Naim N272 & Power Amps
Posted by: Steve GTX on 22 September 2015
Hi,
Thank you to everyone who commented on my proposed system upgrade and following a home trial of the N272 I decided to order one and all being well, I pick it up tomorrow.
My existing systems if Musical Fidelity A3.2 pre amp, 2 x A3.2 power amps and A3.2 CD player. Monitor Audio GR60's. Chord Signature Interconnects and good speaker cable (but I can't remember what they are!). Have ripped all the CD's to FLAC and keep them on a NAS Drive (with a RAID Back Up).
The long term goal is to upgrade all of it to Naim and the N272 is the first stage.
My budget is not unlimited but I'm not afraid to pay more IF the results are significantly better.
Is one Naim power amp better than my 2 x Musical Fidelity's?
I looked at the 200 power amp but I've also been offered a used 250.2.
What do you guys (and girls) think?
Thanks
Steve
I'd save those pennies and get a 250DR. The extra power will keep those MAs in strict control. I'm using the 250 with my 272 and it's terrific and so much better than the 250.2.
Thanks for the reply,
Is the 250DR a replacement for the 250.2 and what is DR?
Steve
Does anyone know what "recapping" is?
S
I have been through a similar change, I had MF 3.2 CD/Pre/2 x Powers into MA GR20, I then went to MF 308 CD/Pre/Power and then to Kef Ref 205 speakers. I bought 3.2 Power and another 308 Power to tri amp the Kef Ref 205 and bi amp the Kef Ref 202C and run the 206DS, I was running a 5.1 AV/Hi Fi combination at the time.
I now have ND5 XS/nDAC/282/200 into the Kef Ref 205 as a purely 2 channel system, I prefer the sound, YMMV.
Get a home dem if possible
Just put a deposit down on a used 300, not sure if I should have gone 250DR but it's a done deal now.
Nothing wrong with the MF/MA kit just prefer the Naim. MA speakers don't seem to get much love on here but I still have the GR 20's in an AV system and think they are great.
Get some NAC A4 or A5 speaker cable to try, used it's not much dosh.
Gus
Does anyone know what "recapping" is?
S
Replacing the capacitors, after about 10 years it's recommended to have a power amp serviced and the caps are replaced as part of it, Naim do it at the factory and also a couple of service companies are authorised to do it.
Nice to know someone else on the Forum has MA GR60s, I've had mine for about 7 years now. Originally I drove them with a 250 and then with a pair of 135s (well respected old Naim monoblocks). I then switched to a Uniti which did struggle a bit but now they are very happy being driven by my Superuniti.
Although they are large they seem to be fairly efficient and easy to drive - if you want to switch to Naim power I would say anything from a 200 upwards would be fine, certainly a 250. Bigger amps will sound better - but at a price!
Thanks for the feedback but my original question was.... is a Naim power amp better than my two Musical Fidelity Power amps? (when paired with my new Naim N272)
At the moment, Have one amp to drive the top end and the other to drive the bass.
Thoughts?
The only way to tell is to try it yourself and see which you prefer. If you want the Naim sound it makes no sense to match the 272 with Musical Fidelity, but who knows? As Yazoo once said - Only You.
Thanks for the feedback but my original question was.... is a Naim power amp better than my two Musical Fidelity Power amps? (when paired with my new Naim N272)
At the moment, Have one amp to drive the top end and the other to drive the bass.
Thoughts?
It might be, it might not be. You need to try it yourself. Your system, your ears, your tastes 
Beat me to it Nigel.
At the end of the day it's me that has to live with whatever I end up with. However, the thing that has prompted me to look at this now... is that I've advertised my MF A3.2 Pre Amp and I've had an offer for the lot, giving me an opportunity to start from scratch.
Right. Here comes an instruction. Sell the lot. Get shot of Musical Fidelity. Naim is better. The 272 is great. Buy a 250DR. Do it now.
Better?
Choose Naim!!!!
Much better thank you - Hungryhalibut. I can go and lie down now.
I do know, that deep down, that is the right thing to do but I did not want to sell a kidney and my first borne quite yet but...... hey ho!
Ah Wat
I have been auditioning and that's how i decided on the N272 but had not planned on an "all in one" mad spending spree!
If you've a decent offer for all the MF I'd sell it and buy a used 200, once you're settled in trade the 200 for a 250DR next year
No, don't do that. Get the 250DR now. There's no point buying a stopgap, you'll only lose money. Smile sweetly at the dealer and ask for a deal - you are, after all, now a loyal customer. Should you live anywhere near me in sunny Emsworth, you are welcome to have a listen first.
No, don't do that. Get the 250DR now. There's no point buying a stopgap, you'll only lose money. Smile sweetly at the dealer and ask for a deal - you are, after all, now a loyal customer. Should you live anywhere near me in sunny Emsworth, you are welcome to have a listen first.
All very well if you've got the cash, but if not, and if the MFs have to go, a 200 will still do the job, and I can't see that a used one would depreciate all that much over a year or two. They're pretty cheap at the moment, presumably because people are upgrading to DR amps.
Few month ago, I just got rid of a musical fidelity m6i, and replaced it with nap200 and nac282. No DR (It came out just one month later...) and no hicap yet. The sound is amazing. Much much better than the Musical.
The name feed a b&w 804D not the easiest to drive speaker but not that hard.
The main source is Rega P9 and I still use the Musical mdac1 with Mac mini or the m1 transport. For sure the vinyl is much better. The digital source is not in the level of the rest of the gear.
I can't recommend to go with the 200 over the 250 DR or not, because I don't know your speakers, but if it's help - I have great speakers, and the 200 non DR is doing a great job. I don't even think it's need an upgrade in the years to come. I used to change a lot in the past, but now I'll just hicap the 282 and get naim Dac and I'm done :-)
If I may add my two bob's worth, I started with 172-200 combo, now 282-250.2. I have learned the hard way, losing $4000 that it's better to think long term. The 272/XPS/250DR is a system which will last for years without needing upgrading ( DAC excluded). When the 272 came out I spoke to Naim directly about it, they said 272/XPS is not far behind 282/HiCaps. The extra weight and speed of the new DR amps will be ALL you need for years. I am getting my 250.2 DR'ed at the end of the year. If you have a s/h 300 organized, so long as it is near new it should be fine. Replacing the Cap's costs serious money.
If I may add my two bob's worth, I started with 172-200 combo, now 282-250.2. I have learned the hard way, losing $4000 that it's better to think long term. The 272/XPS/250DR is a system which will last for years without needing upgrading ( DAC excluded). When the 272 came out I spoke to Naim directly about it, they said 272/XPS is not far behind 282/HiCaps. The extra weight and speed of the new DR amps will be ALL you need for years. I am getting my 250.2 DR'ed at the end of the year. If you have a s/h 300 organized, so long as it is near new it should be fine. Replacing the Cap's costs serious money.
If you have a s/h 300 organized, so long as it is near new it should be fine. Replacing the Cap's costs serious money.
The 300 I am getting is a 2013 model from a dealer, I'll run it for a while then if the DR upgrade is affordable I'll go for that next year. Planned to go 250DR but changed my mind, aim to skip 252 and go from my 282 to a 552 after that.
After a recent dem I was left with the impression that the NDX was better than the 272. I even felt the NDX/202/200 held its own against the 272/XPS/250. Both systems sounded very good to me, and this is certainly not a criticism of the 272, but that was my initial impression. I need to have another listen before I make a decision, but next time the NDX will be with a 282.
Chris