Ideas on what next - I.e. help me spend my money...

Ignoring speakers The path I took from 202/200 with a non Naim source was in this order:

Napsc

Hicap (original and later DR)

Bare NDX

282

250DR

I have so far resisted an XPS for the NDX which despite being a 'weak link' has allowed all the improvement s to be heard. The change from 200 to 250 DR was probably the most significant.

If I was doing it again I would seriously look at a 272/XPS DR, otherwise the path I would take would be the same.

Keep the QNAP and use the money on the rest of the system.

Richard

Assuming the 202 and 200DR are staying, just get an NDX and live with it. Later you could add an XPS if you want. Certainly forget the UnitiServe, because you'll need a NAS for backup anyway. Easy. 

trickydickie posted:

Ignoring speakers The path I took from 202/200 with a non Naim source was in this order:

Napsc

Hicap (original and later DR)

Bare NDX

282

250DR

I have so far resisted an XPS for the NDX which despite being a 'weak link' has allowed all the improvement s to be heard. The change from 200 to 250 DR was probably the most significant.

If I was doing it again I would seriously look at a 272/XPS DR, otherwise the path I would take would be the same.

Keep the QNAP and use the money on the rest of the system.

Richard

This is exactly the path I took except I had a 250.2 and then 250DR. I would thoroughly recommend this to the OP but would also consider (re)aiming for the 272/250DR which weren't available when I was upgrading from 202/200.

Then SL up yer system.

Love spending other people's money.

Like HH wrote.

You could alos add a nDAC at some stage. NDX + nDAC + XPS makes for a very fine streamer indeed.

I think there's a danger that you can get ahead of yourself by planning your upgrades one after another. It helps to have a clear idea of where you're heading in the long term, with regard to box count as well as financial investment. Some would recommend swapping your 202 for a 272, but it really needs an XPS to deliver - and if you've bought a Hicap and NAPSC in the meantime, that will be wasted money. Personally, I would stick with the 202 though, and add an NDX. Live with that for a while, then maybe consider adding a DAC and/or PSU to it.

If you're thinking about Fraim Lite, or other quality racking, just do it. It will make your current and future setup shine, so it's always a good long term investment, and I think it's easier to make the right upgrade decisions when you know exactly what your system is capable of when setup is optimised.

If you get a Unitiserve, you will not need to re-rip your CDs, just transfer your existing rips to its hard drive or set it to see your existing NAS as a music share. However, I would (as a Unitiserve owner) question the financial sense in buying one if you are already set up to rip to a NAS.

Thanks for the responses and opinions. All helpful. I think it will be an audition of an NDX and then see what else can be squeezed from the current budget as the next step - power supply, nDAC or system rack. 

For me, an ND5XS plus XPS-XS doesn't make sense if I can start with the NDX and go from there.

It was so much easier when Curries sold Aiwa all-in-one "hi fi" 

ChrisSU posted:

I think there's a danger that you can get ahead of yourself by planning your upgrades one after another. It helps to have a clear idea of where you're heading in the long term, 

In the modern IT world this kind of development (system upgrading) is called "Agile" and earns you gold stars.

In my schooldays, it was termed the "Hunt & Poke" method, and earned you a wallop with a yardstick.

A long term plan is a wonderful thing to have, especially when you realise that the best plans are never set in concrete, and are easily changed.

The plans made by SWMBO, on the other hand, are a whole different ballgame...

Buy more music. Listen more music. Enjoy. Lets talk in one more year about ugrades.

It depends on how budget conscious you are. Mac Mini running Audirvana into Hugo Dac via a USB/SPDIF isolator/convertor is beats the ND5XS + XP5XS at far less cost, and others have said beats NDX. Setup is slightly more involved than the Naim streamer, but far from difficult and the result worthwhile.

Ditch the Squeeze box Touch.  It was the weak link in my system.  If you can afford a NDX do it.  I enjoyed the Qute as a source over the SBT/Rega DAC combo (which I still own and use in 2nd system,

NDX. No question about it. You are screaming out for one. Then SuperLumina. Then listen.

rjstaines posted:

In the modern IT world this kind of development (system upgrading) is called "Agile" and earns you gold stars.

In my schooldays, it was termed the "Hunt & Poke" method, and earned you a wallop with a yardstick.

I call it Fragile more than Agile. Systems are constantly upgraded and never left to settle down. Constant bug chase because of not enough time to do adequate testing.

My choice would be a bare NDX and some more music.

Bananahead posted:

 My choice would be a bare NDX and some more music.

I totally agree. 

Unless you have *heard* a system that you aspire to own, I really would not bother with an upgrade plan... You might end up being caught in a mindless upgrade path where the system is not necessarily connecting with you musically or emotionally... Fine if it's all about lifestyle and status .. But I suspect it's not the case here.

So get your NDX, and re familiarise yourself with your music and appreciate new music.. After a year you will have a good reference to base and compare any potential performance upgrades to as you will know what you like and what sounds important to you with your system.

Simon

Reading the OP's most recent post, in which a 'decent rack' is mentioned, that is the one extra thing I'd do now if the budget allows. Look at Fraim, Isoblue, Hutter or Quadraspire SVT, all of which would suit the system really well. With any of these racks, an NDX, 202, napsc, Hicap, 200 system will be lovely. It may turn out to be all that's required, so I'd forget further upgrades for now. Actually, there is one other thing I'd get: dedicated mains. For the few hundred £s it will cost, it will give a firm foundation to the system and ensure that you get the best from it. 

I'm not qualified to advise on streaming sources but as good as the Rega DAC is I would suggest that either an nDAC/XPS or NDX/XPS would be a real step up.   After that get a 282 as a soon as possible. 

+1 x 100% on wot Simon Sez  ..............  one step at a time,  NDX & then take your time to get to know each other.  I would not be in a rush to add an XPS to an NDX,  yes it improves it,  but in sound for pound (bang for buck)  the better path is a DAC upgrade & I would choose the Chord DAC options over the Naim route - Naim DAC is a bit behind in SQ these days & needs a XPS to get the best out of it,  & thats 2 big boxes compared to a one small & better SQ Chord.

<ahem> what software did you use to rip your music? Source first, and all that...

Frank.

rjstaines posted:

ChrisSU posted:

I think there's a danger that you can get ahead of yourself by planning your upgrades one after another. It helps to have a clear idea of where you're heading in the long term, 

In the modern IT world this kind of development (system upgrading) is called "Agile" and earns you gold stars.

In my schooldays, it was termed the "Hunt & Poke" method, and earned you a wallop with a yardstick.

A long term plan is a wonderful thing to have, especially when you realise that the best plans are never set in concrete, and are easily changed.

The plans made by SWMBO, on the other hand, are a whole different ballgame...

My work life is currently exhibit A of "Agile" hell.  He'd have to have a s**tload of meetings (oh, excuse me, "ceremonies") every 2 weeks to discuss the upgrades, as opposed to actually performing tasks (underneath "user stories") to get them done. There's the backlog grooming, the planning meetings, the retrospective, and daily scrums...and I am probably missing some others.

"Some would recommend swapping your 202 for a 272, but it really needs an XPS to deliver "

So without an XPS, the 272 is an inadequate $6,000 underachiever? And wouldn't be an improvement over his 202? (Even if he adds the HC-DR?)

I'm pretty sure that is not what you mean, but the idea that you could spend that much on a streamer/pre-amp, and feel that it does not
"deliver" without a $6,600 power supply is a bit preposterous...and the kind of statement made here quite (too) often.

I have no doubt the XPS is a VERY worthy upgrade, but to infer that a system that doesn't have one is a system that is just not really worthwhile (which is what "not delivering" strongly implies, if not explicitly stating such) is well, simply sonically speaking, off base.

If that is true then Naim needs to sell it like the 552, which cannot be run without a PS.

HDX is missing from the list of possibilities. This product is still young  in Naim years yet seems to have been consigned to history long long time ago in a place far far away.

DrMark posted:

"Some would recommend swapping your 202 for a 272, but it really needs an XPS to deliver "

So without an XPS, the 272 is an inadequate $6,000 underachiever? And wouldn't be an improvement over his 202? (Even if he adds the HC-DR?)

I'm pretty sure that is not what you mean, but the idea that you could spend that much on a streamer/pre-amp, and feel that it does not
"deliver" without a $6,600 power supply is a bit preposterous...and the kind of statement made here quite (too) often.

I have no doubt the XPS is a VERY worthy upgrade, but to infer that a system that doesn't have one is a system that is just not really worthwhile (which is what "not delivering" strongly implies, if not explicitly stating such) is well, simply sonically speaking, off base.

If that is true then Naim needs to sell it like the 552, which cannot be run without a PS.

In the context of the OPs system, and the direction he wants to take it, yes, I think a bare 272 would be unlikely to provide the improvement he is looking for. That is certainly not to say that it's a poor product at its price, and of course it adds a streaming source while keeping the box count low. So I think it is a very "worthwhile" product for some, but if I had the OPs system, I'd keep the 202 and add an NDX.   

In my experience, having actually owned a 202 and 272, albeit not concurrently, I'm confident that the 272's preamp is better than a 202, and that is without any additional power supplies. The reason I suggested an NDX is because the OP, after much thought, has bought a 202/200 and has ordered a napsc and Hicap. So to suggest ditching these for a 272 would be insensitive in the extreme. If I owned the OP's amp it would be an NDX that I'd buy. 

As a 272 owner, even I am become bored with everyone suggesting it whether it's appropriate or not. It's this year's bloody Hugo.

As mentioned in some of the reposes, the system is now based on 202/200. Should I have got a 272...? Maybe...but that's now hindsight. Box count (within reason) is not a primary concern (and to be honest part of me says if I'm spending this amount of money on a system the last thing I want is it all be in one box...!  Want to look and see where the cash has gone to...lol)

"Source first" is the prevailing advice, which validates what I had in mind - it helps to see I am moving along the right lines. Just need the time to sort out a demo...and go and pick up my NAPSC