That’s why I’d expect the 332 to edge out the 252. The NC components land higher in the hierarchy wrt performance in my experience.
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Unfortunately the audio memory is a funny thing, unless you compared them back to back, I wouldn’t rely on your memory. If you were using the SN2 only before the 332 your brain has long since adjusted to it as your new reference. Naim themselves don’t think a bare 332 betters the 252, their feelings are betters a 282 bare & a 252 when NPX300 added.
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Sorry, not sure I understand what you mean. Are you saying that the fact the 332 has a built in PS is whty you would expect it to sound better?
What did Martin Colloms think of the 222?
I’m saying the NC components perform better.
Well, overall very positive, enthusiastic. Colloms spends a lot of time evaluating the improvements when adding the 300 PS to the 222, which he rates a 20% improvement in SQ, for all sources. Not many specific comparisons to OC kit, with one exception: with the 300, he says “the streaming sound quality of the NSC 222 had moved unmistakably closer to that of my ND 555 dual-supply reference DAC.”
Final concluding remarks, with maybe a slight dig at OC, are:
All operational modes, analog disc, digital audio streaming and decoding, plus headphone and loudspeaker drive were consistent, distinguished by an innate sense of energy, imbued with transparency and microdetail. There was also a significantly open, wide- band character, somewhat different from the mildly “contained” sense of some previous Naim iterations. And it is that satisfying, involving rhythmic quality that continues to entertain. I did not fully anticipate this system’s ability to throw such deep and wide stereo images, now of reference class. Time and again, it offered insights which had only been heard on rather more costly combinations of audio components. When appropriate, the ambient field sparkled with delicate spatial detail, excellently focused within satisfyingly deep imaging. This speaks of high resolution and great transparency, which I admit to valuing highly.
In conclusion, I reckon it constitutes a fine measure of true audiophile quality in a well-priced, versatile modern package, handsomely exceeding the sum of its parts.
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Oh my!
So if the 222/300 is close to the Nd555 with 2X 555dr, the 333/300 should outperform the later. But it doesn’t.
I would say that London is close to my home, 10 mn travel with a supersonic plane.
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He said closer, not close. In the absence of further clarification from the writer, the only firm conclusion you can draw from that statement is that he thought the 222 was improved by the 300. Maybe a little, maybe a lot, but he didn’t say.
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He said closer, not close. A 333/332 bare outperforms a 222/300 into a NC250 or 350s by a good margin when I heard the comparison.
That being said, I am still very happy with my 222/300/250 and I would agree with everything Martin Colloms said about this set-up.
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This is all getting very silly, whether A is “better” than B is a personal preference which will be different for everyone. This is especially subjective with the New Classic sound in the mix.
It’s for everyone to decide for themselves.
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I’m looking forward to Naim’s top demo system now being the 222/300 into the S2 mono blocks. ND555, 2 PS and S1 are broken 
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Know-how varies.
Please don’t claim you are the only person with objective facts or know how. It does you no credit
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I am not surprised at all. Under its own steam I’ve found the NAC 332 superior to the already excellent NAC 252/SCAP DR in terms of having a soundstage that can extend well beyond the plain of loudspeakers, my favourite and one which I still can’t quite believe the NAC 332 also creates a near perfect arc field behind loudspeakers 
coupled with having greater drive and speed makes the system much more engaging to listen to.
sometimes some of the things you say, dont make sense to me thats all.
It’s rather interesting how your know-how is able to extract so much potential out of the NC series, yet so little out of the OC 
Well at least you are giving some insight as to why your opinion here. Personally a large soundstage is far down my list of things that matter to me when listening to audio (if a large sound stage was near the top of my list, Naim wouldn’t be my brand of choice). Drive & speed could be a positive or a negative depending on how its done. I felt the 282 had more drive & speed then the 252 but I also felt it added it artificially. I much prefer the 252 which I feel gives a more accurate/natural reproduction of drive/speed, its there if the track has it but not adding it artificially to everything.
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Accurate, natural reproduction is exactly why I prefer the NC components. The music feels right, no extra noise or artificial color.
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Yes but emotionally does it give you the right feel ?
Forget about the technical stuff
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