I wonder if you could help me on my next move. Since upgrading to 82 from 102, I have had a massive improvement. Having sold a few bits I now have just enough for a second HC. SC’s dont come up that often, and a NAP250 will cost 2 times what I have.
So my question is, will a 2nd HC be another big very noticeable improvement, is it worth going for, or if not, would the 250 be the next ideal upgrade I should aim for and save up for?
(Here’s hoping most of you agree 
)
Adding a 2nd HiCap, is worthwhile - IMO - and is not such a significant cost outlay - compared to a Supercap or a 250.
Ordinarily I run an 82 with 2 x HC’s into a 250… 
Currently I have just 1 HC and a 140 - due to imminent service action, c/o Class A…!!
My 2nd HC was bought pre-loved from TomTom, for less than £400, in 2012.
Will a SC power the 82 better than a second HC?I do not think so.
You should save the money and go straight for a 52. It is a superior preamp to 82/2xHC when I did my upgrade
Thanks, but I think the 52 with a SC will be out of my range for quiet a while, and I’m feeling too impatient for that 
. My thought was once I have 2 HC’s I could always then get a SC, then have the option of a 52 later possibly
A 52 needs a SC though.
I had an 82/HC/180/Credo. I had always planned to end up with a 250 but my dealer suggested I try a SC that he had. I did and it made quite a difference. It also allowed the option of upgrading to a 52 which I did sometime later. I did eventually get my 250.
It took me some time as I was only after good, late models that I plan as keepers.
Good to know the Credos will last, as they are not allowed to be changed
I owned Credos for 15 years before changing to Spendor A7s which did everything the Credos did but better.
I went from one Hicap to a Supercap but did briefly try the Supercap with one SNAIC before adding the second one. Two SNAICS are better than one 
Having gone a similar route, ie.
102+HC
102+SC (aspirational for a 52)
82+HC (SC went to my SNAXO)
82+2xHC (second HC coming from an older NAXO)
82+SC (still hankering for a 52)
I would suggest that if the OP has aspirations to a 52 at some point in the future, then part-exchanging an HC for an SC would be worthwhile.
If not then I would suggest running 2 x HC. yes the SC is slightly better than 2 X HC but the uplift is not as significant as going from 1 x HC to 2 x HC.
You’ve nothing to lose when buying a used HiCap. If you decide to sell later, it will be worth roughly what you’ll pay for it now. Then, if a SuperCap becomes available at a good price, you’ll be most of the way there when selling two HiCaps.
As a matter of interest, why must the Credos stay?
yep, TRL’s suggestion will work equally well.
one thing I have noticed from the auction site is that 52s are most often paired with their PSU (55PS or SC), which if you had already bought an SC for your 82, would leave you with a spare SC kicking around…
Thanks @suzywong, a spare SC (in the event of getting a 52) should always sell, so that probably wont be an issue. You said to part exchange an HC for SC. Excuse my ignorance, but are there places that PartX second hand foe second hand, or do you mean sell one, then buy the other?
@TRL Credo must stays, because I would never get approval for them to change. I had enough problems getting agreement on these. But never say never, but certainly never for now.
I went 82 HC, then 82 2x HC. Started with a 250 and ended up going 82 Supercap and 2 x 135s.
2 HC sounded fantastic, really amazing.
If I were you I would go for a 250 first and add an extra hicap when funds permit.
Then see how you get on. If possible see how you get on with each upgrade you make. The Supercap is great and sounds better than the 2 HC in my opinion.
It’s a question of budget and doing things gradually and getting to the point where you are really happy with your system that counts.
I have stopped upgrading my amplification for some time now.
So that tells me I have reached a point where I am happy.
When I had a an 82 vacknin then day, I added a second Hicap and there was virtually no difference other than the need for yet another mains lead. I really wouldn’t bother. An olive 250 is what you want. It’s just brilliant and so much better than a 140. 82/hicap/250 is an absolute classic.
I ran my 282 with 2 Hicaps for quite a while and definitely appreciated the benefit in my system.
This was with a 250DR though.
Ideally you would have a demo of the 2 options in your system with your ears but this isn’t practical.
As an advocate of 2 Hicaps I would probably still suggest you get the 250 first…
A dual CB Hicap’d pots 4 early 82 was one of the most fun pre’s i’ve owned, would be very happy to return to one. The 2nd cap was VERY worthwhile, and IMO better than a SC2 that i tried.
I’d save pennies for an xps on the cdx.
Thanks but I dont tend to use to enough to justify that. Also if I did, my still new ND5 XS2 would show a bigger difference, and then I would have to look for an NDX2, so happy being ignorant, and concentrating on the main body of the HiFi.
2nd Hicap in my experience. Good luck.
Not that I am going to try this, but out of interest, and this may be a daft question, but if you take out the link for a 2nd HC on the back of the 82, but dont plug in a 2nd HiCap, what happens? I realise it relates to different rails, but in practice, what do these rails power? E.g. is it a split between different inputs, or a lot more complex than that?
The second Hicap splits the amp left-right as well hence why Naim recommend using matching PSUs. With one Hicap the PSU2 link plug joins left and right together and is just split front back.