Good to hear of your new 82. Am still happily using one with Hicap, and also had a 180. You should easily be able to swap your 180 for sh 250 with limited extra cash rather than other mods. It made big difference for me. Take care though - 250 was then moved on to pair of 135s when they cropped up….Enjoy the music
Thanks guys, that is some really helpful advice, as usual. I am loving the 82 and shall live with it as is for a while and then decide. I’ll definitely buy a new dac and then consider maybe a supercap (but sounds like it will have to be an S2)
Thanks again, by the way can someone enlighten me as to what a burndy connection si?
Chunky cable with multiple pins carrying signal and power and keeps things well separated in the interests of sound quality so has multi-pin connectors either end. An 82 as built does not have a burndy connection. A 52 does, as does a Supercap and a number of other naim products.
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In my original post I said I have a FC but I actually have a HiCap. Sorry for the rookie error!
When I first had my 82 I powered it off the 180 but presumably the HC can also be used with the 82 and the 180 right now. I switched to an HC when I was up sold on the idea of 2x135s. I’ve always found the HC mightily impressive as a piece of kit.
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The 82 is a great amplifier and at secondhand prices a real sweet spot in the range IMHO. I run 82/Hicap/250 and utterly love it, even 20 years on it’s a formidable amplifier combination. In terms of synergy ATC loudspeakers have proved the best option with it, at least for me.
My experience was that the 180 had a drier less ‘meaty’ presentation than the 250 and certainly can struggle with certain loudspeakers (e.g. ATC SCM40). When I moved to 250 I felt everything improved including bass slam, dynamics and the overall tonal balance (I was running SBL’s at the time).
You can certainly run a Hicap with 82/180 and it is a very worthwhile upgrade. In terms of CD players I would suggest any of the Naim CD players are a synergistic match. I run an old Naim CDi which is a lovely match for it and no harshness here… Having said that it’s an old player with spare parts issues.
Jonathan
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I would add to that sentiment that even though I have switched to an SC in the last few years, the HC continues for me to be an impressive bit of kit.
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Without wanting to kick over the 2 off HC vs SC debate…on an 82 and 282 you don’t get to use all the rails of a SC.
But what you do get are 2 big transformers and 4 rails each with a 15,000uF cap.
The single transformer in a SC is not twice that of a HC. No surprise why IMO 2 HCs should sound better than a SC.
SC just drags you towards a 52 ( no bad thing) or a 252…
I have always preferred a SC over two HC.
Two SC are rather special on the Nac 82.
I have two SC ,but I usually use one on my Prefix and one on the Nac 82.
I sold my Nac 552 a couple of months ago …and the downsizing will continue unfortunately.
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I would really like to hear DBLs. I imagine they are quite special, but I doubt they fit in most domestic settings.
Didn’t Malcolm Steward’s review say something like They fit unobtrusively into a room in the way that two large fridges don’t? 
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Excellent. Never heard that one before
In my own very humble opinion,DBLs are very special, such an emotional experience to listen to.They work very well in a small room, mine is 3x4 meters.
There is just something special about the old Naim speakers. I wondered what possessed them to move so drastically away from that design to the ovators which was really short lived
Was the DBL as painful to set up as the SBL (or more so)?
I could imagine it not being popular with dealers if it was and that may also be a point with the SBL. That and the difficulty finessing them
into the perfect location. I remember my SBLs being delivered and installed and it taking a while with lots of checking. Less swearing than when I subsequently did them myself I should add.
When I did finally install them myself it was a mission for sure. Worth it to me, and it appeals to my sense of accomplishment to have done it, but I could see it would ramp up the training costs and installation costs. I’d guess they were quite difficult to make as well.
But, they sound great!
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You can have the 82 use all the rails with a scap, but that’s all I’m saying!
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I think SL2 are less of a pain but still need some work to set them up properly. As you say once you understand the procedure (the one on the FAQ is useful) then they are not so bad. As you say once done they are a nice speaker. I imagine SBL being more difficult with the silicon extra which you don’t have with SL2. DBL I imagine is double that