Io a 252/sc a real step up over 282/hcdr?

I, too, already have SCDR so 252 makes sense as a next step.

I’ve heard a 282/Supercap sounding very good indeed. Personally I much prefer the 252. The 252/300 was my first Naim amp purchase. In the past I had listened to and rejected 202, 200, 282 and 250 in favour of other brands - usually costing less money.

Unlike the 282, which has sounded both good and bad to me on different occasion, the 250 (in my subjective view) is a different proposition. It has always sounded wrong to me. If you love what a 282/250 does, I think it best to proceed with caution. The 252/300 is a more subtle, insightful, pairing which lacks what I consider to be the “artificial” drama of the 282/250. Not that the 300 can’t slam. It does. But differently. More organically to my ears and therefore more realistically.

The only thing I can say with 100% confidence is that you will not know until you listen with your own ears in your own room. It’s impossible. with the best will in the world, to make predictions based on someone else’s experience/ears/system/room/mains supply/taste/etc… If you’re looking for more music and less HiFi, the 252, and the 300 in particular are worth a few hours of your time - but only for evaluation at this stage.

Good luck with it.

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Lol… Im sure a 300 sounds wonderful. Unfortunately I’m going to have to continue to slum it with my 250DR (which doesn’t sound too bad to me) :smile:.

I will continue to consider upgrading the 282 to 252 and, when ready, will certainly arrange a home demo before parting with any hard earned.

Thanks all for the very helpful responses.

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I’m moving from SN2+HCDR+250DR to 282+HCDR+250DR. I hope to get a significative improvement but I read above that a 252 is hugely better than 282. I hope to be satisfied by the upgrade. Unfortunately I cannot hear before the 282 but I get it s/h.

Thanks

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Well everything upgrade is hugely better

But at some point money is the issue

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It would be no hardship for me to stay with what I have. The idea of a 252 is really as a retirement pressie to myself.

It must be awful.

:slight_smile:

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The 282 is a great preamplifier and partners well with the 250DR. I have both and find them a really musical combination. It is a truism, for most of us, that there is always something better out there. If you are always looking upwards then you risk feeling that your current system is weak. The sad thing is that it is easy to overlook the fact that what you have is actually rather good. I hope that you love the 282, rediscover your music collection, hear it all fresh and then, in the future, look at upgrades. Glass half full, remember that!

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I quite like my 250dr… I guess I haven’t got the cloth ears that Harry got

On the other hand I just don’t use B&W speakers that Harry uses (having moved on to Dynaudio…)

Isn’t it great we got a range of opinions on this forum

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I did that, and it’s a pretty awesome upgrade. I don’t think that you will be disappointed :slight_smile:

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Thank you guys for your support! In a few weeks I should finalize the purchasing of my 282. I’m confident to get a worth upgrade and a good match with my current Kudos C20 :wink:

I’m sure it will be an upgrade that will give you joy … you’ll be satisfied … :wink:

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Thank you Angelo, I hope to receive your 282 very soon for my system and wish you your full satisfaction for your 252 :wink:

I hope so…:wink::crossed_fingers:

Isn’t it just. Life would be so boring…

I remember going to a Naim event at my dealer where they were demonstrating a prototype streamer on the front of a system comprising 282/Super/250/S400.

The very same pair of S400s that I had at home for a month and were collected the day before the event. I tried them every which way in our lounge and could not make them work. They just didn’t click.

So there they were, wired up to a pre/power combination that we had auditioned at home on three occasions with Ruark, Spendor and B&W speakers (not our current B&Ws), and had rejected in favour of other (and less expensive) amps from different makers… How did they sound at the dealer? Fantastic.

Such is the way of the world.

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Yes, it is :+1:

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I’m happy to note a good italian participation in this forum :slight_smile: In these days I tried my 282 with hicap DR but the sound (with my ambient and speakers) is with mid and high frequences too much forward, so the sound for me is fatiguing. In my opinion first upgrade should be supercap (not dr) and then 252 of course.

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I’ll verified shortly a 282+HCDR to replace my SN2+HCDR. I’ll have also the possibility to test the 282 with a DTC. I hope to finally find a good match with my current loudspeaker.

I’m searching sound more sweet than my actually sound, supercap not dr and 252 could be the answer.

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I think it is not possible to get an answer, to what is the best combination of the Naim components. In my opinion it depends a lot of they way you like your sound. For example, I listened to all the different combination. And found the combination of the 252/SCP/300DR the combination that made the music open up in all detail. And I think this can be a great way of listening to records or streaming. When I changed to the combination 282/300DR/HCap, I really got the feeling of live music. But it was not perfect, like the first combination. And still It got me. So I had to do Some extra things to get it right. I used Harmonix spike base, and went all the way with disconnecting all components. In other words, I tried to optimize everything around the system. And I was able to get a sound that catches me time after time Alain. I tried to go back to the better setup (with the 252) thinking this would be even more better. But I did not get the live like sound, I had with the 282/300DR/ Hicap. The expensive Spike bases of Harmonix, Made the sound of the base tight and it kept the energy high, while adding more detail. But detail in a different way. And with this experience, your way of enjoying music, can be completely different.

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