Is a SNAPS worth it for my system?

IMHO, and this is where I go against the tide, maybe, maybe not. Way back I bought new 42, 160, Kans. I was offered a 2nd hand SNAPS & bought it without trying it in my system ( I know,I know....).

In my system the SNAPS was different but not necessarily better in every department, it made the music loose a bit of it's snap & projection.
I soon tracked down a Hicap & that made a HUGE improvement.

I guess because the PS in the 160 was new & the SNAPS was about 5 years old that may have had some bearing on it.

I would definitely see if you can try it in your system first. £100 is a good price if it works well in your system.

Bob.

Several months after getting my original 42/110 I bought a Snaps (brand new for 125 UKP back then). I tried it in and out many times over the next few months and could only convince myself of incremental improvements. And yes, I was using a LP12/Ittok/Asak back then. As soon as the Hicap came out I tried one out and within the first few notes I knew it was going to be a keeper.

More than 12 years later I bought another 42/Snaps/110 combo (because it was going cheap for $100/$80 and $250 US respectively). I had them all reconditioned and then took them over to a friends house for him to try out in a ridiculously easy attempt to improve upon his 70's era japanese receiver. With a decent CD player upstream the Snaps was still an improvement, although not a large one. But for the extra $100 I sold it to him for a no-brainer as spread over the time of the many years it will be used its cost became almost negligible.
Note that these listening 'tests' were done using the older gray Snaics. A black Snaic added to the Snaps would probably at least equal the level of improvement it provided over the feed from a power amp.

Ron
Dum spiro audio
Dum audio vivo

http://homepages.go.com/~rontoolsie/index1.html

I got one second hand which had been serviced, £80. A worthwhile improvement. Incidentally it is serial no. 417, does Naim have a museum?

A used Highcap could cost £300 - £400!

Milan

Well, I seem to be in a minority of one here, but I'm surprised that a SNAPS at £100 is considered a bargain.

Without a service I'm told that these can sometimes degrade the system overall.

Oh well.

Martin