Upgrade path advice please

A NAP250DR or an XPS-DR are the two obvious upgrades.  Both will be highly beneficial.

Naturally, best for your Naim dealer to demonstrate the two options for you.  My hunch would be the 250DR though.

Do let us know how you get on.

Best regards, FT

The 272 needs an xpsdr to get the best out of it, but I'm thinking a nap250dr is probably the way to go.

As for the rack, the improvements you are suggesting will certainly be worth the effort... 

Do you have access to a Naim deal;er or will you buy blind?

Are those Kefs the very old 104s? I heard some 104s many years ago and they were ponderous and devoid of excitement. If they are these, they might be the first place to look. If on the other hand they are not, the 250DR is very likely the way to go. 

The KEF 104.4 will benefit from a substantial power amp upgrade:  The 8000P can drive them to the best of it's ability, but that pairing isn't a particularly musical combination (even though it will actually get a lot of things right).  You will get a really substantial improvement from one of the more agile Naim power amps such as a 180, 200 or 250DR.  Personally I wouldn't go for anything less than a 180, although you may get away with a 140 depending on the acoustics of your room - I've heard that combination and whilst the bass was a little lose, apart from that it was really quite good.

From where you are, I would suggest the 250DR as then you'll next be able to decide whether an XPS or speaker upgrade is the best step.  The 250DR will drive most speakers really well, only the most difficult of speakers will tax it to any great degree, so it won't significantly restrict your future choices.  As always with any upgrade, you really need to audition it and decide for yourself.

A NAP250DR is really an amazing step forward. What a combination with a NAC-N 272! The XPS-DR is a good update but a NAP250DR would be my first choice...

Thanks everyone, great responses to my first ever post in this forum,  so to reply to most of your questions, yes the speakers are 25 year old Kef 104.2.  So probably due an upgrade but I'm informed by my local dealer that I would at least have to stump up for the current kef reference 5 to improve in the old kefs??? Opinions? 

As you can probably tell from the set up my budget is not endless and most of the items were brought used.  The 272 is new though.

Yes I have a number of dealers around me in Nottinghamshire/ Derbyshire so a demo won't be a problem.

Ultimately I will aim to get an amp and PS but that will be a way off if getting both new. 

What about a non DR 250? Worth looking at? Assume still a big jump from the used £200 audiolab 8000p I currently have. 

Thanks in advance. 

if you want to full Naim sound, suggest you get a 250, of course the 250 DR is better, but an older 250 will also do.

Tim20 posted:

 

Yes I have a number of dealers around me in Nottinghamshire/ Derbyshire so a demo won't be a problem.

 

Then it will be easy to go where your ears take you.  And it will be interesting to see what conclusions you reach using your ears.

I'm not so sure that an older 250 would sonically match so well with the KEF 104.2; but there's only one way to find out - try it and compare to a 200 and your Audiolab.

Huge posted:

I'm not so sure that an older 250 would sonically match so well with the KEF 104.2; but there's only one way to find out - try it and compare to a 200 and your Audiolab.

If you did go for a pre-loved 250, you can always have it dr'd at a later date...

With some exceptions Naim pre amps normally synergise best with Naim power amps and I would say NAP 250DR. 

Regards,

Lindsay

i m running a 104.2 with  olive 250 in a 17 by 12 ft room .no problem or lack of power here

250DR

Speakers

XPSDR

Fraim

Powerlines

SL speaker Cables

SL XLR/DIN

555DR

it is a 1 to 20 year plan 

Thanks everyone, 

Speakers to improve upon the Kef 104.2 Within a sensible bedget ?

5x3. Room

Tim,

Speakers are such a personal choice that the best recommendation I can give is to go round all the HiFi dealers in your area, tell then what you're looking for and what your system is and ask for their suggestions.  Then read the reviews to see if anyone noted anything that's a "deal breaker" feature for you in those speakers.

Use this to draw up a shortlist for audition.  Initially listen at the dealer's shop using their equipment then whn you have two or three candidates insist on using your own equipment for the final decision (preferably in your home as the room interaction is very significant).

Speakers are probably the hardest thing to select - good luck!

replacing today something like a 104.2 can be an expensive task and not simple.remamber this  is quite big and heavy 3way full range speaker.shure its not perfect but to get its scale and authority at least you ll have to pay quite a lot. before  you change this speakers sort out your nap. 104.2 is a piece of cake for a nap 250(any version).