SN2 Superior Than Seperates!

After a brief scan of that review, it looks to me like he is comparing the newer DR Supernait with an old non-DR 202/200, and his opinion of the 202/200 was from memory, as he no longer owned it. So not really a level playing field. Personally, I preferred the 202/200DR to SN2 on the few occasions when I've made the comparison, but that is only my opinion.

I moved briefly from a long owned SN2 to 202/200 (not DR). Each has their own strengths. The latter was slightly more resolving to my ears.

G

ChrisSU posted:

After a brief scan of that review, it looks to me like he is comparing the newer DR Supernait with an old non-DR 202/200, and his opinion of the 202/200 was from memory, as he no longer owned it. So not really a level playing field. Personally, I preferred the 202/200DR to SN2 on the few occasions when I've made the comparison, but that is only my opinion.

Exactly.   I happen to think the SN a superb amp but this guys hearing had been corrupted in the intervening period

He makes such a point saying how well he remembers audio characteristics... "Methinks he doth protest too much!".

Having tried most of the permutations of SN2, HiCap, NAP250 DR and NAC282 I came to a different conclusion. I found SN2’s pre-section to be its weakest part. 

You had forum members actually believing that the 250-2 DR was a superior amp to the non DR 300, because it was hyped to the heavens by certain members, and people were believing the hype, members started to question their own opinion. The power of suggestion can be pretty convincing. Ridiculous as it can be in certain circumstances! So opinions can vary considerably. It's all a matter of personal taste.

My ears tell me that the pre-amp section of the SN2 is superior to some pretty highly vaulted dedicated pre-amps, and definitely not weak in any area. Just like the professional reviewers opinion. It easily bettered the 200DR/202 combo in every way, shape and form I had on home demo last year in the areas that mattered to me, so it's definitely a case of different strokes for different folks!

a naitxs should be better than 112/150.....and why not claim as one member in one topic that the nait 5i is the most musical amp of all naim amps....

Badlands, a SN2 is a very nice integrated.

But that's where it ends for me.

The only reason I would consider a SN2 if I had to choose between a better source and a better amplifier, I would downgrade to a SN2 and buy the better source. It's a matter of funds allocation.

You never disclosed which source you are using by the way? These differences are more apparent at the level of sources that Adam owns, like NDS/555

I do like very much what Adam posted, makes sense to me, since when did the little SMT preamp in the SN2 start challenging a dedicated unit like 282 which has through hole componentry?

I also did a side by side compare of SN1 vs my 282/250, actually liked my 282 even a lot more after hearing the SN1 preamp.

Yeah guys,I owned an SN2,the 272 is better to my ears.

analogmusic posted:

Badlands, a SN2 is a very nice integrated.

But that's where it ends for me.

The only reason I would consider a SN2 if I had to choose between a better source and a better amplifier, I would downgrade to a SN2 and buy the better source. It's a matter of funds allocation.

You never disclosed which source you are using by the way? These differences are more apparent at the level of sources that Adam owns, like NDS/555

I do like very much what Adam posted, makes sense to me, since when did the little SMT preamp in the SN2 start challenging a dedicated unit like 282 which has through hole componentry?

I also did a side by side compare of SN1 vs my 282/250, actually liked my 282 even a lot more after hearing the SN1 preamp.

Not that I need to come to Badlands defence but I do not think he ever claimed that the pre section of the SN2 was better than the 282 and my recollection was that as an amp SN2  was better than the 122x/150 I tested it against it was just that I was hung up on separates at the time and and eventually wanted a 282/250.

Having read through a lot of NDX & SN2 threads there are a number of members who prefer this configuration. Having read through a lot of 272 & 250 threads there are a number of members who prefer this configuration.

The decision to go one way or the other could be based solely on which sounds better. Some others may also be influenced by which sound best for the budget they have to spend.  There is also box count, size of house, condo or apartment, personal preferences. Lots of choices.  Lots of good choices.........

A wholly logical perspective given above by seakayaker. This thread seems to have turned gear preferences into a silly contest based on a review. Folks defending their contradictory choices. Why bother, and who really cares if your present gear is working satisfactorily for you? Maybe that iota of doubt creeps in to feed the fire?

If you had simply expressed your preference for SN2 over 202/200, I could accept that, and you wouldn’t be the first to say it. Using expressions like “easily bettered the 200DR/202 combo in every way, shape and form” seems a bit OTT, and if the differences were that great, I would suggest that the 202/200 was not performing as it should, possibly due to setup/ warm-up/burn-in issues. It would, after all, require more careful positioning on a proper rack with the pre a good distance from PSUs and careful cable dressing. 

And as for “the pre-amp section of the SN2 is superior to some pretty highly vaulted dedicated pre-amps”, just what comparison are you trying to make here? The 202 is certainly not ‘highly vaulted’ (neither is it highly vaunted, which I think is what you meant?) on this forum, which suggests that you are trying to put the SN2 at least between 282 and 252 level, which seems pretty daft to me. 

You haven't corrected the spelling error in the thread title (and a couple of other errors here and there). Is this only a selective lesson the use of English?

jobseeker posted:

You haven't corrected the spelling error in the thread title (and a couple of other errors here and there). Is this only a selective lesson the use of English?

He can have a gold star for spelling all words in the title perfectly. His grammar cud B better, tho 

Go to the bottom of the class Mr Chris   Seperates  ??? *#   whoops

Superior ?

How do you describe superior ?

Mike-B posted:

Go to the bottom of the class Mr Chris   Seperates  ??? *#   whoops

Shhhhhh! This is the 21st century. You’re supposed to give people top marks and tell them they’re brilliant as often as possible. Actually getting things right is unimportant, you just use Google for that. 

Dyslexia lures, KO!

OK, tell them:
"You're brilliant as often as possible (which doesn't seem to be that often)!"

IMHO it’s a bit of a sweeping statement to say that a Supernait2 is better than separates but it may be better in some circumstances depending on ones preference of presentation. This can only be determined by a good back to back demonstration, the outcome of which may be a surprise.

I changed from a 202/200/HiCap/Napsc2 to a Mk1 Supernait/HiCap about 9 years ago and found the latter much more to my taste.

Recently I demoed my Mk1 Supernait with HiCap against the same unit with a DR HiCap, a bare Supernait Mk2 and a Supernait Mk2 with DR HiCap. Source was an NDX, speakers B&W N805 D3.  To these ears only the Mk2/HiCap DR bettered the Mk1/HiCap (being more transparent) but the level of enjoyment was not increased - if anything slightly diminished. So I invested my money in the speakers used in the demonstration as these really impressed me.

Interestingly in response to my enquiry “what would you do if starting from scratch” the chap doing the demonstration said he would far rather have an NDX/Supernait Mk2 over an NAC272/NAP250DR on the grounds that the NAC272 was not as good a streamer as an NDX and was inferior to the Supernait’s preamp.

Whatever anyone thinks, says or markets, do the dem to find out for yourself - it’s the only way to make the right choice when spending your own money.

I know that my SN2 outperforms all of the separates on offer, but very much doubt any one else's will.  

SongStream posted:

I know that my SN2 outperforms all of the separates on offer, but very much doubt any one else's will.  

That's a very bold " Statement "!

seakayaker posted:

Having read through a lot of NDX & SN2 threads there are a number of members who prefer this configuration. Having read through a lot of 272 & 250 threads there are a number of members who prefer this configuration.

The decision to go one way or the other could be based solely on which sounds better. Some others may also be influenced by which sound best for the budget they have to spend.  There is also box count, size of house, condo or apartment, personal preferences. Lots of choices.  Lots of good choices.........

Quite so. I’m not sure why people get so excited about what is better. Does it matter? I chose a 272/250 over an NDX/SN2 because it could be upgraded with only one extra box rather than two, because it only ever needs two mains leads, and because it has the same volume knob as the SuperUniti, which I was using at the time. I didn’t do a comparative demonstration at all. It doesn’t remotely bother me if people prefer an NDX/SN2, or an NDX/202/200DR. So long as what you have works for you, and you enjoy listening to music with it, that’s all that matters.