Why separates? Revelation of a NAC282

I had all last night (into 3 am) to just sit and listen to my newly acquired NAC 282, and this really hit it on the head. You’re right. This upgrade (from a SN2) is really quite a revelation. A true one. I’ll have to do some bass management today, as it is just on another level entirely and requires some adjustment, but otherwise, I haven’t had such joyful moments of listening like that for a long, long time.

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Great to hear the 282 is settling in so well - enjoy!

You’ve gone from Hi-Fi to Hi-End actually. I went through a similar experience starting on Hi-Fi with Sansui, Technics, Akai, Pioneer, Yamaha and I jumped to Hi-End with Naim Supernait 2, then Nap 250 DR, Nac 272 and Focal. I’m already thinking about ULTRA HI-END also Naim or Audio Notes (all silver).

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Glad you are enjoying the 282! I upgraded from a 202 18 months ago, a similar level to the SN2 and the difference was staggering, a real game changer. The 250DR is a natural partner for it too. The 282 will give you many hours of pleasure as it has me.

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Thanks, @Inmynaim! It cannot be understated here what a difference the pair has made. I dialed-in the bass with my Anti-mode Dual-Core and addressed some cabling, which in turn really dialed the entire system in on the whole and set things further apart between the two (SN2 and these separates). I don’t want to embellish things here, but the 282/250-DR really has me mesmerized. So much musical information is let through; so much more weight, ‘oomph’, body and layering from one recording to another. I think one of the most impressive things about all of this has been best described on here a few times—and is completely true—as music detaching itself from the speakers. As a result, there is no doubt that off-axis listening is vastly improved and the soundstage seems to have consistently increase in size.

As far as the volume on the 282 is concerned, it really ‘opens up’ and takes control the further up you go, rather than become confused, smeared or plain ‘loud’. Regarding just the opposite on the dial, at lower listening levels, it still retains bags of detail and the soundstage doesn’t really collapse much.

What can I say? I’m really impressed with these two. Together, they just take hold of my Spendor D7s and make them sound so much more ‘grown up’ and refined. I’m in no way downplaying any strengths the SN2 is capable of, but in my room and with my combination of components, the separates are by comparison, if I’m to be somewhat hyperbolic here, transfigurative.

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Hi Cap DR is on its way and should be home after the weekend so really looking forward to that additional performance

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You won’t be disappointed. The HiCap-DR is a worthy addition. You’re not going to believe it, by comparison.
I’m now in the process of potentially adding another HiCap-DR (same year serial). It will arrive for an audition before the weekend. I’m uncertain what will ultimately transpire with it, as results across the forum are so mixed on the subject—from no benefit, little benefit, subtle but worth it, night and day improvement. I’m skeptical, but hopeful.

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I’ll add ‘modest but worthwhile’ to your list of improvements - somewhere in between ‘subtle but worth it’ and ‘night and day’ :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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I’ll take it. :grinning:
Appreciate the insight.

I’d go with that.

That sums it up nicely

I look forward to your impressions on the 2nd Hicap

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Fear not. It works… :slightly_smiling_face:

So the Hicap DR arrived today and quickly got to connecting it.

The usual expectations really in terms of improvements in the form of deeper bass, lower noise floor, smoother overall sound and better instrument separation. This is from the objective side but from the subjective aspect the music is more engaging which is always good. I also regained a bit of the center vocalist presence that had been lost when putting in the bare 282 in place of the flatcapped 122x.

So is the Hicap DR on the 282 a night and day upgrade? Is it a “wow” moment. No…
Is it a nice and noticeable improvement? Yes.

As the price ratio of Hicap to 282 is roughly 1:4, it makes sense. I would say I got about a 15-20% uplift on the 282’s performance. Am waiting on the XPS DR to pair with the NDX2 and their price ratio is closer to 1:1 so I am expecting more of a “wow” moment. The NAP 300 is due in a couple of weeks I think and that again should be a “wow” moment going by other people’s posts on the forum.

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Have you heard the XPSDr on The NDX2?
I personally couldn’t hear much of an improvement so have upgraded everything else hearing vast improvements along the way.

:+1:

Urm can’t speak for the NDX2 but when I had a CDX2 I thought the difference considerable, darker, richer, more organic.

Well I only auditioned it when I was using a Supernait2 haven’t heard with the 282/250Dr. For me it was a waste of time and I am keen to hear the 555Dr. Maybe it was how the dealer had it setup. :man_shrugging:t3:

I based my decision on getting the XPS-DR for the NX2 on three things:
1- previous experience putting a flatcap2x on a CD5x
2- having a Hi capped 282 and a nap 300, I felt it deserved something better than a bare NDX2.
3- trusting Naim’s engineering and product design which is echoed in the few magazine reviews I read for the XPS/NDX2 pairing.

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:+1: hopefully it does what your ears want to hear. Expensive punt however. I still believe that the NDX2 doesn’t get enough credit as a bare unit.
I am always surprised that so many don’t follow with the same philosophy and don’t start with the fundamental support that Naim make and design all there equipment upon.

Is the HiDR brand new out of the box? Of so, burn in takes quite a while. Taking it out after 2 or 3 weeks of playing will give much better insight on what it does.

If you went from a 282 powered from a 150 to a Hi-DR, the improvement should be quite substantial imo.