK ??

I'm puzzled when found out about the difference in service cost also. Looking at this wesite in the Naim section, I don't think it would take more than a couple of hours to recap a 250 when they say the unit can be serviced whilst you wait.

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

Thank you ZB. The only concern is if original Naim parts are used if the amp is to be serviced by a non-authorised tech. I understand Naim uses some mediocre components in their amps but if the replacement parts could retain the Naim sound, I'd rather have the amp serviced with these parts. Besides, authorised serviced Naim stuff tend to hold their value and are much easier to resell.

A fair concern. It should not be too difficult to obtain OEM parts, if Naim are able to supply those parts.

I'm puzzled when found out about the difference in service cost also. Looking at this wesite in the Naim section, I don't think it would take more than a couple of hours to recap a 250 when they say the unit can be serviced whilst you wait.

There is a possibility that Naim will only supply spares to 'authorised service people'. As a consequence, those people can charge whatever they want.

[pault]

I got a quote to get my amp recapped by the official naim importer in Sydney, $950.

I have no idea whether this is good value or not.

Has anyone recapped other brands of amps, and what did it cost ?

[xtrachewy]

Have you spoken to David at Caxton Audio yet ??

[pete_mac]

Has anyone recapped other brands of amps, and what did it cost ?

About $40 to recap a Sansui AU-517 with Panasonic FC, FM and ECA spec capacitors. This did not including the big power supply caps though - 4 x 12000uf caps are about $60-80 in Nichicon Gold Tune spec). Of course, this wasn't including labour costs, as it was a DIY.

Can they give a break-down of the caps that they are using (brand/model)? Does it include the power supply caps? What value are these (uf)? How much labour are they accounting for?

It's definitely worth shopping around... you don't need a NAIM specialist necessarily. Any compenent tech (or DIYer with some smarts and the right gear) can interpret the service manual and recap an amp.

[pault]

It was David from Caxton that gave be the $950 quote, as they would send my amp down to Sydney to the Naim importer.

I am in two minds, as $950 is a lot of money but if I went to sell it it would maintain its value, or I sell it as is (it sounds fine) and reinvest the proceeds + $950 into another amp ?

I really like the NAP 250 sound - not strictly accurate, poor imaging, but very involving and the music bounces along.

Does anyone have any suggestions ?

I am not trying to start a Naim lovers or haters thread, but I like what I like.

[Moondog]

A melbourne dealer and service agent has one on ebay at the moment

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/NAIM-AUDIO-NAP-250-POWER-AMPLIFIER-/260695129466?pt=AU_Electronics_Audio_Amplifiers&hash=item3cb2a3fd7a

Maybe an inquiry to them regarding the recap cost may be worthwhile

MD

[xtrachewy]

....there was an article in The Age's Green Guide on hifi servicing - perhaps try those leads?

Good luck - $950 is still high for something that wouldn't take more than an hour (?) to complete + parts.

I have some UK friends so will probably take it with me for servicing and visit Naim UK when I make a trip.

[just2ch]

If you are good with soldering or can ask someone to do it for you, you can order these parts from the UK for just over £100 + postage and you'll have fresh 250. I doubt the Naim distributor would use original Naim parts for recapping services as they outsource the service to contractors.

[xtrachewy]

http://avondaleaudio.com/diy-audio/kendeil-audio-capacitors/

[metal beat]

If you are good with soldering or can ask someone to do it for you, you can order these parts from the UK for just over £100 + postage and you'll have fresh 250. I doubt the Naim distributor would use original Naim parts for recapping services as they outsource the service to contractors.

Harry would absolutely only use 100% Naim parts for the cap upgrade or any other Naim upgrade.

[Asteroid]

I'm sure Zaphod or any other experienced tech could have those parts fitted and tested within the hour. Plus $200 or so in parts.

To spend almost a grand to have the same done is absurd.

[xtrachewy]

http://forum.moorgateacoustics.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=760

Should still be cheaper than ~$1K even with transport to/from UK.

[backindauk]

Even using the best caps (Kendeil for the PSU - as used in the original) and new Vishay AML or Roederstein caps it shouldn't cost anywhere near that.

Say, $80 for parts (maybe a little more depending on where they are sourced from and what the shipping costs) and two or three hours labour at $77 per. That certainly doesn't add up to $950.

If you send me a message, i'd be happy to provide you with a more accurate quote.

Andrew K,

Sydney, Australia

[andyr]

Even using the best caps available, the cost should be considerably less than $1k.

Hehe, ZB ... in the Naim world there ain't no such thing as "the best cap available"! You have to use what the factory specify or you lose ... that unique "Naim" sound.

Regards,

Andy

[Hugh Dean]

Kendeil is a cheaper Italian cap, in truth. Nothing fancy about them, Cerafine, Fischer Tausch, the split foil Moorecroft caps are superior. I'd be ordering and fitting Nichicon Muse from Michael Percy in Nevada City CA, much superior caps which would no doubt give better sound quality anyway. I'd be surprised if, even with FedEx shipping, the cost to Brisbane would exceed $150.

I do not agree caps should be replaced at 10 years. If they have an easy life they will probably do double that......

Hugh

[pault]

Thanks Hugh, my amp is over 20 years old, so overdue.

Your recommendation sounds great, but i still need a tech in Brisbane, as there is no way i would risk stuffing it up by DIY.

Kendeil is a cheaper Italian cap, in truth. Nothing fancy about them, Cerafine, Fischer Tausch, the split foil Moorecroft caps are superior. I'd be ordering and fitting Nichicon Muse from Michael Percy in Nevada City CA, much superior caps which would no doubt give better sound quality anyway. I'd be surprised if, even with FedEx shipping, the cost to Brisbane would exceed $150.

I do not agree caps should be replaced at 10 years. If they have an easy life they will probably do double that......

Hugh

[Guest Muon]

What about John at COEM audio in Brisbane, I know that he is very handy with an Iron.

Though I have no idea how busy he is at the moment.