Hello community.
A friend has my exact Naim Nac 282 / Nap 250 / Hicap and drives B&W 803 floorstanders for 12 years. So I thought the Nap 250 has 2 x 200 W and would be much too strong for my Avantgarde system or my B&W floorstanders. But then I found out that my Rotel RB-980 BX is world’s apart and much more powerful.
B&W just answered me that an upgrade to my actual B&W DM 580 to go to DM 640, would even be too much for my Nap 250. Wow
What about the B&W DM 601 S2 2x 100 Watts maximum 8 Ohm, won’t the speakers explode, and what about the floorstander B&W CDM 9 Nt (2x ? Watts max). Will these speakers (near same size like my DM 580) be too strong for Nap 250 ?
Thanks so much
Kind regards
HF
In general no amplifier will ever be too strong for a speaker - that’s what the volume knob is for. Naim amps are all gain-matched as far as I know so in theory a NAP 100 and NAP 250 will put out the same voltage for any given input, however the more powerful amp will have much more grip over the speakers. Useful for large bass drivers and speakers with complex crossovers like the Harbeth P3.
Hello. Thanks. Yes I read about that amps do not care about weak speakers, and I would like to try my DM 302 speakers ( 100 Watts max power handling, so 2 x 50 Watts). I want best possible sound quality, so a too weak amp for my perhaps future CDM 9 NT will be out of question. So I need to know if Nap 250 will handle CDM 9 NT at its very best I too have a 2 x 120 Watts Rotel power amplifier, but hey, why sould I connect a non magic element. Thanks
A NAP250 will handle and drive… almost anything. The 250 is rated - depending on the version - at 70 or 80 wpc, into a nominal 8 ohm load. But ‘Watts’ are not the be-all-and-end-all…
I have 803 D3’s. They are biamped with a 250DR and Supernait 2. They go plenty loud when required and I don’t feel are lacking in any way. Speaker cables are Witch Hat Phantom.
I ran the the slightly larger 802d3 with a 250 and it sounded great. I now run it with a 300. I had read that the 802d3 would need a massive amp but I asked my dealer and he said have a listen with the 250 and it sounded lovely in the demo. Of course a bigger amp will have more slam but the quality of the bass is just as important. Of course, if you can try to hear the combination in your room or at a dealers.
I’m not a fan of B&W speakers but would be surprised if a Rotel RB980 would walk over a Nap 250.
In fact I believe its vice-versa.
A Nap 250 is a classic and powerfull “enough” in most combinations.
If a lousy source is used I may suggest its reason for a confused result.
I still remember the desperate look in a friends face, when we were A-B testing his 200W Rotel amp against my Nait 3 (35W).
It was noise with his, music with mine.
I noted what you wrote but how can you explain this:?
The lousy source I used was a CDX2.2 with a XPS 2 attached
Nac 282 with Rotel RB 980 BX and volume at the Nac 282 at 7:45 o’ clock was already at 65 dB. With Naim you can cool and slowly turn up the volume until 8:45 or even 9 o’ clock and have 70 dB.
So my conclusion: The 2x 120 W from the Rotel are way more powerful.
But of course I can be terribly wrong here.
Nap 250 powerful enough that the fuse in my house blew. Switched off only Nap 250. Changed the loudspeaker. Switched on again the Nap 250 and bang… 6 Naim elements went off. Why ? What did I wrong? Why me?
The straight gain of the power amp is probably the difference here, and this is only loosely related to the power delivery. I can’t find a gain value online for the Rotel. The gain of Naim power amps is in the specs on the website
It happens if you have fast-triggering circuit breakers, like most people. The inrush current can make it trigger. The solution is getting the breaker changed to a slower one by an electrician, or try a few times and leave it on once it runs. (Of course leaving it on is not a solution when trying things)
and why do my very small B&W DM 100 i now sound much more aggressive in the heights, nearly unbearable and very lack of bass (good for my neighbors), isn’t it that the Nap 250 power tries to beat the crap out of it ? I suppose I need a floorstander for my living room and my neighbour rings at the door to tell me to durn down Sting. Mamma mia
what I now like about Naim: I have connected 80 Watts B&W DM 100 i stand mounted speakers, and I thought I would only give a small volume tip and the huge Nap 250 power would be delivered. But no, it is perfectly continuous, nearly the same as if my 150 Watts floorstanders. Around 9 o’ clock I have 70 dB peaks. I really do not understand how that is possible.
I too have a 2 x 120 Watts Rotel power amplifier, but hey, why sould I connect a non magic element. Thanks
