I had ND5XS2, XS3 and ProAcD20Rs and still think it provided excellent performance for the money – like you say really fun to listen to.
Tried SN3, which is a quality nait, but not enough of an improvement for me to trade in XS3 – plenty of others will disagree with this on here.
I made jump to new classic gear – the focus is not on detail or being over analytical in presentation just an engaging listen similar but just more of the XS gear sound - with a bigger soundstage.
Take your time as your current system is very good.
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Will Nac252 work with Hicap or only with Supercap?
Only a SuperCap or SuperCapDr. Whatever you wind up doing, I’d keep your speakers they are wonderful.
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You are right.
No hurry.
I know someone who offers 202 2nd hand… i will try to see if it makes any difference. If it does I will add the power supply and linger on this set up for a while…
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Maybe Ronmaik all you need is the Flatcap XS power supply as an add on
I’m pretty sure can be used with the XS2 albeit discontinued these days but could pick up for a song
Might just give a little more weight to the overall sound without going over the top
What do you mean by more? More of what? Louder? Cope better with peaks? Deeper? Midtange? Top end? Detail? Soundstage? Clarity? What might achieve what you want may depend on what exactly you mean.
Dear Ronmaik,
I can not speak from experience or the other components you have in your source line. Though if numbers are anything to go by, my CD5XS Burr-Brown DAC, being a PCM1704, is superseded by your CD5Si PCM1793.
I am guesstimating that the extra cost for the CD5XS when they were both available at one time is for all the output possibilities at its rear.
I think you have a nice system. I, too, was wondering about all the possible upgrades after joining this forum. After a number of workplace accidents (slackness to safety by my 17 workmates and management all since terminated), I have a modest government pension income and really enjoy what I have.
As Cat Stevens says in one of his songs (Father and Son"), “But I am happy”.
Warm regards,
Mitch in Oz.
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Hi, he already has a hicap. So adding a dedicated preamp like the 202 seems like an obvious choice. At least to try.
Xref here; setup 202/hicap/xs2 is exactly the same method as 282/hicap/supernait
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Oops missed that one Robert - apologies
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And I’d disagree with that. I swapped original Nait XS for SN1 + HiCap with CD5XS + nDAC in front. For me that was a great improvement and kept me entertained until 272 came along. Each to their own but I never found it boring.
Roger
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I’d agree on amp voicing and sticking with what you like…
devils advocate though; (I am a Nait XS user)- how ‘broken in’ was the trial rrplacement amplifier (Supernait 3)…?
it might be that the circuit ‘improvements’ in the newer series did alter qualities/‘traits’ that the older lineup may have exemplified…
(eg cascode circuit removal lowered feedback requirements and increased slew rate)…
I wasn’t aware that I could power supply uograde an XS for power amp duties…
My understanding is a flatcap/'?'cap would allow the preamp circuits power to come from offboard and free the internal torroidal for ‘power amp duties’, something I feel AV Bypass mode forces anyhow…
Might it be that the OP uses RCA/phono connector plugs to the Nait XS2?
internally those cables reroute via a ‘very underwhelming looking’ PC ribbon cable akin to what hard drives used when back in IDE/scsi days…
DIN inputs bypass this Achilles heel, and might let more music through…
a jump to a Supernait wpuld allow the RCA/phono inputs to let more music through etc…
using RCAs on my Nait, a sibilance is inline that wpuld no eoubt dissapear if cabled properly/‘with care for the parts in use’…
For me, by price point, a din cable AND power supply upgrade puts me in Supernait pricepoints, so isnt a logical pathway (if buying new, skip the mid tier integrated is what many would do)…
I like yhe XS size and spund quality so upgrades are viable…
I’d encourage a DIN cable into the XS (if the OP isnt already),…
regarding stage size- I altered my speakers to serve the Naim Nait…
Regarding power supply upgraded… AV Bypass will bypass the preamp but might give indication as to how whe’d do as a ‘power amp’ (sort of).
AV Bypass does sound different to me (RCA user!!)
More deeper and more detailed…
Dear Mitch,
We must not forget that it is all about music and the happiness that it brings.
Better sound makes it better but it is always better to hear good music and compromise on sound than other way around…
Thank you for the advice!
Ronmaik
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Ronmaik, I also moved from XS2 to SN3 and I am completely with you about the sound, only to me SN3 was a more acceptable option, because it added weight compared to XS2 and I listen to a lot of heavy (metal). With time, I got used to SN3 and accepted that it was definitely a step up from XS2 and not only in terms of “massiveness”, but I had been missing my XS2 for quite a while.
There’s plenty of good advice above about possible upgrades. You will need a budget for that. Power supply is definitely a step to take, but just in case you have not done it yet, you may also try a bit of tweaking around like upgrading your speaker or component feet, or cabling (power cables make a surprisingly noticeable difference).
Wanting deeper suggests a need to change speakers. If otherwise the speakers are perfect for you an alternative might be to add subs.
As for detail, I don’t know your speakers, though from others’ satisfaction they might not be too limiting, so next would be source: I went from Chord Hugo, to which I think Qutest will be similar, to Dave, bringing a huge increase in clarity and detail without losing the natualness - a literal wow moment when I first heard.
Hi b,
Can you show me the back of the stereo connections of your system?
I would like to see how does it work and connects…
Guess I will have to bring - 202 , napsc and some RCA to DIN cables…am I correct?
Image in the link .use red line for xs2 and black line for nac 202
Thank you … the link shows connecting NAP200 to XS and HC…
My thoughts are to have the XS2 as the power amp and connect NAC202 as pre-amp using my existing HC2.
From my understanding this your current set up… am I right?
Any feedback is appreciated…
See above
Replace nap 200 by xs2 (use port din 4 pin of xs2)
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