next upgrade XPS DRing or NAP 250 DRing

Posted by: Jin on 04 August 2016

My current system is NAC N272 with XPS (no DR) feeding into NAP 250 (non DR) and PMC 23. I will, when funds allow, service and upgrade both XPS and NAP 250 to DR, but can only afford to one now with the other at least 6 months away. Logic tells me to go for XPS DR first. However, I have not heard a NAP 250 DR, but have read in reviews and here about what an amazing transformation DR is for the NAP 250. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Jin

Posted on: 04 August 2016 by Pcd

Heard the difference between the 250 and 250 dr at the Bristol show this year the dr is simply stunning as you have a XPS already and are going to dr both items within six months I would of thought in this instance the 250 would be the way to go see if you can take your XPS to a dealer to which route you prefer.

Posted on: 04 August 2016 by cdboy

Source first. But only just in this case. And yes I've done both ..

Posted on: 04 August 2016 by hungryhalibut

There is no right answer. Just toss a coin, or go with the one that feels right.

Posted on: 04 August 2016 by feeling_zen

I've recently got a newly DRd 250 back and have been running it in for several days on 23s also. My 250DR wasn't recapped and so doesn't take nearly as long to run in and am starting just today to get the benefits shining through with another week or so to really bed in.

Similarly, I have a XPSdr on an NDX instead of a 272. I cannot compare a non DR XPS against a XPSdr but I have compaired the overall benefit of adding it to a bare source VS the DR upgrade on the 250. While changes to the source is technically a more correct approach, the 250DR upgrade will give a much bigger improvement relative to the cost. The difference between 250 and 250DR is already larger than the difference between XPSDR and no XPS at all. This probably is not a surprise really. The DR upgrade to the power supplies is an evolutionary improvement but the 250DR is nearly a different power amp. The boards and transistors have totally changed. DR technology is just one of several very large changes that happened to the previous 250.

Obviously, if you can do both that would be even better.

Posted on: 05 August 2016 by wenger2015

Pcd posted:
Heard the difference between the 250 and 250 dr at the Bristol show this year the dr is simply stunning as you have a XPS already and are going to dr both items within six months I would of thought in this instance the 250 would be the way to go see if you can take your XPS to a dealer to which route you prefer.

Agree completely, the Bristol show naim demo proved without doubt the superiority of dr from non dr, as you have an xps I would dr the 250 first, but whatever you decide it's what I would call a win win situation..... You will enjoy the upgrade whatever...