Integrated amp to replace 282/300?

Resale value is an excellent point Engjoo and one I bore in mind. One of the great things about Naim is the strength of the pre-loved market & its resale value. In the high end of audiophilia, I believe it's very easy to lose your shirt if you don't do your homework. Resale value shouldn't inform the buying decision in isolation; but if there's nothing else to choose between two units, it's worth noting. 

FWIW, I tried a Mcintosh pre/power and found it too 'laid back'. If the sound signature is similar in the MA9000 it wouldn't have been for me. A Mcintosh tube pre on my 250DR, however, was a fabulous combination in my situation and one I could have lived with for the foreseeable if I hadn't found a different way. 

Ron Toolsie posted:

I have known quite a few 552/500 owners that have migrated to Vitus, FM Acoustics and LFD. One of the non-Naim lines I tried that I really liked was Boulder-that did not sacrifice any of the excitement, but came with a greater degree of subjective neutrality. Replacing what you have with something-anything-else without a demo is highly disingenuous. Before you jettison your current gear, you should at least *try* a 252/Supercap-this will give the impression that you have a much more powerful and well controlled power amp. 

May I ask which LFD was it? I moved from the LFD Zero LEIII to NAC202/NAP200. 

ryder. posted:

Ron Toolsie posted:

I have known quite a few 552/500 owners that have migrated to Vitus, FM Acoustics and LFD. One of the non-Naim lines I tried that I really liked was Boulder-that did not sacrifice any of the excitement, but came with a greater degree of subjective neutrality. Replacing what you have with something-anything-else without a demo is highly disingenuous. Before you jettison your current gear, you should at least *try* a 252/Supercap-this will give the impression that you have a much more powerful and well controlled power amp. 

May I ask which LFD was it? I moved from the LFD Zero LEIII to NAC202/NAP200. 

At the risk of being labelled heresy I moved from NAC 252/SC/NAP 500 to LFD NCSE MkII+, simply because it does it for me with Harbeth 40.2.

imperialline posted:

ryder. posted:

Ron Toolsie posted:

I have known quite a few 552/500 owners that have migrated to Vitus, FM Acoustics and LFD. One of the non-Naim lines I tried that I really liked was Boulder-that did not sacrifice any of the excitement, but came with a greater degree of subjective neutrality. Replacing what you have with something-anything-else without a demo is highly disingenuous. Before you jettison your current gear, you should at least *try* a 252/Supercap-this will give the impression that you have a much more powerful and well controlled power amp. 

May I ask which LFD was it? I moved from the LFD Zero LEIII to NAC202/NAP200. 

At the risk of being labelled heresy I moved from NAC 252/SC/NAP 500 to LFD NCSE MkII+, simply because it does it for me with Harbeth 40.2.

That's good to hear. The LFD is indeed a great match with Harbeth speakers. I had the LFD Zero MkIII LE with the Harbeth Super HL5 and the combination did sound sublime. I moved from the LFD to the NAC 202/NAP 200 and although the LFD did few things better, the Naim also did few things better. Sound quality wise, I can actually live with both LFD or 202/200 but the Naim did it for me as the deal breakers with the LFD were the lack of remote control and poor build quality. However, one cannot disregard the glowing tube-like quality of the LFD amp which gives a certain sweetness and illumination to the sound.

I have checked out the LFD NCSE MkII and the internals look a lot better than the LFD Zero MkIII LE. The Zero MkIII was poorly built both interior and exterior. Pictures of the NCSE MkII below.

ryder. posted:

imperialline posted:

ryder. posted:

Ron Toolsie posted:

I have known quite a few 552/500 owners that have migrated to Vitus, FM Acoustics and LFD. One of the non-Naim lines I tried that I really liked was Boulder-that did not sacrifice any of the excitement, but came with a greater degree of subjective neutrality. Replacing what you have with something-anything-else without a demo is highly disingenuous. Before you jettison your current gear, you should at least *try* a 252/Supercap-this will give the impression that you have a much more powerful and well controlled power amp. 

May I ask which LFD was it? I moved from the LFD Zero LEIII to NAC202/NAP200. 

At the risk of being labelled heresy I moved from NAC 252/SC/NAP 500 to LFD NCSE MkII+, simply because it does it for me with Harbeth 40.2.

That's good to hear. The LFD is indeed a great match with Harbeth speakers. I had the LFD Zero MkIII LE with the Harbeth Super HL5 and the combination did sound sublime. I moved from the LFD to the NAC 202/NAP 200 and although the LFD did few things better, the Naim also did few things better. Sound quality wise, I can actually live with both LFD or 202/200 but the Naim did it for me as the deal breakers with the LFD were the lack of remote control and poor build quality. However, one cannot disregard the glowing tube-like quality of the LFD amp which gives a certain sweetness and illumination to the sound.

I have checked out the LFD NCSE MkII and the internals look a lot better than the LFD Zero MkIII LE. The Zero MkIII was poorly built both interior and exterior. Pictures of the NCSE MkII below.

Mine is the "plus" version with a much bigger power supply, specially ordered from Gene Rubin.

Devialet? McIntosh?

I heard the latest Lfd before Xmas, an integrated amp with Rega Rp8 into Shahinian Arcs. Nearest I have heard to a NAim amp, perhaps a little more laid back......but nice sound.