I have a supernait 1. I ordered a Naim hicap Dr from a vintage dealer. I got it fairly cheap €1000 with orginal Naim cables.
What can I expect when I plug it in? Will the sound improvements be obvious?
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I’m going to say yes! I did the same with an sn3 and it was an obvious uplift.
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That’s one of the best upgrades you can do in the Naim Universe. The SuperNait 1 is a bit of a robust amplifier but with the Hicap DR it gets a whole layer of sophistication added.
Your current amp is a bit like a street fighter but with the Hicap dr it becomes a street fighter and gentleman in one.
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James Bond?
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It should be a very obvious and significant improvement.
If you sit by it, you will also be able to hear it humming along to the music too.
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Thank you guys!
I can’t wait until I get it. It should arrive next week.
Yes - but not necessarily in the way you might expect. I recall many years ago when I added a HiCap to my 42.5/110. My initial reaction was that it didn’t sound as nice. The bare 42.5/110 had a warmth to it that was very nice through my Kans. With the Hi-Cap this seemed to disappear and superficially the sound became less attractive - more focused certainly, but now also with what seemed like a certain hard unrelenting quality. Further listening soon confirmed that it was indeed a significant upgrade musically, with the music now just making more sense. I can well imagine some people preferring the bare 42.5/110 though. The Hicap effectively changed its character. So be prepared for that.
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If you’ve decided to do that, you’ve surely read about it, right? Or are you ordering and only now asking if it’s any good? 
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I liked the original Supernait but it was only when a HICAP was added to power the pre section that I felt it became something really special. Some of the most memorable systems I demonstrated had a Supernait and HICAP at their heart.
Just note that you’ll need at least something on the level of a CDX2 or NDX2 as a source, and adding a power supply such as an XPS or 555PS is also really worthwhile. As ever, a top source is critical here.
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I did not like a hicap 2 with SN1. Yes you get more of the hifi goodies but it took away the FUN from the bare SN1.
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As you can probably tell from the posts above, any upgrade tends to bring subjective improvements which, while most will prefer them, can sometimes upset the balance of your existing setup. You will only really know if it works for you when you’ve connected it up and had a good listen.
Do you know the age and service history of this Hicap? Some will be old enough to require a recap to sound at their best.
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Further to @ChrisSU ’s comments, I would be wary of so called stated ‘improvements’. What you can expect is a change to the sonic performance. Whether this change is beneficial or not can vary on setup, environment and tastes.
Some so called ‘improvements’ can make some feel an audio performance sounds too hifi, ie over indexing of highs and lows at the expense of lower mids.. but such a setup often gives a perception of more detail and engagement.
In the past I have enjoyed what a HiCapDR did to the 202… where the added v shape audio profile and added detail perception for my tastes was beneficial for that particular pre.
I have enjoyed a HiCapDR on a 282, but I found 2x HiCapDR and a SuperCapDR, which were so called ‘improvements’ broke the balance for my tastes on the 282… and it became unenjoyable.
So to answer your OP, you can expect a change in audio balance, but you can’t automatically assume it will sound better to your tastes, but on the other hand it may delight you.
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I found the HiCAP DR to be a great improvement on SN3. One of the best value upgrades I’ve done. No reason to think it would not beon SN1. I considered it an improvement straight away, but suggest give it a least a couple of days to settle before judging. My experience has been the power supplies need two days to a week to warm up from cold.
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I recently added one to a SN3 and feel the difference was worth the expense. I believe the hicap dr on earlier supernaits is more noticeable. Enjoy!
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Sounds a bit like 3.12 FW then!
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All replies on here are based on subjective experience as I’m sure you’re aware, but I’m with @Richard.Dane on this. When I was considering an SN1 my dealer lent me a bunch of gear to try out at home, including a SN1 and HiCap, which I eventually bought. To me the HC was critical, I would not have bought the SN on its own. A while later, when Naim were offering DR upgrades, I had my HC upgraded and that was my best value for money hifi purchase.
But Richard is right, it does deserve a source at a comparable level. I eventually ended up with CD5XS into nDAC with XPS, but a NDX2 would be a good choice for streaming.
Do let us know how you find your new box.
Roger
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No I don’t. Lol. But I got a 6 month warranty if it fails. And I can send it back.
I’ve read about it yes. I just hope it does what it’s supposed to do.
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It’s not just about it breaking, it’s about getting it to perform well. Routine servicing to maintain it in good condition isn’t the same thing and won’t be covered by a warranty. As a starting point you could call Naim, tell them the serial number and ask them how old it is. They’ll also tell you any official service history, then at least you’ll know when you might need to think about having it done.
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