NDX2 vs NSC222

Was trying not to get too excited and use superlatives that are a bit over the top. To us the sound is better, just don’t want to say night and day or similar. As others have said the sound presentation is a bit different. We do like the better bottom end. Mids are very good. The top end is not so in your face - we like that. Overall we like the totality of the sound, very natural. Our ears, our room etc. How much is the amp and how much the NC222 with NXP300 is hard to say. What I will say is that we like it.
Other non SQ factors such as ease of use eg better volume control, especially for fine adjustment, are all pluses. We also like the look.
Now we are considering is this additional cost worth it for us, remembering that the current system is not at all bad. A couple of more days listening will help make the decision.

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I totally understand your reserved comments and what you describe I’d agree with - my simplistic view is not in your face, very musical with tonnes of heft!
Enjoy and relax the wallet ties :+1::grin:.

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Option 2 all day long if box count matters.

If the NSC 222/300/250 in your home is not much better, just better, vs your existing Ndx2/SN3, then with 282/hicap/ 250 dr it should not be better then, because 282/hicap/ 250 dr is a huge step above SN3.
Just saying. However enjoy your new system, it looks very good indeed. And I understand the appeal of less boxes.

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Hi @frenchrooster Agree with your thinking. Was just trying to say it is better without using too many superlatives. Yes I could maybe have worded my comments to reflect that demo in dealers location systems were closer (dealer used NDX2/XPSDR/282/hicap/250DR against new NSC 222/300/250) but that at home (NDX2/XPSDR/SN3) the improvement with the new NSC 222/300/250 was noticeably larger.

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I’d continue listening to the dealer’s kit until they ask for it back. If reverting back to your current system leaves you feeling seriously short-changed, perhaps it’s time to open the wallet. If not, I’d stay with your current setup and see what comes up as Naim roll out more stuff.

Roger

It’s a tricky one, as your NDX2/XPS DR has a lot of unlocked potential with your SN3 and you could go well up the classic range with it for less than the cost of 222/300, especially with the discounted pricing on discontinued stock.

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A 222/250 vs NDX2/SN3 comparison would be interesting. Maybe I should have done that in my listening test but I had decided that the 222/250 combination would provide a more versatile upgrade path.

Yes there are a number of potential options to consider now that you can stick with the old classic, go new classic or have a mixture of ranges. A number of these possibilities in how to move ahead were discussed whilst doing the demo with my dealer. Factors for us were number of boxes and would they match. We were looking to keep down to 3 boxes and have them all looking the same and not have to wait for any of the unique cables that some of the options required. Different people will probably arrive at different answers depending on their needs, desires and dare I say it available finance.

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That will probably mean more than three boxes and pricing at an even higher level. Probably out of reach for me.

Maybe, it is PMC speakers! However, the NSC 222/300/250 & Twenty5 23i, is the best system in my room, since 272/555DR/300DR/Twenty5 26 & Townshend Podiums, and betters it.
This also stands for ATC SCM 40/40A!

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Yes, that certainly leads to the 222/300/250 option then and will surely be delightful.

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As far as a 3 box system is concerned the one for me would be

NDX2 replacement
300 PS New Classic
SN3 replacement (if and when) - probably replacement down the track somewhat but will be fascinating to see what happens there if anything

Not a fan of streamer/preamp in one box - rather have the flexibility of separate streamer

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Suspect it may be some time before these boxes all appear. That said I may well be wrong but the new NSC222, NXP300, NAP250 classic boxes do sound good. As ever with Naim there are many options.

I was wondering… you haven’t compared the NDX 2 to the NSC 222 only as a source. So would you use the NSC 222 only as a preamp with the NDX 2 and give us a feedback about that? If you are interested of course.

Hi @Blacknote I personally have not undertaken that activity. One of the factors in making our decision was to keep away from mixed ranges. If rumours are to be believed, it may well be that a separate new classic pre is coming later and this may be a good option for some.

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Yes, it seems to me that it’s in the area of stand alone streamers that there is most uncertainty about what is coming. It’s clear enough that there will be a series 3 pre amp and power amp. Is this the level at which true separates become available? In the hierarchy does the NDX2 remain and function primarily paired with an integrated amp, as an alternative to the NSC222, with a series 3 streamer the recommended source for the series 3 amplification? The other big question which I don’t think is clear is whether there will be a 202 replacement. Given the repeated requests for fewer boxes on here, Naim’s need to simplify their product range, and a longer term assumption that streaming will be the dominant source for most users, I can see that the 202 might not be replaced. The demand for a complex pre amp with multiple inputs, recording and playback functions, and so on seems to have seriously diminished now.

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I totally understand your point of view, I was just curious from a sound quality point of view. It would be a very interesting comparison in my opinion.

I have always looked at NDX2 being a 300 level streamer in the new terminology. I do not think there will be a stand alone streamer at 200 level. Just a guess thogh!

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Agree for an academic exercise but would be very surprised to see any, of the already announced 222/300 series, actually fronted by an NDX2.
As Orac has mentioned potential new 200/300 series products releases seem a much better fit for this sort of combination imo.