Second system advice - Linn Ninkas

I was looking for some advice from you knowledgeable people on a problem I'm facing with my second system.....at the minute I have these components:

Linn Ninkas
Nad 314 Amp
Panasonic Viera Plasma TX-P46G20B
Linn K400 speaker cable (bi wired)

I'm streaming from Spotify through the TV, and also using the set up as improved sound for the TV itself.
Over the last year, both of the speakers have been cutting out at various points....sometimes the sound goes really low in one speaker, sometimes it drops in and out, and sometimes it stops completely. Both speakers are doing the same thing (at different times). I'm presuming it is a problem with the amplifier inputs? I've had the NAD for something like 15 years, and it may be time for a change.....but I know the Ninkas are 4 ohms?

Does anyone have any advice on which amps I should consider? Or what the problem may be with the speakers (any other Ninka owners here experience the same thing?). I'll be buying second hand.

 

Sorry, I can't claim to be knowledgeable on your issue, but I have used a pair of Ninkas in my second system for many years.

If it's any help to you, I successfully drive them with a Marantz SR6009 AV Reciever. I bi-amp the speakers with four of the power channels of the SR6009. This works pretty well in the context of surround, but don't I listen to it much in stereo only.

I previously used a Meridian 557 Power Amp (biwired) with a Linn AV controller. The move to the Marantz was a downgrade in sound quality terms - I wanted HDMI.

As I say I'm no authority, but I suspect you'd benefit from something with more powerful as the NAD is rated much lower than the Marantz and Meridian.

Are you using analogue from the TV? If your TV has optical or HDMI, an AV receiver might improve sound quality considerably.

Good luck.

 

Have the Ninkas ever worked correctly via the NAD? NADs generally are pretty good with lower impedance speakers I've only heard them via Linn amps and certainly a single LK140 drove them easily and on the end of several different Linn power amps I've never heard them cut out and they've always given a very good sound.

You have the link on the Ninkas set to Bi-wire passive?

 

Thanks both - some answers:

- Yes, the Ninkas have worked OK in the past....I'm mostly running them at lower volumes these days, which I would have thought the NAD would be able to handle that. The slight problem I have is that the problem is so erratic...sometimes I can get 20mins with no problem, sometimes it happens straight away. Makes it hard for me to isolate the problem! Would seeing if the problem occurred with headphones help me with that?

- Yes, the link is set to Bi-wire passive on the back of the speakers.

- I'll have to check the output on the TV - I'm guessing analogue, as it comes before any HDMI ARC tech.

- Thanks for the suggestions on amps - it sounds like the suggestion is for a power amp separate? Are there any integrated amps that could do the job here? @Newton John - thanks for the heads up on the SR 6009. I don't have surround sound, just a stereo upgrade for the TV.

I have a Bryston B60 in another room, maybe I will bring that in and see if I experience the same problems. Bit of a pain to move everything about!

 

Quick update - I got up today and ran the Linn/Nad combo and almost straight away there was the problem I have described with the sound cutting out intermittently in both speakers. So I moved the Nad into my other room and hooked it up to my Harbeth Compact 7s.....just using an Amazon Echo to stream from Spotify (I couldn't be bothered to unplug everything from the Bryston amp, the Echo was so easy to hook up....)......and it seems like everything is running just fine. Maybe the problem isn't the Nad!! I'm going to leave it playing for the day and maybe tomorrow just to be sure.

So if it isn't the Nad itself, the problem must be one of these:

1. The interconnect running from the TV to the NAD. Would it be possible that that would cause the speakers to cut out? Seems unlikely, but possible? I can figure that out by either switching the cable or just running a different input (maybe the Amazon Echo again).
2. The speaker cable - when this started, I thought it might be the cable, but figured it would be unlikely that both would have a problem at the same time, with the same symptoms! I still think that is unlikely!
3. The Ninkas themselves.....again, it seems incredibly unlikely both of them would have the same fault at the same time - not impossible but unlikely.
4. Something about the relationship between the NAD and the Ninkas.....I know they need a fair chunk of power at 4 ohms, but I would have thought the NAD would be OK at regular volumes? Wouldn't it just overheat or something? Does the sounds cut out? It does seem kind of weird that the Harbeths aren't cutting out.

After that I am completely lost! But I think I can eliminate the first 2 points above (although I don't have any spare speaker wire!) - so on we go!

 

The K400 is basically two pairs of 56 strand cable, individually and then all four cables insulated (I use and sold K400) - you could check that the pairs haven't got crossed, causing a problem to your amp.

 

Thanks - I'll add it to the list of things to check. I might see if someone can lend me some alternate speaker cable to see if that fixes things - if so, I know the K400 needs some attention.

 

There’s another thread on using AV receivers for stereo that might be of interest.