200 or 250 advice and service costs

Posted by: ray sheldon on 08 July 2016

All,

Some of you would have read that I recently had to part with my beloved hifi for an unexpected/unplanned property purchase and my HDX,SN2,HCdr, power/hi lines had to go��

Since then as funds allowed I acquired a Unitilite and then a Superuniti ex display at a good price, I still have a nas that was my HDX back up.

So I'm back in the camp and as good as the SU is, it's far from what I had and small upgrades will be soon.....hopefully.

My thoughts, ideally I would like NDX/SN2 and a good ripper....

Stick a power amp on the SU then swap that out for a 272.

Initial thoughts are add 200, swap SU for 272 and then perhaps in the future swap 200 for 250.

My questions I suppose are:

*is the 200 much of an upgrade and should I wait a little longer and just go straight to 250, which would be a little cheaper in the long run?

*what will a 250 do that 200 doesn't, speakers are PMC gb1i(I kept these when I sold my kit and like them). Room is approx 5x3m, hifi is along the landscape approx central to room, speakers approx 6' apart ?

*I want to keep this a cheap as I can, boxes will be 2nd hand/ ex display, demo not possible. If I pick up an old box, either 200 or 250, what does it cost to service(I'm aware of what can't be DR'd although I believe it only benefits when using power amp to power a pre?, which I won't be doing)?

Notes:

ive owned a 200 and was happy with it.

Was very happy with SN2, put a good dead end to upgrade urges.

No recommendations about 282, 300 etc please.

Any views from the greatly experienced members out there appreciated.

Thanks,

Ray.

Posted on: 11 July 2016 by Richard Dane

Could members please be mindful of forum rules, thanks.

Posted on: 11 July 2016 by Mike-B

Adam Zielinski posted:
Mike - most intriguing. I didn't realise that NAT has such a vastly superior FM tuner. I may have to simply get one....

Don't misunderstand me Adam, the FM module is OK, but compared to other world beating tuners (not all Naim) sorry but what I've heard on more than one occasion is nothing special. But this is a thread drift hijack !!!

Posted on: 11 July 2016 by ray sheldon

All,

Thanks for your input on this. I have took the plunge and gone for an older nap200(2003) fully serviced from a dealer for 800.

Not bad I suppose!

Looking forward to it.

Best,

Ray.

Posted on: 11 July 2016 by ChrisSU

Sounds like a good deal, Ray. Hope you enjoy it.

Posted on: 21 July 2016 by catalinmetal

Solid Air posted:
200DR only better than a 200 if you're powering a preamp - otherwise they're the same. If the OP is planning to end up with a 272, a 200 is as good as a 200DR, and the 200 is more likely to be available second hand at good prices.

you are very wrong, sorry!

they are not the same even they look the same on the outside

the 200DR sounds better than nonDR 200, as power amp only! how much better? depends on how much or less your ears are "open".

Posted on: 21 July 2016 by Antonio1

To cut a long story short,Ray you did very well even if not DR

What you really need now is a 202 and hicap DR because it s there you ll win the game.

then the best streamer you can afford.

very good system

Posted on: 21 July 2016 by Solid Air

catalinmetal posted:
Solid Air posted:
200DR only better than a 200 if you're powering a preamp - otherwise they're the same. If the OP is planning to end up with a 272, a 200 is as good as a 200DR, and the 200 is more likely to be available second hand at good prices.

you are very wrong, sorry!
they are not the same even they look the same on the outside
the 200DR sounds better than nonDR 200, as power amp only! how much better? depends on how much or less your ears are "open".

Ok - I had understood that the DR only improved the 200 if powering a preamp. But I haven't done a side-by-side test, so I bow to your greater knowledge.

I got my 2012 non-DR 200 second hand for around half the price of a new 200DR, and it's an absolute peach for that money.