Graeme the 300 on the 332 is certainly an uplift but adding a 300 to the 333 is certainly worthwhile detail, soundstage all moves up a notch. I thought I would never replace my titans but I honestly think this is another level imho
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Thanks a lot. I should have mine mid-Sept.
G
Iām sure you will enjoy and feel pleased you have maxed the 333 it truly is wonderful and shows what my ATCās are capable off 
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Graeme also using the mogami cables and considering the catsnake had you tried other cables ?
I simply donāt feel the need Andy. Iām enjoying the uplift from my previous system so much, it would feel like unnecessary tinkering at the margins.
G
Am going to push the button on the catsnake cable was just wondering why you had chosen it, seems popular on this site
Itās very well built Andy, and works as well as anything up to and including Chord Super Sarem, in my system.
I use it throughout.
G
Mogamis are just great
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Yeah Paul, I tried swapping cables around, it works just fine, no Chanel drop out at all.
I suspect that because I can go for a week or more without using it and it stays powered up and on no volume and mute that whole time. That it may be the Reed relays or such just has a āhang inā memory or something. Itās no big deal really, pretty much a first world issue.
Iāll play around and perhaps not mute the 332 and leave the volume a bit below 1/4 and see if it still drops a Chanel.
So I did a thing - Several things actually, over the summer.
First I upgraded my TelluriumQ Ultra black2 speaker cables to TQ Ultra Silver2, which made a subtle difference in detail/clarity.
Then a month later; I removed the XPS-DR from the NCS 222 - big surprise, It sounded better to my ears so I have left it off, the NCS 222 is great as is.
(I never really liked the adapted Burndy cable for the XPS)
The last thing I did was to replace the Powerline to the NAP 250 with a heavier Furutech based cable, this made another improvement to the sound - it all sounds fuller - lower end especially.
Those in the UK should note that US Powerline is different to the UK version, as the supply side plug is not there, and the US voltage is 120V not 240V so any amp is going to draw more current.
Now Iām debating whether to try an NPX 300 on the 222 - for $8K it needs to be a big upgrade.
I might instead try a PhoenixNet switch to upgrade the EE8.
I can now listen to Adele and not notice any of the sibilance that was sometimes there, and on the Charlie Haden Nocturne album the drummers brushes on Nightfall are much cleaner and less of a hiss
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Definitely try the NPX 300. To my ears, and many others, itās the next logical step up in SQ, unless you want to move up to 333/332. Iām still resisting though (a speaker upgrade is next for me).
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Youāve definitely got options but if buying new itās going to get expensive, although your dealer may offer a decent trade-in on your 222 and XPS-DR. If you can afford it, go for the 333/332 option because itās a giant leap in my opinion. Adding a NPX300 will add quite a lot but whether it will offer more than your current XPS-DR, I canāt say because thatās a combo Iāve never heard - it certainly adds a lot to an NDX2. In my experience, a PhoenixNet adds a significant benefit in front of a 222, so that is worth trying as well and may help with the benefits an XPS-DR should bring to the party and may well be your ācheapestā option. On another note, Iāve found silver cables can add clarity but at the expense of additional sibilance, so careful matching is essential. Donāt overlook NACA5 when building a Naim system - itās really remarkable value compared to many and ensures Naim amps to work their best. If you can, make sure you demo first
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If you look at my original post from March you will see that the XPS was great with the NDX2 but took a long time to sound ārightā on the 222, and now I find the 222 is better without it. Im not going after the 333/332 - sticking with the 222/250 so I may trial the NPX300 - at $8K it would have to make a significant SQ improvement.
I do not like NACA5 - I have a pair in a box somewhere - never got on with them
I have NPX 300 and PhoenixNET and like what they bring but would also caution I do really like NACA5.
I went 300 first and then added PhoenixNET once I had a familiar base.
Wouldnāt say either are are particularly good value for money but I feel to better my current set up would require substantial electronic and speaker investment that Iām not up for so a long winded way to say it probably depends on your end game i.e. if you fancy 300 series go 333/332.
Given amounts involved a demo makes sense.
As ever YMMV.
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Thanks - As I wrote earlier, I am not looking to go the 333/332 route anytime soon, Iām very happy with the 222/250 - I was somewhat shocked that the 222 sounds better to me without the XPS-DR - I think that special Burndy cable might influence that.
The 222 obviously has a good internal power supply - How much difference do you notice with/without the NPX 300 ?
I think I will try the PN before demoing the NPX 300
It would be definitely worth auditioning the NPX 300 with your NSC 222. I arranged a blind listening test, with and without the 300, with my dealer, matching my speakers, and the results were clear and unequivocal.
Well, to my ears anyway, definitely a lightbulb 
moment .
ATB, J
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An NPX300 should be a no brainer on a 222/250 combo just like XPSDR is on 272/250DR.
Iāve not run 222 without 300 at home.
I did a demo at dealers bare and with 300 - this will sound cliched but better control, realism and dynamics. Just better. Whether Ā£5700 better 
but lowering noise floor, bypassing the internal power supply, made a positive difference.
I mainly cloud stream using a NUC running ROCK connected to a Virgin hub 4 (router) then through the PhoenixNET to the combined streamer and pre. In this set up the PhoenixNET works very well ā I canāt corroborate what it does technically but imo it lets more music through increasing clarity, frequency range and separation.
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I have listened to the effect of adding the 300 to the 222 (with a NC 250) at a couple of demos, and the effect is a significant SQ advancement, so much so that I couldnāt contemplate buying the 222 without a 300.
I am now the proud owner of a NC 222, 300 and 250.
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I confirm XPS on 272 is great.
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