Has someone compared the new 250 with the 300 DR?
I struggle with some space issues. So try to find out where I can loose one black box. Thinking of changing my 300 DR for a new 250. Or the 282/Hicap for a new preamp 332 and keep the 300 DR.
Only one person compared, a trade member. As you say in UK, take it with a pitch of salt.
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That seems like an expensive way to lose one box with no clear indication SQ will improve.
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Only doing these comparisons yourself, will realy be useful. Otherwise… don’t.
YMMV, etc.
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Could you put the Hicap on the floor, perhaps on its side, or behind other things?
We could make a case that a 300DR is unnecessarily good for a 282 anyway, with 252 or 52 plus SC more balanced partners, and that a 250DR works very well with 282/HC. Many would rather have 252/SC/250DR than 282/HC/30DR unless speakers are really demanding, and that is not because there is anything bad about the 300DR itself.
That point may be irrelevant since you already have the 300DR, but switching to s/h 250DR would give you cash back rather than incurring a significant net cost to cut box-count.
The one advantage of the new 250 model is that you would be buying from a dealer who will presumably dem it in your house, so you can check how it actually sounds. I would discourage you going down this route without doing that first, but as others have said you may find it sounds great if you try do it.
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300dr is mega, dont do ittttt
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Other than a desperate need to save one box space I can’t see any urgent justification for moving from a 300DR to 250.3 based on the New Classics thread.
There is a trade member posting that the 250.3 is better than the 300DR at high volume, low volume, medium volume, AV/movie use etc. Apparently the 250.3 will also cook your dinner and walk the dog, all things the 300DR can’t do.
More considered feedback from posters who have moved from 300DR to 250.3 in their own systems is that the 250.3 is somewhere close to 300DR. One benefit of the 300DR over 250DR was clarity and SQ at low volumes, where it does appear the 250.3 improves on the 250DR. One poster reckoned it was equivalent to 300DR at lower volumes, one reckoned it was not quite as good.
What is clear is that the 250.3 is a very capable amplifier. However, it might have a slightly different voicing to the 300DR and the feedback shows that the perceived benefits might depend on the system/speakers around the 250.3.
Before moving from a 300DR, and incurring a bill of £5700 (-tradein) I’d try and get a demo in situ.
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I had a quick listen a while back……to the 222/300 ps and new classic 250……then a 252/SC/ 300 dr………much preferred the latter, but much more expensive.
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I followed the whole NC thread & I don’t think anyone who has actually owned a 300DR has swapped to the 250.3? The closest comparison is one member demo’d both units & has listed the strengths of each unit (as said they are both voiced slightly different), he mentioned the 300DR is still better at low level listening. The other member you mention that said the amps are the same for low level listening hasn’t actually owned a 300DR, he owned a non DR 300, that he mentioned was past due for servicing & hasn’t actually owned/listened to that combo for something like 3 years before he bought the 250.3, so how he can make any sort of legit comparison is beyond me.
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You’re right on the money having searched for the posters I thought had moved. Demo only, not straight swaps in the home.
Too many threads.
If my dealer will let me borrow a 250.3 I’ll go do the comparison 
My own personal opinion (not having listened) is that just looking at the tech specs of the 250.3 you’d expect it to be very close to a 300DR. But everyone seems to agree the NC and old kit is voiced differently.
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I’ve heard the new classic range but I also used to own a 300DR and would prefer it to the 250 options.
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The SQ difference whether it’s better, worse, or just different, b/w the 300 and 250.3 is not likely enough to compel a 300 owner to swap given the price difference. Assuming I get on with the SQ of the NC I’ll likely likely swap my 250DR for a 250.3 over the 300DR at some point b/c I prefer the appeal of SQ to box count ratio of the NC.
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Actually the 282/300 is a very good pairing. Several renowned Naim dealers recommend.
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Fair enough.
My own comparison at home was with olive kit and 300DR so perhaps irrelevant.
On the other hand, given the comments of many others on here, perhaps we should poll which upgrade made more difference - 282 to 252 or 250DR to 300DR. Or we can ask how many preferred 252/SC/250 to 282/HC/300DR.
For me, it wasn’t until hearing a 300DR with 252 (in the shop) or 52 (at my house) that I really got what the fuss was about. However, that may just say something ungenerous about my hearing nowadays.
I am sure that letting your own ears decide is sensible - it looks like that is what you did too.
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Not sure a lot recommend that pairing. In general better have a better pre than amp vs the contrary, like Nac 252/250 vs 282/300 or 282/200 vs 202/250.
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That’s the theory, but it doesn’t always work out like that. For example, the 272/555PSDR with 300DR is a wonderful combination.
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I’ll never forget that demo presentation video on YouTube where Jason Gould states that if you have a 250 to exploit the preamp all the way up to the 552 before changing your amp. I thought that was a bit extreme, but it does show/prove exactly how Naim feels about the importance the preamp is to sound quality and also how good they feel the 250 is.
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Yes. They are voiced different and have a different presentation. The tonality is sweeter and it has more textures. It is also more revealing in the lower bass register. The NC250 is also much quieter and faster than the 300DR. It’s just a more involving listen that grabs you.
As far as the OP, I think it would make the most sense to see if you can try both the 332 and NC250 at home in your system. My gut is it would be more beneficial to go with the 332 vs swapping the 300DR for a NC250. The 300DR is still a cracking amp.
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This is no knock on the 250DR, but in a LP12/252DR system both the 300DR and NC250 were vastly superior to the 250DR and more like a source upgrade. So much so I was left with the impression the 250DR was the bottleneck.
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