282 etal a bit dated?

Is it just me, or does the design of the 282 feel a bit dated, with double row of buttons for tape loops? I’m not disputing the sound quality, but where competitors are moving forward in features for Amps etc,

I realise this could be controversial but I’m sure I can’t be the only one that has thought this…

1 Like

I guess so……until you need those tape loops. Like Mitch who bought a set of second hand Statement amps thinking they had tape loops……but they don’t.

3 Likes

So would you prefer a digital only preamp, with digital outputs for digital recording devices or a loop through a DSP device? Any analogue input surely makes a preamp dated…

The input configuration of the 282 mirrors that of the 82, which in turn mirrors the 52, which was introduced back in 1990.

A search will reveal that there has been considerable debate on this. Worth remembering that the loops are used for headphone amps.

But in any event when the SI, XS, Classic and 500 series are all superseded later this year I’m sure everything will be redesigned… :wink:

That is what happens when a pre amp stands the test of time and the manufacturer can’t improve on it. The externals and internals remain unchanged with the internals still delivering the best SQ the manufacturer can muster and the externals starting to look…err…dated.

Not sure Naim would ever make pure cosmetic changes that delivered nothing on the SQ front. All that does is increase a product’s price for no SQ gain.

2 Likes

More seriously @NigelB is right. I’ve had my 282 for many years now and notwithstanding a 552 I don’t see any need for change particularly as I understand demand for the Classic series is holding up well. On the other hand nothing is forever so who knows what is going on in Naim’s R&D unit.

3 Likes

Agreed. If there was a real breakthrough in the pre amps’ technical design that brought real SQ benefits at an affordable price (whatever that means to you), Naim would be all over it and we would see a new range of Classic pre amps.

2 Likes

To answer the OP yes, it’s a bit dated. Meaning you’d not design it like it is today.
Inputs titled cd and tuner are dated. Tape and av would have been dated perhaps in the 2000s. Tape certainly.
The only 2 inputs I use are aux 1 and 2. 2 for my TT as it has RCA inputs, aux 1 for my ndx2.
The mute button appears to be there because even at it’s minimum setting, the volume pot still bleeds sound. The mono button means nothing to me.
So yes, if producing an analogue based pre today things would be different.
Personally I’d like to see a better/ different way of driving my RCA/ xlr inputed headphone amp. Tape loops are for me something best left in the 70s/80s.
But, as far as the sound is concerned, I doubt it can be bettered at the price point.

5 Likes

As long as current analog preamp range sell, I doubt we will see other solutions.

Naim are certainly busy with other new products, guess Nova HE & Statement Nait will be among the first, along with a batteri powered MusoQb for beach/garden visit.

I guess this is more what I was meaning. I don’t mind the classic design, in fact my OCD tendencies like having everything matching. It is the out of date button labels. Would it be so hard to rename with modern inputs eg streamer? I won’t use any of the 282 labels as they are today, they’ve kept tuner and tape but there isn’t a phono, despite Naim producing their own Phono stages! Minor tweaks like this wouldn’t cost huge amounts but keep the amps aligned to current source preferences

5 Likes

Is it a big issue? My pre is the other side of the room and to all intents & purposes the text on the buttons is invisible from where I sit. It’s all controlled from the app with the relevant inputs named appropriately and the others switched off.

As a turntable user, I don’t mind the analogue only pre-amps, it’s just no configurability options around out of date source selection buttons.

Give it another 30 years and it will be all the rage again

3 Likes

The Supernait 3 has a Stream button that I use for my NDX2, a tuner button that I use with my tuner and a phono button that I use for my turntable. I have to say that when I swapped from my 272 last year, this was one of the attractions of the Supernait. I don’t think it’s really important in the scheme of things, but it just makes things nicer to use.

9 Likes

Would be nice if different buttons names was an option from new or during service.

2 Likes

The Aesthetics thread, and also this and others:

In short, many people use them for headphones

Yes please! I have no practical way to run power to where a speaker can go in the bathroom and the JBL bluetooth thingy is not cutting it :slight_smile:

I really agree here. The buttons are really from a bygone era! I really like the mono options though.