Used NAP250.2 or used NAP250DR?

The 250DR is a newer variant with a different presentation.. and theoretically of higher performance with more demanding speakers.. I prefer the 250.2 and works well with my ATCs as the 250.2 has a slightly warmer presentation but with different speakers it could be different

Having gone SN2 to the nimble 200, which I liked, to 250.2 - which was a tad bloated and lumpy, I now have a 250DR.

The latter is much much better than the previous three...ime.

G

GraemeH posted:

Having gone SN2 to the nimble 200, which I liked, to 250.2 - which was a tad bloated and lumpy, I now have a 250DR.

The latter is much much better than the previous three...ime.

G

Hi GraemeH, but that does not sound exactly very enthusiastic, does it? After all the 250DR is already your fourth power amp configuration .... ;-)

Hi Steffen -- I think Simon and Graeme have pretty much nailed it: if you want a leaner, more precise presentation, then the DR amp is the way to go; if you fancy something warmer and funkier, then the 250.2 would be my choice. (And indeed it was.)

I would always buy used and from a reputable dealer is obviously best but even from eBay if you are collecting the item yourself.

I too couldn't really notice the bloated and heavy accusations levelled against the 250-2 it was a fine sounding amp but the majority on here would disagree and say buy a DR model.

When I wanted to upgrade I had the chance to buy an early non DR 300 for about the same price as the 250DR. The guy I bought it from said that the difference between the 300 and 300 DR really wasn't that huge and I have since heard both and tend to agree. So if your budget is around the £2,750 mark then I would be looking at an early 300 too.

I would go DR in a heartbeat. While the sound presentation of the DR version indeed is quite different for both the 250 and 300 and would require in principle, testing in situ, the SQ is substantially greater in all cases with a finer resolution, extended spectrum, greater transparency and larger and deeper soundstage. ????

Chag -

If you afford it go for the DR now. That way you will not need to be without music for 4-6 weeks while Naim upgrade it and it will be easier to resell / trade in when you eventually go to 300DR with your 252 when you get there.

joe9407 posted:

Hi Steffen -- I think Simon and Graeme have pretty much nailed it: if you want a leaner, more precise presentation, then the DR amp is the way to go; if you fancy something warmer and funkier, then the 250.2 would be my choice. (And indeed it was.)

A DR amp is funky.... And boogies !

I never liked the 250.2....

brahms86 posted:

 .

..Getting the NAP250.2 will quite certainly make a nice positive impact on the performance of my setup..

 

 

I doubt getting a 250.2 or 250 DR behind a SN1 will provide miracles

First I would source that Hicap or Supercap needed anyway for upcoming 282/252/poweramp, put it on the SN1 meanwhile.

Second, would a single NDX match say 252/SC/250 or 300 DR..?

Many thanks to all fro your helpful and considerate comments!

@Perol: You are most probably right, but at some point I needed to start somewhere and I wanted to take the route with the least "intermediate" steps. Next step after the NAP250DR will be a supercap then (to replace my existing 3rd party PS). This one will again be subject to the same consideration, buy a used non-DR and DR later or go directly for a DR version.
On the NDX: That is something for the far future, in general I am inclined to look at the NDX2 anyway, mostly because of the better integration of more streaming services.

@ANALOGMUSIC: Thanks! (See below)

@S3: Thanks as well, a used NAP300DR is not so easily to come by, but we will see! (See below)

@Chat...: I will think of your comment, once my NAP250DR is installed, resolution and transparency ... yes! ;-) (See below)

@Bob the builder: This is actually what I was doing ... looking for a used NAP300, but then when you look at the total expected future box count ... after having lived for more than 5 years with just one box (Supernait)

@JOE9407: Too late to get to the NAP250.2 (see below)

Well, what happened in the mean time is, that I made a price proposal on one of the NAP250DR's currently available at eBay and it was accepted the morning (at a generous discount)!

I guess next weekend I will be able to publish my first impressions on an NDX / Supernait as pre/NAP250DR system ;-)

Congratulations Brahms! Now is the next question 282, 252 or 272? ????

Chag -

My 250DR arrives in a few days to replace my 1985 NAP250 serviced last year so a full comparison between old and new.

Source 272 with XP5xs with the awesome Proac Tab10 cannot wait....

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

The 250DR is a newer variant with a different presentation.. and theoretically of higher performance with more demanding speakers.. I prefer the 250.2 and works well with my ATCs as the 250.2 has a slightly warmer presentation but with different speakers it could be different

This is interesting, and not the first time I've heard this.

I suspect I may be one of those who prefers a warmer sounding 250.2.

Oddly, or perhaps not, my first 250 in 1992 sounded quite different to my 2nd around 1998 when I got active SBLs, but compared them side by side.  Perhaps the caps in the first were starting to show some wear, or maybe slightly different components.

For the SBLs I also opted for a secondhand NAXO 2-4 which sounded nice and warm rather than the S-NAXO 2-4 which sounded too thin and detailed when A/B'd though I'd have been happy with either had I not compared them.

The original 250.2 is very very good. We use ours with a 552 and Sonus Faber Olympica 1 and the amp is not a weak link. For sure a 300DR is the king and we would love one next.

good listening