Dynavector L300 pre amp/ Naim cds2/xps2

Posted by: beefster on 11 December 2003

Good Day All.
I am aware of a contingent of Dynavector users posting on this forum.Has anybody heard the new Dynavector L300 pre amp ? I can safely assume its pretty good.
I believe cost of this new unit is circa £4k.
Present system is Naim CDS2/xps , Dynavector L200MK2 pre , Dynavector HX 1.2 Mk1 power , Wilson Benesch Arcs + Rel Storm 111. Cables are Chord solid 5pin/phono , chord chorus se ( soon to be changed to Red Dawn after demo) , bi wire exposure speaker cable.( various mains leads , naim and kimber).

Bearing in mind that I dont require any phono stage, and that I would get around £800 - £900 ish 2nd hand for my L200 ( remote version), £3k + is a very great cost to upgrade the pre amp.The benefits would have to be huge and obvious in context of above system.Perhaps I am better changing the xps to xps2 first.
So, anybody heard the L300 ( vs L200) ? Anybody changed xps to xps2 on a cds recently ? Big benefits ?
Grateful for any comments folks.
I might add there is no great hurry ( or need) to change this system at the moment. It sounds marvellous with music ( any music). Just thinking ahead.
I would also like to hear a Naim 282/300 amp system. Bet that would sound good with a Naim cds2/xps2 !
Decisions , decisions. Life is so hard.
Regards , mark
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by Tim Jones
Simon et al -

Where can I go and dem these DV beasties? Is there a dealer in London?

I wonder how they compete with 52/135s....

Tim
Posted on: 01 February 2004 by beefster
Howdy.
Thanks for the comments all. One 52/ Supercap duly purchased. Second hand from Loud and Clear , Glasgow.Year 2000 , mint condition , boxed with all leads.They are also getting custom leads made up so I can connect dynavector HX 1.2 power and a cinema processor. All for £3441.Delivering it to my house aswell.3 month warranty included.Nice folks these.
Ive still to sell my Dynavector L200/HX75 and had not done any listening to other pre's but this one came . I just had to go for it.

Simon , I see you got yourself a Dynavector HX 1.2/Mk2. Comparisons with a Naim 300 power amp would be very interesting.Did you get that amp recently and did you listen to any other contenders ? It must be blindingly good. The Mk1 is fabulous.

Cheers , Mark
Posted on: 01 February 2004 by Alex S.
I plugged my cold L100 pre into a CDS2 > 52 > HX1.2 system and the differences were marginal - the L100 was a tad more open with a tad less drive. When I plugged it back into my system it sounded worse than it had at any other time - even DVs need 24 hrs warm up. Jason has gone from L100 > L300 and the improvements are far from subtle! I originally bought the L100 because I couldn't afford the 52 head unit and wanted something better than my 82/Supercap (apart from my 32.5/SC).

Alex

PS I also went from a CDS2 > Densen 400XS - in the context of a DV based system this is a smart move. The Densen likes a Eupen 2.5mm mains cable BTW @ 50 quid (the HX1.2 doesn't!). In a Naim system I'd stick with the CDS2.

PPS Another vote for Phonography, but make sure you get a home dem.

PPPS Tim, Grahams are a London DV dealer.