Does 252 and sc age?

Yes, in particular, capacitors age and servicing is recommended around 10 years 

How old is your 282? Are the HCs DR?

But I would imagine the 252/SC would still be a significant step-up.  

Revards,

Lindsay

Hi Richard, 

So good to hear from you.

I have a 282 w/2 hcdr's.  Would you recommend to switch to a non dr sc and a 252?

In much the same way as your 282 will need servicing when sound quality drops off ...so will the 252

The s/cap power supply also needs a service eventually ..is it already a DR ? If not ..that might be worth considering at service time too

 Hi Lindsay,

I have to check that... bought 2nd hand

Hcdr's are 4 and 2 years old

Thank you guys!!!

I have a 252 bought new in 2003 and serviced last year with a Supercap non DR of the same age and not yet serviced. Sounds great!

Stu

oferr posted:

Hcdr's are 4 and 2 years old

Not sure about 4 years old but 2 years will certainly be DR.  DR versions have a DR badge on the back.  

My Supercap 2 (non DR) is about 15 years old and still sounding fine without a service, powerering a much more recent 252.

Bob_B posted:

My Supercap 2 (non DR) is about 15 years old and still sounding fine without a service, powerering a much more recent 252.

It might sound fine, but it will be quite far off what it could sound like.

Well - it’s sounding as good as it ever did, even more so after the Burndy tweaks. No evidence that I can hear of any degradation.

The thing is, you don’t know that, as the sound degradation is gradual so you just get used to the new sound. It may indeed be no different but very likely it’s worse. The only way to tell is to compare it to a new one. Having had lots of Naim boxes serviced over the years, I’d suggest that if you service it you’ll be delighted with the improvement. 

I don’t doubt what you say but as I mentioned before, I’m very happy with the sound as it currently is and in the interest of the health of my wallet, I’ve deferred any thoughts of servicing at present. A back burner priority. 

Just out of interest what is the recommended service intervals for classic and 500 series pre amps and their power suppliers? Also what is the recapping interval for pre amp power supplies? I thought it was 15 years for the pre (head unit)  for service and 12 years for a pre power supply but not sure if this is for service and/or recapping. 

There’s a really helpful piece in the latest “Connection” about this

NIGEL B

i seem to recall a discussion here recommending 10 years for the Olive & CB stuff and 15 years for the Black

regards

lyndon

lyndon posted:

NIGEL B

i seem to recall a discussion here recommending 10 years for the Olive & CB stuff and 15 years for the Black

regards

lyndon

 

Me too now all of a sudden it's crept down to 10 years.  I have known an electronics engineer for a few years who seems to think that if moderately used caps need changing after 10 years then Naim should be looking at getting a new supplier. Even so I would tend to believe those of us who have actually had their gear serviced and heard a difference but if your gear sounds great and your happy I'd say carry on listening.

I recently asked Darran at Class A, a Naim authorised service agent, about when a Nac 82 needs servicing and he suggested 12-15 years unless I felt the sound had gone off

lyndon posted:

NIGEL B

i seem to recall a discussion here recommending 10 years for the Olive & CB stuff and 15 years for the Black

regards

lyndon

 

The 15 years is for the 500 series; everything else is 10 years. 

Bob the Builder posted:

lyndon posted:

NIGEL B

i seem to recall a discussion here recommending 10 years for the Olive & CB stuff and 15 years for the Black

regards

lyndon

 

Me too now all of a sudden it's crept down to 10 years.  I have known an electronics engineer for a few years who seems to think that if moderately used caps need changing after 10 years then Naim should be looking at getting a new supplier. Even so I would tend to believe those of us who have actually had their gear serviced and heard a difference but if your gear sounds great and your happy I'd say carry on listening.

For sure, ask most audio engineers and they'll tell you that caps can last much longer.  And they're right.  Caps can last much longer before they're totally shot.  However, they do start to audibly degrade, and that's why Naim recommend their replacement when they do, to ensure optimum performance. 

At the risk of hijacking the post for my own ends (well just look at my cosmic record), I have two olive HiCaps, serviced 9 and 8 years ago respectively, and the 32.5 9 years ago (all Class A (sgaard)). Should I be looking for servicing again? Or is it time to go HiCap 2 and consider in anticipation of a DR upgrade?

Also, does the Prefix (2007) require servicing?

Richard Dane posted:

For sure, ask most audio engineers and they'll tell you that caps can last much longer.  And they're right.  Caps can last much longer before they're totally shot.  However, they do start to audibly degrade, and that's why Naim recommend their replacement when they do, to ensure optimum performance. 

Not to mention that if the caps degrade unevenly that can affect the sound in very odd ways (some of which are not so subtle when we're talking of high quality HiFi and comparing such delicately tuned signals); so even if it's just one cap out of spec, the effect on the sound can be very significant.

Furthermore, as caps age, then after a time (about 10 to 15 years) the statistical chance of total failure starts to increase quite rapidly (i.e. the 'bathtub' curve), and total failure can have devastating consequences for the rest of the equipment (particularly speakers).  This element is a case of balancing chance of failure and it's associated cost against the cost of servicing.

And yet my NAD 3120 is still going strong after 33 years...

Richard Dane posted:

Bob the Builder posted:

lyndon posted:

NIGEL B

i seem to recall a discussion here recommending 10 years for the Olive & CB stuff and 15 years for the Black

regards

lyndon

 

Me too now all of a sudden it's crept down to 10 years.  I have known an electronics engineer for a few years who seems to think that if moderately used caps need changing after 10 years then Naim should be looking at getting a new supplier. Even so I would tend to believe those of us who have actually had their gear serviced and heard a difference but if your gear sounds great and your happy I'd say carry on listening.

For sure, ask most audio engineers and they'll tell you that caps can last much longer.  And they're right.  Caps can last much longer before they're totally shot.  However, they do start to audibly degrade, and that's why Naim recommend their replacement when they do, to ensure optimum performance. 

Took words out of my mouth - this is not about capacitors failing after 10 years, its more their performance with regard to SQ declines  in the way Naim use them.

Having said that I recently powered my vintage 1950s Philips  EL3530 reel to reel - still on its original caps - and its fair to say they DO need replacing