Hi,
I’m looking for a HiCap to connect to my Superline or Supernait 2 (perhaps one each!?). Are all HiCap boxes the same until the DR upgrade came along, although with different look?
Would for example an olive HiCap be good value for performance with the above components, if one should show up? Or is it better to just get a DR version at once.
Kind regards
The dr is a big step up and before the dr all hicaps are the same circuit but any olive one will need a serving now
Hi caps be they CB or Olive are essentially the same. I’ve not seen inside a post 2005 hicap, but I’d expect it to look similar too. In short just a change of box.
The hicap dr will be a step up. If you want the best performing hicap power supply, this is the one to go for. However, even preened, they are not cheap. Expect to pay £800 plus. Double what you could get a non dr for.
Prior to the DR upgrade, 1993 was the last big change, with a new transformer and dropping the single rail supply.
I went from a cb hicap to a hicap dr with my 32.5 / 160 and for me the dr had all the energy of the cb hicap but added a focus and sweetness to the sound, if you know what I mean arry
What we need, is a naim approved dr upgrade to olive and cb hicaps.
A sort of regulated hicap. If you can see where I’m going!
I think that question was asked when the DR HiCap was first released. If I remember correctly it wasn’t possible but @Richard.Dane would probably know for sure.
The pre-DR Hicap is already a regulated power supply, just using Naim’s specially selected LM317 regulators.
AFAIK the factory don’t do DR work on Olive or Chrome Bumper HICAPs.
the hicap doesn’t that big a difference to begin with so a DR upgrade might be underwhelming
a used supercap isn’t that much more than a DR and is what the superline needs
Hi,
Thanks for the clarifications and input on HiCap/ DR. I will try to demo a HiCap DR or perhaps just go for it, if one should show up second hand. They do seem a bit rare here in Sweden though!
It also seems I might just started on the slippery slope to a Supercap… 
Yankfish do you mean Supercap with DR as well, or non DR? Looking around I can’t se a Supercap DR close to anything for a HiCap DR… Also some places suggest there is a Supercap 2.
I guess I might as well ask for input concerning the experience of going from a Hicap DR to a Supercap DR or non DR with a Superline!
Regards
There’s the original Olive Supercap, then the Supercap “2” that came with the current black anodised aluminium facia, then the Supercap DR with Naim’s discrete regulators. Even the original Olive Supercap is a superb power supply, although be aware of the important 8-10 year service intervals, to ensure optimum performance.
Thanks for sorting the supercap variants as well, Richard!
the superDR is pretty new and very expensive, a plain super2 is fine
hicap to hicapDR is a minor upgrade at best and i imagine the same with the supercap especially since a supernait2 isn’t going to show all the nuances anyway it’s a waste of money probably
I’d like to see a regular hicap and then hicap dr’s noise trace on a scope. Especially on load.
The regular hicap has a massive 400/500 va transformer. Coupled to 2 bean can caps.
Who on earth came up with this? Massively overspec’d. The transformer takes up half the box. The on on the 140 is small by comparison.
I’m sure dr is icing on the cake. But far from essential.
There’s a comparison here DR white paper of the DR performance vs the old LM317, including some measurements on the Hicap.
I think the decision not to offer DR upgrades for Olive or CB was purely commercial/political. The insides of the pre DR classic look identical to its predecessors.
I do wonder if I could hear the difference? The components in the non dr are so over specified for a power supply.
Only one way to find out…
Given that the Hicap is overspecified then logic would say that a Supercap which is massively overspecified wouldn’t sound any better.
Except it does.
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