272 or 252?

andybass posted:

May I know which combination with better sound quality?

1) N272 + 300DR + XPS DR + Focal Sopra 2
2) N272 + 300DR + 555PS DR + Focal Electra 1028 Be
3) N272 + 300DR + 555PS DR + Proac D48R
4) 252 + Supercap + 300DR + nDAC + XPS DR + Focal Electra 1028 Be
5) 252 + Supercap + 300DR + nDAC + XPS DR + Proac D48R
6) 252 + Supercap + 250DR + nDAC + 555PS DR + Proac D20R
7) N272 + 250DR + 555PS DR + Focal Sopra 2

Source should be core, I have nDAC and XPS DR now and planning to upgrade, so may I have your suggestion?

I agree with others, you need to be more specific

The list seem to be written with a high budget as writer

Is this neccesary and a pointer for what you want ?

I'd go listen to speakers before any decision

Afterwards choose the amplication which match good along with your budget left

As for source HH has guided

andybass posted:

May I know which combination with better sound quality?

1) N272 + 300DR + XPS DR + Focal Sopra 2
2) N272 + 300DR + 555PS DR + Focal Electra 1028 Be
3) N272 + 300DR + 555PS DR + Proac D48R
4) 252 + Supercap + 300DR + nDAC + XPS DR + Focal Electra 1028 Be
5) 252 + Supercap + 300DR + nDAC + XPS DR + Proac D48R
6) 252 + Supercap + 250DR + nDAC + 555PS DR + Proac D20R
7) N272 + 250DR + 555PS DR + Focal Sopra 2

Source should be core, I have nDAC and XPS DR now and planning to upgrade, so may I have your suggestion?

I agree with others, you need to be more specific, nobody can tell you if you like Focal more than Proac or vice versa, and why choose those two brands only ? They are good but very expensive, maybe there's better out there at a fraction cost ?

The list seem to be written with a high budget as writer, is this a main goal ?

I'd go listen to speakers before any decision

Afterwards choose the amplication which match good along with your budget left

As for source HH has guided

andybass posted:

May I know which combination with better sound quality?

1) N272 + 300DR + XPS DR + Focal Sopra 2
2) N272 + 300DR + 555PS DR + Focal Electra 1028 Be
3) N272 + 300DR + 555PS DR + Proac D48R
4) 252 + Supercap + 300DR + nDAC + XPS DR + Focal Electra 1028 Be
5) 252 + Supercap + 300DR + nDAC + XPS DR + Proac D48R
6) 252 + Supercap + 250DR + nDAC + 555PS DR + Proac D20R
7) N272 + 250DR + 555PS DR + Focal Sopra 2

Source should be core, I have nDAC and XPS DR now and planning to upgrade, so may I have your suggestion?

Speakers are kind of personal, and the OP has shown a preference towards Focal!

I wonder what a Naim Specialist would recommend!

The AudioBarn:

"Join us on Saturday 14th October at The AudioBarn to experience the legendary Naim Sound.

{We will be demonstrating our ever popular NAC N-272 paired with the 555PS, Supercap DR, Snaxo 242 and NAP 250 DR.}

There will also be a Naim expert on hand to answer any questions you may have."

Well, looks like the OP has upped the Ante, with the 300 DR!

With an Ndac & Xps DR, ready to unload.

Sounds like a lot of information to me, if he chooses the Digital Pre-Amp Route!

Just Saying!

Allante93!

PS. 4 Box Wonder 

272 Digital Pre-Amp Streamer

555 PS DR

300 Head Unit

300 PS

My Naim specialist(said by Naim to be one of their more significant retailers) suggested Focal Sopra 2s for me and I'm glad I went for them

Allante93 posted:

 

I wonder what a Naim Specialist would recommend!

 

 

 

Specialist !!??

He might use SL2 or DBL at home, doubt thats what he recommend

Perhaps he is recommending whats in their store and maybe item with biggest margin

A good "specialist" should advise pros and cons, letting the listener/customer decide

My other long standing specialist parted with his DBLs for one of the last pairs of Ovator 800s. Word is that said retailer runs them with Staements

The question is which pre to choose, of the two the 252 is at a whole different level than the 272. The pre-amp section in the 272 maybe equals the 202, and that may be a BIG stretch!  

You are paying more for the streaming capabilities in the 272, in the 252, all of the money, twice the price actually in the states, is strictly designed for getting the highest quality sound possible from the source, no streaming electronics to interfere with the signal.

No contest really, if you want the highest sound quality you only have one very easy choice.

I agree with Badlands - and the idea of comparing a 272 and a 252 is somewhat like comparing an apple and a T-bone steak. They're both good, but for totally different reasons.

Bert Schurink posted:

I think you already got the feedback. An impossible comparison to make. As you are putting options which are principly not comparable - 272 which offers streaming and a 252 which needs a separate streamer. But let me try to give some general hints.

1. The 272 is a fantastic device paired with a 250DR or a 300DR you would have a great combination to blow a lot of people away (with only two black boxes). Pairing it with a XPS will give it even more refinement. A 555PS is of course great but might be a bit out of line with the 272 (more sensible combinations could be created with a NDX...).

2. The pre-amp of the 272 is great, but I would argue that the 282 and up are better pre-amplifiers (282 a bit, 252 much more refined). But of course would also require a separate streamer to offer the same functionality.

3. The streamer  part of the 272 can be bettered by a NDX. So depending on the use case that could give a better result.

4. The 300DR is quite in a different league then the 250DR but obviously again two boxes.

 

So in general I would see the following routes which make sense:

1. Straight forward route: 272 with 250DR. Box count plays a role for your use case and you still want a great hifi system which can drive most speakers.

2. Step up 272 with 300DR, and for added refinement one could upgrade in the future with an XPS

3. Boxcount doesn't count - sound quality does. NDX potentialy powers by XPS, 252, 300DR

Thanks for your experience sharing, it's value to me ^.^

Perol posted:

andybass posted:

May I know which combination with better sound quality?

1) N272 + 300DR + XPS DR + Focal Sopra 2
2) N272 + 300DR + 555PS DR + Focal Electra 1028 Be
3) N272 + 300DR + 555PS DR + Proac D48R
4) 252 + Supercap + 300DR + nDAC + XPS DR + Focal Electra 1028 Be
5) 252 + Supercap + 300DR + nDAC + XPS DR + Proac D48R
6) 252 + Supercap + 250DR + nDAC + 555PS DR + Proac D20R
7) N272 + 250DR + 555PS DR + Focal Sopra 2

Source should be core, I have nDAC and XPS DR now and planning to upgrade, so may I have your suggestion?

I agree with others, you need to be more specific, nobody can tell you if you like Focal more than Proac or vice versa, and why choose those two brands only ? They are good but very expensive, maybe there's better out there at a fraction cost ?

The list seem to be written with a high budget as writer, is this a main goal ?

I'd go listen to speakers before any decision

Afterwards choose the amplication which match good along with your budget left

As for source HH has guided

I have listen both Focal and Proac, I love their taste, so either one should be my choice, but i just wonder which one is suit for naim coz i cannot do a A/B test in Hong Kong as i mentioned before I just wonder do anyone have a test on both, then i can have some hints about this ^.^

badlands posted:

The question is which pre to choose, of the two the 252 is at a whole different level than the 272. The pre-amp section in the 272 maybe equals the 202, and that may be a BIG stretch!  

You are paying more for the streaming capabilities in the 272, in the 252, all of the money, twice the price actually in the states, is strictly designed for getting the highest quality sound possible from the source, no streaming electronics to interfere with the signal.

No contest really, if you want the highest sound quality you only have one very easy choice.

Great, i just wonder whether 272 + 555PS + core is similar to 252 + supercap + nDac + XPS DR + core, because they are within my budget.
If so, i would like to go for 272 in order to reduce the box count

Thanks for all sharing, it's value to me ^.^

badlands posted:

The question is which pre to choose, of the two the 252 is at a whole different level than the 272. The pre-amp section in the 272 maybe equals the 202, and that may be a BIG stretch!  

You are paying more for the streaming capabilities in the 272, in the 252, all of the money, twice the price actually in the states, is strictly designed for getting the highest quality sound possible from the source, no streaming electronics to interfere with the signal.

No contest really, if you want the highest sound quality you only have one very easy choice.

Ouch ! that's not very flattering for the preamp section of a 272

But some people have reported the preamp of a 272 actually sounds better than the old NAC 82.

I remember reading that Naim was said to have said that the 272 was at approximately 202/ND5XS level. I have no clue, but it would make sense from a price point of view. 

With a 272, it becomes very much better with an XPS attached. I couldn't tell the difference between my 272, XPS and 250DR and an NDX, 282, Hicap DR and 250DR system. Dissing the 272 seems to be a popular pastime at the moment it seems. Don't worry what Naim say, just try it. Would they be fronting active Kudos speakers with a 272 at demonstrations if it was only as good as a ND5XS and 202? I think not. 

272 + 555 + 300  is all different level from my 202/200/Hicap/Nd5xs/TXPS......  all different planet better.... first 3 seconds better.....

Having read all the foregoing with great interest, a question now occurs to me, which I'm sure HH will be able to answer or comment upon; if the aim is to keep to a 3 box count, how would a system comprising of NDX, 282 and 250DR (no additional power supplies) stack up against the 272, PS (XPS or 555) and 250DR in terms of functionality and sound quality? I've done the sums, and there's not a huge price difference.

You will need an Hicap + napsc to power the 282. This implies you'll have 3.65 boxes.

Timmo1341 posted:

Having read all the foregoing with great interest, a question now occurs to me, which I'm sure HH will be able to answer or comment upon; if the aim is to keep to a 3 box count, how would a system comprising of NDX, 282 and 250DR (no additional power supplies) stack up against the 272, PS (XPS or 555) and 250DR in terms of functionality and sound quality? I've done the sums, and there's not a huge price difference.

As I said above, I couldn't tell the difference, and functionality is the same. As Ardbeg says, you would need a Hicap and napsc with the 282, which means four mains leads instead of two. So as a three box system it's a non runner. 

Timmo1341 posted:

Having read all the foregoing with great interest, a question now occurs to me, which I'm sure HH will be able to answer or comment upon; if the aim is to keep to a 3 box count, how would a system comprising of NDX, 282 and 250DR (no additional power supplies) stack up against the 272, PS (XPS or 555) and 250DR in terms of functionality and sound quality? I've done the sums, and there's not a huge price difference.

When I upgraded from a Superuniti I spent quite a bit of time listening to various 3-box options, thinking that I would probably come away with 272/XPS/250. After a couple of lengthy listening sessions, I came away with NDX/282/200DR, because despite the cheaper power amp, it just sounded more musical to me, although both sounded good. The price was about the same. The down side of the NDX/282 is that the volume control isn't as good, and you need a NAPSC, and it uses 3 sockets instead of 2, but I was prepared to put up with this because I thought it sounded better. 

If you get a 282/250, you will need an external PSU for the preamp, as unlike the 200, the 250 cannot power a preamp.