Hello
I am relatively new to the forum so apologies this has been covered elsewhere in the archive but I would appreciate your thoughts and advice on upgrade path from my Nait XS.
I recently visited my local Naim dealer and took along a selection of my LPs and my Stageline and listened their Nait XS2 with and without a Hi-Cap DR. the difference was very impressive which made me confident that the addition of a Hi-Cap to my XS would be a great upgrade to my system and will do this when funds allow.
Long-term I would like to move over to a separate pre and power amp. So I auditioned the NAP 200DR and the NAC 202 with and without the Hi-Cap. To me this was another step up from the XS2.
It was suggested by the dealer that first get a Hi-Cap to put on the pre of my Nait XS, then in time add the power amp to the XS before finally introducing the separate pre. This seemed like a good idea but now after reading various postings about how investment in the pre should take priority over the power amp I am wondering:
- Can I approach it the other way and run a separate Pre with my XS and use its power amp in the XS? I would then add a separate power at a later stage.
- Are the benefits of a NAC 282 or the NAC N 272 considerably more than the NAC 202? And would they combine well with a NAP 200 if chosen as the power (any other suggestions welcome)?
My system is Michell Transcriptor/SME/Shure V-15 III, Stageline, Naim CD3 and PMC Twenty5.23. Vinyl is my main source, then CD but I do like mucking about with Spotify and would like the benefits of internet radio hence interest in the Nac N 272.
Any thoughts are appreciated.
Posted on: 06 July 2018 by SamClaus
You seem to have ruled out the Supernait 2 - which is arguably the equal of the 202/200. I heard both, I got the Supernait 2 (with Hicap DR) and don't regret my choice. Incidentally, I used to have an XS - an excellent amplifier - and, aeons ago, a superb Transcriptors with SME arm and Shure V-15 III...
Posted on: 06 July 2018 by Huge
I used a 272 with a Naixt XS2 poweramp for a time whilst looking for a s/h 250DR or 300DR (which is what I found). There is a 'gotch' with the XS2's poweramp... the first stage is powered by the preamp power supply not the poweramp power supply which means that the configuration isn't officially supported (and I won't tell you how I did it, as that's contrary to the forum AUP).
In fact the XS2 is a very well balanced integrated amp in it's own right and with a HiCap in my opinion it improves again - not however thay some people don't like the HiCap XS pairing as they think the HiCap is too much for the XS - listen for yourself. In my experience, it's preamp is very good, and, overall, I think it's probably more limited by the poweramp than the preamp.
I can't specifically comment on the 282 other than it's reputation, but I believe the benefit of additional power supplies on the 272 can work wonders on that box; but even bare it's no slouch (and I in my opinion better than the 202, however, when you add a PSU, well... then it really takes off!)
Posted on: 06 July 2018 by Christopher_M
Jonathan, To answer your specific Qs:
1. Yes
2. NAC282 over NAC202, yes. Forum lore has it that the pre in the N-272 lies somewhere between the two. Only you can decide how important streaming is to you.
Like you, I found the NAC202/ NAP200 to be a significant upgrade on the wonderful NAIT XS. Just add the (imo essential) NAPSC for a very nice amplifier indeed.
My opinion is that it's not the *caps that you have that matter, it's the preamps that you put them on.
Is your record player totally up together?
