Power supply cost benefit options for an 82

The s'cap costs triple the hicap. It more than triples the impressiveness of the sound. I have listened to the 82/s'cap only once, since the upgrade does not come close to fitting into my budget. I'm afraid that if I listen more, it will become essential.

Besides, I expect I can get a used 52/s'cap and sell my 82/2 X hicap for less than the cost of a new s'cap - and I haven'ty seen many used s'caps for sale.

Regards.

Phil

I expect that it wouldn't be that difficult to find a a s/h Hicap at around UKP 400. However, a s/h Supercap doesn't pop up that often.

So if you don't mind continuing your s/h buying then you are comparing investments of 400 UKP (with practically no expected re-sale loss) and 2000 UKP (after selling Hicap no. 1).

Sure, a s/h Hicap isn't a new Supercap! Even I know that

For 400 UKP the second Hicap gives a very clear improvement that no doubt is worth the outlay. That's at least my experience in a system (amp+speakers) like yours.

The Supercap is better still, but also - unless you are very lucky - at a completely different cost. From where you are now it's 400 vs. 2000!

From this perspective I think the Hicap is the better value.

Claus

Now the question is, what the two HiCaps do. Are they serving the two channels, one for each (in this case the balance won’t be right) or are they managing different jobs for both of the channels (in which case they are acceptable).

Any views?
graphoman

Having owned all those combinations, I would suggest that an 82/Supercap represents a 10, an 82/2 hicaps is about a 5, and a 82/1 Hicap about a 4. Into SBLs I noticed an improvement over one Hicap, but replacing 2 Hicaps with a Supercap was an impressively large upgrade. Depends on cost--as is well discussed above.

If possible I would either go directly from 1 Hicap to a Supercap or find a used 2nd Hicap.

On this scale a 52/Supercap is something like a 15.

Cheers,

Bob

It is worth pointing out, though, that one HiCap powers each channel, and older HiCaps (e.g. old-style) do sound softer than very new ones.

cheers, Martin

quote:

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Originally posted by Jason Hector:
The gain from going no Hicap to 1 Hicap is much larger than that when adding the second Hicap

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....especially if you're using a 250

Chrisp

I agree with Bob Edwards.

Although I don't yet own one I think the Supercap is magical, and is far far better than 2 Hicaps.

Chris

I reckon you guys are devaluing the 2nd Hicap. In my system adding the 2nd Hicap made a big difference in terms of smoothness, scale and soundstage. On some recordings the speakers just disappear. I am certainly very happy with 2 Hicaps, and found that there was no imbalance caused by mixing a recapped chrome bumper (black snaic) with its newer sibling.

When I added the 2nd Hicap, I was using a 250, CDX & Eposs 22s. I rated the improvement at ca 10%, which I thought was good value for money in that context.

Cheers, Jens

Supercaps transform the 82 and are a very good stepping stone towards a 52. If you're not thinking about a 52 it is more difficult to justify the cost but they do crop up second hand for less than the cost of two new hi-caps.

My ideal Naim preamp upgrade path would be 72 or 32.5/HC > 72 or 32.5/SC > 52/SC, but that's another story.

Alex

Regards,

Alex.

i'd be interested to hear your opinions about adding a supercap to a 72. i've got a 72 at the moment and the next logical step (aiming towards a 52) seems to be adding a Hi-cap then a super-cap, then the 52. is the supercap "wasted" on the 72 or is it a worthwhile improvement over the hicap?

cheers

matt

Many think I'm mad, but I preferred 32.5/SC to 82/HC by a distance, preferred 32.5/SC to 82/2HCs a bit. Contrary to myth I did not claim a 32.5/SC to be better than 82/SC but decided 2 things: 1. that an 82/SC is a very expensive preamp, 2. That sadly I could not afford a 52 at this time, hence my change to something else.

If you think the 52 is your goal I would S-Cap the 72 and then go straight to the 'Big One'.

Basically, there is something rather special about a Supercap.

Alex

cheers

matt

I really like these speakers. It is hard to describe speakers, but to me they do everything well. Treble is really smooth and clear, bass really deeep and powerful, but only if it is there in the recording (ie you aren't swamped by excessive bass). They image well, and sound good at high or low volumes.

What I would like to know is how they compare to their big brothers, the E30s. Epos still has 3 of these left which they are selling at half price (ca. 1250 UK). If I lived in the UK, I would certainly be checking these out. 50% off for new speakers is pretty good.

Cheers, Jens

Alex

Epos update: Sold out yesterday!

[This message was edited by Alex S. on THURSDAY 29 November 2001 at 09:59.]

Maybe they've tried and it's not any more cost-effective than two hicaps. But couldn't they at least set up the supercap to power two components?

--Eric

Naim obviously disagree, otherwise they would have made the thing. Not that they care of course but had they made a Super Hi-Cap I would probably still be using Naim amps (or not).

Alex

Of course we care, its just that we care more not to compromise the s/cap. It was a decision to make the 52 as good as possible and making it more cost effective/user friendly was not what we wanted.

If we did that the 52/s/cap combo would not sound as good as it does.

The flatcap2 was made to try to help with finances and still offer sound improvements, 2 flatcaps are still better than one. The hicap upgrades on the 82 help to ease the cost and the step then to a s/cap and 52 is straight forward.

Its difficult to cover all the options and still get the end sound result we want, we have tried pretty hard.

Alex

Ok I will see what I can do!

Ade