Well BACKTONAIM if you can afford the 332 I’d go for it. Having said that the 282 will be as good as it always has been (meaning excellent) and leave you at a mighty fine place sound wise.
That’s good to hear and really interesting as you were able to compare them directly over a decent period of time.
I agonised over going NC or buying used OC kit. Ultimately, reliability/warranty and box count were important drivers (as well as SQ), having had a recent failure with my XS2, so I chose not to try and audition OC kit to ease the dilemma.
I’m very happy with my new system. I’d dearly loved to have been able to afford a 300 series one, but as always budget dictates.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. I had a HCDR for the SN3 which was already a good upgrade. This made the 282 upgrade an easier decision. I do get the impression from other posts that the SN3 power amp is the better half of this amp and one of the improvements over the SN2. So the uplift of the 250DR is more subtle. The cost of 250DR new dealer stock is around EUR 3600 and demo 10 year anniversary edition (ie Zinc coloured) is around EUR 3000 so I dare say this upgrade could be done even with SN3 prices where they are for less than EUR 1000 but can I live with the zinc ?? or paying EUR 700 more for black.
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I have recently compared the 222 (with 300PX) using its streamer to a 282 and 332 (with a 333 front end).
The 222 is a great bit of kit and I really wanted to like it for simplicity but it just didn’t sound as good as the separate solutions in terms of clarity; to my ears at least. Hence I bought a 333 to front up my 282.
All options were driving a 250. That said if I were starting afresh without the 282 things may have been different…
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I’m not sure 222/300 into 282 vs. 333 into 332 is a fair comparison. Different prices for sure. Having heard a 333/332/250 vs. 222/300/250 I can only agree that’s the 300 series combo is a good deal better, but at significantly higher cost.
P.S. I’m not sure why you’d consider a streamer/pre (222) into another preamp (282). Perhaps I’ve misunderstood?
Sorry didn’t make it clear - separate streamer 333 into a 282 and 332.
Look I’m not dismissing the 222 in any way - it’s a great bit of kit. Like I said it’s ideal to simplify a system. However there has been a lot of hyperbole on this forum about all the new kit and I’m just trying to give my subjective opinion.
Understood, thanks for clarifying. I wholeheartedly agree the 333 is better, but for many, available budget constraints generally apply 
. I guess it also depends where you are starting from. Enjoy the 333!
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Hi Sinewave,
I’m considering getting a 333 for my 282 so wondering how the 333/282 compared to the 333/332?
I have Sonos now so seriously need to upgrade, if Naim came out with an upgrade to the ND5XS2 I would consider that (assuming it would bridge the gap between ND5XS2 and NDX2), but otherwise the price difference between the NDX2 and 333 leads me to wanting the newer/apparently superior streamer.
I could be mistaken, but I thought I had read that you could replace the internal DAC board in the 333: if this is true, I’m surprised that I haven’t heard more about that as a selling point.
Thanks
That’s the first I’ve heard of it! Seems extremely unlikely to me, unless you mean that you can, as with all Naim separate streamers, use a separate DAC via the SPDIF output.
No, I’m aware of the use of an external DAC, I must’ve gotten something wrong, thanks.
I’d like to avoid adding boxes (DAC/PSU) to an already very expensive unit, so being able to upgrade the internal DAC if so desired was an appealing thought/wishful thinking!
It would certainly be a first for Naim. They have never been known to take a modular approach to the components inside their boxes.
I found the 282 more forward sounding than a 332. Similarly the 333 is less in your face than the NDX it replaced and therefore sits really well with the 282. A great combo to my ears.
I guess we can’t have everything. I wouldn’t want anything that’s less forward than the 282.
That sounds promising, thanks.
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Just an update, first of all apologies for not responding to the suggestions received as was away due to work. I missed the chance to pick the nac 282 as was sold but got hold on a npx 300 demo unit which was passively placed on the shelves and never connected and used, now I know the clear path and will be going the nac 332 route. Eagerly waiting for the lead time from the dealer for the special cables to be connected to my ndx2.
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