Have had a Superuniti since 2012 and added a NAP250dr to it 3 years back. At the time I had thought that I would eventually replace the superuniti with the Nac n272. But now with the new streamers (ndx2) and the nova, not sure what the best upgrade if any there is.
I can buy demo NAC N-272 from my dealer for a very good price hence the question.
Clearly dac technology has improved significantly in the last 6 years (chord DACs, PS Audio). The one thing that I have never been happy with was that my cds played from a meridian 507 player running analog output always sounded better than the same cd ripped (bit perfect) and streamed with superuniti or the cd played on the Meridian CDP and running the digital out to the superuniti.
So at this point, the trade off for me is keep my box count at 2 (or 3 with power supply) but still have older tech (NAC N-272), or get the new streamers but significantly higher box count with the ndx2 or redundant amp section with the nova.
My dealer suggests that only the NDX2 is the worthwhile upgrade in sound in the new naim streamers. That’s adding a lot of boxes and cost after you count the power supplies, and the nac 282 or Nac 202 and it’s power supplies.
According to my dealer, The new uniti nova or the nd5xs is not a worthwhile upgrade from my superuniti (improvement vs price for the upgrade)
I have B&W 804d3 speakers.
This is my first post on the forum so apologize if I offend anyone!
I guess it all depends on your endgame — the amount of money you want to spend… A 282/250 (plus HiCap of course) is a lovely system. But it does come with a considerable price tag, especially when you add the NDX2…
In this place there is a lot of discussion about a new 272 in due course (no knowledge, just speculation/hope)… But I wonder whether you might want to wait until a new 272 (372?) was available.
Five boxes vs three? Hmmm…no contest, and that’s before looking at the not inconsiderable price difference. I haven’t heard the new NDX2, but have listened in the past to a NDS, 555PS, 252, SupercapDR and 300DR. Without a doubt a superior sound to my system, but not one to which I aspire. You pays your money…!
I would judge for yourself and hear them all. There are advantages and disadvantages to them all and it depends on your budget and ears not your dealers advice which I would take with a pinch of salt.
I went from Superuniti to Nova and found it very worthwhile and good value. As well as the improved functionality, the sound quality was much improved. Certainly worth a listen.
If only I could turn the sodding display off…
I’m guessing the cost to change won’t be very much given the retail prices new for both the Superuniti and 272 were quite similar?
Assuming I am correct and your main priority is locally based music rather then subscription based streaming then I wouldn’t hesitate. The 272 is a very capable unit and is upgradeable with either an XPS or 555PS which takes it to a different level.
The weak point with your system is the streamer/pre-amp and a 272 will address this nicely.
Any other sensible option is going to cost a considerable amount of money so you need to consider what you likely end game is if you take an alternative approach.
I have a Nova and added an olive NAP 250 which makes a significant difference in my system, though the Nova is a standalone admirable performer.
In many ways the Superuniti I suspect was akin to a Nova now, and you added a 250DR to your Superuniti as you presumably felt it made a difference.
So the problem with the Nova is that you may feel as I did that the internal power amp costs are going to waste if you use it with your 250DR.
The NAC N-272 would probably work extremely well with the NAP 250 DR but how much better would it sound than the Superuniti/250DR - only a demo will help you decide.
Ideally you’d want a new streamer to take advantage of the benefits of the new architecture, so ND5 XS2 and NDX 2 would be great choice, however you’re compromising without a new preamp - the N 272 would then have duplication of features and a NAC 282 might stretch the budget if getting a new streamer as well.
I think this shows the benefits of separates vs all in ones to some extent when considering upgrades, whereas the new Uniti all in ones are fantastic if you want to keep the box count down, and might be all you’d want coupled with your 250DR.
The reality I suspect is that a redesigned N 272 would tick the boxes for many people these days.
If you have any analogue sources consider the fact that the Uniti streamers digitise analogue inputs and then convert them back to analogue for output (allows multi room and presumably digital volume control), my LP12 sounded very good via the Nova, however I prefer it into a dedicated pre.
Can you borrow the 272 for a home demo? I find the 272 250DR extremely musical and with the XPSDR a great place to stop before the law of diminishing returns really starts to haemorrhage the wallet.
I’m currently using 272/xps/250 and I’m very happy with it. I have access to lots of different items of hifi all the time and I’m yet to better it for the price.
Sumitagg, I found the Superuniti and 250DR excellent as it was. The 250DR added speed and attack to the music, so it timed superbly, whereas the SU by itself was a bit ploddy. . When I traded in the SU for a 272 I was slightly disappointed. The music was more detailed than with the SU but no more enjoyable. It was not until I added a power supply(552DR) to the 272 that things improved. And boy did they improve! I have never listed to a hifi system so much.
So,1. where you are now is a very good place. If you want to improve things significantly then, in my experience, you will need to swap the SU to a 272 and then get a power supply for the 272.
OR 2. (vortex of increasing expediture option)
Go NDX2, 282, HiCap, 250DR and have 4 boxes for a better sound still, but possibly more money(I am not sure re current prices, but in the UK you have a very good 2nd hand market). And once you have the NDX2 based system you will then want better downstream ancillaries to make the most of its excellence, and then get the 252 and Supercap eventually, and so it will go on…
You could add the NDX2 to your current system, as the front end. Then later on, replace the SU/250 with a SN2 for a 2 box system or even keep the SU/250 as a second system.
The 272 + 250 combo seems to me to be the upper limit of ‘reasonable’, esp if an additional PS is added. Clearly we all have different ideas of what’s reasonable but the 272 250 is a fantastic 2 box system (3 with a PS). Moving beyond that requires either a 300 or higher (2 boxes and a big jump in price) or a 282 and then a better streamer, so another significant outlay and box count increase.
Having arrived at the 272 + 555PS + 250 DR I’m more than happy with it, and have no ambitions to go beyond that for the reasons listed above. As before, we all have different views of reasonable but that combination is fantastic.
The NAC272 is a multi-function box, it is a highly capable streamer and also a full pre-amp in one box. ThenNDX2 is a pure streamer, people had tried the ND range straight into power-amps, it’s not recommended by Naim and they’re normally used to feed a standard preamp. It’s a straight replacement for the NDX, people are watching with great interest to see is a 372 or 272-2 comes out on the new streaming platform.
It’s a very capable streamer, Will fit well with a 282 or 252 level preamp. I’m likely to,replace my NDX with either an NDX2 or the ND555 and run into a vintage 52 preamp.
That will really depend on your budget, and your choice of power amp. The point being that you shouldn’t skimp on the pre if you’re going for a higher power amp.
Absolutely not… the NDX2 is a source streamer and DAC , the NAC-N 272 is a combined streamer, DAC and preamp.
There may be a new NAC-N x72 or equivalent… however when I spoke to Naim admittedly severeal months ago now, the impression I got was there was not much more they could do in terms of significant improved SQ where everything was so tightly bundled in a cause.
Now it might be there with be a new N x72 that has the massively improved and redesigned streaming front end, with some incremental benefits from the use of LVDS as with the new streamers…where the focus is on improved reliability and capability and marginal improvement in sound performance.