Hello to the round. Does anyone know if there have been modifications to the 282 over the years that have influenced the sound without there being a real MK 2 or similar specification? There was something like that with the NDX.
I now have an almost brand new and an approx. 10 year old 282 operated with the same cables via a HiCap and find the old one a little more high with less punch. Or are these just aging processes? A recapping period has not yet been reached at 12 - 15 years, but it could already be the first puff.
During a recapping, I often read that the NAPSC in particular is being revised or are there other experiences? What are the costs of recapping?
You raise an interesting point. I am answering as I would like to read what others have to say and hope to be corrected. From a tech point of view, I would have said around 20 years for the electrolytic capacitors. This excludes failures, less if they have not been used as electrolytic capacitors like to be charged and used to extend their serviceable life. Therefore, 12 to 15 years sits well with me. I speak from an industrial point of view where machinery is running 24/7.
As far as I know (tremble), the audio stages are made up of tantalum capacitors, which I believe do not require replacement. Thus, we are speaking about power supply rails that use electrolytic capacitors. I have no knowledge of the NAPSC other than what is on the NAIM website. I would believe that this power supply would also use electrolytic capacitors in its DC power supply. I do not see parts being overly expensive. The major cost will be in labour.
My understanding is that the 282 hasn’t changed since it came out in 2002. The Napsc was also revised in 2002. A recap on a Naim preamp like the 282 is every 15 years. Speaking to Darran @ Class A he said that the power supplies are more like every 10 years.
Darran charges around £300 for servicing a 282. Check with your dealer for Naim prices.
I had my XPS2, Supercap 2 and 52 all serviced in a day. It’s worth recapping and looking after older units and they should be as good as new.
I remember speaking to someone from Naim, I think it was Roy, at a launch do in my local dealership who said the change to lead free solder involved a lot of work to maintain the sound quality. They may not have matched it exactly.
Yes, ROHS compliance was a huge project and everybody worked round the clock to ensure that all products were compliant before the deadline. But it was far more than just a solder change, with every component having to be examined and sometimes reassessed for ROHS compliance. The aim was to ensure that performance was at least as good as what came before - if gains could be made, then all the better.
Sadly it spelled the end of an old favourite, the Flash remote handset.
My 282 is older than 15 year and works perfectly without any service. Electrolytical capacitors they are in amps and PS but not in a preamp without inner power supply I guess? No humming no service.
The service requirements for naim pre amps have been discussed many times. Darran too has added his experience of what he sees when he services naim items.
Just because something works today, is no indication it will work tomorrow. Servicing resets any degradation to performance. So, over a 15 year interval it would be difficult to detect aurally any performance drop off.
I believe a 282 has not changed during its life. My example is from 2013 and would pass for new visually. However, i will need to think about a service in the next couple of years. Will it sound like new, when serviced? Yes. Not that i ever heard it new.