SN2 upgrade with NAP 250DR

Posted by: SamC on 08 April 2016

This has been discussed here a couple of times - for eg https://forums.naimaudio.com/topic/supernait-as-pre

- but a search through past threads on the topic shows very divergent views - from 'complete waste of money' to 'very clear improvements'.  I suspect this may in part be due to earlier threads being about SN1s in some cases and about 250.2s or earlier in almost all...

Has anyone tried adding a 250DR to their SN2? I'm unconvinced the 'recommended' upgrade of of NAP 200DR - replacing a 80wpc power amp with a (superior, presumably) 70wpc one makes sense. 

Slightly old ground, but a few used 250DRs are becoming available - I can't run to new after recent upgrades - and I'm tempted to give a try on the assumption I can sell on at near cost if it doesn't work out...

Posted on: 08 April 2016 by Bart

No experience myself, but if it were me and I I found a "good deal" on a 250DR and tried it . . . and it "didn't work out," I'd be tempted to try a pre-amp rather than ditch the 250DR at that point.  In fact, once I ended up with another box (the 250) I'd wonder why I didn't want to sell off the SN2.  Other than the total cost of course.

Posted on: 08 April 2016 by dayjay

There has been a report on here of the 250dr on a SN2 and it was very complimentary.  It's the route I intend taking at some point.  You could always get a friendly dealer to lend you one and try it out.

Posted on: 08 April 2016 by Matt Gear

I tried the 250DR with the SN2 into my PMC Fact12s and it just didn't work for me. Too thick and slow, and to my ears inferior to the bare SN2. 

We did however also try a SupercapDR on the SN2 and that was a huge improvement. It's not cheap, but if you are looking to optimise your SN2 (and don't want to move into pre/power territory) it's well worth an audition.

Matt

Posted on: 08 April 2016 by The Strat (Fender)

As Dayjay says try it. The SN2 is a fantastic amp but if you had a 250dr you'd eventually want a 282/hc.

Regards,

Lindsay 

Posted on: 08 April 2016 by Adam Zielinski

I would leave your SN2 alone

If you really want to upgrade, you can treat 250Dr as a stepping stone for 282. But you will need at least 1 HiCap to run it, as 250 does not supply power to preamps. A decent 282 can be had for the same money as a relatively new SN2 would fetch.

So you could actually start by getting a HiCap DR. Run it for a while with your SN2. And when an opportunity comes simply get 250 + 282 and at the same time and sell your SN2.

Posted on: 08 April 2016 by analogmusic

depends on if the SN2 has proper signal grounding, which comes from a Naim source... that is the way Naim designed it.

the 250 DR is very transparent, and will punish you if you get any of the setup aspect wrong. It simply tells it as it is. 

Anyway I cannot imagine that NDX/SN2/250DR will sound bad.

I did try Superunit with 250 DR, and the 250DR really improved on the 80 W amp of the super uniti, and made the SU internal amp sound stressed, underpowered, weak, and running out of breath by comparison.

The 250 dominated the SF venere 3.0 speakers and showed them who is the boss 

Posted on: 08 April 2016 by SamC

Still very mixed opinions! Obviously trying one out would be best - I could borrow from dealer but never keen on doing that and then going elsewhere for a secondhand deal. 

I already have 2x hicap so that's not an issue. More pertinently, I wouldn't want to move to 282 as I suspect I'd then want to go to 252 - I'd rather do the big jump but neither funds nor space allow for the two extra boxes right now. 

Analogmusic's response is, I guess, what I want to hear but that said, I do suspect the 250 would be particularly beneficial with largish speakers like his SF venere's or my 804s... 

One way to find out...

Posted on: 08 April 2016 by The Strat (Fender)
SamC posted:
 I wouldn't want to move to 282 as I suspect I'd then want to go to 252 -

Well see if you can grab a listen to a 252.  To my ears it's certainly more mature and resolving than the 282 but not a big enough step up for me to be persuaded.  Now a 552.......................