Yep, you do your best………some times i have it all perfect…….then a few weeks later one may have moved and touched another. Did i notice……no.
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My error! It clearly says 112 on the back.
As I say, it is surprisingly good in context. It alsonn be offers a reminder of how far we have come since my first preamp change - I swapped in an 82, which eventually made way for a 52, which….
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Nice bit of Morgana in amongst that rat’s nest !
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You will have a big big smile when you plug in the 552 after listening to the worst Naim Preamp ever 
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I would try 552DRPS with both powerline and hydra.
Many have gone down route of expensive blocks such as Chord M6 or Musicworks G3 or G5 and then some have power amp into mains.
Others have gone for multiple dedicated ring mains and radials and plugged in that way, straight to socket.
You might find 300DR powerline into socket and rest on hydra works best.
A bit of trial and error with what you have.
I wouldn’t personally have 552, Superline and CDS2 all bunched together. But with rack and number of boxes, not sure how you will get round this.
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92?
I was expecting the 112 to be unlistenable, bu it really isn’t. There’s a lot that is hidden or missing but I can still enjoy good music - we just had Maggotbrain, and it was thoroughly pleasing. I wouldn’t want to listen only through this for too long, but that mostly shows that I have been spoiled.
Of course you could go for Urika 1 and loose the Superline.
I chose to ditch my separate phonostage which was very good in favour of the Urika 1. But that’s a decision for another time.
The 552 likes to be on top, which with your racking it will be. I would like to see it with more space.
I had the CDS2 and XPS2. I’ve had 2 of them and a CDS3. With mech situation when I changed to a 500DR I decided to sell it on before it became a doorstop.
You could streamline your system and look at getting a 555PSDR for the NDX2 and moving the CDS2 on.
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The Nac92 is better than Nac 112.
I would also be tempted to keep 52, CDS2 and XPS2 and use them in system in Tasmania?
Depends on whether you really want to keep them?
Your memory is better than mine. In any case, we all agree that it is not similar to a 52 or a 552, but it keeps music playing and avoids getting withdrawal symptoms.
Can of worms?
In truth, Wimbledon has the big system and the place where the living room is essentially a music room.
I only just persuaded myself that it would be an indulgence to ship out the cherry LP12. Shipping out the CDS2 would be worse, given that I have neither CDs or LPs in Tasmania, but can rip any CDs that I do get on the Core. There are 600+ CDs on the Core and Tidal and Qobuz has been faultless there.
Core, ND5XS2, 82, Hicap, 250 and Xplorers fit well together in Tasmania. Having had them all here, putting the 52 out there would just show up the ND5XS2 and encourage buying an nDAC (or swapping it for an NDX2). My girlfriend is very understanding, and has a much better ear, but we had planned on a Nova for Tasmania and building a system any bigger (and harder to accommodate) than what we have there now might provoke disappointment.
It is hard not to be nostalgic about LP12, CDS2, 52 and 250. I even have a spare 250 on loan to a mate that I could get back, but where would I put it? I have an Atom and Shahinian Compasses with the TV in my bedroom - it doesn’t need more.
Giving up my olive nostalgia started with getting 300DR instead of 135s. I expected to get 135s but couldn’t deny that the 300DR was the right choice for the money, purely on SQ. I still marginally prefer the look of olive kit (esp the logo), and I am nostalgic for the top olive system from my youth-ish in the same way that I am nostalgic about having had a 28 inch waist for quite a long time. It’s understandable to feel that, but the nostalgia is a bad reason to keep hold of suits and jeans that will never fit again (and that others can use if they leave my wardrobe). Each bit meets resistance of course.
If it is right to pass on clothes that I don’t need to a younger me (with better ears but very little money), doesn’t the same apply to my old olive kit? After all, it will never sound to me quite like it did in 1989 -degradation of hearing with ageing means that nothing will ever sound like that again anyway (including a 552).
So, yes, I want to keep them, like I like having (much of) my original Lp12, but it all looks an embarrassing (and selfish) indulgence.
We’ll see…
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Part of me really wanted to keep my CDS2 and XPS2 on. When I got 500DR I decided to sell them on. I was using it less and less as the LP12 upgrades came in and ND5XS2 was added to NDS.
Trying to run 3 high end sources, I decided to go for two instead. It wasn’t easy. I was on number 2 CDS2 and had had a CDS3 which was lovely too.
Go with the flow Nick. Those were my difficult choices.
It would have been nice if I had kept the 52, CDS2 and XPS2 and used it in 2nd system. But I really couldn’t justify it.
I am focused on one system and have tried to get the sources as good as possible with best amplification.
It’s been difficult to get the streaming side up to the standard of the LP12.
Be interesting how the sources are with the 552DR. You may find it more revealing than the 52.
I never tried the CDS2 with the 552. Be interested to hear how it sounds.
I take it your LP12 is your main source?
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As in other areas, we seem to have the same outlook here.
As a % of all time with music playing, streaming is top for me. As a % of time spent seriously listening to music that I have carefully selected (not wandered into) and am listening to without much conversational distraction while in my living room here, the LP12 probably still wins 2:1 or maybe 3:1.
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I can imagine how good your LP12 will be. The CDS2 is a beautiful thing too.
I know why you want to keep it.
See what happens when you get the 552DR.
Like you say, streaming day to day. Special, focused listening LP12. I am periods when I will listen to LP12 all day if I make the time.
Looking forward to your views on your new preamp. You will love it.
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Bad news! The promised delivery day of Wednesday has become Thursday.
Good news! That gives a chance to unplug everything, move the table a couple of inches to make extra room behind and that sort of thing.
Bad news! The granite shelves weight about 25kg each. The solid oak legs don’t add much to that, but 9 Naim boxes…
Good news! Halfords offered a solution for about 80% off list price.
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You must take photos of that in action! I’m fascinated to see the hifi problem to which a trolley jack is the solution 
Hope Thursday goes smoothly
Imagine moving the whole thing (or even the unburdened rack alone) forward 3 inches and then lifting it so that you can adjust the legs to get it level again. Some here may be able to do that by muscle power alone or course….
Certainly not me - noodle arms here X)
Are you going to support it and move it with the aid of the jack somehow?
Is taking the whole thing apart just not possible? I really try not to give opinions these days, as you know what they say about them!! 
But I can’t see how using the jack would help without putting too much pressure on the bottom shelf, or risk the whole thing toppling over?
My genuine apologies too, genuinely curious if (and if so, how) you plan to move the whole rack?
Are you not worried about the shelves breaking (apologies if I have misunderstood what you are planning to do)? But I would have thought a complete rebuild was the better way forwards.
Good question!
The legs and shelves are glued as well as cut to fit, so the rack is not coming apart easily. Jacking it up 1cm and wheeling it forwards took but moments and thankfully caused no disasters.
The sheer mass of the thing means that I can put (say) a Rega P6 on it and jump on the bouncy floor with no effect - even the LP12 is pretty immune to footfall. Of course, putting an LP12 on that makes it sound awful, but not from footfall.
Given that, I worried about cracking the bottom shelf at first and I still minimise how often and how far and how fast I raise (and particularly lower) the whole thing. More important, actually moving the whole things is rare and quick - levelling is what takes the time, and for that one jacks up one end and then the other.
Next time I will probably put something between jack and shelf to spread the load and reduce cracking risk, if ever I remember.
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