Upgrade from 282 / HicapDR / NDS / 555DR

[aristoweb]

Unfortunately for me, I felt like spending more money with Naim.

Not for Naim but for the money

I currently have an Naim NDS powered with a 555PS DR (connected with two 10 and 7 pin Burndy cables).

The NDS is connected with a Naim HiLine cable to the 282 DR preamplifier.

The 282 DR is powered by a HiCap DR.

The final amplifier is the Naim 250 DR while the loudspeakers are Proac D48 R (ribbon) and are connected with two 4 meter Naim Naca A5 cables.

I also use Naim Powerline power cables for all electronics (also for the NAPSC of 282).

The environment is not yet acoustically treated with panels.

How could I spend more money on improving my system?

What would you do first?

Change the HiCap Dr with a Supercap DR? Or add just another Hi-Cap DR? The DR hi-cap I have now is 1 month new.

Change the 5 pin din-din HiLine cable with a Superlumina? Would I have interesting improvements worth the money?

Change the 250 DR with a 300 DR?

Or change the 282 DR to a 252 DR now?

Or should I change the Proac D48R speakers for something better? What could sound better than these speakers without spending too much?

As a sound source I really like Naim Radio which I listen to through my NDS.

But I also have a cd reading mechanism (well connected to the Naim NDS digitally), a bluray reading mechanism that I use for listening to SACD/DVD Audio/Blu Ray Audio sent digitally via HDMI to Naim NDS and a NDS digital converter and also a turntable with a two-module phono stage connected to Naim 282 DR.

I am a lover of good acoustic material from the best brands and I listen to everything.

[popeye]

Nice system and I am going to suggest Fraims at the level you are at.

[aristoweb]

Is Fraim the best first upgrade ?

[popeye]

No I don’t know, you do have your kit on a decoupled rack and have the glass and balls. I would have a rearrangement tho. I would get all the power supplies on one rack and all the brains on the other.
Also many try to get the power supply for the 282 (NAPSC) as far away from anything as possible and not on a rack at all.
I think you could get some really beneficial results spending a bit of time and with all the cable dressing also.

[Mike_S]

Wonderful set up and space. I’d be there with a beer in seconds

I’d be suggesting getting more out of the boxes you have, so a S/L interconnect and then speaker cables. Also refining the network and cabling if you haven’t already.

[GraemeH]

Could you say a little about what aspects of replay you wish to improve?

G

[aristoweb]

I thank you for your observation.

In fact, on the left rack I have:

• CD reading mechanics
• Bluray reading mechanics for SACDs
• Naim 282
• Naim NDS
• Naim Napsc away from all the other Naim

On the right rack I have:

• Naim 250 DR
• Naim 555PS DR
• Naim Hi Cap DR

The cables behind are quite neat.

I protected the signal cables with an extra thick plastic sheath so that they cannot touch each other.

[aristoweb]

Thanks Mike you are very kind

So do you suggest to change the HiLine cable with a Superlumina and also the Superlumina cables for the speakers?

As far as the electricity grid is concerned, I had a separate dedicated power line built with a 6mm shielded three-core cable.

I also connected two The Matrix 2 star power strips and checked each phase of each electrical device one by one.

For the HDMI cable I used a top of the range Audioquest and also for the LAN network cables.

[aristoweb]

Above all, I wanted to optimize what I already have.

I would be oriented not to change the 282 preamp for example and give it the chance to be at its best with another power supply.

But I was doubtful about what should be done first:

• Change the preamplifier?
• Change the final amplifier?
• Change the HiLine cable between NDS and 282?
• Change de speakers?
• Treat the walls of the listening area acoustically?

What I would like to improve in terms of sound is a bit of everything, this is because I know that I still have possibilities for improvement.

[Mike_S]

@aristoweb

So do you suggest to change the HiLine cable with a Superlumina and also the Superlumina cables for the speakers?

Yes, I think it’s a great option. You have excellent electronics and a Superlumina full loom will certainly get more from what you have. I’ve taken that route at a SN2/HiCAP/NDX2/XPS DR level.

Certainly source first, so the network feed into the NDS and the I/C to the 282. The S/L in my experience is a black box upgrade across the system.

What’s the source to the NDS?

[Svetty]

You have a nice big room…

Given you are keen to hold onto the 282 I’d suggest a 300DR would really get those speakers singing.

Whether you get a Supercap is partly dependent on whether you envisage moving to a 252 in due course. If so, get the Supercap, if not add an extra HCDR. Then you can get fancy cables and trimmings…

[aristoweb]

Ok I will try Superlumina against HiLine on NDS/282.

The source NDS is Naim Radio, Cambridge Audio CXC cd player cd reading mechanics, Sony UPB-x1100es as SACD / DVD Audio / Blu Ray Audio reading mechanics.

And also an external NAS with liquid music optimized with linear power supplies at all stages.

What do you think about the Proac D48 R that I have now to level up?

Sometimes I feel the mid-highs a little too aggressive.

Would you change the Proac D48 R to something else like APC, Harbeth, Naim or Totem or other brands?

[ryder]

@aristoweb

Sometimes I feel the mid-highs a little too aggressive.

In my opinion and experience, I attribute this trait to the 282/HCDR/250DR or Proac speakers. You may alleviate the aggressiveness by fine tuning with cables or source but not by much. Either try 252 or different speakers if looking for a bigger change in the direction that you want.

[daren_p]

Lots of options to choose from here, not exactly sure what should be your first priority. We do have similar systems, I wouldn’t think your speakers are currently a weak point. Number of things would likely help the mid-highs being a bit too aggressive, swap 282 for 252, swap hiline/NACA5 for Superlumina, swap HCDR for SCDR.

As far as Hiline goes, might also look at Witchhats Morgana cables, many have been rather happy with them. I have swapped from 1 to 2 HCDR’s & now to SCDR, have also swapped NACA5 to SL, these both added improvements all around but offered a more refined/smoother sound without losing (actually gaining) insight into the music. On the same hand the 300DR would likely also be a step up in this area vs the 250DR.

Personally I’m thinking a 252 & then eventually a 300DR will be the route I will be taking.

As a side note, room treatment will also go a long way to sound improvements & likely be the best bang for the buck you can do.

[LindsayM]

Hi,

You have a good system, in fact excellent. Based on my experience here are some thoughts.

Synergy and particularly speaker room interface is crucial. As @ryder says speakers might be the reason for the slight aggressiveness in the treble. I don’t know Proacs at all but there are a multitude of brands out there that work well with Naim. Neat, Kudos, Focal, Dynaudio are amongst them. Changing speakers will give you your biggest change in tone and image but as to what works for you is another matter. In my case changing from Dynaudio to Kudos was my biggest ever improvement.

A supercap on my 282 was fundamental, more detail, bigger staging improvement all round.

Fraim again a big improvement particularly in focus.

Finally and after being largely agnostic on the issue of cables a Superlumina between my CDS3 and 282 was a game changer. Superb but not cheap.

Good luck.

[kmolds]

@aristoweb

How could I spend more money on improving my system?

In my humble experience acoustic treatments (of first reflection points) is the best way to spend money on improving what you have. I have spent about 3000 euro on different acoustic remedies. The improvements, to my ears, in my room, and with my gear, were much larger than adding a 2nd PS to my ND555.
If you feel like buying more Naim then I would go for a SuperCap on your 282. That might of course lead to a hard craving for the 252. It happened to me.

[aristoweb]

The Proac D48 R have a nominal impedance of 4 ohms and the recommended amplification is between 20 and 250 watts.

Already with the volume knob at less than half I have a big sound pressure.

By replacing the 250 DR with a 300 DR what improvements could I have?

[Antz]

@aristoweb, you have a lovely system and set up there - from my experience on what I added

SC either non or DR, I went 282/HCDR to 282/SC IMO it takes the 282 on to another level, I did not go for another HCDR

300 again either DR or non DR, will give a wider and more focused sound stage over and above the 250DR, which in itself is a lovely AMP, the 300 will just give a lot more, again I had 282/HCDR/300 both non and then DR

and on source and budget ND555 - I have a number of friends and owners of ND555 who certainly don’t regret the move from NDS to ND555 - there are now ex demo for sale in the UK

best advice is to demo a number of options, NON are wrong and all will add music, so question to you is what is your end point???

enjoy the journey and the music!!!

[Svetty]

When I went from a 250DR to the 300DR - also on a 282 - the improvement in refinement was marked. Vocals became clearer, cymbals more textured, bass notes more defined. I know conventional wisdom would be to go 252 first but given you stated you’re happy with the 282 I wouldn’t rule out a 300. It’s certainly more of a jump on a 282/HC/250 than a Supercap - although if you are planning a 252 then the SC (and an extra SNAIC5) does make sense as a stage on that journey.

[Dan_M]

I have a similar system with an 82, Supercap, 2 x 135s, NDS and 555PS.

I would look at going for a 300 DR first.

Then a Supercap.

Later on maybe looking at swapping the 282 for a 252.

Going from a 250 to 2 x 135s made a big difference in power, presentation and authority.

So for you going from 250DR to 300DR would I imagine be similar in improvements.

The Supercap will make way for a 252 if and when you are ready.

Good luck with your journey and enjoy your wonderful system as it is. There is no need to rush. You could demo a 300DR and a Supercap DR and see what makes the biggest difference!