Hello all,
Just got a vintage NAP250 (c. 1982, I think) to replace blown-up Rotel. It sounds superb and I am now hooked. Trouble is, the Rotel preamp doesn't suit it (I knew that would be the case), so I have just bought, sight unseen, a 42.5 preamp (it was a bargain at £50). Many questions now, in no particular order. Thanks in advance for any advice.

1) Apart from the HiCap, what other power supplies can I use with the 42.5?
2) Is there any way I can run the 42.5 from the NAP 250, as a temporary measure until I can find and afford a power supply?
3) I know the 42.5 has a MMC phone stage, but will I be able to connect CD, tuner and tape deck also?
4)What are the options for connecting another remote amp (a little Creek in the kitchen, currently connected to the aux. output of the Rotel)?
5) I know the NAP250 is a little long in the tooth now - what are the most cost-effective improvements/updates/upgrades/modifications?

Ragards,

Ian Cook :confused

To answer your questions as numbered:

1) Almost any, you can use a SNAPS, HiCAP, SuperCAP or Flat Cap. A HiCAP would be a great choice (760 pounds brand new and about 350-400 pounds s/h).
2) I think that you cannot power a pre-amp from the 250 (double check it). You will *WANT* a HiCAP, out of necessity and sound quality reasons.
3) The 42.5 (which I also have) includes a tuner, tape and aux connector. No problems there. The boards on the 42.5 are usually MM - MC boards are also available.
4) Connecting remote amps in this way (from the pre) would be a problem, I would not advocate a secondary non-Naim power amp that presents an electrical mismatch at the connection to the power supply (where the signal to the power amps is routed from). I would only consider using long interconnects from the CD player to provide a remote connection.
5) Also think about getting the power amp "recapped" at Naim. Also do the same to the power supply if you get it second hand and it hasn't been serviced in the past 10 years. This involves replacing the old capacitors.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
2B || !2B;
4 ^ = ?;

Ian,

I agree with Andrew about the 250. Talk to Naim's service department (they are brilliant) and give them the serial number. They can tell you what has been done. If it has not been serviced/re-capped I would suggest having that done.

With the power supply if you are strapped for cash try and get a secondhand Snaps. This should be no more than £75. Have a look on loot and also at the web sites of Affordable Audio, Central Audio, Midlands Audio Exchange, Audio Images and The Emporium. One of them has a Snaps at the moment I believe.

Regards

Neil

Ian--

Congratulations on your investment. It should provide years of music !

Just to confirm #2--a 250 cannot power any preamp--it lacks the preamp supply built into smaller amps like the 180, 140, 90, etc.

Have the amp serviced and get a Hicap ASAP.

Cheers,

Bob

Ian,
congratulations. Good choice.
If you are looking for cost-effective investments, go for the snaps. But also try the HiCap.
You'll be able to sell the snaps and upgrade to a HiCap later, if you want (especially if you are interested in climbing the Naim preamp hierarchy).

Cheers,

Stefano.

Thanks all, I will let you know how I get on. What is a "SNAPS" by the way?

On another subject, anyone have experience of B&W speakers with Naim amps? The main reason I got the NAP250 was i knew I needed to upgrade the Rotel to suit the B&W 802s I aquired at bargain price last year. My "house-sitter" destroying the Rotel power amp just accelerated the proccess. The difference in sound since getting the NAP250 is phenomenal. Much tighter bass and better defined mid/treble, even with the Rotel pre. Really looking forward to getting a "proper" preamp.

Cheers,

Ian

SNAPS is an early power supply, check 'Product Histories' on the main site for date details.

In my recollection not an eighth as good as a HiCap.

Here's a list of the relative quality of Naim's power supplies (in my opinion). I've not had an opportunity to properly test a Super-Cap against the rest, so I'll leave that one out of my list. Therefore, we'll count the Hi-Cap as 100%, and the rest will fall below.

• Hi-Cap 100%
  
• Flat-Cap 40%
  
• SNAPS2 (converted to dual-mode) 40%
  
• SNAPS 25%
  

I should mention that these ratings assume that you're powering a pre-amp. If you are using them with a CD player, the Hi-Cap is only about 60% on this scale. (i.e. It's not cost effective to use a Hi-Cap on a CD3.5.) Catch you later!

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

Smilies do not a forum make.

Supercap 400%

When referring to the question of connecting up an extension amp in the kitchen Andrew said above:

4) Connecting remote amps in this way (from the pre) would be a problem, I would not advocate a secondary non-Naim power amp that presents an electrical mismatch at the connection to the power supply (where the signal to the power amps is routed from). I would only consider using long interconnects from the CD player to provide a remote connection.

I find this a little confusing and concerning (unless Andrew's misunderstood the setup in the original). In my bedroom I've got a Nait 2 and pair of Rega Kytes. This is connected by a long but quite high quality run of cable to the tape 2 output on my 82 in the lounge. It works pretty well and means I can leave the NAT01 tuned to R4 and the record selector permanently to tuner. It certainly sounds heaps better than a cheap tuner connected directly to the Nait. However Andrew seems to be saying I shouldn't do this but I can't see how this would be a problem. Naim must make their tape outs robust enough to cope with any old tape deck hanging off there, and the output level seems to match the input sensitivity on the Nait. I'm a bit worried now - perhaps I'll try pulling the plug out of the 82 to see if it sounds any different?

Phil

Phil,

Its OK to connect your tape deck to the tape output of the preamp. No problems.

There may have been a misinterpretation here. What I interpreted Ian wanted to do was something drastically different.

A) Ian has a 42.5 and 250. He therefore needs a HiCAP.

B) Ian wishes to connect a remote amp to the system, a Creek - I assumed he was using the Rotel as a preamp and the aux output was connecting to the power amp section of the Creek. Doing this with the PA output from the HiCAP would not work and I advised against it (impedence mismatch problems).

C) If however, the signal was connected to a pre-amp section of the Creek. Then use the tape output connection from the 42.5.

Be aware that long runs of interconnect are not advised. You may need to ensure you have cables with shielded braids.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
2B || !2B;
4 ^ = ?;

Andrew .. phew, glad I'm not in danger of trashing my gear. The interconnects I have are pretty long (about 10m by the time the cable snakes fron the lounge through the kitchen, bathroom and into the bedroom). So I had a trawl through the Maplin catalogue and bought the best stuff they had (Oxygen free copper, foil and braid screened for each conductor), I guessed this wouldn't be Naim's choice if I was connecting from say a CD to my preamp but as the runs were long I thought that minimising interference was prob the most important thing. Seem to remember it was about £5/m and as I bought 20m - a fairly big investment in cable.

It seems to work pretty well. When I upgraded from a 32.5/Hi on my main system to an 82 there was a definite improvement listening on the Nait in the bedroom.

I installed the cable during a bout of decorating and the plan is as follows:
lounge: (NAC82) tape2 output
-- (10m cable) --
bedroom: aux in (NAIT)
tape out
-- (10m cable) --
study: aux in (old 32.5)

This way I get to listen to great R4 from one aerial and Nat. Still haven't got round to the 32/160 in the loft. Routing via the Nait may be the most sensible way of doing things but two runs from the lounge would have been and extra 10m of cable and it's expensive!
Phil

Hi all,
Got the NAC42.5 today, no power supply yet, also no interconnects. I have 3 inputs on the 42.5: tape (also outputs on this DIN of course), phono (2 BNC sockets - have to change the phonos on the record deck) and tuner.

I was hoping for 4 inputs, really (FAQ says NAC42=4 inputs, 2 channels - or have I misunderstood?), as I need to run phono, CD, tuner and tape. Is there a workaround?

I am told that the phono boards have been replaced with CD boards. There are 2 sub-boards inside inscribed "NA328/2". Do I need these for a CD input, or can I use the tuner or tape input? I would hope to swap them for MMC phono boards to suit Lynn K9. Can anyone shed some light here?

I have 2 outputs also. One is a straight ch1/ch2; the other is "output to hi-cap" and has ch1/ch2/+24V twice/-ve. Does this mean I can connect to the kitchen amp (running into the CD preamp input on a Creek 4140 by the way) with the plain ch1/ch2 output and connect the NAP250 via the hi-cap?

I think I need some Naim interconnects - when I get the hi-cap I will source the proper connectors.

Please excuse ignorance, I'm fairly well OK with standard audio components, but Naim seem to be a law unto themselves (no bad thing, I just need to figure it out). All advice gratefully received.

Cheers,

Ian

My old 42 had 3 inputs - Tape, Tuna, Phono (rca's).

<cue the folklore music as we enter...> I have heard the 42.5 had 4 inputs like the 62, but can't confirm... it is possible that your 42.5 is an upgraded 42?

You're well on the road when talking of changing from rca phono's to BNC's for your phono source!

Rico - musichead

ricomuzik@hotmail.com