252/300 and 282/hcdr/300

I though about upgrade from 282/hcdr/300 to 252/300 but was then changing my mind and made direction to 272. My main source is vinyl on LP12. With this swap I haven't had to spend money to upgrade and gome some nice features (Internet Radio, Spotify, UPNP) too. Soundstage is close the same currently, but with an additional PSU I'm sure I can move further up the naim ladder. It's a lot of money for uprade 282->252 and hicadr->supercap dr!

I agree,  272/555 should sound very good, and for a lot less money.

I just upgraded my system  Nac282 / Hi-cap Dr / 250-2 with  a new Nap300 DR  and I want to say you that this was a significant  step forward . I'm very excited about the result. Now I'm thinking if  I replace the pre with a 272 or better in the next  future (we hope) with a 372  to have three boxes in one (HDX + Ndac + NAP 282) then replacing the XPS-2 with PS555 DR. My doubt is whether and how much I would lose in sound quality. 

I went from 282 to 252 using NDS/TAXPS/SupercapDR/250DR with both preamps and there is an entire thread about this if you do a search. Sorry I can't say what the change in preamp (and power supply) brings using the 300.

Suffice to say you are likely to hear more of the 252's charms with the 300. The usual caution with a proper demo is even more relevant here because the 252 is quite different to the 282 and not everybody will feel this change is for them. Personally I love what the 252 does - please refer to my earlier thread for the detail.

Good luck.

I've had the 250.2 + 282 (Hicap) and am currently sporting a 300 DR / 252 (upgraded within the past 4 months).

Everyone says the 282 boogies harder and the 252 serves up more detail. I agree with the point about the 252 serving up more detail, have never understood the "boogie" comment. However my 282 was never connected to a 300, and my 252 was never connected to a 250.2... so perhaps this has something to do with my perceptions.

Since you are only considering the 300 as an amp... I would just listen to both preamps connected to it and decide for yourself.

Both are fantastic pre amps.  The 252 is more refined.  As ever only a proper demo is going to really tell you if it's worth the change. 

Regards,

Lindsay

Zipperheadbanjo posted:

I've had the 250.2 + 282 (Hicap) and am currently sporting a 300 DR / 252 (upgraded within the past 4 months).

Everyone says the 282 boogies harder and the 252 serves up more detail. I agree with the point about the 252 serving up more detail, have never understood the "boogie" comment. However my 282 was never connected to a 300, and my 252 was never connected to a 250.2... so perhaps this has something to do with my perceptions.

Since you are only considering the 300 as an amp... I would just listen to both preamps connected to it and decide for yourself.

interesting, but one forum member has said that 252/300 is not worth double the money of 282/250

but then another forum members says 252/300 is where the Naim hi-end starts

so what do you think, having owned both?

I have owned a 282 with HiCapDR and currently use a 252DR .. and a NAP 250.. I enjoyed my 282 it was a great preamp.. it had a fun sound.. and I could have stopped there apart from I made the mistake of demoing a 252. This preamp not surprisingly really ups the communication ability.. You start to notice new nuances and insights in your music.. it was quite strange yet infectious at first..it allows me to make sense of much orchestral music... You can hear the nuance and seperation of the instruments more clearly and with mixed and mastered music you van appreciate more how it's been put together and the artistic efforts of both artists and sound engineers.. It really is the preamp for use if you are fascinated by music, it's emotion and how it's made.

So my summary would be, the 282 is fun and allows you to hear and enjoy music as a whole.. it provides plenty of detail but  perhaps limited ability to listen into the music. Great for much modern recorded music, but sometimes a little muddled on classical orchestral music or very layered music. The 252 is highly entertaining  and sounds  more accurate and measured than the 282, it allows you to listen into the elements of the recorded music/audio in a way that is  enjoyable, informative and emotionally addictive..one for the music buff, but probably an overkill for more casual music replay or for use with less revealing speakers. I guess another point worth mentioning, since I have bought my 252DR I have had no urge to change or upgrade anything... despite listening to the potentially more capable 552DR and this has been a first for me.

I went from a 172XS to a 282 pre and instantly my wife and I heard a much clearer sound. It was like the fog had gone, every instrument and vocal was clearer, kinda like moving from cassette to cd.  A 252 with it's p/s would sound clearer again AND remember the power supply provides better transients so overall it would be better. I have wasted too much already on upgrading, I should have waited and bought the 252/300 and been done with it. You can NEVER have too much power in an amp, but you can have too little. Bass drums or full blown whams in music need the horsepower to deliver a true signal to the amps, including the preamp. Analytical really means hearing greater separation of the whole sound, closer to the real thing. If you, like me have grown up with that whole sound from a standard system, it will sound unusual at first, BUT when you start to appreciate the individual notes of a bass guitar in a rock song, it is worth it. Naim must make a very large chunk of their profits in people like us who upgrade. That's life, but aim high enough that it's achievable and then sit back and enjoy. Less Pain More Gain!

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

.....currently use a 252DR .. and a NAP 250.. ....

........I have had no urge to change or upgrade anything......

Not even find a NAP300, the natural partner, for your ATCs?!

Chris

nah the 250 is perfect for the 19s - the 300 will be just too much metal work for me - I just dont need it.. its bliss as it is.. I am sure it would be different if I had a larger listening room and the 40s. I have discovered within reason the amp follows the capability of the pre... 

analogmusic posted:

Zipperheadbanjo posted:

I've had the 250.2 + 282 (Hicap) and am currently sporting a 300 DR / 252 (upgraded within the past 4 months).

Everyone says the 282 boogies harder and the 252 serves up more detail. I agree with the point about the 252 serving up more detail, have never understood the "boogie" comment. However my 282 was never connected to a 300, and my 252 was never connected to a 250.2... so perhaps this has something to do with my perceptions.

Since you are only considering the 300 as an amp... I would just listen to both preamps connected to it and decide for yourself.

interesting, but one forum member has said that 252/300 is not worth double the money of 282/250

 

but then another forum members says 252/300 is where the Naim hi-end starts

 

so what do you think, having owned both?

Well analogmusic, you have struck upon the key question probably. 300/252 costs roughly twice what the 250/282 costs. And it's not like there is all that much lacking in the 250/282. The 300/252 brings a lot more to the table, but is it "twice as good"... probably not.

All I can say is that for me, with the deal I was given on a large purchase of gear, and the trade in of my 282/250 and some other items, it was kind of a no-brainer. I also see the 300 as my stopping point (in terms of amplification... may at some point consider a 552 if I could get it at the right price).