NAP 250DR - Again

How would you describe the improvements over your previous 250.2 ?

I need to Know more as I'm planning to upgrade myself

I had a demo non DR 250 for @ 3 weeks and swapped it out last weekend for a new 250DR. Appreciating the new amp is still running in, I would say that my first observation after a week is that the lower end feels deeper and more controlled and (when required) a greater delicacy.

Sound stage not so much difference but that may be more to do with the 272 also only being a week old - having read various reports of them talking quite a few weeks to come on song.

I agree with Harty601 and Strat. I have had my 250DR about 6 weeks on the end of a Superuniti. What it adds to my setup is greater delicacy and effortlessness. The musical tempo is brisker , timing is better. Bass is tight and well defined. This was obvious right out of the box. I has previously tried the Superuniti/250.2 at the dealers, and could not perceive much difference that was obvious to me. I noted that the staff were boogying more when the 250.2 was attached, as they told me it was timing better. I didn't literally buy that. In my opinion, the 250DR is, using a wine term, an iron fist in a velvet glove.

I rather like a big four cylinder engine. Such as the 2356 cc Volvo Red-block engine in the 240.

Loads of torque and enough roughness to grip on ice. Six cylinder engines are less torquey and slip much more easily in poor traction conditions. How that applies to replay, I am not certain!

All V8a sound like a bag of nails compared to four or six cylinder engines, though I have always liked the sound of three cylinders! V4s do sound the worst though ...

ATB from George

George - I agree a straight 6 is the ultimate design.   

Anyway back to the music - I woke up at 3 this morning (never happens) wanting to go downstairs and play music!!

Love reading comments like this, wonder what Naim make of it all.

Great read Strat.

One week on.  

As as I reported earlier this guy appears to be better straight out of the box than other Naim components I've purchased.  Nonetheless there is maturity particularly in the treble     However perhaps the most noticeble change over both the previous 250.2 and 200 is the ability to play louder for longer and to enjoy the music more and more without even a hint of stress.  Indeed I've wanted to take time of work to play more music.   

Resolution and insight?  Enhanced at times dramatically.  The interplay between Ali Farka Toure and Ry Cooder on the wonderful Talking Timbuktu is a joy to hear making the subtleties and distinction between the African and the delta blues elements apparent but at the same time the coherency of the music and synergy that so obviously exists between the musicians is all the greater. If you access to this CD and get the chance to demo the 250 or indeed the 300 ask to hear Diaraby, close your eyes and get lost in the sheer creative genius that was at play when these guys made this stuff.   

On vinyl the earie atmospherics on Dire Straits Planet of New Orleans provide a sense of a steam powered Natchez riverboat cruise as Chris White's sax soars away to be superseded by the wonderful tone of Mark's  Pensa underpinned by the multiple grooves of the keyboards and percussion and depth of John Illsey's bass.     

And can this box provide soundstage and drama to really perform the greatest of classical works?  On Tennstedt's fabulous live recording of Ludwig's Eroica it unfolds in vast swathes of rhythms and textures that will literally grab your attention more and more as the slow 2nd movement gives way to the scherzo 3rd and sheer triumphalism of the 4th.

Now heres one final point - for now.  Previously I've always felt that ultimately I've preferred vinyl - well perhaps in the longer term I still might but somehow this amp has revolutionised what I'm getting out of my CD collection. 

+1. What a wonderful read.

I use a 250DR with NDS/282/SupercapDR and I fully recognise the reduction in listener fatigue the 250DR brings. I now have to constantly watch the clock on the iPad during listening sessions so I don't run late.

Not sure what interconnects and speaker cables you are using but I found the 250DR loves the SL speaker cables although you might not want to hear this!

+1 Thanks for this The Strat.

nigelb the SL with 272/250DR is something I am looking into so good to hear the 250DR likes them, bad for the wallet mind.

Dan, my lovely Naim dealer kindly loaned me some SL speaker cables so I could try before buying in my own system. Fortunately I only needed 3m lengths and I got a bit off the cables as ex-dem which lessened the damage to my wallet a little. Maybe your dealer could loan you some SL cables also - worth a try and I don't think you will be disappointed.

Nice write up, Strat.  Very tempted to get my own 250 upgraded when Naim fire the starting gun, though I suspect there will be quite a queue.

Mike

Hi Strat, thanks for a nice write up

One question though : does the 250DR have the "speed" and pace of the old Nap 200?

I always found the 250.2 to be a bit slow, especially in comparison to the 200 and 300. The new 250 DR is a different beast altogether and is, to me, more like the 300 than the 250.2. It's just a brilliant amplifier. 

I was once a Nail virgin but now I'v totally seduced by Naim - I'd lost heart with my old system and wanted to get that excitement back into my music. A 272 and 250DR has done just that! Even out of the box.... but now they are running in each day just gets better and better. 

As with any good system it does highlight poor recordings! 

...Given the choice I think I'd go for Naim too.

Ouch!

G

I shood chek mi spilling befour I poste a mesage!!!!!

Quite! We 272/250DR owners must preserve standards.

Mine's been running for a month or so and continues to improve, though the XPS, being only five days old, is slightly confusing matters. There was a pretty big drop in performance about a week or so in, but it was over with quickly.