Thanks for thats , yes I notice the adjustment range on the 200/202 was quite narrow, the remote volume adjustment is also a little jumpy compared to my old XS.
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SN3 is up an running. Its not warmed up and a new unit so still no way near its full potential. What an outstanding product 
. The difference between the 202/252 is quite evident. It seems to fill the room a little more, a little more punchy / attack maybe. Going to be a tough decision. They both sound absolutely stunning!
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You have an interesting dilemma. The 25/24 is a lot of speaker and the ideal match is really a 282/250. I wouldn’t put either a SN3 or 202/200 with them, let alone your Nait XS, which is hopelessly out of its depth. You may be best looking for a used 282/200 and later going to a 250DR. Then you have the question around the NDX, which really would benefit from a XPSDR to keep everything in balance. This is the challenge you can get when you are overspeakered. Whilst source first is usually the best way forward, in this case I’d be going for the 282/250DR and then upping the source.
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282/250 might be a stretch ( going to check prices) would SN3/ HICAP be an optional path? I had assumed the sensitivity of the 24s would make them easier to drive. Appreciate the point about them being a lot of speaker.
Your main decision here being if you want a lot of boxes and cables that sound a bit better or a few boxes that sound awesome anyway and let you stop worrying about how much better it could be (empty wallet assured)
For what it’s worth I have a SN3 + NDX2 with PMC speakers and spend more time enjoying music than cable dressing or looking at a worrysome bank account 
.
If you have time/money/decent listening space, go as far as those things allow, if however you want to spend a modest amount and have a system that is accomodating and easy to live around, a SN3 + NDX2 is lot of system for not much cash and with a sensible footprint and cabling/power expectation.
You can add to it and fiddle with it of course but it doesn’t require those things to do a brilliant job and still leave change for a few other treats elsewhere.
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Yes I’ve been enjoying the music. And thanks for sharing your thoughts. The SN3 / 202/ 252 have already been a massive step forward.
I’ve owned a fair mix of Naim kit over the years between NAITs and NAC/NAP systems.
I’ve settled where I am for now and enjoy what I have a lot without getting anxious about making it better. I have a disproportionate mix of time/money/space with the most lacking being time!
What I would say is that system synergy and considering the whole setup in your bigger picture and purchase/upgrade cycles is important to bare in mind.
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Did you try the SN3, 202 and 252 in your system? Interesting you skipped the 282. Is the 252 matched to the NAP200?
In my mind, if you have easy to drive speakers that will sound reasonably good with modest powered amps, just get the SN3 and forget about the separates. There is not only the temptation of boxes but the fiddly cable upgrade options as well with the separates if you wish to go this route. With the SN3, you will think twice before dipping your toes into the world of separates.
If the speakers require the current/power to sound good, the SN3 won’t cut it and that’s where the separates come into the picture.
If the question was for me no haven’t tried the 282. Initial suggestion from the dealer was 202/200/SN3 auditions. I do enjoy my music but equally need to keep the investment here in perspective. Haven’t had much time with the SN3 today . It has been running most of the day in the background will have a good listen tomorrow. Thanks again for all of your interest and responses🙏
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That’s good to know. Do update on your impressions (SN3 vs 202/200). I asked because you mentioned you tried the 252 which is a step higher than 282.
Should have read 202/200 not 252 . Haven’t had the 252/282 . Apologies for the confusion.
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I think as well this will depend in part on how far you want to take the system beyond the initial configuration. A 202/200 can be setup as a 2 box system to get you up and running with the NAP 200 powering both itself and the NAC 202, add to that a NAPSC as well as a HiCap DR and you’re already up to 4 boxes just for delivering and powering the amplification.
Beyond that you’d then look at what path to take either the NAC or NAP or potentially both longer term. The HiCap and NAPSC giving you the power requirements to move to a NAC 282 (supplied with a NAPSC, so you’d have a spare at this point) and NAP 250.
Then the NAC 282 has the option to be powered by a second HiCap DR or a SuperCap DR which itself gives you another step towards a NAC 252 and a step up to a NAP 300 which utilises its own separate PSU.
You do of course have certain options even with a Supernait 3 which can be refined with the addition of a HiCap DR to power the preamp and can be configured to be a preamp and use an external amp such as the NAP 200 or even a NAP 250.
There are a few systems that are setup this way but ultimately it’s a means to an end to allow a NAIT owner to migrate over time to a NAC + NAP based system, typically by adding a HiCap DR which will work on both a Supernait and a NAC 202 or NAC 282. A NAP 200 or NAP 250 can be used with all those Preamps as well so you have a migration path that is supported and still capable and enjoyable if done in steps and stages.
I’ve owned both a 202/200 setup as well as all the Supernaits and a number of XS and 5 Series NAIT’s as well. Ultimately there’s no bad choice here, the 202/200 is a great system and I enjoyed owning it and evolving it enormously as many others have and still do today. I added a HiCap DR and NAPSC to mine and enjoyed the improvements those additions brought to the system as a whole.
I had every intention to take this to a 282/250 type system but had decisions to make regards my sources and their suitability as well as lots of other demands on my time and resources including a period house restoration and arrival of children!
Time and resources took me back down the Supernait route and I did so keeping my HiCap for a time as well, I also refined my sources and eventually ended up at a SN3 + NDX2 as that was a sensible balance between time/space/resources but still gave me room to refine this and maybe eventually go back on to a NAC/NAP journey!
I don’t think you’d find a SN3 lacking and you’ll probably find I’m not alone on having done multiple NAIT and NAC/NAP journeys over the years, if you don’t imagine having the time and budget to enjoy making system refinements in the next 2-5 years you’d probably be best getting a really good source you can grow in to if needed and give the SN3 a serious listen. If you don’t need a MM phono input I can also recommend giving a SN2 a try as they are broadly equivalent in presentation and performance to the SN3 with a little less polish but can be had for less money and that saving could go towards a more capable and enjoyable source.
Always interesting to hear others journeys and how you felt the different systems compare in your setting. Hope my own insight helps along your path anyway.
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From my point of view (and based on the same price level) the real comparison is 202+200DR vs SN3+Hi-capDR
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Nice to have you back Mr.M after your house remodel! Always enjoyable reading your perspective.
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Thanks again. Thanks for all your thoughts again. I don’t want to end up with more than 4 units overall.
Had the SN3 playing for a bit going to go back to the 200/202 this evening. If I went the SN3 route would be open to adding the HIcap DR down the road. You are very right when you say the SN3 certainly doesn’t come across as lacking. Let’s see what this evening brings. FYI I have the NDX as my source. I wasn’t planning to make any changes there for the moment.
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I am currently using 282/200 DR (no HiCap), a two box amplification setup if you exclude the small NAPSC that comes with the 282. If you want to keep box count down, I can attest that this is an excellent combination.
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I remember a couple of years ago at a Bristol show seeing what I thought was a 282/250 in a Naim demo, I asked Mark R where they’d hidden the HiCap and was surprised to hear they were using a 200DR, it was doing a great job of driving the Focal speakers and sounded really good.
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NAP/NAC been running for a few hours and now on listening to it again. I feel the 202+200DR is that little more transparent and controlled, overall do feel it has the edge over the SN3. Am just a little nervous about the NAC 202- seems quite a few are looking to upgrade from the 202 to the 282 quite quickly. The 282 being almost twice the price of the 202 the 282 was really not in the consideration set I - might need to have a rethink here and see if the 282 is available for an audition. Inclined towards 202/200DR.
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With your speakers, I fear, a 282/250 will remain a temptation. Most people don’t “need” to climb up the Naim ladder, but those with Naim Forum user name are hopeless cases ( 
), with a few exceptions such as @Haim…
I have PMC25.23, and started out with an XS2. Was very happy, and I didn’t intend to “get into hifi”… As you might expect an SN2 did a noticeably better job, and a 250DR was even better… Yesterday I “completed” my set up with the purchase of a 282 in that ghastly e-commerce place (bought from a respected Naim dealer though).
Your 25.24, I understand, are quite a bit more demanding than my humble 23 – i.e. the 250DR might remain the ultimate temptation, and of course the 250DR requires a 282… There might be one alternative though – you never return to this place…
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This certainly made me 
. Why did I buy these speakers should have stayed with the CM 1s 
. I listened to the 23 really liked the sound and then heard the 24s . Was planning to upgrade the amps . So asked the dealer I bought the 24s from if they would work well with the options I was looking at here. He was most confident that these units would handle the PMCs with flair.
maybe naively I believed that the 24’s (due to their sensitivity) would sit comfortably with the SN3/202+200.
I think one would need to be reasonably discerning to work out that any of these systems was bringing out less than the potential of the speakers.
What in simple terms would the 250/282 do to drive the speakers more effectively? Is it just a function of the strength of electrical signal/ amplification?