Hey everyone, I currently have a SN2. I’m thinking about the upgrade path.
Has anyone, or does anyone currently use a preamplifier connected to a supernait as the power amp? I can’t afford to buy two new boxes (separate pre and power) yet, but I can afford to buy a preamp.
Firstly I want to know if this is possible to do ( I think it is) and if you have, what you thought of the SN as a power amp. Noting it would only be a year or two before I could sell it and buy a dedicated power amp.
Do you know which pre-amp your are thinking off? And do you have a HiCAP on the SN2? I’ve added the HiCAP, which can be used with a 282.
Also, have you maxed out your sources first?
Anyway, I believe you can add the pre-amp, but I’ve always understood that you would add the power amp first. But add power supply and improve the source using the SN2 first.
Yes, it’s entirely possible. If it’s a Naim preamp you will need a power supply for it. If you are thinking of moving to 282 or 252 it’s a really good way to do the upgrade in stages, and better than adding a power amp first, as it maintains the source first principle.
My thoughts were to take a big step and go for a NAC282 - thanks for the reminder that I’d need the Hicap as PSU, or possibly, maybe even try a non Naim pre.
Aside from potential synergy Issues, using a non Naim pre I don’t even know if it’s possible to connect a non Naim pre, to the SN2 as a power amp, so that idea may be a no go.
I had similar goals for my office system which is currently a SN2 + HiCap DR + ND5 XS2.
If you add in a NAC 282 you can drive that from a combination of the NAPSC + HiCap.
I’ve never tried this to date but my understanding of the connectivity requirements is that the NAC282 would connect to Socket 4 on the HiCap from Socket “Upgrade or Link1” on the NAC282. The Supernait would then connect its Power Amp section from Upgrade Socket “Power Amp In” to Socket 3 on the HiCap. In principle this then provides you with both power and analogue audio paths between the NAC282 Preamp and the Supernait Power Amp section via the HiCap.
If you chose a NAC252 you can achieve the same end result however you’d require a Supercap PSU instead so it’s a bigger leap in cost from your current system to your goal pre/power system.
Alternatively, you can of course add in a NAP Power Amp and either run that stand alone or in a passive bi-amp configuration running both the Supernait Power Amp and the NAP Power Amp to give a split between High Frequency and Low Frequency outputs from your Power Amp sections.
I also pondered swapping out my HiCap for a Supercap, running that on the Supernait only as a first step, then adding in a NAC252 as a second step giving a final pre/power system built around a NAC252.
Overall a sensible choice is probably a combination of a HiCap + NAC282 as a modest first step then beyond that swapping out the Supernait entirely for a NAP200 or NAP250. Beyond that you could then swap out the HiCap for a Supercap to give you a path to a NAC252 based system over time.
Whilst you have a lot of flexibility over power amp configurations I would expect you to see the more desirable results from improving the preamp section in preference especially if your goal is to migrate from a NAIT based setup to a pre/power setup longer term.
The preamp with a supernait etc is a well trodden path and is a good way of upgrading in stages
Have not hear of anyone going wrong when taking this path…it’s a safe option
Replacing the Supernait Power Amp section with a NAP is well documented and perceptually is the preferred upgrade scenario. The bigger question for myself and likely others, is given you will end up with a NAC preamp at some future stage, if adding that in first is a migration setup that is preferable to live with through to a point where the Supernait is removed from the system. It’s possible you’ll be living with that hybrid migration system for a long time, perhaps in to years so you want it to be a balance between cost, balance of system and overall enjoyment when you compare what you are leaving behind in a NAIT based system, to what you’ll get to with the final pre/power setup.
If you did a raise of hands perhaps you’d find more people added a NAP first then as a final step added a NAC to then remove the Supernait. That will work just fine and as you point out the preamp stage on the Supernait holds its own and stands up well in those sort of configurations. It would be helpful here if someone can comment on having actually added in a NAC 282 as a first step and if they felt that was a system that was still balanced and enjoyable and allowed for a migration path that was easy to live with and not a negative experience. If someone has tried both approaches in the same system that’s even better insight of course. I would be interested to hear others experiences with this migration path given my own thoughts to do similar with my own setup. Additionally to that would be interested to hear if anyone has run a Supernait 2 with a Supercap PSU for any length of time and if that was a setup that wasn’t a negative impact vs a HiCap based system for example.
I am. I am using a nac 282 hicap DR into a Supernait, fronted with a Linn Ikemi or a Mcintosh cd550
into a pair of B&W CM2 bookshelf speakers…works great.
If you use av bypass on the supernait as a means of inputting a signal from a separate preamp, then either a standard rca to rca interconnect, or 2x rca to 5 pin din will suffice. Each input on the supernait is duplicated with rca pair and din sockets.