NC 222 with OC 250DR

Hi-Fi Corner
1

I’m really curious how the new classic nsc 222 pairs with the old classic nap 250 DR.

Has anyone got this combo? How does it perform? Do you recommend it? Any issues?

Thanks,
Stavrose

2

There Are No Bad 250’s…

3

Other than the 250.2.

5 Likes
4

Beat me to it.

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5

I had a listen to a NC NSC222 and NC 250 at Tom Tom, followed by their full 300 series setup. I finished off with a short listen to the NSC222 through a 250.2. It was a short demo, at a dealer, in their room, but the NSC222 & 250.2 sounded alright after the full 300 series. Not as good obviously, but pretty decent. It hadn’t had long to warm up either. If anything both the NC250 and 250.2 were more forgiving than the 300 boxes, which made some (likely poor) recordings sound really “small”. It’s a bit of a cop out, but can you listen for yourself @stavrose - gotta be a Naim dealer in Cheshire somewhere :slight_smile:

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6

Of course, it’s not objectively bad but the olive 250 and the 250DR are just so much better. The only problem in matching with an NC box is the need for a special, and rather expensive, cable.

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7

Yes, several.

Roger

8

I ran the 222/250DR combination for several months as part of my quest to simplify my system of the time. It’s a great combination, very enjoyable and as others have mentioned has a different voicing to the OC which I do like. As HH has noted the NC/OC connecting cable isn’t cheap and unfortunately the free cable promotion is now a distant memory.

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9

I thought that the NAP250.2 was simply a ‘new look’ to Naim’s classic power amp.

I assume, from the comments here, that there must have been some tinkering with the internal componentry that affected its performance?

I have had an Olive NAP250 in my (rather complicated) main system for over 30 years, and it has never let me down.

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I regretted ‘upgrading’ from a 200 to a 250.2, which is a bit of a bloater ime.

G

11

Interesting. Could the 222/250DR have been a combo that one could happily live with as an end game 2 box system? Or was there any sense of a mismatch between the two boxes?

How much is the interconnect? :grimacing:

12

I have no idea about the cost of the interconnect, but I suggest that you check Chord Cable Co - set up by the ex-wife of Naim’s former MD, Paul Stephenson.

(They do a range of different cables, varying greatly in price, but they seem the obvious place to look. I am using their Shawline cable in my small Nait50-based system.)

1 Like
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  1. Lead Assembly, New Classic Pre-amp, XLR to Legacy NAP250 XLR - XLR (x2) to Single XLR
    00-010-0247
    Price: $299.00 €299.00 £259.00
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14

The 250.5 had significant differences from the earlier versions. It had a bigger transformer and a higher nominal power output of 80W compared to 70 in the CB and olive models. This significantly improved its ability to drive some speakers well.
Whether or not any individual liked its sound signature is another matter, or course. Some did, others didn’t, just as some preferred it to the later 250DR variant.

3 Likes
15

£259? Eeek!

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That’s “only” £60 more than a SNAIC 4 or 5. Ask the dealer to include it? There was an offer for UK customers that included legacy cables when purchasing NC kit (since expired), so they might be generous if you’re spending at least £7k with them (NSC222 & 250)?

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Curious or a planned system. I have tried the combo, all on a fraim, with NSC222 + 250DR / NC250 / NAP300DR. In the auditoon, a NPX300 was present. The 250DR was a sealed box new unit here, so very similar age to NC250, 300 a little older.

There is a very clear step up between each unit, so NC250 adds to the previous gen 250. Equally, for the record, the NC250 leaves a clear gap for the NAP300; ditto between 250 gens.

IMHO, if selecting NSC222, I would go for NC250, there are now deals around to narrow the gap. Only existing NAP250DR owners might choose, but bargains around, so natural choice is NC250 for four reasons.

  1. Cables issue / costs as other peps have mentioned.
  2. NSC250 and NC250 were voiced together.
  3. System intergartuion / standby options, is only available with NC units.
  4. Attractive deals now avilable as dealers shift dem units / customers upgrade to 3* kit.
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18

Thanks to all for comments so far.

Just wanted to clarify some points:

  1. Current system is a nova + 250DR
  2. Intention is to stick with a 2 box system
  3. The dream would be to trade the nova for a used 222
  4. I definitely can’t afford the latest nc250, it’s a total no go

So, if the 222 works great with the old classic 250DR, that would be my 2 box endgame.

Hence my original question, i.e. how well do they pair?

I am not interested how much better the nc250 would sound, I only want to know whether there is great synergy with the 222/250DR combo and if they produce beautiful music together?

Thanks :blush:

2 Likes
19

I agree. I had enjoyed a lot the 282/hicap/ 250.2 with Cdx2 / xps2.
I could have stood with that. Very fun! So lively and involving.
If I could go back to the past, I would stay with that system and avoid further expensive upgrades.

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20

The 250.2 was definitely a change from the olive. I was coming from a late olive 250 and the 250.2 just didn’t have the same slam and warmth I loved about the olive model. I similarly did not get on with any of the early OC. The DR variants were much improved and the NC is much improved over the DR to my ears.