Does adding a Power Supply really make a difference?

Hi-Fi Corner
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Thanks Stephen

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Agreed, adding FlatCap XS to Nait XS resulted in a modest improvement whilst preserving the character of the Nait. OTOH, adding a HiCap changed it completely and not in a good way, at least to my ears. ā€œManicā€ was how one dealer described it. But adding the HC to an original SuperNait transformed it to the extent that I would not have used it without the PS.

Roger

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Hmm interesting

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I think biggest thing here is to ā€˜DRā€™ the pre-amp section of the integrated. After all a XS 3 isnā€™t exactly a million miles away from a Supernait 3. I donā€™t get this ā€˜manicā€™ description, to my ears it made my XS 2 more mature and grown up sounding, less manic, whatever this may mean, less confused and more structured?

We all hear different things. For me it was a sense of a more effortless flow, one can turn the volume up much higher without the amplifier falling over itself. Itā€™s a triple whammy upgrade. Cleaner power for the pre-amp, less work for the onboard PSU to concentrate on the power amp stage, boosts both the headphone/phono output stages. As ever with these things, best way to find out is to try for oneself. Then of course there is the SN3 to throw in the mix as well, again even here the HiCap DR will boost things in same way as it would with a XS 3.

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Donā€™t do itā€¦ just buy a SN3.

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And if not a SN3, a pre-loved SN2.

The cost of a new FlatCap + XS3 sold on the auction site would see you best way towards a new SN3 or SN2 with change in pocket.

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I was a powersupply sceptic (and hiline etc) until I went to a naim sponsored event where they showed the route from nait to pre power to powersupply and up that ladder. The difference was clear then, and i brought my first power supply couple of weeks ago. For me the difference is clearā€¦the debate is do you spend the money on changing to a SN? I would be considering a hicapā€¦then that opens up 202/200 routeā€¦ plenty on ebay / dealersā€¦or consider perhaps a third party power supply as a less costly intro! Ed

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Itā€™s perhaps worth a gander at the Forum rules as thatā€™s your first postā€¦

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Thanks Ed, that is very helpful. I think that is the route I will take.

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Thatā€™s interesting as I emailed Naim and they recommended the HiCapDR!

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The PS upgrade route is a definite selling point for me with naim. Its both a blessing and a curse.
Ndx2. Use it with or without a bolt on psu.

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I agree with you there. When I had a lot of Naim kit knocking around here several years ago, I had a good play with various combinations. One of these was a Flatcap XS vs Supercap combined with a Nait XS. The Flatcap worked really nicely with the Nait. Not a massive improvement, but I preferred this to the bare XS. The Supercap was very impressive in a Hi-Fi sort of way but lost a lot of what makes the Nait XS such a sweet amp.

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Well as with everything itā€™s a matter of personal taste. I listen mostly to acoustic music and value a natural presentation of what the musicians are up to. To my ears the addition of the HC made the performance sound less natural. Perhaps with more heavily processed material the effect of adding the HC would be more positive and this might explain the different views of adding the PS.

Roger

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