With my NAC 282 I have a paddle shaped Link plug (4 Pins) that is used in the Link 2 socket. There is also a round 5 pin plug that seems to be for the Upgrade 1 socket. As I’m powering the 282 with a Supercap I dont use either of these plugs, but I’m wondering what the round 5 pin plug is actually for. Is it just a blanking plug or does it serve some other purpose ?
They’re link plugs I think.
It’s just a link plug that links internal 24v power rails - as you go up the power supply scale you can power the 282 from a single power rail (power amp pre-amp supply), two rails (ie a Hicap) or 4 rails (dual Hicaps or a Supercap).
Why would Upgrade 1 require a link plug ? You cant power the 282 without a PS plugged into Upgrade 1 can you ? I had assumed the round 5 pin plug was just a blank.
You can power it from a power amp with a pre-amp supply (eg a 200) and that connects to the Standard socket and provides a single 24v rail. The Link 1 plug is used when you have this setup.
Ok thanks everybody for the info.
Actually, here’s the real question… In my ignorance I thought the round 5pin plug was the blank for the lower socket for Aux 2, which can be used to power a phono stage. I dont use it at all. If I plug a device into to Aux 2 I get sound, but I’m now guessing that having that 5pin plug in that socket may have caused an issue with the power output on that socket ?
Hmm - that’s an interesting one. On the 252, 552 the powered input is supplied by dedicated rails from the Supercap.
On the 282 … one for @NeilS
Hi Chaps,
Yes, the powered Aux2 socket is fed directly from the power supply sockets - one from Upgrade 1 & one from Upgrade 2. If you fitted the 5 pin link plug into the Aux2 socket when using a Supercap, you would be shorting those two rails together & I’d imagine the SC wouldn’t be best pleased about it.
The regulators in the SC have protection though & would shut down momentarily if they overheat, so as long as your 282 is still happily working, I’d say no harm done.
Regards
Neil.
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Cheers Neil 
Neil. Thanks for this. I have now removed the link plug from the lower Aux 2 socket and replaced it with the blank plate intended for actual use in respect of this, which I found in the box for the 282. Nevertheless the 282 has been running with the link plug in the lower Aux2 socket for some time. As I mentioned I dont use it and all the upper sockets appear to work fine. Until I was reading the manual earlier today I was none the wiser. Just concerned I may have done some damage, perhaps to that lower Aux2 socket. I may wish to part-ex the 282 for a 252.
Hi Alan,
I must say I’m surprised the SC didn’t complain!
Still, I would expect a definite uplift in sound quality with the link plug removed.
Regards
Neil.
The incorrectly fitted link plug would simply have paralleled the output of 2 regulators which would degrade performance but not actually harm the regulators. Technically it’s possible to parallel multiple 317 type regulators to obtain much larger load currents than a single device can deliver.
In other words, no harm done 
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Again thanks to everybody for their help and advice. I havnt yet had the opportunity for a proper listen so cant comment on any sonic improvement resulting from the removal of the incorrectly fitted link plug. I look forward to doing so in the next couple of days.
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