Expert enough for me! Some of this is of interest for running Valve Pre into any Brand of Transistor Power Amp Marantz for instance. When you run 2 different brands of amplifiers
to Bi- Amp speakers the different tonal qualities and phasing relationships through the
x/over point and to the drive units will make the speaker sound less of a one piece.
Even with identical Amps it is better to use the L chan for Bass and the R chan for M/Range in the same speaker
to keep the homogenous sound of the amp even to both the drive units. From memory? this
is called Vertical Bi-Amping, rather than doing it the more logical L chan of Amp L Spk Bass and R chan of Amp R Spk Bass.
What i am getting to is do these type of relationships i have described here have a bearing
when you meld two totally different designs of Pre Amp and Power Amp together?
As I’m wanting to start out in the Naim Classic range, I’m finding it hard to know which power supply works with which amp or source. Product descriptions don’t seem up to date or comprehensive. Being a spreadsheet or ‘IT Guy’ I wondered if there is a need for a system configuration program / App that would tell you the options and requirements as you build an imaginary system?
Does such a program already exist?
Would it be useful?
Is there a better way?
Actually my question was intended to be about replacing the Hugo2 ! But the responses have all been very illuminating so no problem.
Here’s a basic hierarchy of the Classic range separates, in ascending order of performance. For simplicity I’ve missed out one or two outliers, such as using a Supercap on the NAC202, or a NAP200 on a 552, or putting big amps on lesser pre-amps etc… I’ve also not included all in ones, Statement, or active options. Hopefully I haven’t missed out anything obvious…
Digital Sources:
ND5XS2
NDX2
NDX2 + XPSDR
NDX2 + 555PSDR
ND555 + 555PSDR
ND555 + 555PSDR x2
Amplification:
SUPERNAIT3
SUPERNAIT3 + HICAP
NAC202 + NAP200DR
NAC202 + NAPSC + NAP200DR
NAC202 + NAPSC + HICAP + NAP200DR
NAC282 + NAPSC* + NAP200DR
NAC282 + NAPSC* + HICAP + NAP200DR
NAC282 + NAPSC* + HICAP x2 + NAP200DR
NAC282 + NAPSC* + SUPERCAP + NAP200DR
NAC282 + NAPSC* + SUPERCAP + NAP250DR
NAC252 + SUPERCAP + NAP250DR
NAC252 + SUPERCAP + NAP300DR
NAC552 + 552PS + NAP250DR
NAC552 + 552PS + NAP300DR
NAC552 + 552PS + NAP500DR
*NAPSC is included as part of NAC282 package
Hi Richard, it’s my understanding that the ND555 cannot be powered by an XPS, only a 555PS. Unlike its predecessor, the NDS.
I think you’re right Chris. Thanks. I’ll make an edit.
The 555 powered by an xps caught my eye. And for 10 seconds I considered an upgrade to a nd555. I do hope it’s not possible to do…
It’s not an option, so your bank account is safe (for now)
With such variation in output sockets and leads you seem blissfully untroubled by conventionally expected differences.
You could have saved yourself quite a bit on interconnects if you’d just bought the cheapest brand x 3.
But if it was, would I be better off buying the nd555 or the psu555? Given that I’m starting from an ndx2/xpsdr.
As you can’t use the ND555 with a single output PS like the XPS, then it would make sense to go NDX2/555PS then go ND555.
Of course when heading in this direction it’s worth also looking at other options. The C word etc
I have had all the potential combinations of NDX2 and Chord’s DACS and the Naim PS’s (XPS-DR, 555DR) to own and compare at home at the same time(almost!) and each have their merits and price/performance levels.
I honestly think Naim could have made the £5k NDX2 deliver a more refined and clearer sound than it does ‘bare’, but they would have had their marketing-led reasons not to do this. The features and functions of the NDX2 are good, but for the price there are better streaming devices available.
The Hugo2 with NDX2’s digital out reduces the ‘need’ to fill the rack with another full size box in the form of a £4K or £7k power supply - but only your ears can tell.
The Hugo2 is a great DAC and headphone amp, but not a great pre- amp; having tried it myself direct into 250DR and Etude in an attempt to simplify my system at lower outlay than my eventual choices (see profile) for a digital-source-only main system.
When you say there are better streaming transports for 5k than Ndx2, which brands have you in mind?
Innuos? But they are also servers, transports, ripper and Nas in one box.
Auralic and Lumin : but will they give the Naim involving sound?
Dcs network bridge: no longer available.
Intrigued that the NAC282+NAPSC is listed in combination with NAP250DR only with Supercap.
No mention of 1 or 2 * HICap which is likely more common I’d have thought.
Is that intentional, an oversight, or in error ?
It was intentional. I would max out the NAC282 before upgrading the power amp. As I said in the first paragraph, its a basic heirarchy and is aiming for simplicity, not every single option or possible combination.
Thanks for the clarification.
And you can have:
282 Napsc Supercap 300DR
252 Supercap 500DR
This beautiful and visual Naim Guide shows the main amp preamp combinations and much more. It is deep in the Naim site, I attach in case it is useful.
The Ansuz DIN/DIN D2 connects my ND555 to my NAC 552. It replaced a Super Lumina and is clearly better. I needed the best cable I could obtain for this application.
The Chord was one I’d had for another application and needed an RCA/RCA cable to do the comparison of cables driving the V281.
The Teddy DIN/RCA was a special cable out of Israel needed to test DIN OUT to RCA.
The comparison was between the Chord and Teddy P. I expected the Chord to be better since it cost about 15 times what the Teddy P. cost. However, I found that the SQ is diminished if both DIN and RCA is used out of the ND555 simultaneously. I had to use both so I could quickly switch the inputs on the V281 back and forth between the two sources.
In my testing I found that DIN sounds better than RCA out of the ND555. Same with the NAC 552.
I’m now using the Teddy P. to connect my ND555 to the RCA inputs of my new Atom HE. Even though the Atom converts analog input to digital and then back to analog, fronting the Atom HE with the ND555 sounds better than using the streamer/DAC in the Atom HE.
Richard,
You completely missed out the 272!
(This wasn’t a serious suggestion… Yes, I know there are very good reasons for NOT including it!)