Flatcap 2 + NAC 152XS + CD5 Connection?

All very welcome advice. I can see that owning this stuff is one thing, but getting the best out of it is another thing altogether.

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It occurs to me that if I do end up preferring the Hicap on the CD5x, would it not make sense to swap out the Flatcap 2x for another Hicap for the amps?

You could but the Flatcap has dual power outputs, power out A and B so you can do both upgrade 1 & 2 on the 152. The Hicap only provides one output.

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What if I were to keep the Flatcap and just add in another Hicap for the CD? Seems the amps are running ok with the combined Flatcap/Hicap setup?

Isn’t that what you’’re trying out at the moment. Hicap powering the CD player and the Flatcap powering the 152 ?

Yes but I am terminally curious and was wondering how it would be if I had the CD on Hicap and the amps configured as per diagram. I have also discovered that my DAC sounds a lot like the CD connected to Flatcap, so I guess I already have two quite different sounds to choose from with the CD on the Hicap.

Ah I see. Well you could… but then you’d end up with two Hicaps (as you can only power one item from a Hicap) and a Flatcap and I’d be thinking is money spent better elsewhere. New source, better preamp etc…

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There is wisdom in your words. I think that I am coming to that realisation myself.
But then I’m only £500 away from another Hicap :man_shrugging:t3::man_facepalming:t3:

What DAC do you have ?

denafripps ares II

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Since your HC is the only power supply you have that we know to be ‘good’, how does your set sound with CD5 fed into your NAC152XS with the HC on upgrade 1 only?

(NB. FC2 not used, NAP used with Snaic4 feeding NAC152XS.)

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I will check that out later :grinning::+1:

Had a go at rigging minus Flatcap but got flashing mute button on pre amp and no sound. Have reconfigured with amps going the HC and all works fine.
The only new thing I have discovered that may be of any interest is that FC discharges on power down much faster than the power amp. Might this indicate wear on the FC capacitors?

Was the 5 pin link plug fitted in upgrade 2?

I can’t asnwer about your FC2’s discharge rate relative to the HC.

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It was in upgrade 1 with the power amp connected to “standard”

I’m not quite clear what you were doing, but as Chris says, it looks like a link plug was missing hence the flashing light.

If you’re not using upgrade 1 then link plug 1 needs to be in. Same applies with upgrade 2.

If you were just using the 152 with the 155 only then you’d have the 155 connected to standard and both link plugs in place

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It was the HICAP into upgrade 1. So I need to have the plastic link plug in 2?
The idea was to take out the Flatcap and see what it sounds like, but it looks like the general advice is to get it serviced whatever.

You do.

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Ah … I don’t have the round link plug. Will make a call tomorrow …

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Well - I have a round link plug on the way so Zi can listen to the amps minus Flatcap. I enquired about servicing the Flatcap and it sounds like Naim don’t service Flatcaps any more. Is this true?
In any case, my plan is to nab another Olive Hicap and use it alongside the Flatcap to power the amps and keep the current Hicap on the CD5x. Later I might think about trying out the SL speaker cable, as the SL i/c seems to be working well.
I am surprised at how good the Olive HC sounds on the CD, as I had contradictory advice, but all advice has to be taken and applied in the context of a more or less unique system. I can see that if my speakers were over eager or had a tendency to be shrill, I would no doubt back off from the HC on the CD, but to me, it sounds crisp and natural. With the HC on the 152/155 it sounds relatively woolly - not something I had really woken up to until I heard the current configuration. It’s amazing how hearing different systems and setups can move one’s hearing on.
Thanks everyone for your help and advice thus far :+1: