Upgrade to 52 from 82 with 2 Hicaps ?
Posted by: Arye_Gur on 05 February 2010
My system is LP12/Lvitok/Asak, CDX, 82 with 2 Hicaps, 250, SBls.
I upgraded the volume pot of the 82 to the 8 one and this move
brought a significant improvement to the sound.
Now Naim's dealer suggests to upgrade to a 52. he will take the 82 with the 2 Hicaps and I'll add 3,500$. The pot of the 52 is older than the one in the 82 which means that this is an old 52. To upgrade the pot I'll have to pay more (about 250$). The Supercap was recapped several months ago.
It seems to me a lot of money for this move.
What do you think?
Arye
Posted on: 09 February 2010 by Gary S.
Guys
Just for clarrification, I have no problem with the fact that others clearly have different preferences to me or to any form of health debate on this subject, I am even happy to be affectionaly refered to as "cloth eared", it's just being refered to as "small but shouty minority" that I object to.
Posted on: 09 February 2010 by GraemeH
quote:
Originally posted by Gary S.:
it's just being refered to as "small but shouty minority" that I object to.
.....indeed. Is there such a thing as a large minority or a small majority in this context?
Posted on: 09 February 2010 by JRHardee
Arye--
If you can get the 52/SC for a home demo, do it, by all means.
FWIW, I never had 2xHC on my 82. Replacing one HC with a SC gave me a much bigger 82. Replacing 82/SC with 52/SC gave me a much better preamp. I'm puzzled by the people who prefer the 82, but each to his own.
It costs a bundle to recap a SC, so if this one has been done, that's a good thing.
Posted on: 09 February 2010 by JRHardee
My mistake. I thought it was horrendous money for some reason.
That's a relief, since mine is coming due.
Posted on: 09 February 2010 by Arye_Gur
quote:
JRHardee says: Arye--
If you can get the 52/SC for a home demo, do it, by all means.
I was going to do so, but when I told my wife that I'm going (maybe) to spend 3,500$ on upgrade, she wanted to hospitalize me in an emergency room. I had too many wives, had never have 52/sc, so the 52 will wait...
Arye
Posted on: 22 February 2010 by bob atherton
[QUOTE]Originally posted by shoot6x7:
As a 72/HI/250 owner, I've read many pre-amp upgrade threads and my conclusion is that the 82 is best run with one HICAP and that you'll love it or hate it compared to the 72.
Which makes me wonder, would a 72 fan love the 52, but not the 82. And would an 82 fan not like a 52 and the 72 ?
QUOTE]
I too use a 72 and want to get a better pre one day. I guess it's between the 82 and 52 for me as well. I'd love to know if the people who prefer the 82 were once 72 owners or other pre's.
With just one exception I've always found the 52 to be the logical upgrade from a 72, haven't really heard many 82's.
Posted on: 22 February 2010 by Ron Toolsie
Years ago, I did the 82/SC to the 52/SC upgrade. From the very first few notes, I knew that the 52 was in an entirely different and superior class to the 82, even when the 82 was fully warm and run in, and the 52 was right out of the box. I found the 82 to be dull, compressed and uninspiring next to the 52.
Power amps at the time were a pair of the now-legendary Exposure XVI monoblocks. Speakers were either the Artemis Eos or the Sonus Faber Extremas.
A friend of mine also had an 82. And for a year, I used to bring round my 52 to swap into his system. The improvements gained were far larger than swapping his CDX/XPS for my CDS2. This was using a pair of active Linn Tukans ran by 2x250. Also we much preferred the 52/2x250 into Tukans to the 82/4x135s (yes we tried that too). He ended up buying a 52 as well.
I cannot imagine anybody preferring an 82 to a 52, assuming the latter is operating to spec.
