Thanks Jsawyer...i'll check out the ads.

For Afranta, the supercap on the 282 is marvelous. The window to the music gets larger and most important clearer. Nuances gets resolved easily and you hear things in the recording that wasn't there before or is now more pronounced. Blacker backgrounds with more air around instruments helps to define their space in your environment.

I've worked my way up the Naim ladder and have owned all models below mine. Each step, the "window" opened up and became clearer. If I keep upgrading my wife will eventually push me out the window.....

take care

reggiereggie July 15, 2010 16:48

Hi Afranta.
Glad I could be of some help (I stress "some"). We — as well as other Naimees, I suspect — share a very similar, yet satisfying experience. I would concur with your statements about CDs and respective sounds. What has me both baffled and extremely delighted is that recordings I am well familiar with, which had started to go by the wayside (save for curious or brief "getting reacquainted with" recordings — if you get my meaning), suddenly took on a sound that more or less began to make sense; and breathed a certain life I hadn't quite heard before, regardless how often I'd heard it (the recording) or how intimately I thought I knew it.

Recent CDs that come to mind in this regard, such as The Doors' LA Woman, Glenn Gould's French and English Suites, Sigur Ros's Agaetis Byrjun or Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, all have a completely different presentation than what I have been used to. Each of them have a nuance now that wasn't necessarily there before. Albums that had mere nice imaging or instrument separation, for instance, suddenly captured more of the recording venue, and sounded like a live studio album versus what I had always heard as a near-three dimensional sound. I guess what I'm getting at is that aspects that I had placed so much importance on really didn't seem to matter anymore; voices and their flaws or lack thereof for some, and instruments and how they're played from a technique POV, all became apparent as though they'd always been there but were only being noticed now. Seems weird, I know; and again, it may or may not make a whole lot of sense, but I almost feel like so far in listening sessions, I've had to unlearn what I've learned from a sound perspective...quite an experience. It's not negative in the least, either — just all very cool.

I think you've summed it up better than I in saying you've bought more music in the last six months than in the previous two or three years...I've mirrored that, plus broke out tens of discs I hadn't heard for a while. Safe to say, quite a few have made it back into the rotation again (not embellishing this last statement in the least). Stuff I thought, "Oh yeah...that one," was given a spin, and didn't go back into the bin (think 80's British rock or Daft Punk and the like). It just seemed some recordings were intolerable regardless how good the system supposedly was; now they're at least tolerable and then some...that says a lot, too.

jsawyer09 July 15, 2010 05:32

Thanks, Jsawyer. Your description is incredibly helpful; it has me thinking that it would be worth checking out a TeddyCap. I'm very happy with my current system, but it's nice to have a relatively affordable upgrade to look forward to.

Your description of how your system fell into place is very similar to mine. My previous setup was great in some respects--some cds sounded amazing. But others, especially marginal recordings, were terrible. What amazed me right off the bat about Naim was how much better cds I'd given up on sounded. I've bought more music in the last six months than I had in the previous two or three years! That says a lot.

afranta July 14, 2010 20:44

Hi Reggiereggie.
I wholeheartedly agree, and can anticipate it only getting better, thus more expensive the higher one goes. You have an outstanding system yourself! Man, I'd love to hear the 282 Supercapped. Perhaps you could describe to Afranta how a PS affects the overall presentation; I personally have most-likely failed to explain it well.

I ordered the Dual TeddyCap MKIII from Teddy Pardo (through his e-bay ad). It's a little over $800 (plus I ordered an 4-pin to 4-pin DIN cable as well for about $50).

Like you said: Enjoy the music, too.

jsawyer09 July 14, 2010 19:39

Nice system you have. I have a full naim system as well. Great gear but very addictive. What I mean is Naim's upgrade path. I started with their entry gear and have settled for now on cdx2, 282/supercapped, 250.2. I've come a long way and tried each level on the way. Now it truly gets expensive to go up the ladder.

Was wondering where you got the TeddyCap gear. Would be interested in getting a psu for the cdx2.

Cheers, keep enjoying the system and most important the music!!!

reggiereggie July 14, 2010 17:32

Hi...and thanks.
I seriously don't really think about upgrades anymore; I no longer wonder what power cable would be better, nor seek and read-up on the latest-and-greatest, only to spend more and more to hear an improvement here or there, or barely one at all (at some point, diminishing returns sets in, and I wonder why I bother — it has become obviously system-dependent, room interaction-dependent, et cetera).
Once I paired these components together, I couldn't believe how it all locked into place, regardless what I played. In short, the Naim gear is rediculously likeable and hard to fault on any front (same could be said of the Harbeths).

As for what the Teddycap brings, it really seems to make things a bit more articulate from top to bottom; and it adds a VERY noticeable weight to the proceedings: A bass guitar is more defined, weighty, articulate and energetic, for example. As a matter of fact, all instruments that I can think of (piano & acoustic guitar especailly) have such energy and separation (separation really the key here). Cymbals and snare obtain such a further level of refinement and believability.

Now, these really are all attributes that the Naim gear just seems to bring out even without a PS; but, with the TeddyCap in place, the organization of sound and how it's defined is just so tangible and enjoyable...it really has to be heard to be believed.

With all my other iterations of components and cables and conditioners, there was always a sense of, "this part is nice, or that album sounded quite good..." But ultimately, I knew SOMETHING(S) was/were missing, regardless of what I tried new, or that even my favorite stuff got tiresome. Now, with this very simple little system, I simply don't get that anymore. It seems now I'll just upgrade Naim boxes rather than brands, types of components, speakers, et cetera.

Sorry for the rambling-on here. It's all so exciting to talk about, even if I can't articulate it as well as some members on the Naim or Pinkfish forums.

At any rate, I highly recommend you pick up a TeddyCap (I mention this PS because I have zero experience with the Naim PS's) for your CD5x, as I believe it would benefit the source more than the amp. You won't go back...
Cheers!

jsawyer09 July 14, 2010 16:04

Very nice system. I've had a similar experience with Naim. Now when I start thinking about what to change, I end up asking, Why?

But I am curious about what kind of improvement you hear with the TeddyCap. I recently moved from a CD5i to a CD5x (with a Nait 5i) and wonder what a power supply upgrade would do for my system. Again, great rig, and thanks.

afranta July 13, 2010 18:21