Power for NAC 282

Posted by: scubafink on 08 January 2019

Does anyone know if you are meant to keep the NAPSC powered on all the time?

The HiCap DR has a power off button, but there is nothing for the NAPSC, just plug it in and turn on the wall socket. 

Leaves me thinking the 282 should be left on 100% of the time through the NAPSC and only when listening to music with the HiCap DR.

 

thoughts????

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by engjoo

 I am powering my 202 with NAPSC/HCDR too. Yes I find this irritating.

I agree the system will sound its best when kept powered up but this is not practical and a waste of energy. Logically I believe the NAPSC should have a switch too. 

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by benjy

The 282 and hi-cap are designed to be at their best when left on permanently. The Napsc (I'm guessing) makes no difference in sq, but why bother? for the minimal consumption. The only reason to switch it off would be if you needed to plug something into a (separately)

switched outlet - I have a wall switch in the outer hall and the outlet is right by my speakers - I run an extension cord to a table lamp on the rack and everything else is plugged in by the rack itself on a permanently on outlet. The only time naim recommends powering down any components is when fiddling with cables ,or long time before using again, or when you know an electrical storm will be in your area - at that point even unplugging is a good extra insurance idea.

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by Jonners

Ditto to Benjy's advice. I've been told by every Naim dealer I've ever spoken with to leave everything on 24x7. Apart from ensuring the system is always performant, the powering-down and powering-up sequence is a bit of a pain and I get the jitters whenever I hear the "thump" from the speakers. 

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by Guinnless

And if you are going to power the preamp off the  you need to switch off the power amp first. And back on in reverse order.

For me this would mean  switching off 7 devices and then back on.  So I just leave it all on.

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by MDS
benjy posted:

The 282 and hi-cap are designed to be at their best when left on permanently. The Napsc (I'm guessing) makes no difference in sq, but why bother? for the minimal consumption. The only reason to switch it off would be if you needed to plug something into a (separately)

switched outlet - I have a wall switch in the outer hall and the outlet is right by my speakers - I run an extension cord to a table lamp on the rack and everything else is plugged in by the rack itself on a permanently on outlet. The only time naim recommends powering down any components is when fiddling with cables ,or long time before using again, or when you know an electrical storm will be in your area - at that point even unplugging is a good extra insurance idea.

Oh yes it does.  This was amply demonstrated to me one day when my dealer suggested we try putting a Powerline on the Naspc. I had no PLs at the point and would not have started or even thought of putting one on the Napsc. But we tried and, crikey, there was and very noticeable improvement.  

And, yes, leave it powered up, like the other black boxes. 

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by The Strat (Fender)

This is of course a thorny old issue.  I see it like this.  Naim products excluding the very latest are designed to be left on and that’s how it should be if you want to get the best out of it.  It’s much the same with valve amps, many prefer the sound but compared with SS equipment will guzzle the juice.  

Regards,

Lindsay

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by benjy

The "sequence" means the pre-amp should always be on when the amplifier is on. This means switching the pre-amp on before the amplifier  (I always give it a little time). Since "pre" means before , it is easy to remember, However it also means the amp gets switched off before the pre- amp (when the amp is switched off ,give it some time before switching the pre- amp off) the naim logo remains lit for some time- after the logo goes dark, then the pre can be switched off.

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by antony d
scubafink posted:

Does anyone know if you are meant to keep the NAPSC powered on all the time?

The HiCap DR has a power off button, but there is nothing for the NAPSC, just plug it in and turn on the wall socket. 

Leaves me thinking the 282 should be left on 100% of the time through the NAPSC and only when listening to music with the HiCap DR.

 

thoughts????

as others have commented, mine is on all the time - only turned off when hols or storms - may NAPSC sits on the floor under the frame, HCDR on the Fraim

never in 18 years ownership has it been different

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by Svetty

Mine is left on permanently. The only time it goes off is if we have a power cut

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by Matteo
The Strat (Fender) posted:

Naim products excluding the very latest are designed to be left on

Are you intending that the new Uniti range and 2018 streamer can be powered off when not in use without SQ lost?

M.

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by The Strat (Fender)
Matteo posted:
The Strat (Fender) posted:

Naim products excluding the very latest are designed to be left on

Are you intending that the new Uniti range and 2018 streamer can be powered off when not in use without SQ lost?

M.

I may be wrong but I thought the new Unitis and ND555 have a standby mode as do the Musos. 

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by Clive B

I cannot say for the new Uniti range, but it is true that the ND555 has a standby mode and I seem to recall Steve Sells saying that there's a SMPS which keeps vital circuitry powered in that mode. Personally I  don't use it. That's not so much to do with any perceived SQ reduction, but more a hangover from the initial firmware which had a dim logo after power restoration. 

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by ChrisSU
The Strat (Fender) posted:
Matteo posted:
The Strat (Fender) posted:

Naim products excluding the very latest are designed to be left on

Are you intending that the new Uniti range and 2018 streamer can be powered off when not in use without SQ lost?

M.

I may be wrong but I thought the new Unitis and ND555 have a standby mode as do the Musos. 

I suspect this is more to do with energy efficiency requirements, and that any warm-up factors are the same as they ever were. They still use big toroidal PSUs etc. 

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by Japtimscarlet

Is it not something to do with legislation that everything has to have low power standby mode now?

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by ChrisSU

It’s a requirement of the EU ‘ecodesign’ rules, which require such electrical devices to have compliant standby and network standby modes. 

Posted on: 09 January 2019 by Rich 1

Often thought that a good reason to leave any electronic equipment on 24/7 is to mitigate expansion and contraction of soldered joints and therefore early failure of such joints due to the difference in off and working temperatures. The difference in coefficient of expansion between different metals etc. Rich 

Posted on: 09 January 2019 by trickydickie

My understanding is that the new streamers have a standby mode to comply with Apple Airplay requirements where the streamer needs to be alive and kicking within a defined period of time.