That’s all really useful - I’ve been being mildly tempted by replacing my 202 with a 282, but the comments above have given me pause for thought.
Given that my B&Ws are not an easy load for an amp, I might think again about upgrading my 200 for a 250 instead.
Mark
Oh no, please try first. I found a NAC202 (and HICAP) with a NAP250 was not the best combination. Replacing a NAP200 It just seemed to put the brakes on, introducing a slightly leaden quality to the music - a NAC282 with a NAP200 was much better, I felt.
Similar here. I went from 72/250 to 102/250 and was never happy with this combo. I even bought another 72 to try. Later I got an 82 - and everything was ‘better’. I still have this combo.
Have to agree re: the 250. Npt the way to go. Also have to agree with @Richard.Dane that 282/200 with a CDS3 was another sweet spot perfectly balanced system. 282 with the CDX2/XPS2 much less so.
I would imagine the pairing for a CDX2 would be the 202/200, and the CDX2/XPS2 was the 282/250, as the CDS3 was more in line with the 252/300 combination. I think all the 500 stuff got gradually added with the CD555 and it’s 555PS being the last addition. Then again, when I got into Naim i was still a relatively young lad without deep pockets, so I never took the time to listen to the hugely expensive stuff.
Anyway, I never felt the 282/200 laid bare any shortcomings of the CDX2/XPS2 combination. It was a very engaging listen and not artificial at all.
Yes, I enjoyed the CDX2/XPS2 with the 282/200 as well. However, having the CDS3 available (both at home and in the Naim dem room), that was the go-to source for anything 282 and above.
Same here, I had 282/hicap/200 with Cdx2/xps2 for some years in the past. I enjoyed a lot this system. Very lively and involving, with a sense of urgency.
Ah, I suppose that would make sense and I explain why there would seem to be two very disparate schools of though above! If getting a proper definitive upgrade from my current system is going to cost me an XPS plus a 282 plus a 250, I’m much happier saying ‘no. thank you’, saving a considerable sum and sticking with what I’ve got!
Mark
Thing is, a 202 would happily work with a CDX2/XPS2 if you go source first in the hierarchy. You would then go to add a HiCap, add the 282, exchange to SuperCap. Somewhere inbetween the head unit would be replaced with a CDS3, as that always needed an XPS to function. The 282 is capable of showing the change there for sure. I purposely only did the front end and not the NAP-cycle 
But I reckon just adding an XPS2 would already work wonders. That is an additional box, though! And the higher up you go, the more boxes are needed due to power supply separation.
This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.