Nap 250-2 D R

Sometimes I think my system sounds a bit off, and there are posts here from others who have found the same. Possible reasons include variable mains supply quality, intermittent RFI from other appliances or neighbours, poorly soldered or corroded interconnects, or even just weird things happening in your head (including colds). 

Maybe the easiest one to check is cabling: disconnect all mains leads, interconnects and speaker cables, re-insert them (several times to scrape off corrosion) and power up. After all that your system should sound great, probably because your neighbor just finished using the hairdryer.

Painter,

I have had no such experience.  Perhaps it is not the amp but something else that has changed.  I assume you are listening to the same music as before, but the bass sounds different?   Have the speakers been moved?  Any change to your rack or shelf?  Are the woofers properly torqued?

Charlie

I've had a long week with little chance to listen. After breakfast this morning took a cup of tea into the lounge put the Long Road Out Of Eden into the CDS3 and it sounded just spectacular. 

Nope 3 months on my 250 DR if anything is still improving. 

Thanks for your replies i have"nt changed anything in the system but have had a cold / flu for the last 3 weeks i will wait untill this goes and then see how it sounds...

Greetings Painter,

A cold/flu/blocked sinuses (particularly and/or with an ear infection) can wreak havoc on one's perceived sound quality from a good system.

Have you tried powering down the amp for a couple of minutes? All Naim power supplies and power amps can have a tendency to develop a congested/bloaty sound if permanently powered for several months. A simple re-start sometimes works wonders.

Any new electrical nasties recently installed in your abode like a clutch of LED lights - particularly with dimmer switches?

Good luck.

John.

Very hard to make judgements on your system and music when you are ill.  I've had colds/flu since just before Xmas and a chest infection for the past fortnight and I have hardly listened to my system and when I have I found it unengaging and irritating.  The last couple of days, as I start to feel better, it has suddenly come back on song.  Wait until you are better and then listen would be my advice.

Hi Painter

try re-plugging your speaker ends too.  I find my cables definitely "go off" over a month or so.  I often twist a paper towel around the pins as a cleaning aide to help remove any surface oxidation - no other cleaning agent!  

Without this the music becomes increasingly slow, bloated and noticeably missing sparkle and articulation.

As a permanent solution you can use (LCHF) high fat low carb eating. Colds/flu (if any) will have short duration and mild effects

+1 for mains. I have found that system performance varies noticeable according to time of day in whatever country I have live in.

There is also a plecebo affect with choosing the wrong music for your mood. If you misjudge this things always sound lackluster.

If it's lately I could be solved with a power down or a check of your cable dressing. If it's lately every now and then it's most probably the mains variation you have.

And finally there is another effect. When you have a system a bit longer you are also more familiar with the system and you start hearing also where it has it limitations. Can be anything.

If none of the above, it might be time to call your dealer and ask him to listen and make the required cable dressing or other needed adjustments.

any update from painter?

My 250 DR did the same thing, mine is around 2.5 months old, the bass seems to be much less than before since a few days, and hasn't come back

I do not have a cold or flu... 

what a strange issue and quite concerning to me

I would get your dealer to check this out especially if nothing else has changed in your system. This should not be happening even after a few years never mind a few months.

And if still not happy ask for it to be checked out by Naim.

Good luck and let us all know the outcome.

Richard

analogmusic posted:

any update from painter?

 

My 250 DR did the same thing, mine is around 2.5 months old, the bass seems to be much less than before since a few days, and hasn't come back

I do not have a cold or flu... 

what a strange issue and quite concerning to me

What leads you to assume it's the 250DR that's the problem as it could be elsewhere in your system?

I get the same effect with my system. I believe it is down to variability of the quality of the mains with me as I live in the country and they are always messing with the underground and overhead cables. So I believe it affects the whole system, not just the power amp.

With me however it is degrees of goodness and I tend to notice when the system sounds stonking rather than noticing when it sounds average. Afternoons and early evening (particularly Sundays) is often a good time. This could be down to the fact that the variability trends of mains quality varies from area to area.

Just a theory though.

Nothing has changed in my system, and I have another naim amp in another room (202/200) which sounds just fine to me, so it is not the mains at all.

analogmusic posted:

Nothing has changed in my system, and I have another naim amp in another room (202/200) which sounds just fine to me, so it is not the mains at all.

That sounds a bit strange. My comments though were in relation to my system and the issues the OP is facing.

Your's is baffling as the 250DR system has gone off over 2.5 months and not come back. Might be worth a chat with your dealer. Could be an unusual running in process you are experiencing or there may indeed be a fault with it. I have not experienced this kind of issue with my 250DR.

Again, pure guesswork on my part. But if this problem is of concern and noticeable don't put up with it, talk to your dealer and take it back if necessary.

I would also contact Naim support directly as well as your dealer.

Have to agree with Analogmusic here. While mains quality varies and has a profound ability to generally make a system sound uninvolved at certain times of the day, specific ailments like lacking low frequency power and definition are far more likely to be caused by component mismatch, or a problem with a specific component in that order.

As good as the 250.DR is heralded to be, it is nearly a new amp. With that comes the question of matching it with the rest of the system (especially the speakers) all over again. It's not correct to assume that if a 250.2 was right for your system, then so must be a 250.DR. I'm sure it is true for many but not all.

I would definitely work with your dealer to determine if there is a problem with the 250.DR you have or (more likely) that it has upset the delicate balance of the system.

it hasn't upset the balance, it sounded fine till a few days ago.

But the bass on Analogmusic's 250DR was apparently fine when new and is 'much less' 2.5 months later. If it were a mismatch with the rest of his system then that would be apparent from new, wouldn't it?

I think the bass on the 250DR is a big step up (in definition and speed) on the 250.2 which was the exact upgrade I made. So if anything the bass should sound better with the 250DR and not lacking as Analogmusic describes.

Why it should have gone off in 2.5 months from new is however baffling. I would take it back to to the dealers if it were me.

I still have this flu/ cold thing at the moment pretty blocked up ,my hearing definitely not good ,the reason i think it"s the 250 dr is that it sounded so good even straight out of the box  ,have a 282  cdx 2 had the highcap upgraded to dr spec before i bought the 252 dr before thet had a 250-2 which i traded in for the 250 dr  i have never had this problem before ,have had different naim equipment for the last 10 years but i do have every thing powered up all the time but thats something i have always done  ,so  i will try powering down to see if it makes any difference probably give my dealer a ring as well ,thanks for all your comments they have been very helpful.....

analogmusic posted:

it hasn't upset the balance, it sounded fine till a few days ago.

Yes. And now after a few months it is run in and possibly sounding different. It's a perfectly feasible possibility is all I'm saying.

Your dealer and possibly a loaned 250.DR can probably get to the bottom of it.

Analoguemusic.......I understand from another post you've been bouncing back and forth with the V1 firmware. Does the bass stay the same with both i.e less than you imagined from a few days ago? 

My DAC V1 is connected to my 202/200 and has nothing to do with the 250DR

my 282/250DR is producing less bass for sure as on bass heavy tracks the room isn't rattling anymore from the bass (when I turn the volume loud). There is bass, but not like before.

what a really strange  thing to happen.... Hoping that Naim and the dealer who sold this to me have something to say about this. 

I leave my kit always switched on, and my NAP 200 has always behaved perfectly without any such issues since I bought it 5 years ago.

If you've had the volume high enough for the room to rattle perhaps your problem  is hearing damage or you've wrecked your bass drivers?!