NAC 202 product cycle?

Nigel, nobody outside of Naim's inner circle knows if or when the current Reference range of pre-amps will be re-vamped, replaced or just retired.  So it's impossible to say where a NAC202 might be in its product life-cycle, but what one can say is that the range has been around for 13 years now so from that you can draw whatever conclusions you like - but chances are they'll be wrong.  Naim are known for not changing things unless there's a good reason to do so - after all, the NAP250 remained fundamentally the same for almost 30 years, and the Hicap has survived over 30 years with the only major change being the recent DR upgrade.  

p.s. Yes, the NAPSC is very worthwhile.  Just do the demo.

Just get a used 202 for £800 and a used napsc for £200 and you are sorted. You'd be potty to spend £1,900 on one. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

Just get a used 202 for £800 and a used napsc for £200 and you are sorted. You'd be potty to spend £1,900 on one. 

TBH Nac 202 is not worth full retail IMO, as suggested purchase used there's lot of them - why ?

because 202 is a revamped Nac 102 which was a scaled down Nac 82, none of these my cup, hard to explain but they just didn't last very long, recently heard the new 5Si, it is much better musically(with less resolution and transparens) than say 102/Nap, main diff between 102 and 202 is the cabinet at least to my ears

I've had them all, happy back with Nac 72 as I can live without remote and love the green stuff, it need not any Napsc which sound very expensive for what it is. - provided it cost what you wrote

Offcourse 202 would be better than a 112 but you never know if they change preamp range this or next year, afterall its 90'ies technology, not that there's anything wrong with that. Have you considered using a Qute as pre meanwhile until dust has settled ?

Just to add to what HH has said.Purchase second hand and you should get a 202,napsc and hi cap dr for about the same money as a new 202.

People do move on from 202 but the reason there are so many of them out there is because they are incredibly popular. 202/200 are a very dynamic combo and a bargain used. 

b_lund posted:

Hungryhalibut posted:

Just get a used 202 for £800 and a used napsc for £200 and you are sorted. You'd be potty to spend £1,900 on one. 

TBH Nac 202 is not worth full retail IMO, as suggested purchase used there's lot of them - why ?

because 202 is a revamped Nac 102 which was a scaled down Nac 82, none of these my cup, hard to explain but they just didn't last very long, recently heard the new 5Si, it is much better musically(with less resolution and transparens) than say 102/Nap, main diff between 102 and 202 is the cabinet at least to my ears

I've had them all, happy back with Nac 72 as I can live without remote and love the green stuff, it need not any Napsc which sound very expensive for what it is. - provided it cost what you wrote

Offcourse 202 would be better than a 112 but you never know if they change preamp range this or next year, afterall its 90'ies technology, not that there's anything wrong with that. Have you considered using a Qute as pre meanwhile until dust has settled ?

Before the purchase of a vintage 202 I had UQ matched to 200. I had in the past 72/hicap/180 very good too.

I regretted every single moment I played with  UQ into 200.

Nac 202/napsc and possibly hicapDR is definitely the entry point to a great performance. I'd buy it again any day. A Classic. 

With that budget, try to find a pre-loved 282. Will be more fun, even with NAP200 (actually 282 + 200DR is remarkably enjoyable, even without a HiCap).

I agree with the suggestion to buy a used 202/NAPSC/Hicap.  Good preamp, and sorted out the challenges the 102 had. 

Any reason as to why you might not consider a SuperUniti? Better volume control, preamp + power amp sections, with the same DSP as your ND5 XS–and you can eliminate three boxes.

I'd be wary of a volume-potted preamp in the Naim range at this point: Statement shows that the writing is on the wall for that technology, and none of the newest Naim preamp / control products utilize a potentiometer anywhere.

I think that if you have your heart set on an analogue preamp (202, 282) it would be silly not to buy pre-owned.  These things do not wear out.

+1 for Bart.

Thanks for the responses, I'll look into the prices of 2nd hand 202/200 units.

One thing though, does anyone have any experience of the SuperNait 2. A little bit more expensive than I wanted but I quite like the idea of reducing the box count a bit. Any thoughts on SQ vs 202/200?

Thanks

Yes

Care to elaborate a little Adam?

Nigel 66 posted:

Care to elaborate a little Adam?

SN2 is a very good, detailed, fast and musical integrated. From the various tests I've done, if a system is to be based on NAP200, the closest pre-amp to match SN2 would be NAC282. In other words: a bare NAC282 (this already includes NAPSC) and NAP200 sound very similar to SN2.

Adam

Thanks Adam. I might try and demo one - sounds like it'll be a big step up from my current 112x/150x !

hi Nigel -- i'll add another vote for a secondhand 282/Hicap. should be within budget and is a piece you can build around in the future. i'd keep your current amp and use the flatcap to power your cd player and Stageline. 

Adam Zielinski posted:

In other words: a bare NAC282 (this already includes NAPSC) and NAP200 sound very similar to SN2.

Really? I'm surprised if that's the case. But I've not done the dem. No need  :-)

C.

Christopher_M posted:

Adam Zielinski posted:

In other words: a bare NAC282 (this already includes NAPSC) and NAP200 sound very similar to SN2.

Really? I'm surprised if that's the case. But I've not done the dem. No need  :-)

C.

I was surprised too. Not identical (this would be most odd) but similar.  Forgot to mention: SuperNait2 was running with a HiCap DR.

So: bare 282 + 200Dr vs SN2 + HiCap DR.

To my ears - very similar sound signatures, bass weight and prrsentation.

Just thought that I'd post a quick update. After a lot of thought and listening, I decided to reduce my box count a little, so have just ordered a Supernait 2. Got a decent trade in deal, so hoping that in a week or so I will have it in my system.

Have also just got a replacement stylus for my Ortofon 2M black, so that should be properly bedded in by the time the 'Nait 2 arrives, so really looking forward to some proper listening in 7 - 10 days.

Thanks for all the suggestions above, but think this is the right way for me to go at the moment.

Nigel

Nigel 66 posted:

Just thought that I'd post a quick update. After a lot of thought and listening, I decided to reduce my box count a little, so have just ordered a Supernait 2. Got a decent trade in deal, so hoping that in a week or so I will have it in my system.

Have also just got a replacement stylus for my Ortofon 2M black, so that should be properly bedded in by the time the 'Nait 2 arrives, so really looking forward to some proper listening in 7 - 10 days.

Thanks for all the suggestions above, but think this is the right way for me to go at the moment.

Nigel

Nice......but a Supernait 3 is bound to turn up soon, then what will you do? 

Noooooooooooooo ! ! ! !

Nigel 66 posted:

Just thought that I'd post a quick update. After a lot of thought and listening, I decided to reduce my box count a little, so have just ordered a Supernait 2.

Thanks for all the suggestions above, but think this is the right way for me to go at the moment.

Nigel

Congrats!  You'll LOVE it!

And your opinion is the only one that matters re the right way forward. 

Nigel 66 posted:

Just thought that I'd post a quick update. After a lot of thought and listening, I decided to reduce my box count a little, so have just ordered a Supernait 2. Got a decent trade in deal, so hoping that in a week or so I will have it in my system.

Have also just got a replacement stylus for my Ortofon 2M black, so that should be properly bedded in by the time the 'Nait 2 arrives, so really looking forward to some proper listening in 7 - 10 days.

Thanks for all the suggestions above, but think this is the right way for me to go at the moment.

Nigel

Good choice. It is a seriously good piece of kit.

One advice if I may: I found a PowerLine to be a significant upgrade for my SuperNait2.