82 v 282

Back when the NAC282 was released and I did the comparison, I thought so, yes. IIRC, a bit more fluid and resolving, more refined too but with no loss of excitement.

No, it's not. I had an 82 and asked a nice Naim man, off the record, whether I should get a 282. The answer was that unless I was getting a 252 I shouldn't bother. So I got the 252 and wished I'd kept the 82. Such is life. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

No, it's not. I had an 82 and asked a nice Naim man, off the record, whether I should get a 282. The answer was that unless I was getting a 252 I shouldn't bother. So I got the 252 and wished I'd kept the 82. Such is life. 

Am I understanding you correctly, you feel the 82 more musical than the 252?  For a sense of where I am coming from, I'd like to try an 82 in my system.

I could not ascertain any large difference when compared many years ago. Bought a CDS3 instead.

If the NAC 82 sounds exactly the same as the NAC 282, what are the differences between the two other than the difference in appearance (olive casing and more elegant and clean Black casing)? Can some techie who have opened up both amps and looked inside reveal on the TECHNICAL differences, whether the circuit boards, capacitors and transistor layout are similar, or different.

I disagree with HH; and agree with Richard. A 282 is excellent; as good as an early 52. Later 52 were very good; bettered by the 252. The black series are very good; more complete that the olive series. 

Mark; the 82 is excellent; it is very revealing; especially with CDs so your sources will need to be up to scratch. I think you have a CDS so you'll be fine. You may however want to try a 72 with a Supercap - that really is something. 

In the olive series my vote is 52/Scap/250; 72/Hi/250 (or 140 if funds tight); Nait 2.  In the black series I would try a 552/amp of choice (either 500, 300, 250) or 282/250. I haven't heard the streamers; but I am old fashioned and have a Phonosophie, NAT01, CD player/Naim DAC/XPS, Nakamachi tape deck and HDX (into Naim DAC/XPS); and the tuner, LP, CD sound the best to our ears into the 552/250, Sonus Faber Olympica. It's all about the Naim sound plus a bit of natural warmth; not hyper analysis.  

In the bedroom we have a UnitiQute (used as a streamer, digital out into: Meridian 203 DAC), Nait 2 into Rega Kytes - this is a great inexpensive set up; that blows away most sound bars etc. The Nait 2 into Kytes is a great combo.

Good listening 

Thanks for posting Dev B. I had the choice between a used and serviced Pots 8 82 and a used 282, called Naim and I was told to buy the 282 without any doubts. The price of 282 was double that of the 82 by the way, and I explained this, they said, buy the 282, there is a reason the 282 costs more.

If it is as good as an  early 52, then I'm pleased with the outcome. 

I'm a bit puzzled by HH's different answer from Naim than the one I got myself.

Glad to know you also rate the 282/250, I can't motivate myself to upgrade from 282/HCDR/250DR, as it sounds complete to me. As it is I was struggling with 282/200/HCDR for any reason to upgrade, but 250DR bettered the 200.

Loved my 52, wasn't enamoured with a 252, but my 82, when fuelled by a Supercap, was fab. Yep, the 552 is epic but I could - at a pinch - revert to a decent 52 if I had to and from there it wouldn't be too much of a drop to go to an 82 (as long as it was partnered with a same-era S'cap).

I did change from an 82 to a 282. I much preferred the 282, but as with most things it was a bit more complicated that that. My 82 was not POTS8 and probably needed a service. I was also already using a black Supercap.

I had actually expected to get a 252 but felt that the 252 was too good for my then turntable and was unbalancing the system. So I decided to improve the LP12 and change the 82 for a 282 and a Stageline S. It was the right decision for me at the time 

Interesting read this thread, as I previously had a 282.

I see no contradiction in the advice from Naim to HH and Analogue. I’m thinking it would not have been a big improvement in vfm terms to go from 82 to 282, hence the advice not to sell an 82 unless going to 252. However, when deciding at the outset whether to purchase an 82 or 282, then if funds were available, Naim advised better to make the outlay on the newer tech. I appreciate that there are those who prefer olive over black, but then they wouldn’t be the guys asking which to go for.

I went from 282/HiCap, then to an olive Supercap, then ScapDR and finally 252DR. I had the 282 and 252 in the house together for a while, but never any inclination to go back to 282.

Re Dev’s comments, a well known/nationally respected UK dealer told me, when I already had 282/olive Scap, that they regarded that combination to be as good as or better than 52. I was surprised – this was in the context of my enquiry about the availability of secondhand 52s/252s. YMMV of course.

I found perhaps the most significant improvement in my 282–252 progression was putting the olive supercap on the 282 (more natural ‘rightness’/openness to the sound, more resolution). The next being when I went from 282/ScapDR to 252DR. I take the view that after 282/250 level, improvements are more subtle/incremental with the law of diminishing returns very apparent. 

thanks for posting Nicetone.... food for thought. There is always a curiosity to go for 252, but as you say 282/250 is a sweet spot in the Naim lineup.

Dev B posted:

I disagree with HH; and agree with Richard. A 282 is excellent; as good as an early 52. Later 52 were very good; bettered by the 252. The black series are very good; more complete that the olive series. 

Mark; the 82 is excellent; it is very revealing; especially with CDs so your sources will need to be up to scratch. I think you have a CDS so you'll be fine. You may however want to try a 72 with a Supercap - that really is something. 

In the olive series my vote is 52/Scap/250; 72/Hi/250 (or 140 if funds tight); Nait 2.  In the black series I would try a 552/amp of choice (either 500, 300, 250) or 282/250. I haven't heard the streamers; but I am old fashioned and have a Phonosophie, NAT01, CD player/Naim DAC/XPS, Nakamachi tape deck and HDX (into Naim DAC/XPS); and the tuner, LP, CD sound the best to our ears into the 552/250, Sonus Faber Olympica. It's all about the Naim sound plus a bit of natural warmth; not hyper analysis.  

In the bedroom we have a UnitiQute (used as a streamer, digital out into: Meridian 203 DAC), Nait 2 into Rega Kytes - this is a great inexpensive set up; that blows away most sound bars etc. The Nait 2 into Kytes is a great combo.

Good listening 

 

 

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