Second Hand XPS-2

Hi Rik, 

I had a similar age XPS2 (non DR) on home demo for about 6 weeks.

When I hooked it up I didn't have a night and day moment, but thought it might be a warm up / bedding in issue. When I disconnected and went back to my bare 272 (with 250DR), I did not get a terribly discernible difference - certainly not enough to justify even a low used price.

I did consider purchasing the XPS non DR with a view to upgrading to DR at a later date and effectively spread the cost, but I don't want to take the chance incase I'm not that enamoured with what the XPS DR does for me.

I decided to wait and demo a XPS DR when I'm in a position to.

I know a few of the guys here have the XPS DR and are very happy with what it does for the 272/250DR.

Prior to this system I was running a CDX 2 - I tried an XPS (in the days prior to DR), and again it didn't do much for me. I then tried a 555PS and that took the disc spinner into a whole new world.

I'd love to try a 555 on the 272 but fear it could prove very costly - and currently completely out of the realms of approval from the domestic CFO!

Dicky

I have a 2005 XPS2. As is was 'cosmetically challenged', it was at a bargain price. No brainer to power my CDX2, IMHO. Even my non HiFi partner can spot the difference.  Cannot comment, re 272 though...

IanM

I've listened to the 272/250DR a couple of times at my dealers, with and without XPS DR. Without the XPS, it sounded OK, but I really thought the XPS was needed to allow this system to shine. I eventually decided in a different setup altogether, but if I were to choose a 272/250, I would most definitely want an XPS with it.

I have had three XPS.2 in the last ten years, always powering a CDX2 (I've had three CDX2s too). The last one I bought for a very good price due to age (200***) and some minor top surface signs (courtesy of a smart owner who kept an iron-footed piece of equipment directly on it). Having then spent a larger sum for DR-ing it, I now find myself with a completely new XPS-DR at less than half its current Italian retail. It is important to keep in mind that depending on the unit's age, a complete recapping is also done, along with the DR-ing. Mine had everything safe the transformer and the rectifier diode substituted, including all cabling and the burndy socket.

So my advice is to buy an older one, and have it redone. An XPS DR is a remarkable piece of kit, and it can be used with eight different units or so..

Thx for all advice. 

Massimo Bertola posted:

I have had three XPS.2 in the last ten years, always powering a CDX2 (I've had three CDX2s too). The last one I bought for a very good price due to age (200***) and some minor top surface signs (courtesy of a smart owner who kept an iron-footed piece of equipment directly on it). Having then spent a larger sum for DR-ing it, I now find myself with a completely new XPS-DR at less than half its current Italian retail. It is important to keep in mind that depending on the unit's age, a complete recapping is also done, along with the DR-ing. Mine had everything safe the transformer and the rectifier diode substituted, including all cabling and the burndy socket.

So my advice is to buy an older one, and have it redone. An XPS DR is a remarkable piece of kit, and it can be used with eight different units or so..

Hi, Thx for the advice. What were the costs for the recapping and DR' ing the unit?

I bought an older one with Burndy for a very reasonable sum to use with my NDAC - No regrets whatsoever.

G

RikkieB posted:

Thx for all advice. 

Massimo Bertola posted:

I have had three XPS.2 in the last ten years, always powering a CDX2 (I've had three CDX2s too). The last one I bought for a very good price due to age (200***) and some minor top surface signs (courtesy of a smart owner who kept an iron-footed piece of equipment directly on it). Having then spent a larger sum for DR-ing it, I now find myself with a completely new XPS-DR at less than half its current Italian retail. It is important to keep in mind that depending on the unit's age, a complete recapping is also done, along with the DR-ing. Mine had everything safe the transformer and the rectifier diode substituted, including all cabling and the burndy socket.

So my advice is to buy an older one, and have it redone. An XPS DR is a remarkable piece of kit, and it can be used with eight different units or so..

Hi, Thx for the advice. What were the costs for the recapping and DR' ing the unit?

To just ReCap an XPS, Class A currently quote £189, on their site.  Am sure they could tell you how much to DR as well.

IanM

I think the addition of DR tech has to be done at naim. Someone will confirm...

C.

I have a 9-10 year old XPS2 on my CDS3 which sounds fine. I recently tried an XPS2DR in its place and felt it was different rather than better. Then again i'm one of those people who thinks the 555ps is less enjoyable on the player than the XPS2, having owned both.

With regards to age, I don't think the caps get so stressed on the XPS2 powering a CD player and so probably don't require quite the same service schedule as a power amp.

Christopher_M posted:

I think the addition of DR tech has to be done at naim. Someone will confirm...

C.

Yes, AFAIK it's factory only.

XPS -2's can be a bugger for blowing fuses on power up. That has been my experience and frustration and a subject that has been much discussed on this forum, so if a 555PS interests you listen to both and if you like and can afford the 555 you can save yourself the fuse frustration 

Ken

Richard Dane posted:

Christopher_M posted:

I think the addition of DR tech has to be done at naim. Someone will confirm...

C.

Yes, AFAIK it's factory only.

I've heard of the DR upgrade being done by the Italian distributor. Maybe in the uk it's factory only. 

Southweststokie posted:

XPS -2's can be a bugger for blowing fuses on power up. That has been my experience and frustration and a subject that has been much discussed on this forum, so if a 555PS interests you listen to both and if you like and can afford the 555 you can save yourself the fuse frustration 

Ken

I've owned two XPS2 and now an XPS DR and none has ever blown a fuse. Perhaps it depends on one's mains arrangements. 

My XPS2 has never blown a fuse, but my 555ps did several times, both on the same wall socket.

Had a Supercap2 and an XPS2  'converted' to DR spec by the Swiss Distributor a  year or so ago....

Also, to date, no fuse issues....pre or post DR..

enjoy

Hungryhalibut posted:

Southweststokie posted:

XPS -2's can be a bugger for blowing fuses on power up. That has been my experience and frustration and a subject that has been much discussed on this forum, so if a 555PS interests you listen to both and if you like and can afford the 555 you can save yourself the fuse frustration 

Ken

I've owned two XPS2 and now an XPS DR and none has ever blown a fuse. Perhaps it depends on one's mains arrangements. 

2 x 10mm (Squared) radials from the consumer unit into 2 x MK double sockets and power lines. Based in Somerset so grid voltage and frequency should be as stable as anywhere else in the UK. I find I cannot power the XPS-2 up more than 4 or 5 times on a new, Naim supplied, fuse before it pops on power up and has to be replaced!  The subject has been beaten to death on this forum  many times in the past (Cue Mike-B).

If it was a mains issue how come it never pops the fuse when a brand new fuse is fitted? it only happens when it has been powered down and back up again with an existing fuse installed? Just a thought.

Ken

No idea whatsoever.... but my XPS2 has never blown a fuse in ten years and it has probably been powered down 40-50 times in this period.

My XPS-2 has blown a couple of fuses - both when I haven't fully engaged the on/off button properly when turning it back on. I am now very careful when I do it 

Gary,

Some members have made similar comments to your experience in the past and others have concurred with my experience but no one can say why and nor will Naim comment.

Ken

Ken, i appreciate that. My reply was really aimed at the assumption that the 555PS is somehow immune to this, and i wanted to point out that it is not. My experience has been that when i had the 555PS i managed to blow the fuse at least three times, but never once on the XPS2.

Chris Dolan posted:

My XPS-2 has blown a couple of fuses - both when I haven't fully engaged the on/off button properly when turning it back on. I am now very careful when I do it 

Chris,

I am aware of that issue and am always very careful on power up but it still happens and I will say again it NEVER happens with a brand new fuse? I believe that the fuse runs right on the operating limit on power up and the heat up / cool down that the fuse experiences age hardens the fuse material so after several cycles the material becomes too brittle to tolerate the next heat up (where it very rapidly expands) and fails. Perhaps there are a few fuses out of the production batches that are tougher?

Just my thoughts.

gary yeowell posted:

Ken, i appreciate that. My reply was really aimed at the assumption that the 555PS is somehow immune to this, and i wanted to point out that it is not. My experience has been that when i had the 555PS i managed to blow the fuse at least three times, but never once on the XPS2.

Gary,

That's interesting as I had given thought to changing to a 555PS on the understanding that if I liked what it did to my CDS3 and I could justify the cost I would go that way if only to eliminate the pesky fuse business.

Ken

Southweststokie posted:

Based in Somerset

Same here. My XPS2 used to eat fuses (perfectly normal I was frequently assured) but none of my three 555PS (two presently owned) have eaten so much as one.

Certainly a coincidence though.

Ken, i think it is all down to different samples of psu and different fuses (or a combination of both). I don't have the answer, but for sure there is no hard and fast rule that one is better than the other in terms of fuse blowing reliability.

Harry posted:

Southweststokie posted:

Based in Somerset

Same here. My XPS2 used to eat fuses (perfectly normal I was frequently assured) but none of my three 555PS (two presently owned) have eaten so much as one.

Certainly a coincidence though.

Harry,

Perhaps it's all that nuclear generated electricity from Hinkley Point thats the source of the problem 

Ken