Sound signature

Nap200 good

Nap300 better

End of story

Japtimscarlet posted:

Nap200 good

Nap300 better

End of story

Thanks for that, has absolutely nothing to do with what I asked ????????

If you ask a woolly question, don’t be surprised if you get a woolly (or indeed irrelevant) answer, especially on here.

Guys am I missing something!? I have heard it mentioned many times the 200 and 300 sound very similar and the 250 and 500 also. What is woolly about my question in Do the other amps follow similar sound signatures. Ie Supernait2 similar to 250 sound or 200 and all the other naim amps

Well it is no so woolly now as you have specified some power amps that you would like some comparisons on.

I have owned  a 200 a long time ago and then went to 250.2 and now 250DR so my memory is a bit weak. I would summarise the 200 as agile and on the lean side with the 250DR a little darker and better extension at both ends of the frequency extremes. The 250 has been described as slow, but the 250DR simply isn’t IMV.

Over to those with more experience.

My opening question said how do the other amps compare with each other sonically! I thought most on hear would know the naim amp line up.  ????

Continuing the theme

I think it is more of a scale thing..

As you listen to higher priced naim amps..the size and scale of the soundstage grows ...yes they have individual characteristics...but the scale and depth of the sound are the overriding impression I feel

Why are we talking about naps and not nacs? Or combinations of the 2? IMO the Nac is more important in shaping the sound.

i think the question is not stupid at all.  Some prefer 282 vs 252 and other 250dr vs 300dr.  I am in this second camp.

The 300 dr sounds bigger , more impressive, with more authority. But i prefer the 250dr, a bit faster,  agile, with a bit better prat.  On my system of course.   To me the 250dr sounds just right, vs the 300dr that was a bit overwhelming and even slower sometimes.   

French Rooster posted:

i think the question is not stupid at all.  Some prefer 282 vs 252 and other 250dr vs 300dr.  I am in this second camp.

The 300 dr sounds bigger , more impressive, with more authority. But i prefer the 250dr, a bit faster,  agile, with a bit better prat.  On my system of course.   To me the 250dr sounds just right, vs the 300dr that was a bit overwhelming and even slower sometimes.   

 

OK, I’ll say it....nonsense. 

Dave J posted:

French Rooster posted:

i think the question is not stupid at all.  Some prefer 282 vs 252 and other 250dr vs 300dr.  I am in this second camp.

The 300 dr sounds bigger , more impressive, with more authority. But i prefer the 250dr, a bit faster,  agile, with a bit better prat.  On my system of course.   To me the 250dr sounds just right, vs the 300dr that was a bit overwhelming and even slower sometimes.   

 

OK, I’ll say it....nonsense. 

 

the sense is the right balance on our system.    On my easy load speakers, average room, the nap300dr was a bit too fat and heavy.   The 250dr is better balanced on my system and the sound is more agile and quick, a little bit of course.    With other speakers and bigger room, it would be certainly different.

Some prefer the cdx2/xps vs the cds3/xps, the 282 vs the 252, the 250 vs the 300.   Nonsense? i don’t think so.

Popeye,

I too have read comments about how the 200 and 300 have some similar character, with the 250 being different.  This has even been described as "voicing."  So your question may seem reasonable, based on reading such threads.  Your question would be perhaps more useful if you were asking about an upgrade path.  And, alas it makes little sense (to me) to speak of the "sound" of an amp without the context of source, preamp and speakers.  Always we hear the music from a complete system.

Personally, I don't get any of this, and it seems somehow strange (to me) to talk of an amplifier being "voiced."  It could be I just don't get it.  But having lived with 200, 250.2 250DR, then 300, I have appreciated significant improvements at every step "up" the model line.  My source was evolving during this time, but preamp was and is 282.  The 282 was powered by (2) Hicaps for the 200 -> 250.2 change, and Supercap thereafter.  My speakers are about 90dB efficient, but impedance dips to 3 Ohms.  With every amplifier swap I had to fine tune speaker position to rebalance bass.  

Of course the sensible thing is to audition, and let your ears decide.   This raises the question (again of system context) of what you will be using for preamp and power supply.  A 300 or 300DR likely does not make sense unless you plan to upgrade the source and swap for at least a 282 with HCDR or Supercap.  I have not heard any of these amps using a Supernait2 (for example) as preamp, but I would have reservations about drawing conclusions about that combination and then extrapolating to how the amps would "sound" with a 282 or 252 and an upgraded source.

Cheers,

Charlie

Perhaps the following link will help - noting Richard's words around the 200/250 aspect.

https://forums.naimaudio.com/t...ed-vs-regulated-amps

For me there is no question (and as you would expect) the presentation of the power amps changes as you go up the hierarchy. As Richard outlines, the better & more powerful amps are more revealing of the replay chain and it's often all about 'balance' & matching of the kit.

I was only asking out of interest! I am more than happy with my Supernait2 and am not even looking to replace it.