Right, good point. I hadn’t thought that thru.
Thanks.
Dave
Hi
Yep that’s the plan … I just wanted to familiarise myself with what the 250 brings to the party
Next stop is doing as you suggest and use the 250 on mid/high and the Nova on the bass
It will be interesting if the bass changes from what it was when Nova was driving everything
Cheers
How about running just the digital section of the Nova thru a Supernait 2. I’ll be doing that with my Superuniti as a stepping stone to a NDX2.
I’m always trying to space out the cash outlays, so this will work for me.
Dave
I experience exactly the same, that you so well describe, when I run my loudspeakers only with the 250 dr through the Nova and bypassing the Nova’s amp.
In my system the Nova add “pace and punch” whilst the 250 dr provides a smoother, more elegant sound, but without the “drive”.
The combination of the two fits my ears very well.
Interesting! But because I‘ve never had a preamp/power amp my question reg. this is:
„Try driving your bass section with the Nova and the high/mids with the 250 dr.„
What do I have to do that the Nova knows that it should play the bass only? And mid/highs by poweramp only?
First of all I have to warn you that the concept of “horizontal bi-amping” is something that some established members on this forum have their strong doubts about. I really don’t want to step on any toes, bringing up this subject too often but Fred123 and I have discussed this issue before, in a different thread.
However, I was given this idea by a very experienced dealer, who has been in the business since the early 80’s selling high end hifi systems including Naim and thus I decided to see, or rather listen, for myself if this could do anything for me.
To me, I found a subtle but at the same time distinct improvement, if one can put it this way, which in my very humble opinion justified the added 250 dr in my system.
If I am not mistaken, your B&W loudspeakers have the option of removing an external bridge between the bass and the mids/highs.
If this is indeed the case, this ables you to drive the two different sections with two different amplifiers, connecting an added power amp to the Nova and using the Novas amp as well.
Before I took the decision to add the 250 dr, I got the possibility to test it at home in my system.
I strongly suggest that you do the same as no system, room and listening preferences are the same.
I see… Exciting! I will definitely try this as soon as I can get my hands on a DR 250 or DR 300!
Thank you!!!
Just don’t expect too much!
For me, it was a definite upgrade from something that was already sounding good (to my ears) to an improvement.
I have also thought about a 300 dr but, without having tested it in my system, I do believe that it deserves something better than a Nova as a preamp.
Hi Greg. Do you like the Hegel 390 sound? I almost bought one but didn’t for purely aesthetic reasons… if you like the Hegel 390, it does streaming (albeit not all the functionalities of a Nova)… but you can take care of that by just adding a streamer like a node2i. I say swap the Nova for the Hegel if it gives you the sound and bass thump that you lack from the Nova. Pricing is very similar between the two.
I also agree that Hegel is a very good alternative.
I am contemplating to move on to a Hegel H590 with a Innous ZENith MK3.
I love the Naim sound but I am slowly getting fed up with the screen freeze of my Nova.
Let’s see what the next software update will do to solve this annoying problem.
I liked everything about the Hegel when I tested it at home. Even the small things, for example, that you can turn off the display completely. Northern understatement… 
It‘s just that it didn‘t work well if you have a bad internet connection.
Somehow I didn’t like the fact that I have to buy another (better working) streamer and connect this one to the Hegel although the Hegel is already streamer…
It seems that compromises must be done in order to find the individual solution one prefer.
In my case I was looking for a solution with one box but ended up with two.
Since the upgrade bug is lingering in my body, I am not sure what the end game (if there is such a thing…) will be.
Currently I must wait some time so that the WAF settle…
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Same over here regarding
One Box
Upgrade bug
Waiting
For the one box:
Some dealers strongly recommend the Nova as one box - in this price range. They said it‘s around 20% better to not have any cables between amp and streamer. Well, I don‘t know…
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Same here. A one box ‘requirement’, that can possibly be stretched to two at some point. So while interested in a 250DR or other make, a 300 is not an option as it would make the box count three.
(The phono stage isn’t included in the box count)
I have a Star with the same B&W speakers BTW, so let us know what you end up settling on.
I understand from your other posts that you have a wide experience of other systems, beside Naim.
Do you by any chance have any knowledge to share in regards to the Gryphon Diablo 120?
Sorry, I haven’t heard the Gryphon (little out of my price range…). I have only tested in my room
Rotel
Hegel
Naim
Subjective result:
Hegel sounded best, but didn‘t work best
Naim worked best and sounded very good (I added a subwoofer)
Rotel couldn’t compete with the other reg. options like streaming etc.
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I have not heard it, sorry. Was once interested because of it look , reputation…all in one big integrated with possibilities of phono and dac inside.
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Hi all, I’ve read a few posts ref potentially adding the 300DR to the Nova, I have done exactly that, and as a few have mentioned here, there is a definite sense that the Source/Pre is not “up to” the 300DRs capabilities.
I am indeed now trying to justify (and persuade the wife) an NDX2 and 252 in place of the Nova. I understand the point on the Nova’s ability to work with a less than ideal internet connection, but I’m sure that other Naim sources will work as well…
Something I have wondered, to save money and box count, would a SuperNait 2 or 3 been a better option than the 300dr…
Good luck, once you start it is like a pyramid scheme!!
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Good luck with getting your wife onboard…
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