This is maybe more “for curiosity” than a real itch here…
… I also like the compact 1-box solution, don’t plan on extensive upgrade paths in the foreseeable future, “but”…
… the dealer I got my Atom from (with B&W 683S2) has a NAP 200 “on sale” (ex-dem, I understand).
I haven’t asked for the details yet (model, year, …), and I’m anyway no expert here.
Main questions I’m pondering:
Would the NAP 200 make sense with an Atom? On the product page, Naim suggests a NAP 100 as an upgrade. (It’s not exactly the same, but the 200 would be in the price range of a new 100…) And not sure, how it’s matching the speakers?
Not perfectly sure about the speakers anyway - sometime the sound works beautifully, sometimes not.
It’s not listed as a NAP 200 DR; but I understand the “DR” would not help with the Atom, as it’s “only” for the pre-amp section (which will not be used with the Atom)?
How much of a difference would a Nova be, compared to Atom + NAP 200?
Finally: since I upgraded the system with a DB4S sub: I’d have to choose either sub or NAP, correct? (Since I have a single pre-out on the Atom, and there’s no “daisy chaining” or something with these components.)
If the 200 is non-DR, it’s probably 4 years old or more, which seems quite old for a demo model. Still, if the price is right, and you like what it does, why not. I would want to know it’s age and history, though.
I would ask your dealer for a demo of the Atom/200 against a Nova, then you can decide for yourself.
The Atom and NAP 200 get good right ups on this forum, the NAP 100 and Atom don’t. Having said that I would happily match a Uniti Qute 2 with a NAP 100 .
If you are happy with the providence and can audition it I would say go for it. After all Naim do service their products , it’s not like buying a second hand Sony/Technics etc
On the DR point, a 200DR is no better than a 200 if you aren’t feeding a Naim preamp with power, as you say.
So a 200 is fine but you need to check the year and then it’s all about the price.
You could probably do something with cables (home made if you gave the soldering skill) to feed both the sub and the 200, but the better way to do that would be to take the sub input from the main loudspeaker terminals, if your sub allows that sort of input.
Decide, if I would ponder the option at all. (Additional box, money outlay, …)
Contact dealer about history of the device, serial number, …
Have a demo. (Ideally at home, dealer is just 1.5 km away; otherwise at their shop.)
a) Decide, if I would dare a comparison Atom+NAP200 vs. Nova. (The latter having the same streaming platform (with more inputs), but better DAC+pre; maybe similar power amp like first combo. It would definitely cost more, even trading in the Atom. Typically for other stuff I’d keep the Atom as a secondary system in another room, but these is beyond budget. )
I have a 172/200 that is 5 years old. The Nova is sooo much better. I suspect that most of the “better” is the front end, (I only stream from a NAS), but I can see why they killed the 172, (Nova is cheaper than the old pricing of 172/200).
But if you are thinking 272/200 or NDX2/202/200 down the track, grabbing a good 200 now makes sense.
Seems waiting until “I have time during Christmas break” took the decision from me: offer is gone.
(If anybody would want to get back to the thread to ask for the outcome of the auditioning.)
)