Upgrade to Chord Hugo or Nap 250 DR

I'd have the very tasty 250DR. Stunning amp 

I'd have the very tasty 250DR. Stunning amp 

I would agree also for all sound signature consistency purposes although source first is a strong credo.

Hugo on NDX has received strong if not large advocacy on this forum.  

Chag -

Quite frankly the Hugo will give you most likely the most significant SQ performance boost - effectively you are transforming your NDX to around NDS or better performance (dependent on your view - assuming you will drive the Hugo from the NDX) ... so unless your NAP 250 is in need of a major service / overhaul it will relish the improvement in the source. 

But as always do try and listen first - the Hugo has quite a different approach to DAC filter reconstruction to Naim which of course might not ultimately be your cup of tea.. and in which case get the 250DR or save up for the NDS/555PSDR

Listening to the Ely Cathedral choir on my NDX/Hugo and 252DR/250 and it has the hairs on the back of my neck tingling - quite breath taking - I never seem to tire of this system or take it for granted.

Simon

I'd also try an XPS on the NDX. 

 What Simon said, although I do like the Nap250dr and would be tempted to listen to both and see what gave the biggest bang for my buck

I did have a demo on Friday of a NDX/282/Supercap dr/250 dr speakers were Spendor D7s adding an XPS dr power supply made an unbelivable difference a demo is a must.

Hmmm

I own Hugo 282 250DR and also 202/200 and have used Hugo in both systems.

I would go for the 250 DR.

The 250 DR has its own kind of "hugo" effect, it is fluid, effortless, musical, less hash and background noise, really inky black background from which notes emerge.

I haven't heard the olive 250, but the 250 DR is one superb amplifier.

If I had to choose between 250 DR and Hugo, as much as I like the Hugo, I would not hesitate to choose the 250 DR.

Naim digital sources are really good. Yes I own a Hugo (which sounds fantastic), but I enjoy very much Naim digital sources, they are so musical.

I was just listening to my DAC V1 directly into my nap 200, and it was a fine digital performance, really nothing that I could be wishing to improve on, or nothing that sounded anything but musical and engaging. When I hear a Unitiqute into modest speakers, it sounds very musical to me, and I don't think "would it sound better on the Hugo". I just enjoy the music.

So there, keep the NDX and get the 250 DR.

Thanks for all the advice. I must say that after reading all your replies and other posts about the Hugo I am leaning towards the Hugo at this stage. 

Please read my post, I would get the 250 DR.

Jimps posted:

Advice wanted. Which would give greater SQ improvement. The Hugo or NAP 250 DR,  My current system is NDX, 282, Hicap DR, Olive 250, Linn Majik 140's. Unfortunately I can't do both at the same time. 

What do you hope to improve upon?

You're asking should I buy a car or a bicycle, motorists are recommending cars and cyclists bicycles to you.

Speaker room interaction has the biggest effect on sound quality. 

Then again I've made many an upgrade on a whim. My guess is that the power amp will make the bigger difference, having just gone from a nDAC to Hugo TT IMHO you're into the musicality domain of improvement, undeniably there but subtle enough none the less - a bit more power to your speakers, ah .........that's a different thing.

Good advice is to have some idea where you want to go when doing upgrades, I think you will find eventually you will do both, I'd go for the power amp first (although again having said that I went from olive 250 to a 250.2 a good few years back now and it wasn't that big a step, I'm presuming all the posts on here about the DR upgrades are not just self-justification).

Mind you whichever you go with I don't think you will be disappointed so perhaps just go for whichever you can get at the best price now.

<bit stream of consciousness reply I know but there really is no right and wrong here>

SJB

Hugo. Also swap NDX for Mac Mini running Audirvana as renderer (and allow say £120 for a USB/spdif isolator/convertor - I use Gustard), and that should leave you with some funds to carry on saving to change the amp.

I am curious as to why a Mac Mini with Audirvana sounds that good?

Innocent Bystander posted:

Hugo. Also swap NDX for Mac Mini running Audirvana as renderer (and allow say £120 for a USB/spdif isolator/convertor - I use Gustard), and that should leave you with some funds to carry on saving to change the amp.

And change your carpet for a more neutral colour and get a decent vacuum cleaner (I use Dyson ) to ensure it's particle free. 

SJB

There is some diametrically opposed advice on here based mostly I would suggest on what individual forumites own rather than properly conducted comparative demos. We have even been advised to sell our NDXs and get Mac Minnis! SJB's advice is the most balanced and sensible in my view.

The only advice I would give is the usual - do the leg work, do not buy anything on the back of advice here and listen to the alternatives (preferably at home in your system).

Good luck.

I don't think 'we' are being advised to sell NDXs, rather that was a suggested answer to the OPs very specific question, and recognising that he was already considering making the DAC part of the NDX redundant.

There is much comparative info elsewhere on this forum regarding NDX and alternatives, including NDX as renderer with Hugo, and NDX compared to MM/Audirvana/Hugo, and of course in a forum like this there are people with different views, and indeed different assessments based on the rest of their systems and their musical preferences - and that is the strength of it, even if it can get confusing at times. But yes, indeed, the primary advice is that only the listener can decide, by hearing, the responses here just presenting ideas based on each contributor's personal views, hopefully based on experience.

My point was that few of us have carried out a thorough and direct comparison of exactly the items the OP is considering and some resort to recommending one of the items the OP is considering because they happen to own it. Yes we all have some experience but we should be clear when recommending one component over another if we have not had direct and comparable experience of both items. That particular experience is the most relevant. Others can only speculate how two quite different items compare. All I am saying is that we should be clear about our experience when making recommendations.

In the interests of clarity, I have owned a NDX, loved it, now own a NDS, love it even more, currently own a 250DR, wonderful amp and have never heard a Hugo with neither a NDX nor a Mac Mini/Audrivana.

To add further grist to the mill, my NDX is one of the original versions without the 24/192 Board.  Will the Hugo enable me to play these hi res files? Again thanks for all the debate and comments, carpets and all.

Yes your original streaming module in the NDX will allow Hugo to be driven fine, other than you will be limited to a maximum of 96/24 and so will rule out anything higher as well as streamed DSD. The playlist memory will also be smaller - but unless you are a power playlist user with the Naim app I doubt that will trouble you.

Simon

Thanks for the reply Simon. Much appreciated.