My daughter has now permanently borrowed my 72/140.
As I “forgot” to include the Olive Hicap, this opened up a rebuild of this second system, which is going well.
The speakers were replaced like for like ( small pair of Dali bookshelves), as well as a late nap 250 and even 2 off 5M lengths of naca5.
I was going to find another nac72, but even the usual places don’t have much. And if they do, have an unclear history/ no box/ etc…
So, what else should i be considering nac wise for about £400 ( recognising it will need a service)? Doesn’t have to be Olive, but would look better.
32.5, 92…?
Personally, if I coveted a replacement 72, I’d continue to scour the sale sites/even contact a few dealers who have high levels of pre-loved stock. I wouldn’t opt for a sub-optimal choice which I might regret.
Good things come to those who wait…and sometimes show initiative
Have you checked with TomTom in St Albans? They specialise in and always (or usually always) have a good stock of ‘pre loved’ (their term) Naim in stock. They also have pretty good contacts and will try to find specific items that you’re looking for. I strongly recommend that you give them a call.
If you ever have cause to visit their shop, they have Julian Vereker’s own prototype NAP 500 on display, which is fascinating in itself, not least as it’s clear that it was first designed as an ‘Olive’ component.
If I were in your position, I’d go for a 72 again.
My only Olive nac experience has been the 72, and more than happy with it.
With no experience of the othe nacs of this era i was unsure where they’d fit in compared to a 72.
I have spoken to a few dealers who say they will call if they get anything, but the phone has yet to ring!
62 would be bang on budget and you will usually have a choice of CB or Olive available somewhere. . Servicing brings them back to stock. Of course if it were me and I had a spare hicap and 250, I would be selling hifi fodder from my loft and going for a NAC82.
There was a bit of hifi fodder in my loft. But most has gone now;lockdown was very kind to me.
I did wonder if an 82 would be suggested or even a 52. But with all these things you need to remind yourself its a second system. Or before you know it, you have 2 first systems.
I expect ill end up with another 72, or a 62. As above, I already have the hicap and ( needs a service) 250
At a weak (beer and wine induced) moment a 52 was sort of, on the cards. Then i thought better of it.
I’d be conflicted where to really put the 52. 2nd system or replace my 282 in the first system.
And, if im honest i dont need RC in the second system!
Understand exactly where you are coming from. My 2nd amp is an Nait5si which I got ex display for £845. Have you considered selling the hicap and 250 and getting a used Supernait 2? When I was deciding, I considered a used 112/150 combo for less than the 5si but the reality was all I needed was the 5si for the room it was going in. I feel a lot more comfortable with a 2nd system with less boxes.
When the 72 came out, my then-dealer told me that the time-aligned boards that could be fitted to the 32.5 got you most of the way to a 72. Possibly the best ~£85 I ever spent on hi-fi!
I remember seeing years ago photos of a simple box device that sat on top of an NAC72 and had a stout rubber band tightly fitted around its volume knob. It was nothing less than an after-market device which gave the user remote control of the volume knob.
Sadly for the maker, it doesn’t seem to have taken off. Quite remarkable.
I’m sure that an Olive 72 with remote control source and volume selection would have flown off the shelves, but I suppose that the shoebox size meant that there wasn’t enough space to fit everything in.
. Servicing brings them back to stock. Of course if it were me and I had a spare hicap and 250, I would be selling hifi fodder from my loft and going for a NAC82. 
