So, I read an interesting post from Oct last year of adding a 555 PS to a 272 to be on a par with NDX/282. However, the difference in my setup is I have just added a Linn Sondek LP12.
After auditioning the 282 at my local dealer, I am leaning towards adding the 282 as my Pre-amp, giving me better amplification for my LP12, using the 272 as a streamer, which means I can add a Stageline phono stage, powered from the 282. I can then upgrade the 272 in the future to an NDX2 - Oh and there is the non DR on the 200 to address as well!
An option I hadn’t considered is adding the 555PS to the 272, which would then mean I couldn’t use a Stageline without a adding a power supply, but I could stick with using my Rega Phono Stage?
I recently added a XPSDR to my 272 and I found the analogue side of the 272 benefited as much if not more than the digital side (this is into a 250DR in my case). My analogue source is an LP12 (sort of mid level) and it made a significant gain and has impressed more than the streaming side. I use a Hi-cap powered Prefix inside the LP12 for the phono stage.
I can’t offer any comparison to the 282 (this could also power a Prefix I think, if you want to keep the box count down) but it may be worth auditioning the PS upgrades on the 272 with your LP12 if you like what the 272 offers as an overall product.
Adding a 555PS to an NAC272 improves both the digital and analogue parts of the NAC272… if you follow this route and at a later date upgrade to a NDX2 - the 555PS will greatly improve the sound of the NDX2. However withe the NAC272 you will need another solution for your LP12. (I used a PS Audio preamp and found it worked very well).
I had the same situation as you - and upgrading the NAC272 with a 555PS did give the major sound improvement other in the forum indicated. I later used the NAC272 + 555PS as a streamer feeding into a preamp (non-NAIM). Ths gave a jump in performance - when I later exchanged the NAC 272 for a NDX2, I got a futrther improvement in sound .
As to how the NAC272 + 555PS compairs with a NAC282 + power supply (number of options here) - personally I thought the two alternatives were on par - but I know there are people with a different experience.
As I mentioned I have gone to a NDX2+555PS for the digital source and a non-NAIM route for the pre-amp/power amp route both of which I am very happy with.
I am considering upgrading the NDX2 to ND555 or swapping out both the 555PS and NDX2 for a DCS Bartok - but I am waiting to see what upgrade NAIM will do with their next streamer software realease before making the move… (in my house setup, where I have multiple NAIM streaming devices there is an benefit of keeping in the NAIM infrastructure - however I do like the greater capability of a Bartok)
I’m not sure if you’re aware that the DR spec on the 200 applies only to its built in preamp power supply? The 272 doesn’t use this, but the 282 does, and would certainly benefit from the DR spec - unless you power it with a Hicap in which case it is again unused.
The 200 cannot be upgraded to DR, you would have to trade it in for a 200DR. (Or, of course, a 250!)
Thanks @ChrisSU - I decided to bite the bullet and go for a new 282, ex demo hicap and 250 DR. I know convention says “source first” but the 272 was my source upgrade 5 years ago so I thought it was time to upgrade the amp. Speakers are next once I’ve let the 282 settle in
I’m hoping that now the 272 doesn’t have amplification duties to contend with, the streaming side will improve too
I’m sure the 282/250 will be a good addition, but the 272 without PSU upgrade will be out of its depth as a source. At that level you really want something like an NDX or NDX2 powered by an XPS.
Your speakers, assuming you still have the Dalis in your profile, are not in the same league either. Sure, they will sound better for the amp upgrade, but they will still be a bottleneck.
I completely agree on the speakers Chris. They are great speakers and they meet SWMBOs aesthetic requirements, but I know that they need upgrading to floorstanders really to maximise the system.
Ultimately and NDX2 is where I want to be as source, but as I had to add in a pre-amp, I didn’t want to make 2 jumps in the amplification stage and go to a 202 as an interim.
@ChrisSU thanks for your input on here and in the Roon forum. I have spent today auditioning speakers and have arranged for an in home extended demo in a few weeks when the Dynaudio contours 30s are back from another demo.
I have also put the 282 on hold pending speaker purchase. BUT I have picked up the 250 DR and wow what a difference that has made over the 200 non DR! It’s like a completely different system, more detail and more bass, even through my ageing Dali mentor menuets! It just sounds more listenable…
It’s actually quite good having a few weeks before I demo the dynaudios, I have time to get used to this new sound. I may ask the dealer to bring an XPS DR to try instead of upgrading the pe-amp, but for now I am in listening mode