Superline Standard cartridge output

Hi-Fi Corner
42

Thanks.

How much of an improvement is a Hicap over aux 2 power from the preamp?

43

Iā€™ve only powered my Superline two ways: 1) from the powered Aux on my 252, and 2) from a Supercap DR, as I have it now. Iā€™ve never used a HiCap with the Superline so I really have no idea how that would compare to powered Aux on 282 driven by a Supercap.

Personally, if I had a 282, Hicap, Supercap and Superline I would be inclined to use the Supercap to power the Superline and the Hicap to power the 282.

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44

A Hicap gives a much more dynamic sound.

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45

I preferred the 552 AUX2 feed over a dedicated HICAP. The latter gave a marginally improved sense of dynamics but at the expense of overall coherence (the sense of timing and everybody playing together). IIRC, Naimā€™s Roy George also preferred AUX2 on the NAC52/252/552 over the HICAP.

4 Likes
46

Is it one less interconnect using the Aux approach?

Superline - SNAIC - HiCap - IC - pre
vs
Superline - SNAIC - pre

Doesnā€™t the aux approach with the 252 involve a dedicated feed from the associated SuperCap?

And last question of the morning :slight_smile: is there any difference in quality between a 24V line from a HiCap Vs the same provided by a SuperCap? Iā€™ve read lots of comments about the quality of a SuperCap, but to my untrained eyes it looks like a similar architecture to the HiCap, just more lines? Though itā€™s hard to see the detail of the DR boards on a SuperCap DR to compare to the HiCap. I wonder what might mean a SuperCap powered Superline sounds different/better than a HiCap powered one.

47

The supercap only really comes into its own with Burndy connection to the superline I tried mine via a Snaic while I awaited the Burndy and still preferred 552 AUX power.

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48

A big advantage with a separate power supply is that it doesnā€™t drag down the performance of the other inputs as Aux 2 does.

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49

Does it really?

I changed from Superline on 252 Aux input to adding a dedicated SupercapDR for the Superline. While the improvement to the Superline was pretty massive, I didnā€™t notice any change (improvement) to my NDX2/XPSDR after removing the Superline from the Aux input. In fact, I had the NDX2/XPSDR before I ever got the Superline, and when I put the new Superline on the 252 Aux input I never noticed any performance drag on the NDX2 that I already had for a while.

If it makes a change one way or the other it isnā€™t enough of one that I ever noticed.

2 Likes
50

Try again,itā€™s very easy to hear.

52

You canā€™t say that it applies generally, see above what is written about 252.

53

I guess thereā€™s really no reason for me to. If I didnā€™t notice it before it doesnā€™t matter; i.e. it didnā€™t happen as far as Iā€™m concerned. Itā€™s irrelevant to me now anyway, so nothing for me to prove or disprove.

I also donā€™t hear a differences with other stuff people here claim, like turning off the preamp button lamps and the record bank mute lockout.

3 Likes
54

Agreed, as is my experience ā€“ stated above, and disputed ā€“ that using Superline on 252 Aux did not drag down my NDX2 in any way I noticed, nor did adding a Supercap DR later improve my NDX2.

2 Likes
55

I have tried it with Nac 282,252,552 and 52.

56

Good for you :+1:

57

I only tried with 252 and there was no difference.

58

And yet others have come to divergent conclusions. Soā€¦:man_shrugging:

59

As always ,try yourself and you will know.

60

I saw you on a discussion today, after having read a review on the Townsend podiums.
The link with that thread? No one.
However curious if you are going or not for them.
But you can respond on another thread.

61

Running a superline from a supercap and a stageline N from the 552ā€™s AUX and listening to the superline with the stageline connected the effect is most noticeable on orchestral music when it hits the peaks, theyā€™re a bit cleaner with the stageline disconnected from AUX power. Iā€™ve not explored the effect of AUX powering a superline on other inputs.

62

Was that on Tracking Angle? I was just curious abut them. I have a HRS R3x isolation base for my turntable and isoAcoustics Gaia for my speakers, and am happy with those for both cases. I have no plans to look further into the Townsend platforms.

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