I bought a used FC2X ten years ago with a 112/150 and CD5X. The FC2X is due for service; but I am using it for a Headline2 and NAT05XS in my 500 system, now — the 112/150 are gone, and I traded the CD5X for a CD5XS, which I play through the DAC in a Qute2 in my office (brilliant, BTW.)
I am wondering if I should keep and service the FC2X, or wait until a FCXS comes my way, trade for that, and service it instead. Either way, I would like to hear the best the FC has to offer before considering upgrading to HC or HCDR (which I already know lifts the Headline2 from where I am now).
I really like that the Flatcap can power up to two components.
Don’t bother servicing it. Buy a more recent one, XS or 2x. They are of the same design.
The HiCap provides a different presentation that cannot really compares with the FlatCaps’. I did put an HC-DR on a NAT05 XS to give it more of a drive and more projection to enjoy just as well listening to FM. I eventually used the NAT on a SC-DR. Delicious.
I understand the problem and given the prices that we sometimes see quoted for recaps outside the UK, I think I would look for the youngest FCXS I could find. But I am sort of assuming that there is a ten year service interval on the FC2x which may not be right. For instance it could be 12 to 15 years on black stuff. Really, it needs someone like @Richard.Dane or @NeilS to chime in.
Unfortunately I don’t have any dealings with servicing pricing, so I’d suggest getting in touch with Tech Support on Monday. They will be able to give you an accurate idea of servicing cost & you can decide if servicing or buying newer second hand is the way forward.
I think 10 - 15 years is about the servicing interval for a FC.
I realize that the 2x and XS are functionally interchangeable. Would a serviced 2x be identical to a new or serviced XS in all but name, or are there other differences? I have been offered a trade-in for a new FCXS in stock to consider; but servicing the 2x is bound to be cheaper. Will confirm here when I know.
Though I can’t find any significant claims from Naim of improvements to the FCXS over the FC2x, I did find this on my dealer’s site: “The FlatCap XS is an external power supply that replaces the FlatCap2x. The improvements to sound quality are subtle but significant: dynamics are more even across the audio band, bass lines are more easily differentiated and the system noise floor is reduced.”
I think context may be missing here. I think Chris quoted the improvement when adding the Flatcap rather than the difference between versions. The Flatcap gets a lot of flack but it’s a pretty useful device with its dual outputs and certainly worked well when I had a Nait XS here.
I see that the XS replaced the 2x in 2009; so, early XS models are just coming due for service. I hope that @NeilS can confirm that innards are identical and/or that a serviced 2x is the same as the XS.
AV Options quoted me $450 for the service, and $1690 MSRP minus trade-in for a brand new XS, plus other sweeteners, negotiable.
If the trade value and/or discount from MSRP is strong, I would certainly be comfortable paying $200-300 above the cost of the service to upgrade to the new unit, if only to match the FC, tuner and CD5XS to the same era.
You are correct. I had this question on my 2 FC2X this time last year, do I upgrade rather than, so some said, ‘waste’ my money on servicing. I then found out how much Class A were to charge for the service and it became an easy decision to try the service first and see what that did; and the answer was a decent improvement for the relatively small amount paid. Upgrading can possibly be a future decision…
Hi Nick, I know that the fascia is different (XS is anodized) & that the transformer is the same. There may be a subtle change to the PCB revision, but I’m not sure on that one.
The fascia was changed to bring it in line with the rest of the XS range in 2009.
A serviced 2x is a good option, providing the numbers add up & you like the fascia!