Nac272 preamp with PSU or ?????

You're not allowed to discuss third party PSUs at all.  Might be best to get your post edited or deleted and then ask about XPS PSUs.

I think the 272 will need to use a "Black" rather than an Olive XPS.

Class, as Guinless says above, discussion of unauthorised modifications to Naim kit (which includes, among other things, non-Naim PSUs, "SNAICs" etc..) is not permitted. Use of these items will at best not give you the performance as intended by Naim, and at worst may cause damage to any associated equipment, and may invalidate any warranty you may have on that associated equipment. 

In other words, the power supply is an intrinsic and essential part of the equipment. However, it's a free world, and so by Naim making the power supply separate and hence upgradable,  you are free to do what you wish, but if you do use a non-Naim PSU, SNAIC, or whatever, then it's not really Naim any more and all bets are off.

Yep

but can anyone tell me what you get of performance with an XPS from Naim

I think the stand alone nac272 has plenty of quality in sound performance

I will audition an XPS but the price is for  me a big minus. Is it value for money and different sound ?? 

any lost of PRAT ???

If you are going to listen to it, then surely it doesn’t matter what others think. There has been lots of Forum discussion, which you can find by using the search facility. For what it’s worth, I found that adding an XPS DR was well worthwhile: it doesn’t change the 272, it just makes it better. As for cost versus improvement, that’s a judgement for you alone. 

I'm sure there are people on here with an XPS powering a 272 but you'll have to wait for them to reply.

A Naim dealer will dem an XPS for you if you are considering buying new, if however you choose 'preloved' then you can always sell on at little or no loss.

IME I've never found a Naim PSU upgrade that didn't make things better; And I've had a Flatcap ,two Hicaps and and an XPS (Olive).

YMMV

I have had an XPSDR on demo again for a couple of weeks. Whilst is does make the 272 better in every way....the usual more of everything....I’m finding it hard to justified the price. Pre loved is the way I’ll go 

Interesting question - and I can only agree that the XPS DR only makes the 272 significantly better - as others have said on other threads you will really only notice the biggest difference once you remove it - if you do, you will be desperate to get it back! Having said that a 272 on its own is also very good indeed. Getting both nicely fraimed is an equally nice uplift.

I also experimented with PSUs, which I soon sold for the reasons above, and can only say the Naim XPS DR I have now is truly brilliant (Naim knows best!) - just takes the 272 to a new level, especially with the new 4.1 firmware. I would love to get a 555 sometime. Also desperately waiting for a 372 to arrive.

In my view, you should listen to it. An XPS DR is a big improvement on the 272, as it should be for the price. 

I also, ahem, ‘experimented’ with a well known alternative and your findings were exactly as mine on the 272.

I then tried a non-DR 555PS and was also unconvinced. The XPSDR is, as Goldilocks would say, ‘just right’ and rounds out the 272 beautifully ime.

G

Hi Graemeh

What i wanted to hear . I had with Ansuz ceramic power cables and X-Tc  power distributor much better sound without the non XPS psu. 

the most important thing is that it don't have to effect the naim sound in negative direction

I think the conclusion much be that You pay what you get.......

But You said that the XPS DR was quite better that non dr 555....

The match with xps dr was a lot better in what way ???

JWC 

interresting .....

maybe explain what you improved in sound with XPS 

Anybody who can tell the difference in sound and quality or are there any difference?

between XPS 2 and XPS DR ??

Class, your question is so hard to answer - all I can say is that the XPS DR sounds "just right" as GraemeH says - it needs to be heard and only then would you see the difference. The bad news, that you probably did not want to hear, is that it is even better with a Powerline attached - so much so that I see the two as indispensable together. What you get with a Naim XPS DR is a massive "tightness" and "speed" that I have never really experienced before - all while keeping and improving on what you must have enjoyed on the nude 272. Experimentation is interesting, and in the end a very costly exercise -so I said to myself never again once I arrived at the 272 XPS DR combination

What is really interesting is that the improvement from a 272 powered by an XPSDR to one powered by a 555PSDR is far greater than that from a bare 272 to one powered by an XPSDR. The 272 is hugely capable. 

JWC

Out of interest did you listen/demo with a 555 DR for comparison?

I am itching to try a PS on my 272 but only want to do it in one step. Then I can focus on a new NAP and speakers in the next few years.

I'm afraid of calling my dealer to arrange the demo as I have a feeling it's going to get rather expensive.

HH 

I had a bad feeling that would be the answer. Damn it!

hungryhalibut posted:

What is really interesting is that the improvement from a 272 powered by an XPSDR to one powered by a 555PSDR is far greater than that from a bare 272 to one powered by an XPSDR. The 272 is hugely capable. 

Good to know, I'll keep this in mind.

No, never heard a 555 DR on a 272 - but from what I have read on this forum, I would be scared of doing so unless I had the money ready at the time as it seems to be a brilliant combination, despite the "misbalance" in spending a huge amount more on the PSU over the player. I do wonder how that combo could better an XPS DR, but I believe it must be so - and I will try it sometime when funds allow - it might also come down to a matter of taste too. Would definitely like to have a 555DR anticipation of a 372. As HH says, the 272 is a massively capable machine - a gift that keeps on giving and deserves the best power supply you can afford. It has played in our house every day since its introduction and worth every penny, several times over. If you go for the upgrade, you will then be wanting a nicer power amp - this happened to me and had to go for the 300DR from the 250DR. I would finally say that if you go for the XPS DR- the 300DR becomes the natural partner - a match made in heaven!

From what HH and many others have said...a 555 sounds like what I’m after. After removing the XPSDR the bare 272 didn’t sound wrong or broken at all. It sounds great still. Ok it doesn’t go as low, it’s not as tight, the soundstage it a little narrower and the general sound is a little thinner, but I’m being really fussy here. The 272 is an excellent preamp. 

My dealer did a home demonstration of the both XPSDR and the 555DR on my 272/250DR last year.  Both power supplies were brand new and sealed in their boxes. Within a minute it was obvious the 555DR was better. I felt a bit guilty he had to break the seal on the XPSDR.

So what does the power supply do?

It retains and improves PRAT as transients stop and start faster

it lowers the noise floor

Instruments sound more realistic

There is less digital hash

Music just flows more effortlessly 

There is a bigger soundstage with more depth and width

There is greater musical communication

So overall you will listen to music more because it is so much more enjoyable to listen to.

Having said that, the bare 272 is in itself very good and a delight to listen to,  especially with a power line, a separate spur, and a good rack such as a Fraim..

JWC posted:

No, never heard a 555 DR on a 272 - but from what I have read on this forum, I would be scared of doing so unless I had the money ready at the time as it seems to be a brilliant combination, despite the "misbalance" in spending a huge amount more on the PSU over the player. I do wonder how that combo could better an XPS DR, but I believe it must be so - and I will try it sometime when funds allow - it might also come down to a matter of taste too. Would definitely like to have a 555DR anticipation of a 372. As HH says, the 272 is a massively capable machine - a gift that keeps on giving and deserves the best power supply you can afford. It has played in our house every day since its introduction and worth every penny, several times over. If you go for the upgrade, you will then be wanting a nicer power amp - this happened to me and had to go for the 300DR from the 250DR. I would finally say that if you go for the XPS DR- the 300DR becomes the natural partner - a match made in heaven!

I’d disagree that the 300 is the natural partner of the 272/XPS. The 555 comes first, and with the 300 it becomes extraordinarily capable. 

Adding a 555ps to any Naim source will make it go like stink, some say it can even give too much of everything! 

Also there's the XP5XS (only available used) I use one on my 272/250DR with great affect, a week ago I borrowed an XPSDR from a close friend (whilst he went on holiday for a week) and the difference between the two was small the DR had the edge but to me the cost difference between the two PSU's doesn't  justify it so for now I'm keeping the XP5XS but I do have dedicated mains and a Fraim so this may also be a factor.

The above is my personal findings others will disagree.

Interesting [@mention:8184226735374105]. My dealer has an XP5XS but I didn’t think it would be so close to the XPS. If it is, then that could be an option for me till my dealer gets a preloved 555 at a good price. 

Finkfan posted:

Interesting [@mention:8184226735374105]. My dealer has an XP5XS but I didn’t think it would be so close to the XPS. If it is, then that could be an option for me till my dealer gets a preloved 555 at a good price. 

After my test with the XPSDR my upgrade thoughts have subsided as the next jump to the 555dr is a bridge too far unless an amazing bargain appears on the used market so for now I will not be auditioning the 555dr and sticking with my existing setup that sounds awesome.