NAP250DR

Investing that much money in a power amp might work well for you, but I would also consider if the cash might be better spent on a source/preamp upgrade. Obviously, if you've just spent money on the Uniti, you may be reluctant to sell it, but if, for example, you were to trade it in for a 272 instead of getting the 250, you might arguably end up with a more balanced system. 

The best way forwards for you might also depend on your speakers - if they are hard to drive, the power amp upgrade might bring more benefits, but I think I would want to listen to one or two alternative options before committing.

I used my Uniti1 with a NAP200 many moons ago and although there was an uplift in SQ over the 'bare' Uniti and the 200 was better able to drive my speakers, I always felt something was missing. It turned out the pre amp section in the Uniti was holding things back.

So if it were me I would improve that area next. I achieved this my chopping my Uniti in against a pre loved NDX/202 pre amp/HiCap. But those were in the days when the streaming pre (272) was a mere twinkle in Naim's eye. I would imagine, as the 272 runs on last gen streaming platform, you could pick one up for very little money and a dealer should allow you something for your Uniti. The 272 will work very nicely with the 200 and then you could consider a 250DR which will move things on very nicely.

From that time I have always gone with the best source and pre amp I could afford. The pre is the beating heart of any system.

I have a different experience. I don't think the pre is the heart of the system, not to my ears.

When I run a poor source into a good pre, and I still hear a poor source.

When I run a good source into an average amplifier, and I hear a good source still.

what might be holding the Uniti back is the source built into the Uniti.

Try a NDX into the same Uniti, and I would expect you to hear a jump in performance. But once at NDX level, you really would want a dedicated preamp...

The other day I was watching a TV series from my Macbook pro into audio quest Dragonfly Red through my Yamaha AV amp, I could still hear very much the excellent qualities of the Dragonfly Red....

ChrisSU posted:

Investing that much money in a power amp might work well for you, but I would also consider if the cash might be better spent on a source/preamp upgrade. Obviously, if you've just spent money on the Uniti, you may be reluctant to sell it, but if, for example, you were to trade it in for a 272 instead of getting the 250, you might arguably end up with a more balanced system. 

The best way forwards for you might also depend on your speakers - if they are hard to drive, the power amp upgrade might bring more benefits, but I think I would want to listen to one or two alternative options before committing.

Good advice. Source first, but it depends on how much of a bargain the 250 is and how quickly you intend to upgrade the rest of the system to catch up. 250.2DR is very revealing.

analogmusic posted:

I have a different experience. I don't think the pre is the heart of the system, not to my ears.

When I run a poor source into a good pre, and I still hear a poor source.

When I run a good source into an average amplifier, and I hear a good source still.

what might be holding the Uniti back is the source built into the Uniti.

Try a NDX into the same Uniti, and I would expect you to hear a jump in performance. But once at NDX level, you really would want a dedicated preamp...

The other day I was watching a TV series from my Macbook pro into audio quest Dragonfly Red through my Yamaha AV amp, I could still hear very much the excellent qualities of the Dragonfly Red....

I think you have just contradicted yourself…..

I see the pre amp as a key part of the source and I was suggesting an improvement in both with the 272. I did likewise but with the addition of the NDX and a 202.

Sticking an NDX infront of a Uniti1 will simply show up the inadequacies in the Uniti's pre amp section.

I upgraded my Superuniti by first adding a 200, then an NDX, and finally replacing it with a 282. Guess which step was the biggest upgrade?

As you seem very happy then perhaps that is your answer. Status quo. Can you upgrade? Of course. The 250DR is an excellent amp, but as others suggest this should lead to a 272 replacing the Uniti, unless you use the CD player. Try the 250DR. If you like it ... your call. 

ChrisSU posted:

I upgraded my Superuniti by first adding a 200, then an NDX, and finally replacing it with a 282. Guess which step was the biggest upgrade?

interesting, which one I am guessing would be the 282.

I still however think for me personally, source first works for what I like to hear.

I don't want to personally amplify and hear a poor source.

I had a Uniti Qute and bought a used 250-2 when one came up at a good price. That sounded great, but the 250 pushed me into  better upgrades, first a 202/HC/NAPSC and ND5-XS, then a 282/HC/NAPSC. THis summer I had everything (except the ND5) for recap service and DR upgrades so now I have 282/HCDR/250DR.  My wallet self-levitates.

I think that buying s/h and thru a dealer you trust makes alot of sense. I had a 200 and switched to 250dr- marked improvement,made even better when changed 202 for 282. Unless it is a final purchase and no further upgrades to be considered, I would consider the 250,as it is available now and possibly ask your dealer to keep his eyes open for pre/source improvement.

Go ahead with the 250DR. In 1-2 years you'll get a 272 and never look back.

Thanks guys for all your advice.  Having read all of the above, I am now a little cautious about upgrading in the manner that I described.  The issue for me is that I do have a lot of CDs and, it has to be said, the Uniti is an incredibly versatile unit that serves my needs well and the current combination of the Uniti and 200 has served me well.

For me, this would (have been) the final upgrade before I retire in less than four years' time after which I will no longer have the inclination to box-swap so I do want a system that, for me will, for want of a better way of putting it, "see me out".  There is no doubt that, looked after properly, the system I have currently will last a long time.

I love the sound of the NAP250DR which I heard in a dealer in Manchester a couple of years ago when it was first on the market.  However, that has to be tempered with the fact that it had a different source (I can't remember what it was, and it certainly wasn't a Uniti) and Focal speakers which I don't use in my own system.

My fear is that the 250DR will expose some of the constraints of the current source (although it has the new DAC to handle 24-bit audio) even though I have no complaints about the Uniti and what it's capable of delivering.

One thing I did want to say was that NigelB's experience of using the NAP200 with the Uniti was not the same as mine, in that I found adding the 200 transformed the Uniti and I was very impressed.

I will discuss these issues with the dealer on the telephone tomorrow when he calls me and once again, thank you all for your advice.

Dave

Do you use the Uniti to play CDs, or have you ripped them? If you want a CD player, your options are pretty limited, but you could replace the Uniti with a Star. Or buy a separate CD player. Personally I would rip them and stream them which also opens up a wider choice of upgrade options. 

If this is your last upgrade before retirement I don't think the 250DR alone is the way to go. I would keep the 200 and think more seriously about upgrading the Uniti. 

Hi Dave,

I did get a nice uplift when I added a 200 to my Uniti but it was a necessity rather than an upgrade in order to properly drive my rather large MA GX300 speakers which I still have.

You seem to have got a greater uplift than I did with the addition of the 200, but I would still suggest that the weak link(s) in your current system is the source and pre amp which are of course both contained within your Uniti. The quality you heard with the 250DR would almost certainly be in great part due to the source and pre amp it was used with. You simply won't hear the 250DR's capabilities with the Uniti IMHO.

As you say, best to discuss this with your dealer before you make any decisions. Maybe you could borrow a 250DR to try with your Uniti at home to see it gives you what you are looking for. However, I fear for a serious upgrade you will need a 272 or a separate streamer or CDP and separate pre amp. With a 272 or separate streamer, you will of course have to go down the streaming route and rip your CDs.

But always try (at home if possible) before you buy.

I say go for the 250. I have a mullet - DAC-V1 and 1-month old 250DR and the sound is much improved over the old NAP 100. I certainly don't feel the much cheaper DAC-V1 is outclassed by the amp. Even if I knew I could never upgrade I would be happy the sound I am getting.

When I upgraded my system to 252-250, I decided to keep the 200 which I appreciated more than the 202 and built a system for the living room.  It was V1 + 200 needed by a MacBook.  Then I traded the V1 in and got a 272, what a change!  Based on my experience I would keep the 200 and trade the Uniti in to get a 272.  It's a very balanced system with a lot of possibilities.   

I suspect a big question is the price of the DR and perhaps if you ever had the NAP 200 serviced.

I got a Uniti Nova last year and while the internal power amp is very capable, I soon added an old but unserviced NAP 250 and have barely used it without until recently as it just added a lot more low end control and boogie factor.

Recently tried a 250 DR with the Nova and it's very impressive, though hard to judge against a 20 year old unserviced NAP 250.

If the 250 DR trumps the NAP 200 musically sounds good to me and will stand you in good stead for future upgrades, if however 'this is it' upgrade wise probably sensible to evaluate the other upgrade possibilities mentioned.

Good luck.

It’s been said above but adding a 250 to the Uniti is not really sensible. A 272/200 will be a lot better than a Uniti/250. Are CDs important? Why not rip them? If not a Rega CDp into a 272 is an option. 

Alley Cat posted:

I suspect a big question is the price of the DR and perhaps if you ever had the NAP 200 serviced.

I got a Uniti Nova last year and while the internal power amp is very capable, I soon added an old but unserviced NAP 250 and have barely used it without until recently as it just added a lot more low end control and boogie factor.

Recently tried a 250 DR with the Nova and it's very impressive, though hard to judge against a 20 year old unserviced NAP 250.

If the 250 DR trumps the NAP 200 musically sounds good to me and will stand you in good stead for future upgrades, if however 'this is it' upgrade wise probably sensible to evaluate the other upgrade possibilities mentioned.

Good luck.

The streaming and pre amp sections in the Nova are far superior to the Unit1, I’m afraid. A 250DR may well be beneficial when added to a Nova but not to a Uniti1 IMHO. 

Help with nomenclature required.

Is a 250.2 upgraded to DR status known as a 250DR or a 250.2DR?

How long does sucha n upgrade take to settle down?  The usual 3 Earth months or so?

Loki posted:

Help with nomenclature required.

Is a 250.2 upgraded to DR status known as a 250DR or a 250.2DR?

How long does sucha n upgrade take to settle down?  The usual 3 Earth months or so?

Only a 250-2 can be upgraded to a DR. Thereafter, it's a 250DR, which is what the new ones are named. The -2 is unecessary to distinguish it.

I just had mine upgraded and received it back a month ago. It is already starting to sound much better.

RaceTripper posted:

Loki posted:

Help with nomenclature required.

Is a 250.2 upgraded to DR status known as a 250DR or a 250.2DR?

How long does sucha n upgrade take to settle down?  The usual 3 Earth months or so?

Only a 250-2 can be upgraded to a DR. Thereafter, it's a 250DR

I just had mine upgraded and received it back a month ago. It is already starting to sound much better.

a) How do you 'know'?

b) Snap!

It all depends what you choose to do in the future. If you intend to buy a replacement pre amp for the Nova, in the future, then to buy a 272 now makes no sense - just watch how the prices will drop. A 272 is not the answer to all things, contrary to beliefs.

Man with no Naim posted:

It all depends what you choose to do in the future. If you intend to buy a replacement pre amp for the Nova, in the future, then to buy a 272 now makes no sense - just watch how the prices will drop. A 272 is not the answer to all things, contrary to beliefs.

I’m sure it’s not, but with what evidence do you back up your assertion that 272 prices will drop significantly?