Where to next?

I'd be looking to change the speakers next, they do seem out of depth with the rest of the system but it does always amaze me how far you can go in a system with relatively modest speakers and obtain fine results especially if they work well with your room.

In the context of your system I can only recommend what I have heard, that is SL2's if you can find them used or Kudos S20's which can be found used or new.  There are many, many more decent speakers that you can investigate but bets are off as to how any of them will sound in your room.  The usual candidates are Naim, PMC, ATC, Dynaudio, Neat etc.

If going for modern speakers they do depreciate very quickly so buying exdem or used can be a good idea.

You're in Bristol so you probably don't need to travel far to find a couple of Naim dealers who can demo some options.

Next I'd probably DR the Supercap, especially if it is due for a service.  After then I'd tackle the source, but this is going to be expensive if you stay with Naim!  

Richard

buy powerlines, sell XPS, buy Hugo 2, buy SL speaker cable, buy SL DIN/XLR, buy Sarum Coax digital cables.

I have a very similar system having just upgraded to a 252/300 DR. Over the last few weeks I have been able to do an A/B comparison between the NDX/XPS DR and various other streamer/DAC combinations and, although the NDX is a great piece of kit, it is IMO the prime upgrade candidate in your system.

There are various ways to approach this. I decided to experiment by purchasing a pre-loved Chord Mojo DAC for €360 to go between the NDX and my amp (at that time an XS2). Preferring the result, I wondered what would happen if I replaced the NDX completely by adding a Raspberry Pi with Hifiberry Digi+ (for €100 or so). I now had a better sound costing a tenth of the price of a bare NDX and saving one Fraim rack. Finally I invested in a high-end DAC (and of course the 252/300 DR). In the meantime, I am trying out various streamers from the Canadian company Allo and have noticed a slight improvement over Hifiberry.

Of course, the gobsmacker in all of this is ROON, which puts the fun back into browsing your music and which runs on low-cost Linux-based streamers but NOT natively on high-end equipment like the NDX.

My advice would be to try out a Chord Hugo 2. If it brings a smile to your face, you could upgrade to a Dave or similar at a later date. I would also consider getting a Roon Ready streamer and buying a lifetime license for Roon by which point you should be laughing out loud.

This is basically the advice that I received on this and other forums for which I am very grateful; I hope it helps you too.

ATB, William

DR'ing SC and going NDS are the next steps at 252/300 level. No brainers really. Some will rightly advocate the great SQ and VFM of Hugo on NDX for an alternative in the short, or even longer term. Beware of and ensure tight bass control if you go floorstanders in less than 30m2.  

Chag - 

Given that you already have a PSU, trading the NDX for an NDS would be an easy step to make, although I suspect you might want to follow that by upgrading the XPS to a 555. Alternatively, adding an NDAC or various non-Naim alternatives? 

You don't mention what interconnects you have, but upgrading these and your speaker cables to SL would be worth a listen.

Richard may well be right that a speaker change could be worthwhile, but I'm not going to attempt to suggest what would work for you in your room.

Good luck!! 

Others have already suggested the H word, so I'll not go there.

£2k a year actually gives quite a bit of upgrade potential over just a few years, especially if you mostly look secondhand, which is what I'd do. Personally I'd probably look at speakers first, though very much a matter of personal taste and you may be very happy with what you have. 4k next year should give significant options secondhand or ex-dem, and if something more appeals then just 2 year is not long to wait to have £6k to spend.

if you are committed to buying new, then if you are prepared to commit you might find interest free credit deals that allow buying a year earlier at no penalty.

Sell it all and buy bitcoins.

Dedicated mains, room treatments? 

S400. 

Definitely look at your speaker cables and interconnects,  suggest TQ or SL

Did you do. room treatment already, if not have a look relatively good price...., great results.

Interconnects and cables 

Speakers

NDS

While I still think you could also do the speakers before the interconnects and cables.

Neil1 posted:

Hi everyone, first post but been lurking around here for a while enjoying all the various discussions going on. I've been building my system over the last 14 years this year adding the 300dr and the 252. 

So basicly help me spend some money now or in the future as I'm looking at the next step for my system. Very roughly 2k I can do now, 4k next year 6k in two years and so on. 

The listening room is around 3x8 meters.

At one end is NDX, XPS, 252, Super cap, 300dr all on two stacks of full fat Fraim and dedicated mains.

The other end are the speakers, B&W 805 signitures connected by A5. 

I listen to everything Jazz, electronic, rock, classical  you name it. Also I deliberately haven't told you guys where I think I should go as it would be interesting to see your opinions. All are welcome. 

Thanks in advance. 

Welcome, Neil the 1st.

I can see, you've tuned in, and nice choices you have made.

Haven't read any of the post, so excuse me, if I'm repeating the Forum.

1st, 252 vs 252 DR 

Most members would say the SCDR, really improves the performance of the 252.

Whereas, the SCDR upgrade is subtle, when compared to the none Dred SC, as it relates to the 282.

2nd, your Ndx/XPS is probably great, but again, I would imagine most, would suggest your front end, is deserving of an NDS/555PS.

Last, but not least, are you satisfied 805s.

Or, do want more, or even less!

Play around with the acoustics of the room, if that doesn't do it, time to start an home demonstration of two or 3 Speakers to your liking.

That's it, the only thing left is the Dreaded Loom!

SL vs Chord

Signature, Indigo, ST, or the Monster Taylon knock the door down, Music!

Once Again, Welcome to the Padded Cell!

Allante93!

SL cabling, they are not just expensive wires the impact is similar to a black box upgrade, these cable made me a believer in crazy money cables

speaker cables, interconnect, din/xlr

Thanks for all the replies, thats a lot to think about! 

Originally I was thinking about new speakers first, SCDR upgrade and then a NDS a few years later but it would seem a fair few of you are suggesting going for cables first. (something I always thought was the last piece once you sorted out the electronics?) Also I'd need 9m runs of SL speaker cable which is eye wateringly expensive, still worth a listen if so many think it's the way to go. 

Indeed I was reading about the Kudos S20's the other day as a possible next step although I haven't done much research let alone listened to anything yet. 

I hadn't even thought of the hugo 2 or ROON and don't know much about them, I'll have a look into them.

Its interesting that a couple of people have suggested acoustic room treatments as I've been looking into this over the last couple of months. I'm planning on making some acoustic panels for the reflection points and front wall, base traps for the corners and a panel of skyline diffusers for the rear wall as all things considered this is a relatively cheap experiment, probably quite fun to build too!

I have followed a similar path to you. If I were where you are with your system, I would go for a NDS first. You already have an XPS and if you go ex-dem or pre-loved, you might be able to trade your NDX against a NDS with your £2k budget, possibly a bit more if the NDS is newer than your NDX. But I have always been of the source first persuasion.

I agree that attention to cables would also be beneficial, but I would suggest that comes from your next year's budget, possibly with exchanging your XPS for a 555PS.

Have fun.

Niel1, I'm using the same Black Boxes as yourself apart from my Supercap which is a DR version

I would carry out the Supercap dr upgrade first when I purchased my system early last year it was installed using a HI-line interconnect which was a uplift over the standard Naim  cable used during my demonstrations.

Later in the year I was in the fortunate position to upgrade the speaker cables from A5 to S/L cables and the dealer installed a demo set after they had had a week or so to settle in it was obvious they were rather good however after reading about the synergy between S/L cables I asked the dealer to replace the HI-line interconnect with a S/L the difference was staggering  both cables are good in their own right but used together they are something special.

Speakers are a rather personal preference in fact I ended up with different speakers than I originally  shortlisted so I will leave it to your ears to decide which suits you and your room best.

All the best in your quest just take your time.