I’ve had a 90 and a 140. Whether the 140 would be enough depends on how efficient your speakers are.
A 72/Hi/140 would be a good place to end up as others have said
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I’ve happily run a NAC72 with NAP180 for a good while perviously with Kans, Dynaudios and then two different pairs of SBLS, later I went active with the addition of another 180 , Hicap and Snaxo, now I run it with an olive Hicap and chrome bumper NAP135s
Super happy with the results so far and the 72 has been well up to the journey to date however, I have an itch to try a NAC52 and am hopeful this will be in the new year
Should this happen the 72 will go away for service and then be put safely on one side for use in the future, as isn’t not going anywhere.
Not sure whether that says more about than the NAC72 but it really is a very nice little pre-amp that’s supremely versatile and can happily live in a system through many changes, improving each time
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Another vote for 72-140 or maybe 72-HC-140
Having gone on a similar journey in early 2021, I ended up with 72-HC-140.
I love the simplicity of this arrangement.
It’s a great sounding combination. Looks great too.
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First of all, many thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and experience, I was not expecting so many excellent replies, this forum is worth its weight in gold (this was my first post after joining recently).
I was originally leaning towards the 82, but didn’t realise the desirability of including a Hicap in the system. So I’m now thinking of getting olive shoebox 72 and olive shoebox Hicap, which costs about the same as a single 82.
One final question - can the olive 72 function stand-alone? In other words, can I have a fully working 72/90 system, and add the Hicap later?
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Yes… 
It will work ‘stand alone’ with the 90, the 110, the 140, the 160, the 180 or the 200. But not with the 250 or higher…
But - it will always be better with, say, a HiCap.
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‘Needs’ - no. Works better with - yes.
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I’ve just found the manual. This is correct.
So for the OP an 82 is possible without a Hicap. But ultimately it needs something to perform to its potential. From memory, adding a Supercap to my 82 was one of those big leaps in performance where even non- hifi geeks commented on the improvement.
But getting a 72/Hi/140 sounds like a great place to end up. A nicely balanced system.
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You’ll find lots of people here who love a 72/140. Classic combo and being shoe box can fit in tighter spaces. Easily serviced.
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Ok. My need not Naims.
Hi Ratrat, I read on your bio that you have two systems, one olive and one from the new series.My system currently consists of 72/140 / CDX / LP12 / NODE2021 / FALCON LS3 / 5A. my idea was to simplify things by selling the CDX (it is not my main source and with the arrival of bluesound I use it less and less) and to replace 72/140 with the nait xs3. You who have both (I think the xs2 doesn’t sound so different from the xs3) could you tell me which are the main features between the two series and which one do you prefer?
Not just one HiCap, the 82 needs 2, and a NAPSC (or supercap) to release its full potential. I recently upgraded from a 102/HiCap/NAPSC to an 82/Teddy Dual Cap (which is a third party all-in-one version of 2 HCs and NAPSC) and am very happy with it, ecstatic in fact. It is wonderful and as far as I will be going with upgrades. Then again, I do like the look of those shoeboxes 
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Not quite accurate. The 82 must have a NAPSC - it comes supplied with one. And it won’t work without one. A HiCap or 2 Hicaps or a SuperCap will release more… potential…
(with the SC, you still need the NAPSC, AFAIK…)
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Yep
Hence you can argue that going from a 82 to 52 is just a desire to simplify things and reduce the box count. 
Aha, thanks. I didn’t realise the NAPSC was essential on the 82.
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The 102 was supplied without a NAPSC and can run without it - but is improved with one.
I assume the same applies/applied to the 202 - ??
Yes, when I had my 82/HC, I sold my wife on the 52 because I told her it would be a box reduction. A nice simple, two box preamp.
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I went the other way. Nait XS to 62/180 then 72/180 finally adding a Hicap recently. Like you my main source is a LP12 and I definitely think for vinyl Olive system wins hands down.
First, just to say there is no definitive answer, not one is better.
Each combination has its own quality, presentation or voice.
As they are 30 years apart.
A HiCap is used in each system: (1) NAIT XS2 + HC2 ; (2) NAC72 + HC + NAP140 (all olive)
When the Olive system first came home earlier this year 2021, I listened to lots of music - stream - CD - vinyl records - to experiment. Also using the XS2 + HC2 too, to compare and contrast. The outcome was unexpected. I like them both. But for different reasons. I prefer to play CD’s and stream with XS. Vinyl is preferred with Olive.
As a result, I now use my LP12 with the Olive. Just vinyl only in one room. It seems right to match the LP12 with the three olive shoe boxes.
The XS2 + HC2 is used with CD5XS + nDAC. Mostly CD and streaming, in another room. (We also have a Rega RP6 TT connected to the XS2 + HC2 too, for the odd occasion records are played in this second room). We have just moved home and we are very lucky to have two rooms to play music in the new house.
So, suggest you try both and develop your own opinion. Can you borrow a XS3 for home loan?
Hope that helps.
Good luck with your Hi-Fi journey.
KR
R
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