NDX to XPS2 or NAC 202 HiCap DR upgrade advice

XPS2.

'Significant' inprovement can be got by adding XPS2 (Dred or non DRed) to your existing kit.

Adding an XPSDR will bring far greater benefits than DRing the Hicap. At about seven times the price it jolly well should. 

sorry but you did not mention a budget, had the same system NDX/202/200/HC (mine is DR)/NAPSC - got demo of XPSDR & 282 - went for the 282 over the XPSDR - as this would also improve LP12 - can you get to try both?? 282 is more money than XPSDR but it certainly gave my system a huge upgrade and will really work well with HC

That is really interesting. My other source is a new Rega P3 (still in the box). 282 could be a serious option actually. Thanks gives me food for thought.

Jin

Why not leave NDX/202 route and switch to 272 and then add there a XPS DR later?

If you already have a NDX then I wouldn't step backwards to a 272.

My vote would be a 282 if only because it will improve multiple sources. I would only DR your HiCap if it is also close to service date.

The Rega is nowhere up to justify the 282 and neither 202 is.

NAC 272 is below 202/ND5XS.

Well if the hicup is really due for a service do that along with the DR upgrade.Then, I were you I'd stop there and listen to music as other upgrades to re-balance would easily come sooner than expected.

since you have NDX already, I would move to 282... nobody ever regrets that move. NDX/282/HC/200 is a good place to be with Naim

if 250 didn't exist

but it does.

Antonio1 posted:

The Rega is nowhere up to justify the 282 and neither 202 is.

NAC 272 is below 202/ND5XS.

Well if the hicup is really due for a service do that along with the DR upgrade.Then, I were you I'd stop there and listen to music as other upgrades to re-balance would easily come sooner than expected.

I don't know about that one Antonio1. You can't really pair 202 with a 250 DR , but 272 sounds great with 250 DR. So sorry, but disagree. 

You also posted that Chord Mojo was not worthy to be a DAC to an NDX before, again, I'm not going to say much except, not sure about that one either... other than to say everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Antonio1 posted:

if 250 didn't exist

but it does.

I disagree - 282/200 is a good place to be, 282/250 better, but 282/200 is a very musical and dynamic sound, a very good place to stop if funds are an issue.

To each his own.

to me a 250 deserves at least a 282 (and a very good source) .

202 is a much better preamplifier than 272 is, vinyl is good proof of it.

For me 172XS is the worst sounding Naim ever, ND5XS a very good value one(the only XS worth).

Older and new 250 have a magic very few other brands can rival, sooner or later you'll be craving for a 282.

Sorry, the chord spoils the goodness from the NDX.

opinions.

I don't know about Mojo (and I note it i the lesser of Chord's Family), but the Hugo has been well reported on these forums as improving NDX at a relatively modest outlay compared to some alternatives. Of course if you take that route there are also other options with Hugo, replacing the NDX and NAS entirely, but only if youre willing to takr the plunge.

The mojo is not the lesser of Chord's family, but to each their own, I read these comments with great amusement sometimes.... it is all so very subjective, based on taste, expectations, definition of musicality and many other factors. Way too difficult to generalize.

There are however undeniable facts (unlike opinions, which can vary in both reliability and credibility), the fact is that 282 for sure is better than 202, and the good thing about Naim is that they worked very hard to improve their products so you do what what you paid for.

Indeed, though a concensus of numbers of different people with different backgrounds and expectations tends to make the conclusion interesting. As for Mojo, i meant of what I regard asthe Hugo range Mojo-Hugo-HugoTT-Dave.

I don't have any issues discussing the merits of 172 vs 202 vs 272, interesting that Antonio finds 202 better than 272, I never tested them side by side, but interesting all the same.

As for thinking the Mojo spoils the NDX, well if you love the Naim musical values and sound then ..... better to stay with Naim digital sources  as the Mojo does not play music like NDX or NDAC. So Antonio is right, it does "spoil" the sound of NDX, if spoiling is taking away what the NDX does so well.

But like I said it is all subjective, some people like BMW (like me) and some like Mercedes.

Naim is in my blood. So glad I did not sell the Nait 5 and CD 5 they are at my mum's fueling a pair of B&W 684 S2 - always a good excuse to turn up at mum's for curry n music!  Lots of food for thought over the summer. Thank you for the suggestions. But I will admit the biggest regret - selling my LP12 - 30 years ago...I will go to hell for that!

No time for regrets. You did what you did and that's that. Move forward!

As some others have said, I'd go for a 282 next, that's what I did in an almost identical system save for the speakers.  The 282 is a tremendous improvement over the 202.

An opportunity arose to buy an exdem 282 so I didn't try an XPS2 and I haven't done so yet so my advice may be misguided but I feel that the NDX bare is still a good source in my system which now has a 250dr in place of the 200 and a HICAP DR.  These were both opportunist upgrades, you can do very well if you are patient.

I know a lot of others will say source first, and they are right, but the bare NDX does seem at home, despite an apparent lack of system balance.

Richard

My vote goes to XPS.

282 is a bery good amp and sounds very convincing with NAP 200. So that's an option too.

Thank you for the food for thought. Here is a quick update. So over the past 4 weeks complete change of upgrading path...partly driven by need to reduce the Naim blackboxes coming out of all orifices including a Headline/PSU for the HD800. Gone are the NAC 202 and NDX and replaced by NAC N272 and  XPS (not DR yet). Just superb. The new 2016 REGA P3, with Rega Phono Stage and outboard PSU was the real surprise - gives the NAC 272 a run for the money (different but wonderful). Next upgrade is to DR the XPS and replace NAP 200 with NAP 250DR. Now I can just once again just listen to music again.  The Naim drug..hate it..hate it..

Maragoo posted:

Why not leave NDX/202 route and switch to 272 and then add there a XPS DR later?

 

I did just that. Now a proud owner of N272 and XPS (soon to be DR). Thanks for the heads-up. Had not even considered this path.  All the best. Jin