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2 HICAPS in an 82

MJS said:
Job done! :cool:

We split the filter section into 2, then run 10 rails from a Supercap into it. We call it the Superlink mod. And you can still run it from an amp, one Hicap, two Hicaps or the Supercap.

My colleague also built a low-noise regulator (NEWT) for the Hicap that, together with a small wiring mod to it, makes it even better. They're not available for DIY fitment but we fit them to order. We can also fit these NEWT boards to the Supercap, NAITs, CDs, etc.
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How much is the NEWT mod then?
 
A NEWTed Hicap including service is £280, Mitch in the office will be able to clarify.
 
Has anyone rewired the Hicap sockets on a 82 so it is front to back rather than left and right?

It looks very easy, just move the 3 wires that feed the tape buffer, phono cards and time aligned buffer from socket 2 to socket 1 and move the single output stage feed from socket 1 to socket 2.

This would put both output stages on socket 2 enabling me to use my Avondaled Hicap in there and the rest of the feeds on socket 1 where I can plug in my stock hicap. This would then be balanced?
 
Interesting idea.That can make litle bit more place to combine advantages of non naim ps's.
I use combination of Dual teddy and naim olive hicap as a best sounding combination.One cap from teddy goes to prefix,one go to hicap 1.Hicap 2 is powered with olive hicap.I get much better vocal and foot tapin bass from naim and precision in high freq from teddy.Tried dtc on both hicaps on 82,and olive HC on prefix but I find prefix beter powered with teddy,cleaner and more accurate.
I dont hear big chanel imabalance,if I hear it at all...well my best hearing ages are past tense(I am 50 year old)
 
One more question,would I get better sound if I remove phono cards? I forget to put them of when I upgrade to Prefix(btw big upgrade)
 
That's an interesting way to use your power supplies. If I were you I'd get the Hicap Avondaled and put that on your prefix.

Removing the phono cards is supposed to help, I guess it reduces the amount of power drawn from the rails.
 
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Guinnless said:
Muting the "record out" circuitry will improve the SQ as it puts the circuit to sleep.
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Been trying this recently. Can’t say I’ve noticed any difference

Also tried selecting the “output” furthest away from the “input” (eg input = phono, output = socket 6)

Same result............
 
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Got my new Hicap today and modified the wiring to the sockets on the 82 so one Hicap (the good one) feeds left and right output stages and the other does the rest. Very impressed with the sound. More detail everywhere.
 
I still reckon 4 Hicaps is the way to go...........:D:D:p:D:D:rolleyes:



But slightly more seriously, one of the things I want to try out is a Stageline S + HC instead of the 523S cards in the 82 + SC.
 
I don't run phono cards in My HC and yes external stage with it's own PS is the way to go for sure, but I did once McGuiver in a 3rd HC just to run the tape buffers. Curiously it was a bit rubbish!

No idea why, in theory it should definitely have improved things but for some reason it just didn't.

Interestingly the 52 (or at least the very early one I once owned) also runs the tape buffers from the same rails as the time aligned stage despite there being a load of under used alternative rails available, ie the original 52 base configuration before allowing for any plug in cards or external phono stages is identical to an 82 running on 4 rails!

What do you think about that!

the 12 audio supply rails on the original 52/PS are used as follows:-

1 pair main output
1 pair Time aligned input buffer and Tape buffer
1 pair onboard powered input cards 1
1 pair powered input cards 2/prefix
1 pair powered input cards 3
1 pair powered output cards though actually 1 reg per stereo pair of cards (you can install 2 pairs)
 
So for my setup I have no cards installed (CD only) and power from 2 HICAPS so four rails. Is there something else in the 52's design that makes it better than an 82 in this scenario? Has the 82 been crocked slightly by substituting components with slightly different values?
 
Darth Vader said:
FYI I was disappointed adding a second HiCap to the NAC82 but a SuperCap was substantially better. Strange really as the SuperCap was only being used internally as two HiCaps but there you go.

Cheers,

DV
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I did the test...using even a single snaic with a supercap was demonstrably better than twin Hicaps. It's not just the number if voltage feeds that count, but the quality of each feed. And yes...there was a big improvement adding the second voltage feed from the supercap. I also tried a massive choke regged single feed supply ( a modded Epona SPS) that was even better than a double snaiced supercap.
 
I've read a few times that a SuperCap is better than 2 HiCaps. Technically wise I don't think they are any different there are just more rails in a SuperCap, so I find it confusing. You could argue that a HiCap only has 2 rails per transformer where all the rails in a SuperCap share a single transformer.
 
PhilDick said:
I've read a few times that a SuperCap is better than 2 HiCaps. Technically wise I don't think they are any different there are just more rails in a SuperCap, so I find it confusing. You could argue that a HiCap only has 2 rails per transformer where all the rails in a SuperCap share a single transformer.
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We are not 'arguing' rather reporting on what we have found. Its up to others to investigate why if they so wish. As I reported I was very surprised at the result and kept the SuperCap and sold off my two HiCaps. That was several years ago and the Naim kit has long gone.

Cheers,

DV
 
The 82 is electrically identical to the 52. It was intended as a pared down cheaper version for those who didn't need the full 52 functionality, which in practice is pretty much everyone. The only compromise was that you needed to use a prefix or external phono stage with a separate PS rather than the internal cards to get the full 52 spec, which is only an issue for TT users, and there weren't that many of those left even in 1993 when it came out. The only other difference is that the 52 is built on two mono PCB's which are stacked on top of each other but the 82 has one slightly more crowded single PCB.

It obviously can't have been too inferior in Naim's own view since there are a very great many staff builds out there. Presumably the staff could easily enough have built a 52 if they'd felt it was sufficiently better (which would actually mean only very very marginally better when you're getting it for parts cost since it doesn't need very many more parts).

The 52/PS I briefly owned and quickly sold on sounded considerably less good than the 82/2xHC I was using at the time. Couldn't investigate HCs vs SC at that time since it was a 52PS I had.

I obtained an SC much later, expecting an upgrade and was very disappointed when I actually got a downgrade. The HC's and SC were all roughly the same age so that is unlikely to be an issue. The SC eventually found a job running my Snaxo 2-4, but it was actually a very minimal upgrade over a single HC.

I suspect the problems reported by users of two HC's are often that they're using dissimilar HC's, eg different caps, different transformers or even just one much more worn out than the other. My experience of doing exactly that was that it didn't work too well (like a lot of people I got a cheap CB HC to go with my olive one at first, and although it was serviced it had an H&F traffo which didn't gel with the Talema one in my newer olive HC. Changing it out for another similar olive one worked wonders!).
 
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Interesting stuff regarding the differences between the 82 and 52.

I am really pleased with the sound of my 82 plus two Hicaps. There is so much more realism, it just sounds really natural.

And there are improvements still to be made: The stock Hicap is from 1985 and is untouched. The caps are bulging and leaking so I have new Kendeil 22000's on the way to match my other HICAP. The LED was not working (I've replaced the resistor). Then there's the reg board to replace.

Of course I've changed the wiring inside the 82 so unmatching HICAPS is not a problem. I also have my good one feeding only the output stages. I suspect that this is where the improvements come from as Naim dedicate a power rail to each channel.
 
Using an 82 with Dual-TeddyCap which gives you two 'matched' HiCAPs + the NAPSC all in a single box. No need to re-cap, cheaper, smaller, etc, etc. Haven't felt the need to go to a SC or Teddy SC but the Witch Hat idea sounds interesting.

CHE
 
I agree the DTC is a very good supply and a very cost effective option. I'm currently using a TSC in standard 4 rail configuration because I have one. I found it pretty much impossible to choose between the TSC, and Avondale APX4 and the DTC with the 82 in standard config, but the TSC opens the door to experimenting with more rails!
 
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