You were all correct !

.... opens Pandora's box at this point .... 

A 52 and a 252 sound really quite different to these cloth ears.  Much has been written about these and comparisons with the 82/olive Supercap and the 282/black supercap.  The search function will reveal many threads on this forum about it.

By all means consider a 252 with a black supercap or a supercap DR.  Best to hear one in your system first before you commit, to confirm that its musical style suits you.

Many users swear by their 252, having happily traded in their 52, 82 or 282 for a 252 and are delighted to this day.  Others have yet to hear a system with a 252 in it that suited their musical tastes.  It is very capable, revealing the textures and beautiful subtlety of musicians' playing techniques. It is never harsh or relentless either.  It tends towards a cultured, sophisticated, insightful sound.  Some find it brilliantly balanced while others find it a little too polite. 

Hope this helps, FT

Al - happy to hear you are enjoying your music

If you went for a 2nd hand 252 (it needs a SuperCap to work) I think you'd love it. NDX is a very capable source even on its own. Adding an external PSU or even a DAC turns it into a great one.

So either way - you are on a good path.

I used an ndx with a 552 for a while and it sounded fantastic, so no worries about using it with a 52 or 252. However, if you are now streaming as your main source then I would at least audition an nds, it really is rather good.

Thank you all - much as I suspected - perhaps opening the proverbial hornet's nest !?

Perhaps I will get 135s serviced and just sit back and enjoy !?

Since getting NDX / XPS and now Supercap I have been buying quite a lot of CDs

Was away for 3 days - 15 CDs waiting for my ears upon my return

I will definitely get a demo of a 252 before contemplating purchase - perhaps next year .....

Al

al9315 posted:

I will definitely get a demo of a 252 before contemplating purchase - perhaps next year .....

Al

I will bet you a shot of warm vodka against a cold English ale you will do it sooner than that 

Foot tapper posted:

.... opens Pandora's box at this point .... 

A 52 and a 252 sound really quite different to these cloth ears.  Much has been written about these and comparisons with the 82/olive Supercap and the 282/black supercap.  The search function will reveal many threads on this forum about it.

By all means consider a 252 with a black supercap or a supercap DR.  Best to hear one in your system first before you commit, to confirm that its musical style suits you.

Many users swear by their 252, having happily traded in their 52, 82 or 282 for a 252 and are delighted to this day.  Others have yet to hear a system with a 252 in it that suited their musical tastes.  It is very capable, revealing the textures and beautiful subtlety of musicians' playing techniques. It is never harsh or relentless either.  It tends towards a cultured, sophisticated, insightful sound.  Some find it brilliantly balanced while others find it a little too polite. 

Hope this helps, FT

No hands on experience, thanks to you guys I jumped in raw, 282/HCDR/3 x 250.2/Briks

And when I think about it, it can be expensive SN > 202 > 282 > 252 > 552 < 272 !

My End Game Plan was 282 > 552!  at this stage, I'm to old to play the upgrade game. 

So I really can't give you any good advice, since I've only listen to my 282 rock my Briks!

But I do know someone with a little experience, that may be helpful!

RICHARD DANE ADMINISTRATOR

"The NAC252 asks more of the source and the overall setup of the system too. By comparison the NAC282 is far more forgiving here. When you move to a better pre-amp and it's a double-edged sword; you hear more going on but it's also not unusual to suddenly hear a problem somewhere in the source or setup that was previously masked."

So be careful, or just rock the 282!

 2007 CES debuts CD555

CD555/282/Snaxo/3 x 250.2/DBLs

I know they just used the 282, because the Active set-up is so delicate.

Nope!  The natural partner for the CD555 is the 552, that's why they launched it.

Point being the 282 is a darling pre-amp. 

Oh, I forgot, I don't have any experience! 

Allante93!

I had chance to home demo a 52 facing my 252 and i hace to say that this listening was very teachfull. You realize why such a large part of the "Naim community" stays attached to the Olive range. The 52 is a reel marvel, still today !! Not surprising that it still has a second and third,... hand market.

Now if it has to be compared, i would say that where the 52 is very expressing, "emotive" with incredible voicing and warmth (more coloured), the 252 touch you with a sound more opened, detailed and a much larger scene making you involve more "in the music".

You get foot tapping with both needless to say, but the way to get it is different. My word for 52 is "Emotion".

I am very happy with my 252 and if i knew the 52 was that good, i may have gone first trough Olive range before the blacks.

Cheers

My view would given the above appear counter to Richard Dane's. I found my 282 more critical of sources, and could sometimes over cook things. For example I never really gelled with my CDX2 on my 282. Now the 252DR is a different beast entirely.. in my experience far more transparent and allows you to listen into your music with the right source like a Hugo or NDS (bit like zooming into a Mandelbrot fractal) .. for a music lover and a fan of recorded music this is a real plus. Now this ability of the 252 also allows the sources to sound more natural rather than added punch or sugar you get, albeit modestly, with the 282. My CDX2 sounds a dream on my 252. Yes I know the CDX2 is not the most neutral player and can a little vulgar with some amps... but feed it to the 252 and it simply sounds fun. (True the ability to listen into tracks on the CDX2 is ultimately limited by its performance... but still very much fun on the 252). So I would say the 252 is more accommodating of sources than the 282 in my experience.

al9315 posted:

Thank you all - much as I suspected - perhaps opening the proverbial hornet's nest !?

Perhaps I will get 135s serviced and just sit back and enjoy !?

Since getting NDX / XPS and now Supercap I have been buying quite a lot of CDs

Was away for 3 days - 15 CDs waiting for my ears upon my return

I will definitely get a demo of a 252 before contemplating purchase - perhaps next year .....

Al

The Forum is great, one can get many examples, and scenarios that mimics one's own situation.

Then demo, the scenario in house, which best mimics their situation.

However, if one isn't fortunate enough, and has plausible means to demo certain components, they're left with the FORUM!

And as you have discovered, they are all right.

Probably something to do with hands on experience.

So my advice, theirs no substitute for hands on experience, within your environment.

And if that's not applicable, take the Advice of the one, with the most hands on experience.

Hopefully, I will be posting soon, comparing the HCDR vs SCDR within my own environment.

Enjoy your Music!

Allante93!