Actually, I run my 82 from a Supercap, yes, I did have aspirations for a 52, until they started going for silly money.
Anyway the two HC have been repurposed for Headline and Stageline duties.
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Perfectly expressed. The 250 is just āmore Naimā.
Regarding the 82, mine runs with 2 HiCaps. Well worth it - and easy to do, as HiCaps are readily available - and relatively cheap.
No problem for me, that some say Supercap. Should I stumble upon one, at the right price & location (ideally at a Naim dealer), I may one day go thereā¦
Jumping back to Phono, I would suggest you find yourself a set of 523 boards first. Shouldnāt cost too much (less than Ā£100 - my set were Ā£65). You are most likely to find the S or K versions, which are both for low output MCās.
Enjoy the finding processā¦ 
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My (1985) 250 first ran with a 42 & SNAPS, then a 42-5 (by conversion) & HiCap, then a 72 (in 1995). All good.
Then I bought a 102 (in 2001)ā¦ Which never seemed to be right. So much so it went back to Salisbury, who changed the motherboard. But it still didnāt gel. So I found myself a pre-loved 82 (in 2010). Immediately just way betterā¦!! I still have it.
See above for my take on HiCaps and Supercapsā¦ 
But never say neverā¦ IF I were to find oneā¦ 
From all the advice above I am now thinking that the quick improvement would be to upgrade Orofon MM Red to Blue and to seek out a reconditioned 250 from a dealer and trade in my reconditioned 180.
The second phase in a year or so, would be to move to MC and source 523 boards for my 82
However I will be sad to see my 180 go, as I have had it since 1994 
So keep it 
( or is that naughty to suggest that 
)
Could I still use it as part of my upgraded system, like a hi-cap?
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If you buy a 250, the 180 becomes redundantā¦. unless you buy another nac and pair them for another system.
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Active speakers was always a goal for me, since the early ā80ās. It took me ten years to achieve it. My original plan was to go for 250; but, I then heard 135s and I still have them nearly 30 years later.
If you like the sound of an active system, especially the way Naim delivers it, then 0lan your upgrade path accordingly.
Weāve had Sonetto III on end of a SuperUniti, 250DR and now 300DR.
Each amp upgrade gained more control over the speakers, deeper and tighter bass.
Suggestions for you to get a 250 are spot on.
I think it will depend on whether I can trade it in for a 250, if not a good back up to have.
, that is now the planā¦.
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Hi everyone, after some local research it seems that in southern europe Naim parts are hard to find especially to upgrade the NAC82 phono boards to MC.
Could a phono stage be an alternative?
You can use a Stageline+Power Suppy (eg another Hicap) into your 82 - of course, other phono stages are available. If you wish to use the BNC connectors then you will need a a pair of 526 boards, often called āstraight lineā or āpass throughā boards.
I presume you have checked out the āwell known auction siteā for 523 MC boards?
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I have never bought electronics from that site and being isolated from a Naim dealer for servicing if anything goes wrong makes me nervous
There was no shortage on the Bay, last time I checked.
Just needs someā¦ effortā¦ and persistenceā¦
Will doā¦
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Also, do consider that any 523 board can be converted to any other type - by Naim or by Class A - or maybe by others I donāt know about.
My 523 Eās were converted from S spec.
It is definitely 523 E that I need to aim for?
No. It depends on the cartridge. For most low output MCās, the S board is the one - and is the most āgeneral purposeā board. The K board is a tweaked S, intended for the Linn Karma/Troika. The E is for for medium output MCās, such as those made by EMT (so āEā).
But Eās also work well with high output MCās such as my DV10X.
For MM carts, its the 522 board.
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Full details are here -