Agree - all I know is I have the Hicapdr with the SN3 , had the SN3 first and then added the hicapdr and it was a definite improvement in overall performance
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Hello community - I began in this forum just a short time ago. I’ve gotten good advice. Thank you all. I moved from a large multi component rack. Probably not supposed to mention these brand names but they included Ayre Acoustics, Mark Levinson. Expensive components and cables - but I was board with the sound. The sound was sterile. I left my system unplugged for weeks at a time. I sold it all except my Totem Forest Signatures and my Oppo BDP105D. I bought a Supernait 3. I had planned on buying a CD5SI but my dealer advised against it. No upgrade path. The Supernait 3 sounded great out of the box but I knew it would get better. Imagine my wide eyes when I saw all of the system upgrades offered by Naim. I wanted to jump right in and buy a Hicap DR. My dealer said let’s get your cables sorted out first.
So I happened acrosses a repurposed NDAC. Wow! what an improvement over the Oppo. Now I’m running the Oppo as the transport > Synergistic Research Digital cable into the NDAC. Then from guidance from the forum I bought the NACA5 and it is working out very well. Next up was the addition of the Super Lumina DIN5-5. Wow, right?!
Seeing all of the upgrades I front of me I instantly wanted to jump into the Hicap DR and a power supply for the NDAC. But folks I’ll have to admit. I like the Supernait 3 as it is. It is powerful, organic, engaging, and much more musical than my old system. I like music again. I am completely satisfied with the Supernait 3 and the Totem Forest Signatures synergy. If the right deal comes along I may buy a power supply. I’m scheduled to have my dealer reterminate my NAC A5 into biwire and Deep-Cryo’d. Worth every penny.
I’m new here, have a lot to learn but I see no issue with the robust power supply in Supernait 3. But if the Hicap DR or an xps can boost performance, I’m in. But I’m in no hurry. The Supernait 3 and NDAC have made music fun for me again.
G.1
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I’ve never seen anything about the SN3 having a different DR supply than the SN2. There were improvements to the power amp stage (slew rate) but my understanding is that the pre stage is the same in both models.
My memory is that SN2 had like half DR whatever that meant at the time. Now they call it “Full 24v DR… for the entire preamp stage.” Not technical enough to even have cared back in 2013 what half DR was but clearly remember it being described in that manner.
Half DR means that the pre-amp stage has a DR power supply and the power-amp stage has a non DR power stage. This is the case for both the SN2 and SN3, so I think the new wording is just a bit of spin.
Precisely Mike - that was my take on it
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My point to you here was to correct your aspersion that Naim under specified the power supply, implying that this was so one had to spend more on a separate supply. It may just be the way it was written, but I felt that a correction was due lest anyone take it as read.
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FR just posted this on another thread:
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There was a post, by @Naim.Marketing if I recall correctly, that set out the technical changes between SN2 and SN3 and one of those was something along the lines of ‘more extensive DR’. I asked at the time for clarification and was informed that the implementation of the DR power supply for the preamp was better. I believe the further details Clare provided came from Naim’s technical people. I’ve tried searching but cannot find it unfortunately. If Clare sees this post she may be able to find the original, which was I believe in early 2020.
I’m not technical and don’t know how exactly it’s better but if Naim say it is, that’s good enough for me. If people don’t agree then that’s their prerogative; it doesn’t alter the fact that the SN3 is a very fine amplifier, even without a separate power supply in place.
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I’ll dig out Steve Sells’ exact words when I’m back in the office tomorrow, but to summarise:
As ever with Naim, we didn’t design something and declare it finished.
DR is a technology that Naim continues to evolve, with each product launch looking to refine and improve its implementation.
That can mean using more DR modules throughout a product, but also looking at their placement and how they interact with other elements of the design.
All in service of a better sound.
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Thanks Clare. There was definitely something posted about it, but I’ve tried and tried to find it and failed miserably. I’m sure it was something about more extensive DR in the 3. Ultimately it’s unimportant of course; it’s how the thing sounds in practice.
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Always and forever, amen 
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Yes i agree. I have listened to my SN3 bare and with the HiCap DR. Both iterations are fantastic, i can happily live with either, a super amplifier in any guise.
However the HiCap DR does lift the SN3’s performance, where the music becomes more structured and even easier to follow, without losing any of the bare amplifier’s charm and musicality to begin with. As always, best way to find out is to hook one up and to hear for one’s self.
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exactly all about the sound
Yep!
Nobody is forced to join the cult. It’s fairly expensive to climb the ladder but Naim is very clear about their strategy. Naim has nothing to gain by completely redesigning their amps by discarding everything that gave them their character. Plenty of hifi brands to choose from that have internal or switch mode power supplies. Not sure what you want.
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Well the ND555 is exactly for you.
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If someone due to there particular usage had requirements Yes Naim had the solution at hand
purchase a separate power supply, it was supposed to be simple and in line with Naim guide lines. Weather or not something is under specified - not quite sufficient -a little short- marginal etc, the list is endless i went for a technical term.
Unfortunately the term or argument has no clarity as the very same supply used with a mostly 8ohm spk with 92db sensitivity could be classified as over specified and with a
spk that drops to 2.5ohm with 84 db sensitivity be under specified.
However i was looking to get the OP to consider there could be various alternatives to
improve his system. I do not come on to recommend equipment selections it is not my
interest and would be silly to do so on a Forum with so much capability.
Glad to see you could freely voice your opinion.
I quoted Richard’s
(and I have never claimed that I can’t voice mine)
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