Naim NAC72 - Witch Hat Audio Superlink Mod

[neiljadman]

No if you could only split the power front and back end on the 729s too...It make a huge difference to the 102...

 

[MJS]

No if you could only split the power front and back end on the 729s too...It make a huge difference to the 102...

I believe that was done as part of this conversion.

It's definitely part of the 82 Superlink specification. Each end has its own rail on the 82SL, like the 252 does.

 

[Van]

So the way I am reading this is that a NAC 72 can achieve the performance of a 52 with 2x Hicaps if you remove the other boards. The theory is by supplying individual rails to each board. Each Hicap can suppler 2x24v per pair of boards.

With all the other boards in the 72 removed you should have the following:
729 - Need to make a feed to accept another Hicap (not sure which socket I would remove probably the tape 2)
321 - This can be left untouched which uses the existing Hicap
325 - This can be left to take power from the existing Hicap or modify it to accept the NAPSC (18v?)

Has anyone ever made a successful mod? For me, I won't use the other boards, Tape Tuner, Phono etc.

 

[S_J]

I did this all myself years ago. It's still not as good as a 52, there's certain things that are sub-optimal in a 52 that can't be copied to a 72. What you propose will be better than a standard 72, sure, but you're limited by the 72 - and limited by the Naim preamp circuits themselves, if we're being honest. The 52 itself can be improved upon as well of course, both inside and out, but most people don't discuss this as a 32/72/42/62 is much cheaper to obtain and play about with.

 

[Van]

Yeah, you don't want to mess about with a 52 you pretty much want to keep it standard.
If you don't use phono is it still worth getting a 52. Was it worth the jump?

 

[Mynamemynaim]

I think that a 72 can be made to outperform a 52 without too much difficulty

You will need a set of RSL boards in it
You will need to supply those boards via a set of (some sort of) superregs

With these mods ...you can lift the 72 enormously..
There is a fair bit on this forum and Google about improving the Naim 72 ....have a read!!
Your not the first to want to do this you know

Have a look here for starter's..
https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/help-with-nac72-regs-wiring-please.258625/

 

[S_J]

Yeah, you don't want to mess about with a 52 you pretty much want to keep it standard.
If you don't use phono is it still worth getting a 52. Was it worth the jump?

It's only worth doing if you further upgrade the 52. A standard 52 is OK, but it's still held back by certain Naim design flaws. RSL boards are a nice little addition to a 72 but no, they are not better than a 52.

If you want to do things cheaply then sure, do stuff with the shoeboxes, they are cheap enough to buy even nowadays. But if you want the best then do something noteworthy with a 52 - or a 252 I suppose. I've done a few of those as well, they were similar in uplift to the 52 as you'd probably expect.

 

[Mynamemynaim]

they are not better than a 52

Not on their own..agreed
But with an external power supply and each board powered via a low noise super reg.....now that's a different matter!

Ps
I agree the 252 wants something doing with it!
A very lack lustre performance for the high price (with a supercap dr) IMO