Not possible to negotiate, I knew already that because they don’t sell Ear Yoshino, just ordered it for me. They financed the Ear with the money I invested for the Naim. The Naim was anymore mine after.
I will live with the Ear for some months and if I really miss something, regret the Naim, I will buy a second hand 250 dr, and have both. Or even sell the Ear and upgrade for a second ps for my Nds. Or stay with the Ear.
In all cases I don’t know really which one i really prefer today.
And I even don’t know if I prefer the NC 250 or 250 dr. Because I prefer the voicing of the 250 dr, it’s a bit fuller, more organic and a bit softer. On the other hand the NC 250 is quicker and more resolved.
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You’ve got yourself into a right tangle with too many options. That’s one of the reasons I’ve just stuck with the classic Naim range. There is always something newer, different or better, but why get distracted into different products and brands if it’s all enjoyable?
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It has a DAC for starters.
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If you were happy with the 250DR you wouldn’t have wanted the NC250. If you were happy with the NC250 you wouldn’t have wanted the EAR. You’ve now got the EAR so that’s that. EAR pre and power make sense. Just enjoy it.
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I wouldn’t have 2 amps for main system. I would stick with Ear for time being and enjoy it as it is with your pre. Embrass it. Give it 6 months. If you don’t want it, sell it and get something else.
Things change, your system may change again. Enjoy the amp. Nothing has to be permanent, but it may be permanent. Or be with you for some time!
Get an electrician out to have a look. Peak times such as lunchtimes and evenings affect electrics. You’ll probably find best sound is at 3 or 4am when power isn’t being used by everyone else.
Best wishes to you FR,
Dan
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That being said, pick Ear, seems to be you Rooster 
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Getting a 250DR or something similar could be a good compliment to the EAR, the disadvantage of valves is they can be uncomfortable to use in summer. I know that when i had a valve amp sometimes i’d be loathed to use it on very hot days.
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Maybe look at other power amps. There are plenty out there.
For me I have followed the Naim classic pathway. So effectively I have narrowed my choices in a pretty much all Naim system. So my choices now become easier. Your choices are very open. And very exciting.
Good luck witg it all. And if you don’t know what you want, that’s a choice in itself.
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The Melco can be used as a NAS, a UPnP-server (using Minim or Twonky optionally direct via a filtered player port rather than via a switch ) or by connecting a DAC directly to USB. Qobuz etc. is only available if you use a DAC on USB.
I have not tried the NAS option but normally prefer the UPnP variety using the special isolated player network port. In that mode it sounds better with the NAS option disabled as recommended by Melco.
Since I sold the Linn Klimax I have a DAC on USB, but I am planning to go back to UPnP. I have never considered the NAS option, maybe I should.
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I was already an iconoclast, with my ear pre and 250 dr before 
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Good to know. Does it impact sound quality ?
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Wise advice, I will follow it. And thought already at following it.
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Hi @frenchrooster ,
Sorry I missed this until now.
I loved my 868/534, and would still have it if not for the SBLs; where the 250DR and 300DR bested the 534. The ONLY speakers I had found where this was the case, but then I have only listened to a limited selection of speakers.
The questions I would have suggested would have included:
- Which amp can you listen to with enjoyment with for longer?
- Which amp allows you to enjoy music you love that is not well recorded?
- Which amp lets you enjoy music that previously didn’t quiet grab you?
I have found that with some equipment music that I used to listen to regularly gets phased out over time. This isn’t just boredom, or the music being displaced by newer stuff, it is that some music shines with different kit.
Personally, I know that I will happily surrender a degree of resolution for timbre and tone.
I suspect there was no bad choice here, and I do love the 534!
ATB,
M
As others have suggested, the issue may be further up the chain than the power amp.
However, if you want to try a new power amp, I recommend trying a Chord Ultima 6 just to hear what it can do. It saw off my NAP135s, which was quite a surprise at the time.
Best regards, BF
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It doesn’t affect sound quality. Provided you use same cables and banana plugs it sounds the same as far as I can tell. May even sound better depending on amp if it benefits from longer cable as amp will only see overall cable length.
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It’s a Dutch company,the production is in China.
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Not sure having 2 different amps is a good idea. But If I take that option, I will retain your idea. However didn’t understood how it is connected.
The speakers cables are connected to that component, but how this component is connected to the amps and the pre?
So I will not have to disconnect the speakers cables from one amp and connect to the other ?
For now I will live and relax for some months with the Ear. Will see if something is missing.
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I had Border Patrol amps 20 years ago, having abandoned a non DR 552/500 system with CDS3. At the time the tube pre and power amp really brought out different aspects of the music and left the Naim well behind on things like instrumental timbre, Naim’s mid and sounded grey in compared to the tubes glorious colours. I hope you enjoy what your EAR amps will bring. Even if you eventually come back to all Naim, as I did, you’ll learn more about your music and why you love it and what it is that moves you, but hearing it on other equipment. EAR is amazing. Enjoy!
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So the speaker cables go into switch from power amp into the switch. Then speaker cables go from switch to speakers.
In my case two sets of cables from amps to switch. Then 2 sets of cables from switch to speakers.
So then you will have another set of speaker cables from amp 2 into the switch.
The switches are marked out as amplifier A and B and Speaker 1 and 2. You would therefore have the option of switching between amp.
So effectively you need to run speaker cables from your amps to the switch. Then cables from the switch to your set of speakers.
I have been using this set up for about 7 years and it is brilliant. No power. Just cables and the switch required.