Anyone prefer the supernait 2 without the hicap DR ??

Which begs the question why you bought the Hicap in the first place and why it took you so long to realise you preferred the sound without it...

I have been listening to a bare SN2 since new - I keep toying with the idea of trying a hicap and a powerline so I'm interested to hear that you find it less engaging with a hicap.

I do find it very engaging without - source is a CD5XS+Flatcap and an Ariston RD40/Goldring Eroica for my vinyl fix and they work rather well together.

The Sn2, unlike the SN, includes a DR power supply for the preamp already, so adding a Hicap just gives more of the same. The impact was therefore always going to be less than on the SN. I suppose this demonstrates how good the SN2 actually is, and there is something very appealing about not having to add another box to an integrated amplifier. 

an external ps gives more tightness and resolution but the Naim sound we all like is a bit missing. That's what i always hear, so  for me a no no.

Just my 2 cents (eurocents, actually). I have used Naim external PSUs since the mid 80s, so I thought I had a clear idea of how they work and what they do. I have used single-rail SNAPs, dual-rail SNAPs, FCs, FC2s, FC2x's, HiCaps of all colours, HCDR, XP 5XS, XPS2 and XPS2DR. Each time, to a variable degree, I heard something. That something has been more bass, less bass, tighter bass, deeper bass, more definition, some analogue-ing of the sound, some digital-ing of the sound, widening of the soundstage, more forward-ness, less forward-ness..

Truth is, each time I heard relatively to what, in that moment of my life, I preferred to spot. So, when last spring I thought I had good reasons for selling my system and re-starting with a blank page, first thing that went was the HCDR. I had a 202/200 by then, and when I connected the 202 to the 200 without HCDR, I heard something that I liked – it was a time when I was ready to stop needing any external PSU. Music was, say, like moving from Gene Kelly to Fred Astaire: lighter, with flow, less demanding. Was it because of that mysterious equation (about which some have written here), by which more data require more tempo, which makes the subjective perception of speed change, making it slower? So that less richness made it all sound faster, on light feet, in a merrier mood?

Summarising: I have no answer, safe that there is no certain answer. There are times I like less power supplying, times when I lake more power supplying. One thing I'm sure of, if one has a HC and feels he doesn't like the effect anymore, better to put it inside a cupboard than selling it. Things change, and the human mind changes more than anything else.

Best

M.

Hungryhalibut posted:

The impact was therefore always going to be less than on the SN.

I must say I don't really see how that follows. In both instances you are adding a power supply. Is it the power supply that makes the difference, or the fact that it's been "DRed"?

Non-DR SN + Non-DR Hicap = great impact.

DR SN2 + DR Hicap = less impact?

Could it be simply that the SN2 is a far better amplifier than the SN, and thus less in need of a power supply? I certainly don't have the answer myself.

Massimo Bertola posted:

JOne thing I'm sure of, if one has a HC and feels he doesn't like the effect anymore, better to put it inside a cupboard than selling it. Things change, and the human mind changes more than anything else.

Best

M.

 

Wise words Massimo !

clintyboy posted:

After a few months of using my hicapDR on my supernait 2, and being quite pleased with the overall sound I thought I would remove it to hear the negative effect, if any, to the sound, but alas instantly the sound  had more bounce and groove along with better flow.... hooking the hcdr back up brought a slight tightening of the sound and slightly more detail but the foot tapping element was missing !! My source is CD555 with Spendor S9 speakers. Anybody else prefer the supernait 2 bare ?

Clintyboy

I can speak from experiece of adding, removing, adding...and eventually removing the HCDR from the SN2 (I used to own), over about 12 months.

Your observations chime exactly with mine Clintyboy. In the end I felt it more musically enjoyable without (but more 'hi-fi' with).

Trust your ears.

G

I was testing HiCap DR on my SN2 last weeks. First I was impressed with improvement but later on there was too much of everything.. I was more tired after longer listening..now I am without HiCap DR and find it better more coherent, musical, airy.. sorry for my bad English

That makes complete sense, and your English is far better than many on here for whom English is allegedly their first language. 

Yes GRAHAMH, More hifi and less musically enjoyable. Funny, I have never left a live concert thinking how clean the bass was or how airy the treble was, minute detail retrieval etc etc that's anorak territory. I will live without the hcdr for a week or so and then connect it again as am not a fan of quick A/B comparisons

clintyboy posted:

Yes GRAHAMH, More hifi and less musically enjoyable. Funny, I have never left a live concert thinking how clean the bass was or how airy the treble was, minute detail retrieval etc etc that's anorak territory. I will live without the hcdr for a week or so and then connect it again as am not a fan of quick A/B comparisons

The irritating thing is it adds something ...but ultimately unbalances the coherence of the SN2 ime. The latter takes time to become apparent.

G

True words G

S

Interesting comments. I was going to get a Hicap DR but I'm not so keen now. The problem is that it's impossible to get a demo where I am. Would adding a PS to the source (CDX2) bring a greater improvement?

I recently tested a SCDR on my SN2...... Didn't like it much as it seemed to put a spotlight on every detail, not allowing me to be immersed in the music in a relaxed way. 

Gary, as graham mentioned ithe hcdr does add something.... but musical flow suffers. The hcdr over controls the sound too much imo, Sure,  bare supernait 2 is probably not as accurate but music flows sooo well and sings its heart that you don't notice any shortcomings

S

Frenchnaim posted:

Would adding a PS to the source (CDX2) bring a greater improvement?

From the advice on the Naim website c.2007, We generally find improvements to the source bring the greatest  benefits. (I paraphrase).

C.

Frenchnaim posted:

Interesting comments. I was going to get a Hicap DR but I'm not so keen now. The problem is that it's impossible to get a demo where I am. Would adding a PS to the source (CDX2) bring a greater improvement?

I always favour source-first approach. You could try maxing our your CDX2 - you should get more fun out it than out of adding a HiCap to a SuperNait 2.

Not sure if your CDX2 is a .2 version - if yes, the biggest impact I have heard on my CDX2.2 was when I added an nDAC. The next step was a 555PS (specifically non-DR) on the nDAC.

Spend you £££ on your source, my cd555 favours a bare supernait 2.

s

CDS3 with SN2 here. 

Gary, I used to use a CDS3, smooth machine!! Out of interest did you try a hcdr on your SN2 ?

No, however i did run a HCDR with my NaitXS and thought it a dynamic combo, but probably not as flowing as when partnered with the FC2X. I have had greater success with a dual railed Snaps, but can't say too much about that on here.

I greatly prefer my SN2 with the HCDR.  Mostly due to the fact i paid $2,500 for it.  What good could come from removing it now?

What about a SN2 with non DR HiCap ?

Or is that sacrilegious?

MartinKocurek posted:

I was testing HiCap DR on my SN2 last weeks. First I was impressed with improvement but later on there was too much of everything.. I was more tired after longer listening..now I am without HiCap DR and find it better more coherent, musical, airy.. sorry for my bad English

FWIW I experienced the same effect with a non-Naim PSU on my Nait XS 2. The sound was more impressive but after a while more fatiguing.

If I had someone over to listen to my system I would leave it plugged in. Once they'd left I would unplug it and listen to music.

I sometimes questioned my decision after returning it, thinking that maybe it would work better with another source, speakers, etc, but in the end I just felt that money could be better spent elsewhere.