Upgrade from 202 to 282????

Ian

That's a logical step. Your system will be well balanced. The sound will surprise you!

Just do it!

Emil

Ian,

This is where upgrading gets tough. Logic dictates that you should add an XPS to your CDX2. However a Supercap on the 202 will out perform a 282/Hicap.

Also, you should condider the fact that your system is only 2 weeks old and had not broken in yet. You think it sounds good now, wait 4 more weeks.

I would be thinking XPS or if you really want to be blown away, pick up a used CDS2.

Chris Bell

Ian

I do believe like Chris you should give your current system a chance to settle in before trying anything. For example based on my own experience, and other reports, the new 250 will sound great for a day or so then it will seem to go "off song" and you will have to run it for at least 3 weeks before it all comes back and then some. Strange but true.

Once the 250 is properly "back", and by that time the 202 will also be coming on song, the only thing you still have to give a little time is the CDX2. I reckon it still adds extra little nuances that surprise, even after a month of use.

So I would not think it fair to compare a 282 with the 202 until at least a month of system burn in has gone by. Then you can also try out the relative benefits of either an XPS2 or a Supercap.

For info I have CDX2/282/HiCap/250mk2 and think each piece compliments the other. Certainly the 282 has been a revelation going froma 112 which I had previously (but that is not much help when comparing with the 202).

This Xmas I plan to treat myself to my next upgrade. I was thinking either an XPS2 or a Supercap then my dealer suggested I should consider FRAIM which would give each piece of kit a boost, rather than just boosting one of them for roughly the same money.

Maybe once your system has truly reached it's potential you should check out that option aswell

GEOFF

Thanks for the input so far.

I know, I know.....emotion and excitement do seem to be presiding over rational logic and , at least, a semblance of an audio game plan.

Geoff, you raise a good point. To Fraim now or to Fraim later...? My hunch is that I will Fraim but will wait until the big move to the new house in early summer.

Chris, I hear you on the merits of waiting. An XPS will come with the Fraim next year. For the moment, I also have a small amount of "surplus" cash from the sale of all audio gear that wasn't nailed down. (Still have Linn Classik into Silverline minis then a Unico/modded Sony 999es into Dynaudio Audience 52SEs.)All other tube amps, merlins, Power cords and such went b-bye via AudiogoN.

So, the 282 is w/i reach NOW! Plus, I want to get all this system "crap" done with before insanity commences on 1-5-04 with advent of new job.

(Am I doing a good job of convincing myself here...?...;-)

Most of my current kit has been well broken-in because it was from the dealer's demo stock or one of NANA's show pieces.

Damn, as I write this, the dealer just opened....@11:00 CT.....the magnetic pull is strong....

ian,
hi! nice to know other naim user is using a dyna s25 as well, my current system is a 112/150 driving the s25 but always feel something missing..
just wonder in your system, the 250 drives the s25 well? I may not be able to upgrade from 112/150 to 282/250 like you, but wonder if the 202/200 will do the job as well? have you try this combo before?
in HK, we don't have any dealer who provides home audition service(they don't have much spk in their showroom neither), we have to guess if the upgrades/purchase work or not, so other users' experience is our main source of information, you are very lucky to have a good and helpful dealer who is close to your home!

ys,

i briefly had a cd5/fc2/112/150 driving the 25s. i also demoed all combos with the 25s at the dealer. i heard a 200/202 into dyn 25s and it was a HUGE improvement over the 112/150. more weight, presence, dynamics.
the dyns really opened up.

you're not doing justice to your speakers w/o at least a 200 - imo.

cheers,
ian

ian,
you should get fraimed, you know it makes sense.

It will be an upgrade for all your components. There's a very good article somewhere here that describes in excrutiating detail how to assemble a fraim. Do it right and it is quite wonderful. Bit more work than plonking in a new pre-amp, but ultimately I think you will find it a more satisfying result.

Now back to watching the soccer while the wind blows snow outside.....
tim

Ian,
Thanks for your valuable comment, I know what to do....
so the difference between 200 and 250 is that big as between 150 and 200?
the 200 should have 100w per channel at 4 ohm, I think 100w will be suffice.
Thanks again.

ys

Ys

The new 250 is a great amp. It has depth and solidity. It is not about the Watts into ohms, it is about the current demand at low impedance. If you pop over to the company site you will see the 250 has a transient capacity of 400 VA. It shows as great bass drive and an ability to go loud whithout becoming harsh.

There is quite a lot of opinon here that it is the best VFM amp in the Naim range right now. I went from a 112/150 to a 282/250 and as you can tell am very happy I did.

If you can come up with the extra IMHO the 250 is a better choice than the 200.

regards
GEOFF

Ian,
I recently upgraded to 282/250/HiCap from a 112/150/Flatcap 2.
Auditions included demos of 202/200, 202/250 and 282/250 all with HiCap.
IMHO the 282/250/HiCap was best by far (as it probably should be). Felt I would want to reach that point sooner rather than later so went the whole hog.
If you have another source i.e. Turntable, I would go for a 282. I rate it even though there is a thread on the forum giving it a real slagging.
If CD is your only source then the XPS 2 is an absolute must. This upgrade has made the biggest difference pound for pound in my system.
As for a Supercap, all I can say is my dealer tells me it wont truly sing until you use it with the Burndy, which means you need a 252.
Best advice though is listen to 282 and XPS 2 in your system and see which one you want to buy right now.
Steve.

Geoff,
thanks for your advice, but at this moment, 202/200 is my only choice, or maybe I can use a new 250 on my 112? 250 cost the same as the 202/200 combo.....

Ys

The "at the moment" is the important bit. How long would it be before you go to the next step?
If you ARE planning sometime SOON to go further up the Naim ladder, buying the 250 and hanging it on your 112, would not be at all bad, especially if you can get your hands on a 2ndHand PS (HiCap?) for the 112.
However if you are going to have to wait quite a long time for your next upgrade (you know you will not be able to resist forever!) then the 202/200 would be a better choice.

Incidentally you talk about power output. Do you get the chance to drive your system very loud? In HK I would think it is not easy to do that without having problems with the neighbours.

regards
GEOFF

Why do people upgrade the power amp before the pre I guess it depends on the sepakers but was just wondering?.

I have a CDX2, 200 & 202 driving a pair of SBL's but I think my next upgrade is a while away yet!.....

Rgds, Andy

Hi,
I did the demo of the 282/xps2/250 in the context of my current system and have posted the findings elsewhere.
Basically I'm sorting my mains out first, but, providing no major surprises prevail I will change the 102 to the 282 first, followed by adding the XPS2.
I found the 282 improved everything, and allowed the XPS2 to show off the CDX2, whereas just adding the XPS2 whilst the 102 was in the loop was not as big a jump.
So, 282 1st, XPS2 2nd (and then the Fraim v 250 debate begins when funds allow).

regards,
andy c

after this upgrade, I think I have to settle down for a long time(certainly not forever, of course). I believe the 202/200 will be more balance than 112/250, as you suggested, Geoff, so 202/200 would be my only choice, just hope that the combo match my dyna well.
Seems that my nice neighbours like the music from my naim as I do

ys-

the 202/200 upgrade will be dramatic. i had a 112/150 driving my 25s and immediately upgraded to a 202/250. the 200 also drives the 25s much better and you will be amazed.

greetings, all -

so, i went to the dealer, had a successful audition of the 282 and decided i wanted to buy the friggin' thing instead of the 202. i have had the 202/250 kit for a week!! i just decided that i would do it all now and just seek PS upgrades down the road. now, the dealer gave me a "pleasant" system discount on my whole purchase that included a cdx2/202/psc2/hicap2/250. when i proposed that he provide me the same discount on the 282 and i will just gladly pay the difference between what i paid for the 202 last week and what the 282 costs proportionate to my system discount.

i was shocked to hear that they would not do it. the guy, who i have known for years, says that he cannot take a pice in ON TRADE and also give me a decent discount!!! can you believe this shit? after a mere seven days of having the 202 - which was a "demo" piece to begin with - the dealer tells me that i would be better off selling it on the open market!!

i was shocked to say the least and, good judgement prevailing here, i politely left the store without further comment because my initial reaction was one of rage and anger....!! i didn't even ask for a home audition of all this kit nor did i ask for any installation help and when i decide to almost immediately move up in the product line, i'm greeted with this type of sheer car salseman crap...!!...??

is this standard here or am i being....uh....buggered?

Hmmm, discounts are always a touchy subject. I think one of the problems is that you've only had the gear a week and already changing it!

Really, the dealer should be reasonably sympathetic in that you purchased the wrong pre-amp and therefore should give you some kind of deal, that's what service is all about. I would say that you could expect to get what you paid for your 202, swallow the taxes yourself, but get some kind of break on the 282, although not necessarily the "system discount" as you might expect.

Negotiate with a fair view in mind and see what happens.

tim

mad max-

it's a shame that you choose to write first and think second. that's cool. tell ken, mark and john that i said, "hello".

i robbed a bank, sold some of my mother's jewelry and pan-handled in front of the cancer center down at Northwestern to come up with the money.....like it's any fucking business of yours.

it's really just too easy to pen a stinging reply to your post. people who walk around this planet with large chips on their shoulders should be helped and pittied instead of beaten down further.

just so that you go away with the correct info, please allow me just to clarify things for YOU.

i have known ken at promusica since 1988 and have bought at least two systems from him. my last purchase - before this - was in november of 2000 when i acquired some proac 2.5s. a month ago, i just fell in love with the naim sound ....finally. i have three systems in our house here and was looking at puttig in a smaller naim system in my den. in the end -instead of taking promusica up on thier home audition offer - i decided to buy a used system as sort of an experiment. well, the experiment was so successful (as i knew it would be)that i immediately sold the cd5/fc2/112/150 (for slightly less than the $3400 i paid for it) to a buddy in san fran. realizing that the 202/250 was what i really wanted - with mark at promusica guiding me - i sold some other gear i owned (audio aero capitole cdp, cardas golden ref cables, david berning otl amp, small rel sub, power conditioner et.al.) and promptly went INTO THE DEALER'S SHOWROOM AND WROTE HIM A CHECK FOR $XX,XXX (MSRP OF ABOUT $14,000)THEN PUT THE FIVE BOXES IN MY CAR AND WENT HOME. I then returned three days later and WROTE ANOTHER CHECK FOR A QUADRASPIRE RACK after asking for some insight here.

i'm pleased that you took the time in your day to research my situation and provide your keen perspective. it definitely shows that you should try to be more concerned with issues that fundamentally affect YOU as you appear to be quite unqualified to offer opinions where others are concerned.