budget preamp..

Posted by: BenW on 30 July 2018

Down at the lowly end of things I'm afraid!

Looking at spending just a few hundred £ on a preamp, to feed my NAP150. Currently it's fed direct from an audiolab M-Dac+ which is great for computer based source, but less than ideal for anything else.

Not planning to change my NAP150 at this point, just add in a preamp. A quick trawl on ebay is showing some interesting options:

Nac62 at £275

Nac 102 at £399

Nac72 at £450

Nac152Xs at £550

The 152 has the tenuous advantage of more phono inputs so slightly simpler integration, and looks wise is a match for the NAP150, but is at the very top end of available cash, and frankly DIN only inputs isn't the end of the world at all, nor is looks.

I'm kinda torn on this list!

ignoring looks etc, from this list, what order would you put them in purely for SQ? No TT input needed on this system.

Thanks!

Posted on: 30 July 2018 by Richard Dane

Look out for a decent NAC122x - usually available secondhand for around £250-350, even through a Naim dealer. It's an excellent pre-amp, a great partner for the NAP150, and nice visual match too.

Only issue is the NAP150 itself. It's an excellent amp but its weakness is its pre-amp supply. The NAP150x while a similar amp, was a big step up for powering a pre-amp. Of course, adding a Flatcap2 makes it a moot point...

Posted on: 30 July 2018 by BenW

Thanks for that - not seeing one pop up at the mo but will keep an eye out, as thats a great price point too.. Nice 202 at 799, but thats way over

Posted on: 30 July 2018 by Perol

Sell on the Nap150 and buy a Nait 3 or 5i

Other brands not bad either, Rega Brio, Creek 4330, ION Obelisk or Onix OA 21 just to mention a few

Posted on: 30 July 2018 by gary yeowell

Perol posted:
Sell on the Nap150 and buy a Nait 3 or 5i
Other brands not bad either, Rega Brio, Creek 4330, ION Obelisk or Onix OA 21 just to mention a few

Or a serviced Nait 5.

Posted on: 30 July 2018 by Christopher_M

BenW posted:
Down at the lowly end of things I'm afraid!

No worries I'd tend to go with Richard's suggestion of NAC122x, or NAC152XS if only to get something of the latest Naim thinking.

From what I know of the forum, the NAC72 is the most cult-ish on your list but is obviously a cosmetic mismatch.

Posted on: 30 July 2018 by hungryhalibut

I’d go with the 122x, and later get a Flatcap 2x to power it. The 122/FC/150 is a really excellent combination.

Posted on: 30 July 2018 by ALANP

hungryhalibut posted:
I’d go with the 122x, and later get a Flatcap 2x to power it. The 122/FC/150 is a really excellent combination.

I'd like to second HH as the above 122x/FC2x/ 150 was my first Naim amp combo and is very well matched,and as Richard also said it is cosmetically pleasing

Alan

Posted on: 31 July 2018 by Ebor

A well-known Naim dealer in St Alban’s has many pre-loved pre-amps that have been recommended above currently listed on his website. Temptation indeed...

Mark