I upgraded my 222 with an NPX to a 332/333, both with an NPX300, and kept the 250 because I preferred it. There are some here who upgraded the 250 to 350s and are very happy with the result. For me, the 332/333 upgrade sounded better. I really think you should listen to both and then decide,
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@Terryf Lots of threads about this topic. Do a search. I’m using the 332 and 333 and NC 250 with my D7.2 Spendors which are easy to drive and love the pairing. I use two NPX300 PS units. I did not come from a 222. You will need a phono stage. I periodically think about moving to the 350’s, but it would mean giving up one of the power supplies. My dealer does not advise doing that. When I listen critically, I can’t identify anything wrong.
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Tellurium Q Black ultra 2 speaker cable vs super Luma Naim speaker cable has anyone used
Hi @Terryf
You already started a thread a couple of weeks ago with the same title and question!
@Richard.Dane Perhaps you can merge these?
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@Terryf What does your dealer suggest?
Sound like an unbalanced setup with 222 being the weakest link.
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Hi Richard, thank you for merging the threads.
Somewhat ironic that there was pair of NAP350 threads, and now one has left, the other is right!
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It really is all about your system and which amps fit better. The 350s are mouth watering…look great…but my dealer told me with my speakers Quad 2805 electrostatics the NC250 is the better choice.
The OP needs to work with a dealer so they can audition various combinations within NC. Therr are no absolutes
Ther are also side effects that need to be considered. In Jaybar’s case it is rack space. In my case i would need a second subwoofer if i go with the 350 monos. So that’s even more expense. And for those concerned about electrical use that is 2 more boxes pulling juice.
It just looks to me that the OP should be considering looking at the source/pre rather than two very expensive amps plus maybe similarly costly speaker cable.
Others have suggested that same but it seems the OP is not keen on that route.
Bruce
I have to disagree. I have Kanta No.3 fed by recently upgraded 252/300DR. I realized 282/HCDR/250DR I previously owned had no grip on these speakers after I upgraded to 252/300DR. I also have heard 222/300/250 fed to Kanta No.2 extensively at a dealer, that wasn’t any better than 282/HCDR/250DR I had. My source is XPSDR/NDX2. Kanta really deserves a 300 level system to sing.
@i2448 The OP needs to audition the various NC combinations. It might be that the 332/333/NPX300/ NC250 does the trick. Maybe not. I have found the 332/333 plus power supplies to be a huge improvement over my SN3/NDX2/HCDr/XPS2 system. Others may prefer the 222 route. There is no consensus among forum members. What we continue to see is cognitive dissonance and personal defense of purchase. The OP needs to audition the various NC combinations with the help of a local competent dealer.
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I don’t disagree with you. My point was Kanta 2 or 3s are very demanding speakers. Much more so than they look on paper. I know from experience that they demand better source/amplification than many assume in general. Here’s a phrase from HiFi News review of Kanta 3…
“We measured a slightly lower minimum of 2.9ohm and large impedance phase angles at low frequencies which together reduce the EPDR (equivalent peak dissipation resistance) to a punishing low of 1.2ohm at 82Hz. So the Kanta No3 is not a speaker to partner with amplifiers at all reticent about delivering high current.”
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@i2448 My Spendor D7.2 are 90db and an easy 8ohm load. The NC250 is well suited for those. This allowed me to move to the 332/333/NPX300(2) and NVCTT for my Rega P10. The speakers work well in a very difficult room. Had I purchased speakers more difficult to drive, I would have needed to look at other amps. Another issue is that my room, because of its construction holds onto bass. I would be cautious of amps that produce more bass. I am not talking necessarily about bass tightness.
Yes, it would be very much room and speaker dependent. I run my Kanta in a reflective room, and it’s very easy to tip treble if not set right. Your system sounds superb BTW.
Yes, it would be very much room and speaker dependent. I run my Kanta in a reflective room, and it’s very easy to tip treble if not set right. BTW Your system sounds superb!
@i2448 My room is plaster/ concrete and cider block. No wall surfaces to absorb bass. It also makes renovation very difficult and precludes great WiFi. When we finally moved to streaming, we had wired Ethernet installed which was no easy task given the construction. We have a NYC skyline view which we treasure even more than the HiFi. For us, this limits speaker height and choice. The system could benefit from better speakers than the D7.2, but they would exceed our height limits.
You could use a low level connection from your 332 if you get the 350s. The purist in me says that sticking to a high level connection is better, but if I’m honest I found that whenever I’ve tried a low level connection it has still worked very well.
I’ve just demoed the Kanta No 2s with the 250… The NC 250 delivers 100 watts per channel into 8 ohms, providing more than enough current and grip to control the Kanta No. 2’s dual bass drivers.
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