Hi
Can anyone tell me the difference between the old Non dr and the new DR model?? How is the sound compared and anything else good to know
Have the Nac272 pre amp on Audio Physic Avanti 5 speakers
Thanks
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Fischer, I have had both the NAP250.2 (albeit a pre-production unit) as well as the NAP250DR. I had the NAP250.2 serviced about a year or so before I sold it and bought a NAP250DR. The 250DR was the better performer in my opinion. In fact I remember being really quite taken aback at how good it was. It seemed to be a bit freer and more dynamic, without the slight sense of upper mid/lower bass congestion that you can sometimes get with the old 250.2. Direct comparison though was not possible as the 250.2 left before the 250DR arrived, and in the meantime, while waiting for the 250DR to be built I was using my old restored CB 250, 160, and 110. What I can say though is that the NAP250DR is well worth it.
Thank You
I have bought a second hand nap250-2 from 2013 and thought anout an upgrade
But the costs for this operation😬
I compared the two directly, as I was considering having my 250.2 updated to DR, and borrowed a demo DR unit.
IMO the DR was objectively better - a clearer sound, and a somewhat deeper but also tighter low end. Almost everyone who has compared the two has felt that the DR was noticeably better.
However for me, the DR was also slightly more forward, with a touch more prominence in the higher mids. For some reason, be it my room or my ears, that grates on me. So in the end I preferred the slightly warmer sound of my 250.2, and stuck with it. Some day, perhaps when I move house, I expect I’ll revisit the comparison and maybe it’ll be different. But the bottom line IMO is that you’ll almost certainly prefer the DR model, but you should audition it first if possible.
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I’ve owned both. While the 250dr is superior, it is a different sounding amp. That means that the older 250.2 will sound better with some speakers than a 250dr. Because they sound different, you cannot assume that speakers selected to pair with a 250.2 will work with a 250.dr and sound “the same but better”
I made this mistake. I ended up changing the speakers to something that worked with my new 250dr. My old PMC Twenty.23s loved the 250.2 but hated the 250dr. The Twenty5.23s love the 250dr.
The 250dr is more linear and honest across the frequency spectrum. Especially at the lower end.
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Good Point there Feeling Zen
In the moment im jyst very happy about the upgrade to this amp. I came from nap200
I received my upgraded NAP 250.2 just 2 days ago so am presently listening to the difference DR makes. Admittedly it is not burned in yet - I am giving it a week for that.
Even so, the DR version is (to my ears) a lot better. The detail retrieval levels are far higher. Reverb / delay sounds last longer. The texture in bass sounds is far more noticeable. I hear new sounds in recordings that I am very familiar with.
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Exciting let me hear what the meaning is
later after burn in
What did you pay for that upgrade I have to ask ??
Regards
DR upgrade for a NAP250.2 is around £1K. I bought the 250 second hand a couple of years ago and have spent less overall than a brand new model. It was recapped by the previous owner in 2015 so should be good for 10 years or so I hope!
Agree with the above. Had my NAP 250.2 serviced and DR’d in November but could not listen fully / critically due to a speaker repair which was returned earlier this month. The most significant improvement IMO is the lower noise floor which to my ears leads to a smother relaxed sound together with improved detail.
All in all I am very pleased with my DR upgrade.
ATB Graham
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I’ve owned both - what Richard said 100%. I preferred the 200 to the 250.2.
G
Which is exactly what I didn’t get. I’m not saying you’re wrong, of course, just that perceptions/experiences can differ.
Ultimately there’s no substitute for finding out for oneself.
Indeed …Strange game this Hi-Fi lark…
I did this a few weeks ago - first upgrade for years. Certainly noticed the lowering of the noise floor with the DR upgrade, the system as a whole seems more involving and dynamic. Only problem is that it has re-ignited my pleasure in re-discovering my music collection and wondering what further delights lurk in there waiting for a hardware upgrade to bring forth…
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And therein lies the eternal dilemma. I went from 200 to 250.2 and enjoyed the fact that it added weight and a certain gravitas to the sound. Some people describe it as a move to the dark side, but my system was tonally a little light and the 250.2 fixed that for sure. As mentioned elsewhere, you don’t listen to just the power amplifier and it is overall system balance that is the ultimate aim.
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I recognize no things about a darker sound. The Tonality is better than Nap200 i think and especially the bass.
as more fine nuances and more detailed presentation.
The Nap200 is more like a bad
boy and sounds good but not as delicate and dynamic than nap250…and even not with Nac272
much better combination
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I totally agree in your opinion
So for completeness how do the 250DR and 250.2 compare to say a CB or Olive NAP 250?
I have 2 olive NAP 250s for my active SBLs, both probably in need of servicing, but the later one (tonally different to the original, or just age?) performs just admirably. What am I missing? (I’ve demoed NAP 250 DR and NAP 300 DR, yes they’re very good but other items needed tweaking first).
Naim Philosophy
One step a time
pre and sources first
matchning …in the range
Yes I agree with this, the DR version is more forward and so careful matching required, especially with speaker/room matching if you have optimised for 250.2. For me because of this I have resisted converting my 250.2 to DR for the time being.