I’ve had my 102/HiCap/150 for 25 years odd. Its been serviced once and its time is coming around again. I’m hankering for a bit of an amp upgrade. Sources are LP12/Ekos-1/DV20x2L/Lingo-1 and ND5XS2. Good enough to stand a more revealing amp combo? I’m thinking 282/250DR … could I use my HiCap - the first black box type - with this?. Could the MC boards in my 102 be transferred to a 282? I’ve got a dynavector phono stage (mk3) but although it is more refined I think I prefer the Naim boards overall.
Hicap, yes. Boards, no. The 282 doesn’t have on board phono cards. You will need a separate phono stage.
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You could try a Prefix. Same as Naim cards but better imo 
. They are a mega bargain and would be powered by your 282 aux input and you hide it in the lp12 so no extra box. Just a thought.
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You may want a HiCap DR to go with it.
Try the 282 HiCapDR 250DR with your current phonostage and see how it sounds.
Your LP12 and ND5XS2 should sound excellent with new amplification.
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An 82 would be better than the 102. A 52 much better again, and both would take the boards for the Linn.
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For the money you pay for 282/HC/250DR you could get a 52/SC/250 or for less an 82/SC/250 which is a cracking amp the 250DR brings it close but if you like that Olive sound and you obviously do stick with it.
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52 SC 135s is another great option. Or even 82 SC 135s. I had the 82 with the 135s for about 5 years before I changed to a 52 last September. The 82 is cracking preamp for the money. 52 better but more expensive.
I think if on a budget the 82 is best bang for your buck.
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Another vote here for the remarkable VFM in olive kit.
I marginally prefer 82 to 282 (similar but a tad more boogie). For more subtlety and detail (with no loss of involvement) the 52+SC is a great upgrade from 82/282. The 252 is fractionally quieter than the olive 52, as with 82/282, but again I prefer the olive pre-amp marginally, and the cost difference is not small.
I have ND5XS2/82/HC/250 in one system and NDX2/XPSDR/52/SC/300DR (and LP12) in the other. A 52 is great with a 250, but even better with 135s or 300DR - some even pair a 52 with a 500.
On the other hand, servicing is not cheap, but is necessary sooner or later. It is probably more likely to need doing to olive boxes, but is worth checking with Classic boxes too.
For a phono stage, a Prefix would be a good choice, at least as good as the phono boards and great value.
To me the Dynavector P75 mk4 is better again, more adaptable should you ever change cartridge, and again great VFM. You probably need a Naim Superline to beat meaningfully the Dynavector. In any event, options like these lack the simplicity of a Prefix - I don’t know how much box count matters to you.
Of course, as others have said, your phono boards will fit 82 and even 52, so another possible benefit of that route is that you wouldn’t need to do everything at the same time.
Good luck!
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I have ND5XS2, 82, HC, 250 sounds great. I am looking for an SC but I don’t see too many of those about. Might just add another HC while I wait.
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