Ok so I tried a 252 and I'm not sure what to make of it.

analogmusic posted:

Hungryhalibut posted:

. But what a shame you have to spend £20,000 to get that exuberance - something that preamps like the 42 were very capable of all those years ago. 

HH, does your 272 have that exuberance?

Not as much as a 552, but more than a 252. All from memory of course, rather than direct comparisons. I certainly enjoy the current setup more than any 82 or 252 system I've had. I've never owned a 282, and have heard it just the once, at the factory. 

I've just moved up to a 252 having had a 282 for a number of years and prior to that a 202. The 252 is s/h. I was not able to audition.  I couldn't bring myself to audition one at my dealer knowing full well I wouldn't be spending the sort of money it would cost to upgrade for a new or ex-dem 252.

I know I should have auditioned and I could have kept my 282 to swap back if needs be. The best I could do is make use of the posts about the 252 on this forum to help me decide. I read some of them several times because a few times the comment along the lines of  'some prefer the 282 over the 252' would crop up. This made me think that I might not be doing the right thing for me, so a bit of a gamble. I'm really grateful for this forum, having read everything I could find on 282/252 comparisons I went ahead and the 252 was delivered last week. I'm really pleased with it. The 252 is teamed up with a CDX2, 555ps and a 300. No DR - yet! The wiring is SL and powerliness throughout. 

I've not had the chance to listen to a 552. It's twice the price and I just can't go there so the 252  is were I will stop. It's more musical than the 282. Those more elequent than me have described the capabilities of these amps elsewhere on the forum. 

So thank you to those of you who have written about these amps.  With a big help from this forum I've successfully upgraded. I'm now back listening to music again with a great deal of contentment with my system. Bring on the DR upgrades! 

Acred

Acred - glad to hear your gamble paid off and that you're pleased with the 252. No real need to speculate about what a 552 might do - just enjoy your new acquisition. 

Important to remember that it's all relative.    A Muso makes great music

The Strat (Fender) posted:

Important to remember that it's all relative.    A Muso makes great music

I'm reading about 552's and 252's and 282's sitting here listening to Brad Mehldau (Blues and Ballads) on the Qute2/NAP100 system.  Great music!

PS: Piano, upright bass and real drums piano trio music is wonderful 'what does my system sound like' music.

ACRED Don't wait too long for updating the 300 to DR. Not to have it done on your all SL system is a pity.

Chag -

Acred, glad you are enjoying the 252, it's a fantastic preamp, especially for the music lover, providing unforced exhubetence  and detail to give great musical enjoyment. I also think the CDX2 sounds particularly fine coupled with the 252, I have been enjoying several all of my favouirite Bob Dylan CDs this way today... incredible..... enjoy.

+1 for the 252. Like you, Acred, I bought s/h and 'blind' - the first thing I did was send it to Naim for a service, which you should bear in mind depending on its age. I've been really happy with my 252 and wish you many happy hours of listening.

(Before you DR your 300, you could think about DR-ing your Supercap.)

Agree about DRing the SuperCap... I think you'll find if not done already that it will make a massive positive difference... helps the ability to listen into the music

I would side more on the 300 DR upgrade. I can't comments on Supercap as I never heard one, but certainly Hicap to Hicap DR was not night and day to my ears, but 250.2 to 250 DR, that brings a lot more to the table to my ears.

I found a DR'ed Supercap gave a bigger benefit on the 252 than it did on the 282 and like S-i-S I'd be inclined to look at that as the next step.

Christopher_M posted:

ken c posted:

when i read threads like this, i am always aware of how difficult it is to separate personal preferences from some other issue -- for example, a more revealing pre-amp highlighting a weakness elsewhere in the system. i had an issue with 252 not sounding any good when i owned it. after a lot of to- and fro-, it turned out to be a mains problem. but i guess its 'safer'/easier to just fall back on personal preferences as the whole thing is so subjective anyhow...

General point accepted. But IIRC c.2007 when Naim had their Suggested Systems I- VI on this site, a system containing a NAC252 was never fronted with anything less than a CDS3. Not that this will be a problem for the OP with his NDS, 555psu.

C.

I think both of you gentleman, are point on.

When I entered the world of Naim, I to was confronted, 282 or 252!

Of course, the Forum was beneficial, then I googled up 2007 CES debuts CD555, you tube.

To my surprise, they choose an 282, to debut their new CD555. 

However, as you gentleman have pointed out, a more revealing pre-amp could have presented problems down the chain!

282--+SC--+Snaxo---+DBLs

But at the end of the day, it was there call!

Yeah, the 552 would have been the natural partner for the CD555, but even after hours spent on the set up, what the heck!

Naim's top source on the front of an Active System, with Naim's iconic, DBLs on the rear!

With the 282 being feed the signal, and dispersing it to a trio of 250's!

Well, I pulled the trigger!

Cdx2/282/HCDR/3 x 250/Briks

Waiting on new Snaxo technology!

Allante93!

I have been very happy with an active system comprised of a Nac82 , 3 250 amps CDS3 snaxo with NBLs. I know better results can be achieved but it sounds excellent.