I’m sure there’s a lot of similarities schematic wise between all Naim components. You don’t reinvent every box from the beginning. I just think it’s challenging to hear it’s basically a 250 when the engineers have spent huge work on re-design, optimisation and improvements
Cant really see your point, they could have spent 10 years on it, they didn’t obviously, it still doesn’t mean that it massively different to the 250.
You can see that looking at them, they share the same DNA and they do, just like before in the olive 250 and 135.
Nothing wrong with that and the 300dr certainly benefited from the extra separation it has over the 250, as posted above, even richard has quoted in the past.
Best not buy an amp, there will always be a better one
Or, be happy with what you have, which is likely a lot better than most will ever have
The comapritive price points of the 250DR, 300DR and 500DR will give some clue as to the amount of development and quality of build/components Naim have invested in each of the NAPs.
Such levels of investment will almost always translate to resulting SQ, or rather potential SQ.
We tried a test one day with very sensitive Avant garde horn speakers at dealer place. We tried a nap 300 non dr, a nait 5 i, and a jadis big tubes integrated.
The best sound came from the Jadis, then Nait 5i. The worst results with the 300.
So no, the 300 will not sound better than the 250 in all cases.
That was my experience with the admittedly more modest 52/250 and a pair of Linn Kans.
The boards in the 250dr and 300dr look very different to me
In my mind I don’t consider the 300 as a 250 in 2 boxes… even though in theory that mat be the case… in reality though it’s another matter
The 252 for example is a dual mono amplifier not sure if the 282 is one too
Somewhere on the forum, @Richard.Dane said the 300 is essentially a 250 split into separate boxes. Yes, of course there will be numerous tweaks and differences, but I’m more willing to trust a Naim employee than someone on a forum perusing press photos of the amps!
No, the 300DR is not a 250DR split in two boxes
But, yes, they do share the same design, general topology.
This makes quite a difference.
It is how that design is implemented that makes the difference. Not to mention the compromises and choice of components.
After all, all amplifiers are… well amplifiers.
Whatever the price, they all share some basic ideas. It is the implementation, the tweaks around it and the way problems are attended (and to which extent) that makes the difference… and the price.
In essence yes, they share a good number of parts, including transformer, regulators and output devices, and the amp boards and regulator boards are very similar. Note though that the NAP300 adds extra heat sinking and cooling, as well as a lot more real estate that allows everything to be spaced out a bit better. The benefits of this provide an appreciable step up in performance, and as well as a fairly significant increase in price. Despite the amount they share, the NAP300 is the better amp; but if you use a car analogy, that’s like saying that the Ferrari 250GTO is a better car than the 250 SWB Competizione…
Thanks for the explination @Richard.Dane - I know in my system my 300DR is going no where
As we say in the Champagne world, the best Champagne is the one you enjoy the most, so if the 250 works for you in your system then 250 if the 300 is your choice QED
one thinfg is for shore they are both superb AMP’s
Thanks Richard for explaining as its what i was saying.
Shame that some didn’t believe me and try and twist it, but its plane to see the similarities in them both
However, I can’t explain it, but I find the 250 dr closer sounding ( signature of sound, not level) to the 500 dr , rather than 300 dr.
I read some similar comments as mine too in some old threads.
Twist what? You run the marketing average joe way of describing the amount of difference and I the engineering. It sounds like slicing a pizza in two and say two pcs taste better than one. An Naim engineer would never describe the difference like this. I never said they are not similar. All naim amps probably share the greater part of amp design. All the work, pcb re routing, fans, heat sinks, better components etc lead to 300DR. Of course they share ideas components and schematics. But to say “it’s a 250 in two boxes” is just humiliating to Naim employees putting lots of work in making a great box even better.
Lol. I think you forgot to put the extra cheese topping on the 300.