Hello all,
I am new in this community, although I bought my Naim Nait 1 in late '84 together with my Sondek (still using it a little bit upgraded along the time).
I guess my question may seem a little confusing, so let me explain:
'till october my setup was:
sondek-ittok-goldring+stageline, ND5-XS2, NaitXS2+TeddyCapSE, Harbeth7
Last october I had the chance to buy a woderful NAP300DR (used) to overcome my NAIT XS2
Obviously this has been done because I had no money enough to by also a NAC252 and a Supercapā¦ , although I have to say that the āfrankenstainā plays nicely!
Finally my question to you:
Can it be a good idea to replace (at least) three pieces (NaitXS2, ND5-XS2 and the TeddyCAPSE) with a NSC222? It has the phono input, so maybe also the Stageline can be removed from the chainā¦
Iād have thought that would be pretty sensible! I suspect there are different options with combinations of used kit that might also be suggested, but the NSC222, to consolidate in a single box the pre youāre using the XS2 for and the streamer youāre using the ND5 XS2 for, seems perfect. Iām sure it stands a very good chance of sounding better than your current setup as well.
You may want to consider staying in the used market and with the possiblility of picking up a NDX 2, NAC 282 with a HiCapDR to put out front of your NAP 300DR.
If you go the NSC222 route you should be able to find a dealer that could help you demo with the 300 prior to purchase.
A dealer said to me that the Stageline has an edge over the NSC222 phono stage. If you are an avid player of records, I would look for a different upgrade path. Speak to your local dealer and listen to different combinations. I have a 282/250DR a Topping D90LE as a Roon endpoint, a Pink Triangle/RB300/Dynavector 10x5 going into a stageline. The sound is sublime, a 300DR has appeared at a good price, I am tempted, very tempted!
I am always doubtly with this concept: more boxes more soundā¦ of course splitting high tension with low tension is obviously better (the same for ac and dc signals); but adding more boxes means more connections, more plugs, more soldering, more copper wires subjected to EM interferences, more matching issuesā¦ I mean it is absolutely true? Or āonlyā if you have supercables, a faraday-cage room and no wife-set boundary-conditionsā¦?
Anyway, Thant you all for your great suggestions; as always it happens, I am more confused than beforeā¦ but this is the beauty of this passionā¦ isnāt it?
You do very much have to pay attention to cables, but in my experience a ābox upgradeā is ALWAYS quite big, even with standard Naim cables (which are well made). Fancy cables CAN add a further uplift but tend to change the sound a bit as well so need careful audition.
Preamp being presumably of major consideration, you are looking at basically replacing a preamp thatās inside the XS2 with the one in the 222, the difference between both in terms of SQ might not be that large, if any, mostly likely you will receive a difference in sound sig, not an uplift in SQ IMO. Both preamps are not meant to be competing against a separate preamp, which the NAP300DR deserves.
That said, the 252/SC suggestion is the most appropriate one, anything less than that will work, but will be a compromise. Basically the choices are down to the following two, the second one seems way more balanced, you are not looking for reducing box count, so not relevant for the comparison.
Thereās a lot of advice to go used and optimise the pre here. More than I thought considering the 272/300 had advocates on here at the time they were contemporary options.
I know the 222 and 300 are different eras, but is literally everyone recommending something other than that combination?
In Naim world as a general rule you tend to find that a better pre vs power amp combo will out-perform the obverse. As you already have a 300DR this might be challenging without spending a lot or going for second-hand.
A 252 would be the obvious choice but with an eye to the future a 333 might be a good alternative.
You could trade the whole lot and go 222, 300 with NC 250???
, although I have to say that the āfrankenstainā plays nicely!
