Oh so very close to being... a Naim owner, (some feedback please)

You cannot make assumptions about how the SN will perform with your speakers in your room on the basis of hearing it with strange speakers in a strange room. Borrow it for a few days and see how it performs at home. Only then will you know.

One thing I would advise if you go for the SN: don't get the Hicap straight away. Get to know the SN and after three months try the HC. Not everyone prefers it. 

Mackey posted:

 I forgot I was auditioning and just got lost in the emotion of the music .... a good sign undoubtedly and what music is surely all about?

All that remains is to 'pull the pin and place the order' 

Its all about the music, some of my Naim kit is around 30 years old & Naim support pretty well everything they ever made - no intention of changing.

Good advice from HH above. I would also consider 202/200DR, which has a different style to the SN2, which you may or may not prefer.

Naim makes brilliant hi fi - as do others of course - and if the sound suits you then Naim is an excellent choice. 

The combo you're proposing makes perfect sense and there are others with the same set-up, so if you're worried you're doing the 'wrong thing' then you don't need to. Beyond that, it's your money and they're your ears. If you're happy, then place the order, and let the music flow!

Mackey posted:

Hi new to the forum (first post) but have been enjoying reading and learning from the discussions and information provided by members. I've been looking very closely at the Supernait 2 and HCDR as my first foray into the world of Naim. I have Spendor D7 speakers and currently rely on CD as main source, (although beginning to explore and dip my hifi toes into hi res audio and streaming via a Blusound system) Play the CDs via Cyrus CD XT signature transport and Chord 2Qute DAC, so the SN2 + HCDR is to replace my little Creek Evolution 100A. 

I have just spent a 3hour audition with a pair of B&W 805 stand mounts and the SN2 + HCDR combo, I just didn't fancy lugging my D7s with me. I liked what I heard and felt that the addition of the HDCR did bring noticeable improvements, enough to convince me that I wanted it (mind you if I had not heard the two together I'd have been happy with the SN2 on it's own!) I've read others on the forum talk positively about the D7s synergy with Naim gear, and if needed can ask for a home audition,  the one aspect  I was hoping to get some feedback on was during the listening session while there was good depth to the soundstage with good instrument separation, the width of the soundstage was quite small-compressed to my ears? Can anyone comment in a general sense  what to expect with regards to sound-staging? I did pick up most definitely on the 'pace, rhythm and timing' qualities and certainly at times during the session,  I forgot I was auditioning and just got lost in the emotion of the music .... a good sign undoubtedly and what music is surely all about! 

All that remains is to 'pull the pin and place the order' 

I think you've answered your own question try one at home and see.

The dealer markups on NAIM equipment are substantial and permit dealers to take the time for home demos.   Take advantage of this - you are going to be paying for it!

Thanks everyone  for the advice, a home demo sounds like a must and I imagine this should also speak to the other issue regarding how the soundstage is experienced ie room dimensions, furnishings etc, also sensible approach re adding the HCDR. 

What a pessimistic view HH.

I fondly remember when I first heard a 202/200 it was with the same B&W 805S speakers. I was hooked on to Naim from that day !

I would also look at 202/200DR..... 

About width of the soundstage what was the source you listened to in the showroom

Thanks I should check out 202/200DR at this point before opting for SN2 and then regretting being too hasty

analogmusic posted:

What a pessimistic view HH.

I fondly remember when I first heard a 202/200 it was with the same B&W 805S speakers. I was hooked on to Naim from that day !

I would also look at 202/200DR..... 

About width of the soundstage what was the source you listened to in the showroom

Why on earth is my post pessimistic? It's just sound, sensible advice. 

Mackey posted:

Can anyone comment in a general sense  what to expect with regards to sound-staging?

Yes. In general, I've found the soundstage with my various Naim gear narrow in both width and depth relative to alternatives and this can be an important factor with regard to the space, imaging, and clarity of voices in the mix, Some will dismiss this lesser soundstage as an acceptable compromise for Naim's musicality. For my listening, I've found that increased soundstage plays high into the clarity and separation of the presentation and happily adds to musicality.

Hi Joerand I concur with your view on the mix contributing to 'musicality' and read somewhere that more recent Naim product has potential for        achieving more horizontal and vertical sound stage????

Have read other views on this mix on other threads on the forum. On my audition I felt the addition of the HCDR helped certainly with depth on recordings......Analogmusic in answer to your previous post ( sorry missed this initially) the source was a Music Fidelity CDP and. Chord 2Qute DAC 

sktn77a posted:

The dealer markups on NAIM equipment are substantial and permit dealers to take the time for home demos.   Take advantage of this - you are going to be paying for it!

+1, 

I would also suggest asking for a good deal....if you audition the SN first, then the HC.....then if you like what you hear at home, ask for the best deal to buy both........

202/200dr vs SN2/HC2?    Not sure.  First they will sound different, perhaps subtle, but nonetheless different.    But I think there might be another reason for going for the 202/200 route and that is it provides more flexibility for future upgrades in that you might like to consider consolidating your source and pre around the 272 (if streaming is your preferred choice by then) perhaps with an XPS, or upgrade to a 282.  

Food for thought - otherwise the SN2 is a great integrated with or without the HC.

Good luck.

Lindsay

Mackey posted:

Hi Joerand I concur with your view on the mix contributing to 'musicality' and read somewhere that more recent Naim product has potential for        achieving more horizontal and vertical sound stage????

Have read other views on this mix on other threads on the forum. On my audition I felt the addition of the HCDR helped certainly with depth on recordings......Analogmusic in answer to your previous post ( sorry missed this initially) the source was a Music Fidelity CDP and. Chord 2Qute DAC 

Most of this sound stage thing is in the speakers, not the amplifiers. Naim amps can do pinpoint imaging and soundstage up, down, sideways and back to front. You just need the right speakers. I find this pinpoint soundstage very artificial and distracting anyway if it's too over the top. I've heard systems where you can place each drum in the drum kit. Very impressive, but you'd never manage it at a concert. 

Starting to feel sorry for @Mackey here. He was so close to being able to 'pull the pin and place the order' and now he's got to compare the SN2 with a 200/202, possibly with an external power supply, think about streaming, consider change his speakers, get a home demo, negotiate a deal . . . 

There's such a thing as too much information, folks.

"Come and join the Naim forum. We'll unsell you from whatever your idea was."

HH posted:

"Very impressive, but you'd never manage it at a concert". 

But I suspect that some people might prefer it if you could.  In my experience, many live concerts use pretty appalling sound systems whose sound I would not want to reproduce at home. My preference is to be able to reproduce the soundstage of an intimate acoustic performance in a small venue pretty accurately, with a system that also delivers what I perceive to be rhythm timing and pace. We all have our own preferences and priorities.

Many people who post on the Naim forums do not appear to value a good soundstage highly. Indeed a number have responded with the view that a good soundstage "detracts from the music". This is a concept I just don't understand.

Having said this, I cannot recall a number of the Naim systems I have listened to being particularly deficient in respect of their ability to produce a reasonable sound stage. However, my exposure to Naim based systems is probably less than that of most on this forum.    

Using boundary 'speakers tends to produce a flat soundstage, a bit 2D. My experience is that I get a wide and dynamic presentation with instruments laid out clearly before me. It allows the following of individual threads in the music, and locate individual sounds clearly.

My all Naim system produces little front to back depth. Fine with me, it's the separation and live dynamics that float my boat. If the OP wants depth and 3D then 'speakers will need to be away from the back wall. Naim amps will do it but perhaps other brands/valves are better if this is your priority?

Stu