My P8 202 combo would respectfully disagree with this. It sounds sublime.
We’re at the margins of performance here anyway where diminishing returns kicks in hard. A 202 might give you 80 to 90% of the performance of a 282 which gives 90% of the performance of a 552…
Of course we’re all passionate enough about this stuff to be chasing that last 10% all the time but it’s easy to forget or underplay just how amazing sounding the mid tier stuff is. Where I l live a a P8 set up into a 202 is almost 15k so it should sound utterly sublime for the price
I think what you say is spot on, other than the percentages, which are impossible to apply to something subjective and and usually encourage challenges. I use my P8 very happily with my Supernait 3 and it sounds great.
In my opinion, a P8 with a good quality cart and phono is on Ndx2 / 555 dr level. It’s really a top source for not crazy money. It deserves a better pre than the 202.
But as others said, it depends where you want to go.
Running a P8 with a 282/250DR/HC here. The P8 is a superb performer and I have no inclination to upgrade to the P10 for such small gains in SQ. The 282 is the star of the Naim range imo and I really do feel I have reached the end of the upgrade road. Might add a Headline and swap the HC to a SC at some point but that will be it.
I had my P8 with a 282 and they worked beautifully together. Prior to that I had a 202. The 202 really is a poor preamp. I think it’s the smelly uncle of the Naim line-up and no doubt will be dropped in due course, so selling yours now could be prudent. The 202 and 282 are incomparable and I completely agree with @frenchrooster that a P8 would be a much better match with a 282. The 2nd Hicap on the 282 did nothing for me. It added bass but in a flabby, murky way. I much preferred the single Hicap, but I suspect this has been discussed to a crusty skeleton. Both my 202 and 282 were used with a 200 before moving on. The 282/200 is so good; with the P8 it was magic.
*edit - I think the 202 is a poor preamp full stop; not just for Naim
It’s just great fronting a manky old Supernait 3 with its manky inbuilt phono stage too. Back in the day the Linn LP12 and Nait 2 was considered very acceptable, so there’s no reason a Planar 8 isn’t an ideal partner for a 202.
Thanks for this input. I think there’s some clarity coming here. I have a high class input already in NDX2 and for many years I’ve thought that the 282 might well be my end goal.
There therefore seems to be a logic in upgrading the amp set up to show more of the NDX2 and then add the P8 in the future.
Suspect this might be the route to take!
As ever many thanks to all for the views and opinions! It’s all been very helpful.
That makes sense if you don’t want to experiment with vinyl. My P3 suggestion was the experiment, but if you like vinyl then the P8 is the right choice (and you could have moved the MC cart from the P3)
I think one of the challenges I have with going for a more intro level TT is that my digital source with the combo of NDX2 and Qobuz etc, is a very high quality source, and as someone warned me, I’d need a TT that was capable of matching that quality level, otherwise I’d just feel disappointed. That point of view made a lot of sense to me.
