What to upgrade

Good advice here. DR what you can. Obviously a SuperCapDR will be better than the HiCap (or two) but then the 252 becomes an option .. And yes the 250DR is not subtle. I don't think anyone has mentioned Naim-ing the cables. Easy to try ..

And yes Fraim becomes an essential part of the system in due course.  

Richard archbold posted:

thinkin of upgrading currently using cdx2 and xps.. 282/200 2 hicaps.. indigo din to din chord sig speaker cable into audio physic Virgo anniversary, do I ditch the 200 for a 250 or ditch 2 hicaps for a supercap.... not a streamer person so cdx has to stay

If CD is your only source. I'd get a CDS3.

Option to consider in diminishing order...

1. Nac 252 - brings so much more to the table

2. 250DR - more mature amp

3. NDAC - more refinement and quality of sound

4. Upgrade your rack

5. ....

All valid recommendations. In the end, it depends on what the person wants to achieve in his system. The NAC 252 requires the Supercap DR and the total cost would come up to £10,360 whereas the NAP 250 DR upgrade will only cost £3,600. The NAC 282 will most likely sound better with the Supercap but the Supercap upgrade will also likely pave way for the NAC 252. And finally, the NAC 552 also brings much more to the table than the NAC 252, I believe. Certainly many options. One may opt to bypass the NAC 252 by going from the NAC 282 to the NAC 552 to avoid doing too many upgrades. But I understand it can be fun or rewarding to try everything along the path as the experiences can be invaluable.

An old thread whether to go with the NAC 282, NAC 252 or NAC 552. https://forums.naimaudio.com/to...out-a-nac-282?page=1

I agree with Massimo on CDX2 and his view of preamps... however with preamps I do find the 252 to 552 and then to Satatement a case of more diminishing returns... the jump from 202 to 282 and 282 to 252 more marked, albeit with different attributes.. 

Further to Massimo's comment on the CDX2 I also now run my solo without a PSU. An XPS2 certainly changes its presentation, and agree can make the CDX2 presentation more forgiving of stands, but put on a Fraim and it sounds wonderful on its own.  I also agree the ebb and flow of the music and the pace and rhythm is not effected by running solo as opposed to using an XPS2. I did not like my 555PS on my CDX2 at all.. seemed to break the goodness in the CDX2 balance to my ears..

Ultimately the CDX2 as fun and musical as it is, it's DAC technology and resolution does ultimately limit it... not much Mandelbrot effect here.. but then that is not what the CDX2 is about. The CDS3 is more refined, but for me less enjoyable... I say if you are wedded to only using CD it would be either the CDX2 or CD555. I didn't keep my CDS3/XPS2 for long.

Finally on a revealing system, the SuperCapDR (with dual feeds) on a 282 is not a happy marriage, the 282 just starts to sound too hot with its exhuberence sometimes making the listening tiring. On less resolving speakers, using a non DR SuperCap, or using a single feed from the SuperCap  it could well be different..

Richard archbold posted:

thinkin of upgrading currently using cdx2 and xps.. 282/200 2 hicaps.. indigo din to din chord sig speaker cable into audio physic Virgo anniversary, do I ditch the 200 for a 250 or ditch 2 hicaps for a supercap.... not a streamer person so cdx has to stay

250 ,absolutely. Somebody said 'more mature power amp' ,that's the very word for it . 

Once you get it you may consider a supercap, I reckon.

Also, at this stage a fraim is a must.

I would agree with Alan Willby. His experience of adding a 2nd non-DR HiCap to a 282 echoes my own. The system just gained a little more dynamics (or sparkle). It may not have been a night-and-day difference but I can hear it. I had most of my system serviced earlier this year which gave me an opportunity to try going back to a single HiCap for a while after all the comments on the forum, but this only convinced me that my earlier impressions were correct.

I have had the 2 hiCap configuration in place for over 10 years and still thoroughly enjoy it. To my ears it sounds better than a single HiCap and I am not tempted to upgrade to a 252 which would certainly be the case if I had a supercap.