Many years ago I upgraded to a 202/200(DR) from a SN2. It’s a great combination and shone with subtly (but significant) increased resolution and dynamics. I always liked the simplicity and sound signature of this pairing.
I later moved to a 250.2 which I immediately regretted. Slow and heavy (plodding) by comparison to the nimble 202/200.
G
I think that is the best solution unless you are sure about the expansion of black boxes that upgrading with Naim implies. I will never sell my big system, but if I was starting again I would be looking for something stylish and simple. The SNs or a Nait 50/Nait 2 would be my choice.
sold 2020/200 napsc as I put what I’d have paid to service towards an end of line supernait 2 at a good price.
Its very good and less leads too
The thing is you could go for anything Naim amplication.
It is not clear to me if you want to run AE-509 onwards ?
Anyway make sure your upcoming amp is matching your loudspeakers and source of corse.
Should I decide for a new Naim amp, I would be hard pressed as I’ve heard/owned the most from and below 282/250DR.
Its hard to get it wrong.
Its really a matter of two things:
Budget and availability.
UK citizens are blessed with massive choice of s/h kit.
Some of us are less blessed.
I’d keep any choice open with these things in mind.
I agree I would take the 202/200 combination over a Supernait too coupled with a Hicap and NAPSC it is a very fine pre-amp indeed. It is possible to get a used setup for relatively modest money too. There is some security in used bought form Naim dealers as they will be sold with a minimum of 3-month warranty and after that, they are of course serviceable/repairable by Naim or Class A if one lives in the UK. For the money used, it makes a big bang for your buck.
This is not to say that a Supernait is a bad amp, though; if someone is looking for a very good integrated amplifier, then it is a great solution. The state of the market today and taste for one-box designs means that there are several very good integrated units for similar money to the Supernait so one is spoilt for choice. The Supernait too can sound even better with the addition of a Hicap.
If you liked the SN2 I’d stick with that or go SN3 for the phono stage. The 202/200 are very forgettable imo. If you want to go separates I’d try 282/250DR, prices are pretty good for these old OC boxes now.
282/200 on their own without HC are surprisingly good, had the pairing for a number of years.
One of the reasons I love this forum is that someone will say he’s looking to spend 3k and many recommendations will be at least twice that amount (282/250 DR) and possible future upgrades to spend even more
I’ll go the other route. I have a SN1 that I tested with a NAP 200 (no audible difference to me) but no experience with a nac202 so can’t speak to that. I also had a SN3 in the past and while it’s clearly more refined than a SN1, I found the SN1 more fun. I added a HiCap (now a TP) which makes a big difference and I reading this forum I believe a HiCap DR makes it a lot better still. Then I did a recap on the SN, also a marked improvement. So for the budget, I would go: SN1 + recap + HiCap DR and you’d still have enough money to buy a Bluesound Node 2i + digital cable into de SN1 dac (yes I do like the dac) if you want to get into streaming.
I would look at a SN3 plus Hi Cap , it is the road I should have gone down …
I used to have the full 200 series and traded it in. Whilst it was the right suggestion /idea at the time , the one aspect I regret is including the HiCap
Nor to me.
Many years ago, my then dealer lent me a 202/200/HiCap/NAPSC/SN1 and a bunch of cables to play with over a Christmas holiday. Source was a CD5XS/nDAC and I tried every combination that would produce music. It eventually came down to SN vs 200/202/NAPSC with HC in both cases. They did sound different. I was listening to a lot of choral music at the time, typically recorded in churches and chapels. For me, the 200 setup gave me the impression of being the sound the conductor would want to hear: I could more readily make out the contribution of individual singers. The SN/HC combination was closer to the sound one hears in the audience, perhaps a little more veiled but with more of the chapel acoustic and sense of place.
SN vs separates was a controversial topic in the forum at the time, but I could see the merits of both systems. As with so much in hifi personal choice matters.
Roger
If you’re in the US, the usual second hand websites have sn3 and 282/250 etc for sale…
usaudiomart