Supercap or CDS3?

Hey Hawk

Listen to what you have for a while before launching into a second spending spree. The CDX2/XPS2 is a pretty good start as a front end, worth appreciating before going to a CDS3!

If you have'nt already considered it think about putting what you have on FRAIM. IMO that will do the things you want ---"tighten the bass & tidy the soundstage"---.

If you insist then I would certainly recommend the Supercap in place of the HiCap to "finish" out a balanced system.

regards
GEOFF

A supercap would improve every source, not just the CD.

An 82 needs a supercap to give its best and I suspect the 282 is no different.

Hawk.

Why not 252/Supercap?

I've demoed 282/Supercap/napsc with CDX2/XPS2 and 252. No question. It made more positive changes than I expected.
I know 'the source first' is the thing to do, but, a good active preamp can transform a good system to a great one.

I am impressed with Naim preamps most so far. One of the most musical preamps I have heard.

In my system, moving from CDX2/XPS2 to CDS3 did not necessarily 'tidy up the bass and soundstage'.

What the CDS3 brings is natural yet, bigger more imposing overall landscape and authority. The whole organisation part of music making becomes less compartmentalised. To me CDS3 does not sound like a better version of CDX2/XPS2, really.

It feels something different to me. So, if you are happy with your front end, you might be taken back by its striking differences. Especially with 282 preamp, which I thought compared to 252, it was less vivid and *might* not pass through all the subtleties of CDS3 offers.

[This message was edited by kuma on Tue 06 April 2004 at 2:17.]

Some sensible advice methinks! Thank you....

The CDX2/XPS2 is stunning, and it would seem that getting the most from that via the pre amp has got to be the sensible route. I'd like to try a supercap but i have a question... Is there a significant difference between an Olive Supercap and a Supercap 2? longer term a 282 will probably be the next victim of the upgradeitus bug.. it will probably get a nasty case of 'need a 252 to get the most out of the supercap or some other lame excuse ....itus' but unless my 6 numbers come in this could be sometime away...

Hello I have the exact same set up love to know what you do and what you hear, thanks,Ben r

Hi hawk,

Few days ago I asked some advice to Emmanuel from the forum, as I was planning to go for a CDX2-XPS/252/SC/250mk2.

His answer was that in the system i was planning to purchase, CDX2-XPS2 was the weak part, and he thought I should go for a 282. He added that a CDS3/282/HiCap was a better system in his opinion than a CDX2-XPS2/252/SC...He said that the differences between the 2 cdplayers CDX2 and CDS3, both with XPS2 were bigger than the ones between the 2 preamp, 282 and 252, both with SuperCap.
I don't know if this will help...as I haven't had a demo myself
Good luck
Edouard

I'll second Edouard's advice. Source matters. You can 'hear' the magic of the CDS3 through a Nait.

SC then 252 next.

Happy listening.

quote:

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Originally posted by J.N.:
Source matters. You can 'hear' the magic of the CDS3 through a Nait.

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Sources does matters. Whether the changes are postive or not from CDX2/XPS2 is subjective.

Hi Rod, It maybe a very strange coincidence but i met someone not a million miles away from a large Japanese Car/Bike head office in langley!?
A nice Guy, but he too had suffered from a nasty Naim upgrade bug no doubt caught from this forum!? Methinks he may have passed it onto me with talk of a CDS3 NAC252/NAP300 combo!? small flat world we live in eh!?
Good point on the electrics! you might spot an isotek minisub on ebay very soon! First things first though where can i get a grahams hydra from? Do you know of a web link as my quick search only revealed links to golden grahams cereal!? Im sure they are very tasty but i dont think they have many sonic benefits!?

Regards

Hawk...