Yes, XPS powers the entire NSC 222. The mains plug in the back of the NSC 222 is removed.
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The SuperLine was designed to work from our pre-amp PSUs.
Our pre-amp PSUs are all +24V (ignoring the control PSU)
It was designed like this so that it could be used without a separate PSU, i.e. plugged directly into the back of a pre-amp and be powered from it.
It was also designed to work with it’s own SuperCap, being fed with multiple +24V PSUs
Inside the SuperLine it generates it’s own +12V reference (half PSU rail). The signal now sits on +12V so it can swing both up and down. Because the +12V reference is ultra quiet it takes over 1 minute to unmute.
NVC was designed to start in seconds. It runs from +/-18V (internally DR’d to +/-12V). The reference is 0V and no settling time is needed. (+/- rails do sound better IMHO)
We do not have +24V rails on the NPX 300 and therefore it cannot power a SuperLine
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Yes, NVC can be directly plugged in to 222 and 222 powers the NVC too
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Sorry, I’m embargoed and cannot talk about unreleased products and their configurations
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NPX 300 has a new set of double connectors.
It has been designed to power all new separates to be released in the future, with the same set of leads.
…It can power a few legacy products too
The previous products were sometimes designed on a singular basis and not part of a range or designed to be better than the previous product. e.g. NAC 552 is quite different to NAC 52 and needed a new PSU. The CD players needed different power to the pre-amps. After 48 years of making PSUs we had so many and so many configurations…about 20 different PSUs.
When designing new classic we wanted to wipe the slate clean and make a universal PSU. One that could power pre-amps, streamers and streaming pre-amps.
For NPX 300 to additionally power say all the legacy pre-amps would have added thirteen +24V DR PSUs.
Best
Steve
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Advice greatly appreciated Steve
Thanks for the detailed info
Cheers
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Mmm . One psu to rule them all. For no particular reason that sounds compromised compared to Naim’s previous approach.
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We have designed a universal PSU architecture.
The NPX 300 is in the new architecture
pre-amps need multiple DC PSUs
streamers need multiple DC PSUs
streaming pre-amps need multiple DC PSU
The digital PSUs in NPX 300 are not ‘digital’, they are very quiet DC. They can feed analogue circuits and vice versa.
A pre-amplifier can be designed to take either +24V or from +/-12V - but not both.
We have set rules to use +/-12V.
By designing everything in one go we can break the old legacy.
We can now have one PSU architecture to power all small signal products.
Cheers
Steve
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I get it Steve , it makes sense completely
I was just looking at my own situation which is a superline with the supercap dr
Thinking maybe that’s the end of the line if can’t use the 300PS
Regards
Bevo
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Hi @110dB,
Many thanks for the reply. Wasn’t aware and did not intend to seek info that is in any way sensitive. Whilst I can’t speak for others I have been very happy with the level and amount of info that you have given about the new kit. I see it as Naim (via yourself and a few key others) trying to keep us, the customer, as informed as possible whilst keeping the wraps on other items until the appropriate time. Keep up the good work.
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Very nicely put. And fwiw mirrors my own views.
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I think that is the key point. So… going forward… all ‘new’ Naim pre-amps will be using +/-12V DC supplies instead of +24V DC. So, split rail, not single rail…?
So, the NPX300 will be able to power ‘anything’ new. We might wonder if an NPX200 may follow later… Just speculating… 
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Spot on RE the 24V —> +/-12V for preamps and analogue stages in streamers.
Hypothetically, yes, could do a NPX 200 or 500, 700 etc. Each would be interoperable. I.e a NPX 100 could power a NSC 900.
The idea is that upgrading between ‘series’ is easy. As we can see already a 300 series PSU can power a 200 series product and goes without saying a 300 series PSU can power a 300 series product.
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This makes a ton of sense.
Does this mean there is no performance advantage to using the NPX300 over the XPS connected to the NSC 222? 
(In that case, it is very good news for us with a complete 272 system and who do not have the opportunity to upgrade everything at once)
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I believe Steve have answered this before in that they think it is better than XPSDR. When it comes to 555PSDR it seems more questionable though. If I were you having done the same journey I would spend money on a used 555PSDR or a 300DR and some great cables instead 
(and a better linear power supply for your switch. Believe me )
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Agreed. Whilst I am not an expert on the technical side, it was a pleasure to chat with Steve at the show and I felt valued as a customer. Top class.
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Just be careful with that philosophy 
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We do find NPX 300 sounds a touch better than XPS on legacy equipment, both PSUs have DR, both big transformers. A dealer can dem.
NPX 300 also has soft start, 0.5W standby and inter-product communications for system integration e.g. lights and power control.
If I had 272 with XPS I would upgrade the 272 to 222 first. Then use the XPS DR on the 222. XPS is very good.
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