Re servicing the Supercap after 12 years. To not do so is false economy in my view. You will be missing out on the full performance after that time.
My understanding is that the service is required due to age rather than ‘miles on the clock’, so the fact it hasn’t been used for a while is irrelevant.
To be fair the seller is always going to say that it still sounds amazing!
Bruce
I’m in the same camp with the 252. Kind of a let down for me but I was using it with a 250.2 then 250DR. The 52 was great with a olive 250. It seems like they skip generations with me b/c I get on so much better with the NC.
Correct. Same caps and same transformers in HC as SC.
Regarding servicing. Is it normally sufficient to service the DR part to 252? My 300 system is from 2016, and as we know, there is also a PS that is DR.
Not sure I understand that? If you mean are the PS and power amps the priority over the preamp them yes I would say so.
You could contact Darren at Class A re cost and turnaround. He is Naim approved and does a very good job.
Hi Bruce
I’ll try to clarify my question. What I meant was that, for example, there is also a power supply for my 300DR amplifier, just like there is for the 252.
So do both units need servicing, or is it mainly the power supply?
I will try writing to Darren at Class A. I live in Denmark, so it needs to be well planned if I choose to have it serviced.
The PSU is the critical one first. The actual preamp should go for a few more years without a service although im sure Darren can confirm. My 52PSU goes for 10-12yrs between services and the actual 52, 15. I guess the 252 will be longer but a similar gap.
With regard to the 300 it feels like false economy not to do both boxes at the same time
Bruce
Now that we’re on the subject of service. Please excuse me if this belongs in another thread, but this may be too much to ask of you to comment on. It might give you a headache…
Basically, I think my 300 sounds good, but it should be said that I haven’t listened to a ‘fresh’ 300 for comparison. What are the first signs that servicing is needed? I mean, where does the sound start to deteriorate?
Perhaps your answer will be obvious, and you will say that I should just listen and trust my ears. But if there is a common denominator in your answers, it might be helpful. People here consistently say that devices need servicing 12 years after their production date. Is that just a rule, or a kind of safeguard because everyone says so? Or can you actually hear that it’s time to get it serviced?
For a power amp, you should service both boxes at once. The PSU will contain large caps that degrade; the actual amp will usually get hot, so that will degrade components quicker too.
As for a pre, Naim suggests every 15 or so years. But my experience says not to bother unless there is a fault. My 252 is from 2002? It sounded great fed with a newish SCDR. But, due to age and an out-of-balance pot, it went for service at Salisbury. Can’t say it sounded any different in return. And an original wiring fault was not rectified either.
Naim have their own recommendation for service interval. Darran has a similar but slightly different one. Then there are many personal opinions.
Add to that your willingness to spend money on it and your own ears and you find there is no definitive answer to your question. Some say they hear the difference others say they do not.
My personal opinion is that in the past, servicing for me has resulted in a definite improvement in every case which includes 52/52PSU/135s & CD555PS. All were well past any recommended service interval. My recommendation of choice would be Darrans.
It’s like getting the car serviced. It makes you feel good afterwards (well me anyway).
My experiences similarly positive. Most noticeably with my 250s, and also to my surprise when I had the SNAXO serviced.
Bruce
I am not sure you can send just the 300ps back to Naim for servicing. I certainly sent both boxes back for mine.
Your original post expressed some concern with the age of the 252. Mine is 2003 vintage and sounds sublime imho. It just had its second service and is updated to the last OC 252s before the new stuff was released.
The 252 I’m looking at is, as I said, 13 years old and in need of servicing, according to the experts 
Connoisseurs say that if I get it serviced, it will outperform almost anything else. Big words
This leads me to a direct question that probably requires a detailed answer.
I am considering either the aforementioned 252 or an NSC222 connected to my 555DR.
Would a 222 with a 555DR be better in my 300 system? The advantage of an NSC222 is that it will simply replace my 272 with a better streamer section. But will the combination of 222 and 555 surpass the preamplifier section in the 252?
Having owned both a 252/SCDR/300 and a 222 (admittedly in a NC NPX300/250)…
I do not think the 222 is better than a 252/SCDR personally but a lot of variables here….
A 332 is definitely better than a 252 in my view, especially with a PS. given you’re not interested in streaming and facing a cost for servicing, why not just trade or sell and get a 332/300/250 NC. That will sound great for a long time….
Note you will need a costly OC-NC Burndy cable if you want to use the 555PS with NC.
The 252 is a top class preamp. The 272/222 are competent but not in the same league. It depends where you are heading but a 252/300 is very good indeed and deserving of a first class source. Servicing the 252/SC will ensure many years of excellent service. Owned mine for well over 20 years with no complaints.
Hi Stuart. That’s what I’m aiming for, a long life with the best sound, after servicing the units… Thanks for pushing me a little further in that direction. It will be too costly to go down the NC route as suggested here. I think I will get a fully balanced system with 252/300DR. 555/CDX2 as the source.
But in the other hand I am also very happy with my streaming component, and it will be difficult to do without it. Incidentally, is it possible to connect the CDX2 to the 252 with roughly the same output if I later will make room for a NDX2/555? I am considering this combination to keep the number of black boxes down. I don’t have room for more boxes. Hope you can see the picture
Peter
The 252 gives you a variety of connection options. These are mainly Din but you can programme a single phono option too. I use that for my LP12. The CDX2/555 is excellent. I used a CDS3 before streaming.
As you are looking for a long term solution I think Naim is a good option. The only issue might be the CDX2 and its mech. Hope that helps Peter.
Thanks Stuart, that helps a little. If you look at the overview, I want to replace the NDX with my CDX2 after 555.
In my opinion, this would create a balanced system. But if I decide later on that I would like an NDX2 after all (I think I will miss the features I have on the 272), where should I put it? I have an XPS to spare, but can I avoid using the XPS to keep the number of boxes down? Perhaps at the risk of poorer SQ, most likely. You say that I can program the 252 to receive the turntable, which is what I am doing now on my 272.
For many a good alternative is to rip all your CDs, store them on a device (many options), and play them through a streamer e.g. NDX 2. For some, however, they enjoy the experience of physical media too much to go down this route. Which one are you?
