Upgrade options, need advice

For me it would depend on when each upgrade could be done. If it's one a year then I'd trade in the 200 for a 250 DR. Stunning amp. The value of the 200 will go down and the cost of a new 250 will go up. I'll be trading in my SN for a 282 this year for this reason. Then add the XPSDR. 

i would try and get your dealer to demo your sysytem and see which adds to the 272 - the 250DR is a stunning AMP and would be my choice - then XPS and speakers would be last -

i have had my 200 for 10 years but the 250DR is in a difference league and next set for me

That's the same upgrade I'm looking at: replacing my NAP200 by a NAP250-DR this year ... and other speakers next year 

I don't think it matters that much which you change first between XPS and amp. You're going to do them anyway, so just go for whatever you can get a good deal on. Maybe your dealer will give you a good deal on an ex-dem model? Speakers I would leave until you have sorted out the black boxes, get everything run in and set up properly first.

Tradional thinking would say source first and the XPS does brilliant things for the 272 but Fink is correct the investment decision says trade the 200 for the 250DR.  

ChrisSU posted:

I don't think it matters that much which you change first between XPS and amp. You're going to do them anyway, so just go for whatever you can get a good deal on. Maybe your dealer will give you a good deal on an ex-dem model? Speakers I would leave until you have sorted out the black boxes, get everything run in and set up properly first.

I agree, whatever you can get the best deal on between the XPS and 250DR

250 DR has the 009 transistors and better DR regulation... XPS well... even XP5XS can power a 272 quite well.

so 250 DR and 272 bare until you can afford a XP5XS or XPSDR

speakers, oh well, they should always be the last to be upgraded, if indeed they are upgraded.

I'd rather much have better electronics than speakers, rather than lesser electronics and better speakers.

Thanks for all the replies. I will contact the dealer.

What about my last question regarding biamp. Has anyone tried?

250 dr too

I'd get the 250 first. As to biamping, you'll just have to try it, though biamping with Naim is rarely particularly successful, though certain speakers do benefit. 

I have tried biamping with the NAP 200 and 250DR and the results are inconclusive. I always have a niggling feeling about the NAP 200 bringing the level of performance down (instead of up) as the 250 DR is surely the superior amp here. A single 250DR will ensure an optimised, high quality performance. If biamping with two 250 DR, there wouldn't be much doubt the setup will be better than a single 250DR. But not the 200 + 250DR.

Having said that, i may try biamping again (200 and 250DR) this weekend if i have the time. 

When you say you've tried bi-amping, is that 'passive', like biwiring, or using active crossovers? I would exoect the difference with passive to be pretty marginal, whereas with an active crossover and bypassing the speakers' crossovers completely I would expect a noticeable improvement. A single better amp might be better than two lesser ones with passive, whereas that might not be the case with active.

Also, when bi-amping there are different schools of thought as to which way round to have the amps, the better one on high frequencies where you will becmosrpt aware of quality differences, or on bass where its better grip would be the significant factor -but of course you can try both ways. 

No biwiring involved. The NAP 250 DR is connected to the upper speaker terminals while the NAP 200 is connected to the lower speaker terminals. My loudspeakers are biwirable with 2 pairs of binding post. Both NAP 250 DR and NAP 200 are connected to the Hicap DR.