Naim Flatcap vs. HiCap

[digihead]

Hello. Is the Flatcap a worthy upgrade to the Naim CD5x or should I just hang on and get the HiCap instead?

 

[jayB]

Paging Kuma and the other Naimers..

 

[digihead]

Anyone?

 

[jayB]

digi-

Others will know better than I, and hopefully chime in, but in reading the Naim forum, most suggest to go with the best PS you can. With that thinking a Highcap would be better. I have not heard either, (yet) I just picked up a CD5 and am enjoying rediscovering some of my CD's.

I plan to purchase a FlatcapII soon along with a Headline2 and run that with my CD5 for a all-Naim headphone setup.

I will say though that my Ray Samuels HR-2 is doing a great job with the CD5right now. It will be interesting to compare how an all Naim setup sounds as opposed to my current CD5/HR-2 setup. Whatever I like better, the other is getting sold!

 

[fishski13]

opinions are fairly polarized. you must audition for yourself. in the UK, many i think, automatically go for the hicap because they are generally more plentiful and a bit cheaper than here in North America. since i have only heard a hicap on my cd3.5, i cannot opinionate on their differences.

i have heard a flatcap2 on my dealers cd5 and now cd5x many times. although his $10K fully Naimed Linn LP12 does sound better, for the money, i could easily live with the former and buy lots of music instead for the price difference. however, if you have deep pockets.....

if i needed to power 2 boxes (i do, and more), i think the flatcap2 is excellent vfm. i'm still waiting for my dealer to get back to me about selling me his ex-dem flatcap2. i suspect that my hicap will not be powering the the cd3.5, but rather the preamp section of my integrated nait instead.

Quote:

I plan to purchase a FlatcapII soon along with a Headline2 and run that with my CD5 for a all-Naim headphone setup.

excellent plan.

PACE

 

[kuma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by digihead Is the Flatcap a worthy upgrade to the Naim CD5x or should I just hang on and get the HiCap instead?

Just hang on and get a HC.

A HiCapped CD5X is quite special. ( it doesn't even have to be the current HC )
You'll be in for a nice surprise.

Currently, I have an idling Chrome Bumper HC, but I am not getting rid of it.
One can never have too many PSUs.

 

[Jimmyblues1959]

Quote:

Originally Posted by digihead Is the Flatcap a worthy upgrade to the Naim CD5x or should I just hang on and get the HiCap instead?

Just hang on and get a HC.

A HiCapped CD5X is quite special. ( it doesn't even have to be the current HC )
You'll be in for a nice surprise.

Currently, I have an idling Chrome Bumper HC, but I am not getting rid of it.
One can never have too many PSUs.

Same here. I have a chrome bumper Hicap along with a NAC 42.5 NAP 110. Still a great setup with my Linn Kan 1's and KEF Reference
Series 101 monitors (KEF's answer to the Rogers LS3/5A). The Naim Hicap is an excellent addition to any Naim component that is equipped to interface with it.

Flatcap is good, but Hicap is noticeably better.

 

[goodvibes]

Either but if newish, the flatcap is fine and much more cost effective. Sort of why it's made. It only powers a not very demanding analog output stage.