I have just today been trying a Hicap DR on the 62/140 combo, wanting the Olive to go elsewhere. The DR adds a level of what I can only describe as a ‘muddyness’ to the sound. Most surprising. I checked the connections and even tried different connection cables. No improvement. Putting the Olive back in and the clarity has improved. The DR is good as I have been using it with a xs2 where it improves the sq noticeably.
Any reason why this interaction with the older nac should occur?
That’s quite surprising. What source are you using the 62/140 with ?
Auralic streamer.
It s not unacceptable and if I hadn’t had the Olive previously connected I may not have noticed it, but it is noticeable in comparison.
Yes that’s a decent source. Just goes to show that sometimes, technically better may not be sonically better, particularly with the older kit that was designed with the LM 317 reg based PSUs.
When was the 62/140 last serviced?
Within the last two years.
Is it possible that you are now using different sockets on the back of the HCDR compared to its previous use, and that one of those connections has a fault?
Early Olives used Socket 3 (as socket 4 has single rail power) for the four pin SNAIC to 140 cable. Later Hicaps use socket 4.
I hadn’t thought of that.
I used the same sockets on the HCDR/62/140 as I had been using on the HCDR/XS2.
HC socket 4 to 62. Banded end to 62.
HC Socket 3 to 140. Banded end to HiCap.
Are you talking about the hicap or 62 ? It should be Hicap socket 4 to 62 socket 5, hicap socket 3 to the 140.
OK guys. Thanks for the inputs. I’m not unfamiliar with the connections and having now checked. The hcdr and my olive hc have the same connection topology. No errors in connection.
If the HCDR works well with XS2 but not 62/140, it does sound like a fault. If you are using exactly the same sockets and cables with 62/140 as you were using with XS2, I am stumped - sorry.
@Richard.Dane may be able to help - otherwise the boxes need looking at by Naim or equivalent.
If it’s correctly connected then I’m a bit stumped, unless the HICAP DR reveals some sort of limitation in the NAC62.
I don’t think the difference is massive, I was just expecting more clarity and separation, not less.
Exactly so - it is weird.
I tried nac 62 and my nac 72 with Hicap Olive, Hicap DR, Supercap Olive, Supercap DR. The Upgrade stays in that order, I still have SC DR.
Facing the olive; when its break-in is ok with DR the result is more “clean” and precise when listening, the bass is firmer and more robust.
Maybe check, see if a snaic influences the result ?
I’m assuming you didn’t have the 62 stacked on one of the powered up PSUs ?
Don’t want to muddy the issue, but my Olive HiCap is connected to my NAP180 from socket 2.
If socket 3 has a 24v power rail (early Olive ones did, I believe), you need to use socket 2.