I have a NCS 222, NVC TT and NPX TT.
I’m currently saving for a NPX 300.
Am I correct that even though the phono stage is off board and has a dedicated power supply, it’ll still bring sonic benefit to the NSC 222.
At a recent listening session at Naim HQ, they played a 222 with and without the NPX300, using streamed music. It made a considerable difference imho. Some preferred 222/NPX300 to 332/333 (but no NPX300) as separates.
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When using an offboard phono stage the NPX300 benefits only the preamp of the nsc222, but the uplift is significant in my opinion.
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.Thanks all.
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Having had the 222/300 and the NVC TT and NPX TT together in my system for a while I would say that the 300NPX is needed to bring the full benefit of the phono stage to bear. The NPX300 really brings the 222 to life, the noise floor is lowered, the bass is deeper with the mids upwards clearer and better articulated and of course more PRaT. For me, the downside (if you can call it that) of the NVC and NPX TT pairing was that together with my LP12 they were so much better than the 222 streamer section.
As for the 332/333 combo against the 222/300, I thought overall the 332/333 was better but not by a vast amount, add one or two NPX300s into the mix as you would expect it is much better and I took this option when I upgraded my 222.
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That’s what I’ve heard - that it makes a big improvement just wasn’t sure because of the extra NPX TT.
I’ve always been sceptical of power improvements and bought the NPX TT blind. That makes a great difference.
I also bought a DC blocker/RF filer after years not believing it makes a difference. It was primarily bought to reduce transformer hum - which it does brilliantly - but has brought more sonic clarity to the mid and upper ranges.
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Paul is your 250 the nc one?
In terms of SQ is the 250 able to match the 332 capabilities?
It is an NC250. I think it is more than capable, the NC250 is a big step up from the 250DR I had before. Having compared the 350 and 250 with my speakers whilst the 350 was maybe a bit better, I found it was a bit overblown in presentation, initially very impressive but after a few songs it didn’t work for me, though to be fair the 250 was well run in, the 350 was about 2 weeks into being burnt in. I have heard the 350 since then with the full 300 system and my speakers in my dealers and then gone home to listen to my system and felt on balance I preferred my system with the 250, not better but delivering in a way I prefer. I think though that if I moved up to the SCM50s then I would reconsider and think about either getting 350s or getting active 50s but this would be a very expensive step up and I am not sure I have space for the 50s in my lounge. In the time I have had the NC250, I have never felt it was running out of steam or the need for an upgrade.
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Thank you Paul, what you felt is the Same I felt when I compared 250dr with 300dr and the latter was simply to much for me.
We have the same goal, I asked because when I will come back to my home the target is the scm50. I think that the nc250 has more current than 300dr so it will be more than capable to drive the 50’s but, of course, if you will anticipate me in the passive route you ll let me know
Too much as in a bigger bass?
Passive 50s can be upgraded later to active I think. I’ve got active 50s.
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