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NAIM NAC 202
Preamplifier
Near Mint Condition – Seldom Used
Mine – One Owner – From New
Very Rarely Used – Totally Immaculate
Anyone claiming a second hand piece of hi-fi is ‘Mint’ is lying! There is no such thing as ‘Mint’, when an item has been unboxed, and used. The definition of ‘Mint’ comes from coins and stamps, where they would be ‘uncirculated’, thus new, and never, ever touched! Record grading uses this term, too, and that means a record that has never, EVER been played. So, people who come on Ebay using the term ‘Mint’ are misleading, sorry! This, however, is ‘Near Mint’, meaning it is as close as one can get to unused, but clearly old enough to have been used, with opened packaging, and obvious ownership, and playing.
This is not some dealer’s PX trade-in, being sold on as part of a discount deal, where the seller paid too much for a new purchase. Far too many of these ‘sell-ons’ appear on Ebay, without provenance, and also one never knows how many people owned the unit.
This is mine, from new, and is a superb performer, that up until just recently sat in my dedicated music room, alongside a NAIM NAPSC, a NAIM NAP 200DR and a NAIM HI CAP DR. All of my equipment is cared for, and whilst used, only be me, is sparingly used, as with this superb pre-amp.This has been owned and used by me, since late 2012, and cost a lot of money then, and probably, in real terms, post recession, a LOT more than it costs today.
As said, this has been used infrequently, and I would say just a matter of hours, so very rarely, mainly because I am a hi-fi enthusiast and have always owned other equipment, and so spend time with other pieces. It has never been stacked (none of my equipment would ever be stacked, as hi-fi should always be separate, unless on a rack. I have a dedicated music room, which is free from direct sunlight, where nobody has ever smoked, and there aren’t any children or pets; its only user has been me.
It is totally pristine, and in immaculate, unmarked condition, as can bee seen in the photos, without any marks of any kind anywhere. All the controls are clean, and without marks and so, too, the remote control’s buttons. The NAIM manual and user guide is unused, and it comes with equally immaculate packaging, and its original box, with matching serial number.
The current set up is stunning, sonically, and in many ways this is one of the best and most affordable of the true hi-fi NAIM set ups, for separates. This is a very reluctant sale, and I have only decided to part with it as I have finally upgraded to the NAIM NAC 282 pre-amp, which costs 4,799, which, when one considers the cost of a NAIM NAC 202, being 2,299, is a huge amount more, and i have to say, for little improvement!
I carried out bench tests with both pre-amps, simply slotting into my current line up, and, having read so much about the attributes of both pre-amps, and tried to remain impartial to the usual suspects on NAIM forums, I cane to conclusion that there is, indeed, what the American’s call ”Snake Oil” surrounding hi-fi, and in this case the NAIM NAC 282!
The NAIM NAC 282 is, in case you didn’t know, the same, in principal, as the NAIM NAC 202, internally. The only difference visually is its peculiar two lines of buttons, for source; one for play, the second for record. plUS, There are the two large controls; one for volume, the other for balance. This NAC 202 has one large control, and one set of buttons, and the only other difference is filters internally. So, is the NAC 282 worth another 2,500? Nope! Don’t get me wrong, the NAC 282 is superb, but can sound shrill, often with a hint of treble glare. This is mainly, of course, due to poor mastering originally, particularly with records and cassettes, which are analogue. The NAIM NAC 202 seems to welcome analogue, and yet its CD and digital side are complimentary. I can only say that this high class pre-amp is settled, with separation, depth, and without a toppy imbalance. What sold the NAC 282 for me was just a slight edge (very slight) and it was almost a case of taking the NAC 282 back!
So, for some lucky person, I kept the NAC 282, and here is this stunning pre-amp! A reasonable price new, I think and even more of a bargain now, in such immaculate, carefully and sparingly used condition.
I was in the recording industry, as a sound engineer, in the 1980s and 90s and so, for me, music and top quality equipment was and still is very important. Since buying into the NAIM brand some years back, I am convinced it is one of the best manufacturers of high, high end hi-fi in the world! I also have to say that NAIM are almost family like in how they run their plant in Salisbury, and one can call them with questions about set-up, products, issues or problems, and they are always willing to help. This is particularly useful for the newcomer to NAIM, buying second hand, as you can STILL call them for the very same assistance, and there is no quibble!
There are many forums and blogs on-line, relating to the NAIM NAC 202, and many, man superlative reviews, indeed
What Hi Fi have stated, ”A Very Capable Performer!”
One thing to point out, for those new to such high end hi-fi or a little confused about amplification, is that the NAIM NAC 202 is, what is called, a passive pre-amp. This means it has no power, and therefore needs power from either a power amp or a dedicated power supply, which, in NAIM’s case, is an incredible little black box, called a NAIM NAPSC. The NAIM NAC 202 doesn’t come with an NAPSC, as standard, it is an extra, but the NAIM NAC 282 does, hence part of the price. But, a really nice NAPSC, used, and a few years old would cost around 150.00 and worth every penny! If you are unsure, please visit NAIM’s web site or read up on the paring guide, as it can get a little complicated, but, also, see below in the What Hi Fi review I have copied, as this proves the investment in the tiny NAPSC is well worth it!
Key Features
Six line-level inputs including two user-configurable versatile (DIN / phono) inputs
User configurable unity-gain AV input
Powered input for use with StageLine or Prefix phono stage
Full infrared remote control. – RC5 input for wired remote control in complex installations
Optional RS232 input/output for use in full home automation systems
Upgradeable with both analogue (FlatCap XS, Hi-Cap, Super-Cap) and digital (NAPSC) power supplies
Key Specification
Analogue Inputs: 4 x DIN, 2 x DIN, RCA
Input Sensitivity: 75mV
Input Impedance: 47k
Other Inputs: AV input configurable for unity gain
Analogue Outputs: 2 x variable (DIN), 3 x fixed (RCA)
Line Outputs Fixed (level): 75mV, 600
Line Outputs Variable (level): 775mV
Power Outputs: Naim phono amplifier
Remote Control: Infra Red (RC5)
Remote Input: RCA on rear (RC5)
RS232: Optional (DE9 female)
Supply Voltage: 24V
Power Supply Options: NAP 155 XS, NAP 200, FlatCap XS, HiCap, SuperCap
Dimensions (H x W x D): 87 x 432 x 314mm
Weight: 7kg
This will be sent Parcel Force or UPS Next Day Delivery, and fully tracked, and insured. This is not only an expensive item to insure, it is very heavy, too, hence the cost of courier being more than would think, but this is what I will be charged, possibly more.
It will be protected, in its original box. Any questions, please ask.
See, below, What Hi Fi review:
What Hi Fi 2009
”Naim is arguably the premier British high-end amplifier brand, and has got to that position by following its own path. Qualities such as transparency and stereo imaging have always taken a back seat to the all-important boogie factor.
Naim’s use of DIN sockets (because it thinks they sound better), minimal controls and austere appearance has earned it a loyal following, but also alienated many people who didn’t buy into the philosophy.
The NAC 202 preamp has two pairs of RCA sockets alongside the usual array of DINs, and two of the inputs can be configured as DIN or RCA phono input. A remote handset and sophisticated control system, including an RC-5 input for hideaway operation, are standard, and you can have optional RS-232 control connections for use in multi-room systems.There’s also the provision to convert one input to unity gain, for use when running the preamp with an external AV processor, such as Naim’s AV2 or simply the front channel pre-outs of an AV receiver.
Classy but understated styling; The usual Naim qualities also apply here: the styling classy but understated, the build is as solid as ever, and we’ve no doubt that this preamp will prove as reliable as any other Naim. And also take as long to run in!
Once fully warmed up which can take at least a week this preamp combines with one of Naim’s power amps to give a sound that’s refined at the top-end and lacks any form of hardness. Detail resolution is right up to class standards and the presentation cohesive yet it’s easy to follow individual instruments, even when the mix gets complex.
Spend a bit more on the NAPSC outboard power supply, rather than powering the preamp from a Naim power amp, and performance takes a major leap forward. This compact, featureless box only powers the pre amp’s control circuitry, leaving the power amp to feed the audio sections, but the gains are significant in all areas and the weaknesses cease to be an issue. We see the NAPSC as a must-buy, pushing the performance from good to great. And if you can afford to go to Naim’s Hi-Cap power supply, the NAC202 would become truly magical”.
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Category: Sound and Vision:Home Audio and HiFi Separates:Amplifiers and Pre-Amps
Location: Norfolk