NAC272 vs NAC282 for LP12?

Very keen to hear comments, too! Say, comparing a 282 with HiCap DR with a 272 with XP5XS? (this seems to be a fairer comparison than 282/HiCapDR vs. 272 with built-in PSU).

I very much appreciate the lower input sensitivity on my 272, as well as the input trim and max. volume options and would not go back to a 282 personally. But the prestige of the 282 is better (after all, it's a dedicated preamp and nothing else), and my hunch is that naim will modernise its preamp range next year.

Stefan

I would advise you to ditch/forget about the Lp12, buy a Chord DAC and get the 282.

That is what I did anyway 

Use the LP12 money if you can for a 252/SCDR

If you consider that a 282 costs more than a 272, and doesn't include a streamer or a power supply, you'd expect the 282 to sound a lot better. But as to whether it actually does: you need to try them out and see if the extra cost for less functionality is worth it to you. 

Thanks.  I forgot to mention that there aren't any decent local dealers.  So anything I can glean from the forum is extremely helpful.

I have heard the 282 a while ago, and own the 272, so I'm more familiar with the latter. If I was unable to compare directly, I'd buy the 272 if I wanted streaming, but if I only wanted to play music from analogue sources I'd very likely pick up a used 282 for less than the price of a new 272.

But then again, the 272 includes internet radio, and for £300 you can add its excellent FM module. The 272 is certainly far better VFM if you compare new prices of the two units. 

Yes there is a very interesting VFM issue here - the 272 is huge value for money, but the brand new price of 282 is not anymore.

I would add that I already had a HCDR and a Chord Hugo which is why I went down the 282 route, but if I did not have a HCDR and the Hugo, then maybe I would have gone for a NAC 272.

the 282 has a huge soundstage and is more musical (due to better control over the music) compared to the preamps like 202 and below, but I would like to compare the 272 myself.

Some people have done the comparison like Rob T and bought the 272, and some have bought the 282 (I think it is jude2012)

Phil Hariss of Naim himself says he would accept the fall in sound quality from his big rig (I think 252/SC/NDAC) to enjoy the one box solution of 272.

I think some mixed reports on the 272 are due to burn in issues, all Naim preamps do take some time - Months to come "on song" from brand new.

Anyway - I am happy with my decision, but sometimes I do wonder how the 272 sounds.

However maybe when I get to the 252/SCDR level then all these thoughts are not required anymore. 

One thing I have discovered with Naim, is that boxes that combine functionality offer convienience, but at the expense of cross modulation and noise. For example the NDS goes to huge effort internally to screen and decouple the digital from the analogue componentry.. even to the extent of having completely diverse and seperate external PSUs as an option.

The 272 and 172 offer true convienience but are going to offer more noise and cross modulation than a seperate streamerdac and preamp..whether this noise becomes an issue  to you is entirely subjective and will vary from person to person. Ultimately for higher decoupling and ultimately less cross modulation noise we have the seperate sources, preamps and amps.

The issue of noise and cross modulation is interesting and is quite topical. The recent DAC firmwares and the in development new streamer firmware are an example of this and in part have reduced electrical processing noise by optimising the code.. and we have heard how well this has improved the NDAC for example.

Simon

On the other hand, you eliminate the interconnect between the streamer and preamp.... 

that is the big advantage of NAC 272, which also preserves the star earth scheme if using the streamer

I found that going from RCA-RCA to RCA-DIN on Hugo into 282 gave good musical improvements.

If using an NDS then one would tend to use a hi-line interconnect as a minimum which drives up cost even more.

I find the 282 really very good, and as one forum member once said, both the 282 and 252 could be end-game pre-amps for serious audiophiles. I agree with this statement.

I think naim do say the 272 can be used with 300DR, so I guess they also  think the 272 is in that league.

Cannot offer a direct comparison as I have not heard the 282 but I was amazed how good a Majik LP12 sounded through the 272. To my ears better than the built in streamer. I have ordered a Majik with Radikal PS and a Kore SC I was so impressed.

Never heard vinyl through a 272 but have compared 272/XPS2/250DR against NDX/XPS2/282/HC/250 and the latter is fuller, richer, deeper bass, better defined treble, greater resolution - and so it should be given the increase in cost.  An interesting comparison would be NDX/XPS2/Supernait 2 vs 272/xps2.

But it's all good - just a question of what your own priorities are.

can you please clarify the second rig had a 250 olive, or 250 DR?

250DR ? no such thing?

Well, I've got one. 

analogmusic posted:

 

can you please clarify the second rig had a 250 olive, or 250 DR?

All at the same dem - both were 250DR.