Supernait 3 upgrade path

How far would you go in upgrading the supernait 3.
Looking at different reviews which give their own ideas of upgrading the SN3 vary.
Would the NAP 250 DR or the SUPERCAP DR be a set to far.

It all depends where you want to get to or if you obtained the Supernait3 for the purpose of low box count.

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I have 1 more shelf to fill and had considered the NAP 200 DR but from what I’ve read the 200 DR looks like a side step.
I am new to this upgrading lark,so would the NAP 250 DR be the way to go.

What source are you using, rack and speakers? The Supernait3 is amazing in its own so definitely fundamentals and source first.

I am using the fraim and the cd is from the xs series (8 years old ) with a rega planar 3 turntable.

Ok. The natural source partner to the Supernait3 is the NDX2. The natural direct upgrade to the Supernait3 is the HicapDR.
The Supernait3 is more than good enough for a better front end without thinking about the HicapDR. A Supercap Dr is wasted unless you want to get to a 252 pre amp.
A nap 200 isn’t really bringing much to the table over and above the Supernait3. If pre power is your goal a 250 would be a better option but I’d question why you got the Supernait3 in the first place?

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Sounds like the source is a good place to put your money. As @popeye mentioned, the NDX2 would be great if you want to explore streaming. If not, possibly a Naim Dac to upgrade your CD player. The turntable world is alien to me…

As Popeye says, great advice. A SN3 is more than capable from delivering significant improvements to source and cable connections. Improving the source will bring better results than adding a power amp and future proofs your system.

Wanting to make a return to vinyl and keep the box count down to the limits of my fraim was the reason behind the SN3.(and having listen to one)
I just wanted to know my best options if I was to upgrade.

Supernaits are just that…they’re super already :sunglasses:
While I found adding a HC to my SN1 was a no brainer, the SN3 already has a much better preamp section. Adding a 250.2 to my SN1 was not very significant imo.
If you need more power, the next real world change will come from separates. I would appreciate what the one box SN3 already does until you are ready to move on to multiple boxes. Just my .02

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If you only have one spare shelf your options are limited. A power supply - Hicap or Supercap - on the SN3 is certainly possible. Beyond this unless you extend your rack the Naim amp options for 2 boxes are limited to the 272/250 combo which wouldn’t be ideal unless you wanted to add streamer capability to a system lacking this.

Thanks for the advice,still early days with the SN3 so I will let it run in and then go from there.
Really please with the SN3,but you know what it’s like when the upgrade bug hits.
Even started to look at streaming which I had not even considered.

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Heck, it’s only been out twenty minutes!

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Upgrade sn3 and keeping box count down well nothing better then statement.

I’ve just bought SN3, Hi Cap, NDX2, XPS DR, if I want to upgrade I reckon it will cost £20,000 for 300DR, 252 etc. Food for thought!

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Hi, the amplification progression from a supernait would likely be 1 add hicap, 2 add 250, 3 remove supernait and replace with 282. Adding a 250 is really a stepping stone towards pre/power. The benefit doing it this way is to minimise box swapping while at the same time building upon what you already have. Having said that, as others have implied/suggested, to have 282/hicap/250 with a lesser front end is perhaps not the best upgrade path ie don’t concentrate on just the amplification. If an ndx2 for example followed supernait/hicap then you are putting the foundations in place for an upgrade to ndx2/supernait/hicap/250 or even ndx2/xpsdr/supernait/hicap before adding 250, and then swapping supernait to have ndx2/xpsdr/282/hicap/250.

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I owned an SN2 for quite a while, and found that as I upgraded sources it continued to show me the reality of how much better those sources were than their predecessors. NDX2; retire the silver discs. And see if you can borrow a HiCap DR from the dealer, to see what it does for you. I would NOT start in with other power amps; if you wanted to go in that direction, buying the SN3 wasn’t the right start – trade it back towards separates perhaps.

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Get yourself a bug spray (and keep it on the empty shelf) or consider a short term leasing program… Your other choice is of course to sit and enjoy the new machine.

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Same old passion for upgrading the naim amplifier

For me my money would go on upgrading my sources…

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The CD5xs will feed an NDX2 and the NDX2 will also pull in Tidal, native Qobuz support is planned in the near future, hopefully. Add a ripper, either on a pc or preferably a dedicated box like a Naim Core or Innuos Zen(ith) and you could retire the CD player. The SN is worth a better turntable if you have enough records to justify one, either a better Rega or maybe a well-tempered but there’s a world of choice there. A Linn LP12 will bleed you dry even more effectively than Naim so approach with cation. All that before upgrading the amp.