I’m in the same place also re 222/300 combo…today I have switched out the NC 250 to trial the NC350
Anyone with a 222 have any views on the 222 + NPX and a “lesser” 250? I wonder if adding the NPX is more of an advantage than adding the NC NAP250?
In other words, NSC222 & NPX300 & olive NAP 250 vs NSC222 & NC NAP250. I know they’re not quite price comparable, but if you’re spending c. 12k then adding another 1k for an olive NAP250 might be a consideration.
I currently have the 222/300 with a 250DR. The system sounds very good and if I hadn’t heard the NC250 I would be very content. However, I have and know that with the NC250 the SQ is slightly more alive with more PRaT, better spatial separation and imagery plus a lower noise floor. My next step is to get the NC250.
I’d say the answer would depend largely on your speakers. If they are not so easy to drive the current 250 will control them much better than the Classic 250.2 or 250DR. They, in turn, are more capable of driving some speakers than the earlier Olive and Chrome bumper models.
This could be a deciding factor in choosing between a new 250 and a 300PS.
Yes one should never listen to the dearer option if not ready to pay. I’m not right now😅
That’s what I thought. He sold me my NDS so I believe he has heard it. He is a Naim dealer but hasn’t been in to Naim personally before the new classic. Now he really likes Naim. I guess that says something about his preferences. I might also like the new classics so am curious.
Yes it would be good to be satisfied with just the one box. It is an attractive proposition. I mean having just 2 boxes.
Those mono blocks looks very interesting but way above my pay grade.
I ran the 222/250 without a PS for the fist month I owned it and thought the pair sounded really good on their own, more enjoyable than the 272/222/250DR for my tastes. After adding the 555 there was a considerable uplift in SQ, more of all the good stuff I like about the 222/250. Though I can see how some can get on with the 222/250 on their own, very good SQ for the combo.
Having not heard anything NC I have no opinion, but it seems to me that the dealer has created the moot point by offering his opinion to the OP, nothing else.
Im not sure I would not say such an opinion is invalid - sure there may be an ulterior motive - but I can see why some might say the nd5xs2 is on a par with the NDS or even preferable from a taste perspective - as opposed to perhaps a technical resolution perspective - they certainly have very different presentations - and we know most of the budget profile on the nd5xs2 went on SQ over features… and things were very much more advanced in terms of noise and electrical noise decoupling within the DSP and DAC sections with the ND5XS2 compared to the NDS - and in terms of the streaming front end - the ND5XS2 is significantly ahead of the NDS.
Now if someone said they felt the ND555 was on a par with the ND5XS2 then I would say - ok that is an opinion, but would be somewhat incredulous.
As said above this is all largely subjective - and system and room synergy dependent. IF you were in the science lab then it would be a different discussion - and I suspect many of the products we are discussing here would not fare particularly well.
Say it ain’t so!
hes talking rubbish
This hobby is too subjective for my tastes
2 members tried the oh so more advanced streaming platform of the nd5xs2 into Nds, to discover that the sound is the same….And those same compared Nd5xs2 alone vs Nds, to see how much better the Nds is sounding.
But yes, only two…
Sometime dealers have succes in putting peoples brain on hold.
Yea as @Dan_M write in this thread it doesn’t even come close to the NDS. It’s just strange that there are no absolutes at all. I mean it’s one thing to have an opinion comparing roughly equal things but here we are talking about a streamer that cost 6,7 times the price of the nd5.
it seems like the new classic series has split the naim people up, does make me wonder what would have happened if they had just upgraded everything with new designs but kept the Naim way and styling (even with white logos like 500) supercap 3, nac352, 382, ndx3 etc. I dont think it would be anywhere near as silly as its all panned out now.
I do understand why they changed everything, to gain the next generation of new customers but im not sure they even exist.
i think us lot (the old codgers with old classic) would be all falling over eachother to buy the new classic if it was like the old classic (hopefully that makes sense)
BTW im not saying new classic isnt good
I think they do, I suspects it’s the healthiest it’s been for years with physical media gaining popularity… and interest in recorded music fidelity more generally… it’s interesting times… but one thing the budgets for much of the new generation are a lot smaller than for many on this forum (I suspect)
Completely agree with physical media, its making a comeback and is becoming cool again.
This is what i mean, i dont know anyone younger than me who even knows hifi’s exist!lol let alone the level of the equipment i have. it must be tricky for a company like Naim.
One thing i do know is that old classic, to the people who like it is iconic (bit like a Rolex sub, date just etc) its the reason we are all here and i do feel there will be nothing for us.