NAP 300 Dr review

Thankx!

Already read it, asking myself why we even have a 500....

Dammit, now I really am going to have to consider the DR upgrade seriously 

You might also want to read the articles of Martin Colloms and Chris Binns in HiFiCritic. Very well reported including for that hint of brightness.

Chag - 

Chag... posted:

You might also want to read the articles of Martin Colloms and Chris Binns in HiFiCritic. Very well reported including for that hint of brightness.

Chag - 

Grrr

I too liked it a lot. Who are Jason Kennedy, Martin Colloms and Chris Binns?

You might want to check the Reviews and Rewards under the Naim web page dedicated to the NAP 300 DR:

https://www.naimaudio.com/site..._DR_Tech_feature.pdf

https://www.naimaudio.com/site...vol%209%20no%204.pdf

Chag -

Had a demo of a 300dr last week absolutely superb.

Massimo Bertola posted:

I too liked it a lot. Who are Jason Kennedy, Martin Colloms and Chris Binns?

Are they the new Top Gear presenters? Or Blue Peter maybe?

Blue Peter trying to work out which one is the new Shep?

If anyone is just about to part with some cash for the 300dr, as I have been finding out over the past few months, all the reviews are just about right, although the gap between the 250dr and 300dr is not as significant as I was expecting,  which just emphasis how good the 250dr is....

Hi Wenger, can you please give some more details. I bought 250 DR, and having some thoughts to go for 300 DR (I have 282/HCDR), in what way is 300 DR better? I haven't heard it yet.

I think Wenger is right the gap between the old 250 and 300 was very significant - more musical, more resolution, greater staging etc.   Indeed it was also the case that some preferred the 200 to the old 250. 

DR has changed that in that the new 250 represents a clear step change over the 200 as does the 282 over the 202.  In effect it plays much more into 300 territory.    But no doubt the 300 and of course the 252 still represent a significant uplift in performance particularly with regard to refinement.  Like anything though it really needs a demo preferably at home.

Regards,

Lindsay

analogmusic posted:

Hi Wenger, can you please give some more details. I bought 250 DR, and having some thoughts to go for 300 DR (I have 282/HCDR), in what way is 300 DR better? I haven't heard it yet.

I think the 250dr is excellent in every way and had it not been for my dealer providing an offer to good to refuse, I would have happily stayed with the 250dr.

After listening now for the last 10 weeks, since the 300dr was installed, I would say the improvements are incremental, but incremental in every area, so improved definition, a more open sound, bass tighter but warmer, more depth, more separation.

I'm at the moment using a HC dr, 282, no doubt add a SCdr and possibly those improvements may well increase, plus you could argue add the 252..... but I think your into sounding different territory as apposed to sounding better.....

If you have an opportunity to upgrade with an extremely good deal, then you will not be disappointed....

I have not heard a 300DR in my system, but I did replace dual Hicaps with a Supercap on my DAC, 555PSDR, 282, 250 - which resulted in pretty profound improvement to the areas of performance described above.  I would be inclined to move to a Supercap, with appropriate source, before getting the 300DR.  But sometimes one should take advantage of purchasing opportunities when presented...

Charlie

Since we are reporting here on specific SQ attributes of the 300DR, has anyone found the new version showing the hint of brightness that Martin Colloms has reported last year in HiFiCritic whereas the original 300 may have been known to be slightly dark or matt?

It is the only regret I can sometime have with the new version when combined with NDS/555DR and 252/SCDR. While the DR mod goes one step or more further with each and every SQ attribute of the 300, that touch of light may IMO offset a (marginal) part of the greater details or refinement the DR can show. I often feel that I may have lost a part of the counterpoint on complex or sophisticated violin pieces even if I definitely have gained details and deeper silences. 

Chag -

I've never heard the 300 but when I did a back-to-back demo of the 250.2/250DR/300DR (using pre of 282/SC and Sopra 2s) I felt the performance improvement of the 300DR over the 250DR was bigger and more obvious than the 250DR over the 250.2.  The latter was more a change in flavour.

I disagree with MDS in that I thought the 250DR to be a way better amp in every respect.  But as ever not everyone will agree. 

Is it dependant on the other boxes the 250dr or 300dr is paired with? ie you need the SC as opposed to HC? Ect 

The sound of my 250DR evolved quite significantly over maybe 3 months after it came back to me from modification.  I assume the 300DR is maybe the same.  So be cautious of any quick comparisons.  I don't know if this applies to any of the above posts, but it would seem to be a challenge to compare 250DR with 300DR, both after full "settling in."  I don't know the physics behind this, but i have heard it and many others report similar experience.

Certainly, one expects the 300DR to perform well ahead of the 250DR...

Cheers,

Charlie

Well ahead is going to be a matter of opinion. It has a better power supply and marginally higher wattage output. I'm sure this translates into better performance; how much better I would not bet on. They are basically the same circuit and design with a larger external PS. Without a very intense listen I would not go betting on the difference being earth shattering; they are both likely outstanding.

wenger2015 posted:

Is it dependant on the other boxes the 250dr or 300dr is paired with? ie you need the SC as opposed to HC? Ect 

That could well the explanation , Wenger. 

DUPREE posted:

Well ahead is going to be a matter of opinion. It has a better power supply and marginally higher wattage output. I'm sure this translates into better performance; how much better I would not bet on. They are basically the same circuit and design with a larger external PS. Without a very intense listen I would not go betting on the difference being earth shattering; they are both likely outstanding.

I thought the NAP300 was a dual mono design. Not sure that's so with the NAP250.

I sold my 250-DR within a few months and replaced it with a 300-DR........

greekspec2 posted:

I sold my 250-DR within a few months and replaced it with a 300-DR........

Those Sopras of yours certainly deserve it, greekspec2