Sorry, I have got lost somewhere and thought he had an SN3. Indeed, the 202/200 may be a significant upgrade from the XS3 (as was the upgrade from XS3 to SN3 in my own personal journey).
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Donāt think you can go wrong on either one - suggest the box count and upgrade flexibility being the swing factors.
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Seconded, recently I was pleasantly surprised when hearing a NAC282 with NAP200 DR combo, no HC just the Napsc. Needs a hiclass source though I would say, the preamp makes for a revealing window.
But then again Iām one of very few here who are not blown away by the sound profile of the SN3 (which indeed improves considerably with a HiCap DR to the point it should always be considered imo).
And 202/HiCap/200 seems attractive but keep a clear head on prices. The older examples will already or soon need a service which is not cheap. But interesting used prices nowadays for fairly new boxes, as mentioned, worth looking carefully.
Finally, there really is no substitute for demos and hearing yourself rather than (over)thinking. Good luck finding your way forward!
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How about 282 into the XS3 as a power amp only?
Edit: guess that would need a HICAP alsoā¦
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Correct me if I am wrong, perhaps the SN weightier sound maybe due to a bigger transformer within the Naimās design and architecture.
Dear Karld,
Are you able to let us know what speakers you are running with your XS3, please? Nominal and minimum impedance, please. Speaker dBSPL as well, please.
Warm regards,
Mitch in Oz.
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It does not need a HC, I guess Naim incorporated this flexibility in the integrated amps for a quick jump to a separates, 282/XS3 will be much better than 202/200 IMHO and you are then one step closer to a 282/250, which is an end game for many, HC needed with the latter certainly.
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You are correct that the HiCap isnāt needed technically to power it. The NAP200Dr can power it but I donāt think the XS3 can.
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Hi Marcus, I did this with my SN2 when I first bought my 82, I am pretty sure XS3 can be used in the same way.
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There is no clear answer to that question. Both are good options. Some people prefer one, while some prefer the other. Iād decide based on number of boxes and upgrade potential, as said above. Bear in mind that the 202 really benefits from a Napsc - to me it doesnāt sound natural without one - and that the SN3 has an MM phono stage if you want to use a turntable. So just get whichever you like the idea of. Some like a separate pre/power while others like an integrated.
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Karld I had an XS3 and didnāt think the extra dosh to upgrade to SN3 was worth it. Clearly speakers and room are factors here never mind personal taste. XS3 is brilliant VFM and imo would take more than SN3 or 202/200 to tempt me to upgrade.
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Iāve never listened to a Supernait 1, 2 or 3 so I canāt comment. However, I did try a Nait XS in my system before and settled with the 202/200 several months later. I found the 202/200 to be better than the Nait XS mainly in refinement, separation and detail. The Nait XS has a rounded sound and is bunched up in the midrange whereas the 202/200 has razor sharp lines with much better airiness, separation and detail.
The Nait XS may appeal to people who wish to inject some warmth to clinical or bright sounding speakers though. Having said that, there is a reduction in clarity with the Nait XS which canāt be regained downstream.
On the topic of a one-box integrated vs multiple boxes of amps and power supplies, an integrated is surely much more appealing as there is less clutter. However, it will only matter if the sound quality lives up to the expectations of the owner.
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loudspeakers :Totem Sky Tower
- Frequency response: 36Hzā30kHz Ā±3dB
- Impedance: 8 ohms
- Sensitivity: 88dB
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I love the Sky Towers, I have them too. I enjoyed them with the XS3, but I opted for a different amp. The XS3 lacks of detail, clarity and soundstage to my ears. The SN3 doesnāt have that issue (but the combo NAC202/NAP200 DR is better IMO).
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This is the main, non-SQ benefit - less boxes and therefore less ancillaries (cables etc.) meaning better ancillaries can be bought. This allows you to get the most out of your choice.
If my system would be out on display, I would reduce the number of boxes.
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No information I could find, what source is used.?
Its fine to look for better amps but the risk of a more revealing performance (due to mediocre source) is there, and often surprise people, source first still counts.
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As a source of audio, I use NDX2
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Aha, that calls for a higher amplication unless effective loudspeakers - again no information which in use, rather annoying, room size and other facts another neccesarity which people usually āforgetā to tell.
Why would a higher amplification be necessary? Isnāt pairing the Supernait with the NDX2 satisfactory? It seems like a good starting point for excellent SQ
It certainly is, I believe you misunderstood my message.
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