2.5k Investment

[Bluenose]

NDX2 and SN3

£2.5k to spend.

XPSDR or 250DR? What’s the play?

[garyi]

HIFI is rarely an investment.

What’s your room like, what’s your speakers. Before spending money are you certain the biggest influence on the sound (your room) is ideal to play music in?

[Bluenose]

Medium sized lounge. Softly furnished. Speakers Dyn Contour 30i.

[gthack]

Any reason why a HC/282 isn’t in the list of options? I’m not great on those used prices, but you can’t be far off for an early one?

[Svetty]

Agree 282/HC using SN as power amp would usually be better than using SN as pre and 250DR as power amp. I’m not familiar with your speakers - can you get a demo using them??

[james_n]

If a 282 / HC is too much, then a 282 could be powered from the SN3 to start with. HC and power amp can follow later.

[patk]

I have a CDX2/SN2. I originally upgraded to a XPSDR to improve my source. Are you able to demo these two options?

[Bart]

I personally would not add a poweramp to a Supernait unless it was a stop-gap measure with plans to replace the Supernait with a pre-amp.

And I would want a pretty serious listen to determine that the XPSDR was providing a significant lift to the NDX2.

[seakayaker]

My personal experience was I enjoyed the uplift in the sound when I added a XPS DR to my NDX 2 > SN 2 configuration. I latter added a HiCapDR to the SN 2. …and again down the road added a NAC 282 to the SN 2 using the HiCap DR to power the 282. Then eventually traded in the SN2 for a 250 DR. Which is my current system configuration, details in profile.

Best to demo at the dealer and at home if you can. If not it is always a roll of the dice since our own room, furnishings, power availability, and individual hearing are all subjective.

Good luck with your decision.

[HungryHalibut]

Sell the SN3 and get a 282, Hicap and 250DR. That’s if you want to stay with the Classic range.

[robert_h]

Link to a similar thread; owner of ndx2 and supernait;

Supernait 3 - Adding a NAP 200 DR or NAP 250 DR

Personally I feel the upgrade path of adding a separate power amp - and I’d consider the 250 here - is a stepping stone to get to 282/250 with the minimum of loss. Hence you can follow the path SN, add hicap, add 250, swap SN for 282. The SN can be kept for system 2 or part ex’d against the 282. You need the hicap for the 282 anyway. But then you are at a 6 box system, and that is a serious endgame system at that; with the current product line up, ndx2/xpsdr/282/hicap/250 is something special …

[Smoothfidelity]

The prices of 282s have fallen dramatically if you are savvy enough to locate them second hand. You should be able to sell the SN3 and buy a 282, HiCap DR, and 250DR for around the same price overall.

[graham55]

I disagree completely. I have “invested” quite a lot of money in hi-fi equipment, records and CDs in the last 35 to 40 years, but my “investment” has given me enormous pleasure over that time.

I can’t think of much else that has been so much fun, or given me such enjoyment - the only other thing can’t be mentioned at this pre-watershed time!