Currently considering upgrading a HiCap2 to DR specification. (It’s maybe 8-9 years old).
Is it worth getting a service at the same time?
Any one with same experience and advice to offer?
Once they’ve swapped out the LM317 based regulator board for the DR board for the upgrade then all that is left to replace, as part of a service, is the two big electrolytic caps. I would have thought that as it’s only these two additional parts it would be in the DR upgrade price. If not then just pay to get them done at the same time and you’re all sorted for a good few years.
There is a small difference. Best ask your dealer who is starting point for this anyhow.
DR upgrade cost is £469
Service is £330
Both together £799
Really ? seems a bit high to me given the minimal amount of work actually needed to do the service after the DR upgrade. Was that a price given to you by a dealer for a combined DR upgrade / service as i would have thought a discount would apply for both being done at the same time ?
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Maybe a better question might be : has anyone had a HiCap DR serviced - any noticeable difference to performance?
As of September Naim won’t do a DR upgrade without a service, and the Hicap will be £999.
That’s taking the piss - it’s not that much more (£420) to buy a new one !
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Yep. Know about that. (New pricing from 1st Sep)
Hence my questions…
Coming back on topic, it’s useful to understand the value of these items
DR upgrade - and - service
When I had mine done I rationalized it by thinking I was getting a new one for a good discount. Alternative is to sell yours for whatever you can get and buy a new one. End cost is similar…
Resale is quite a bit higher though on original DR products. If you can sell your HiCap for £500 say and just buy a new one you will be better off IF you ever decide to upgrade in the future and need to sell it on.
Sure. There’s a few permutations here…
HiCap2
HiCap2, add DR upgrade
HiCap2, add DR upgrade and service
Sell HiCap2 and replace with new HiCap DR
It would be interesting to know what difference a service makes - for example, a HiCap DR returning after a service - if anyone has that experience and can offer an opinion
Ouch - that seems a bit harsh - what if one of those products has been serviced recently, say within a year or two?
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You could also sell the hicap 2 and buy a used hicap dr. If you are lucky or prepared to wait a bit you could probably get a nearly new one at a good price.
So, can anyone share their experience of servicing a HiCap - before and after?
If you really want a DR hicap
Sell yours for 400
Buy an ex dem. with huge saving for 900
Much better deal.
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Thats financially the best option, but you risk that you replace a non humming hicap by a humming hicap. In my experience hicaps hum the most.
One issue with servicing is that it can seem logical to do several items at the same time but it’s then pretty hard to figure out what benefitted (or maybe didn’t!) - did 2 HICAPs, 2 NAP250s and a few other things a few months ago and the sound changed radically which made me wonder if something was worse.
Any others, with experience of service for HiCap ?
It would be really interesting to hear about your personal experience - performance - before and after.
That same thought occurred to me too.
Do the DR upgrade first.
Then, later, send back for service.
(No cost advantage in doing both. Except carriage charges back and forth)
Which is why it would be very interesting to hear from anyone with experience of service only?