New 250 power amplifier vs 300 DR

You’re confusing the point. Most are stating the obvious; the preamp should be improved before the amp. I don’t think anyone has stated the 250 is a better amp than a 300.

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When you say « the tonality is sweeter and has more textures « , you refer to which one, the 300 dr or 250.3?

The 250.3. It’s a stunning match with the 252DR

I totally agree with this, 300dr is amazing in my system. i cant see how the new 250 would be better with it being in one box. it might be different though

The 272 is a bit apart, because it’s the only streaming preamp and the only preamp that can be powered by such a beefy ps as the 555 dr.
If there was something like a 372 at that time, it would be interesting to compare 272/555dr/300dr vs 372/555dr/250 dr.
And the choice of speakers can change things too.

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I think a lot of people are getting hung up on the 2 box thing v the 1 box. Straight away thinking the 2 box has to be better, but it certainly doesn’t mean it will.
The 1 box can certainly be just as good or better.
The new 350 is a 1 box after just like the old 125’s. Yes you need more than one in a stereo system, but the complete amp is in 1 box.

The 250.3 is a complete new amp over the very old 250 /300 design that dates back well, a very long time ago. Obviously its going to sound different, as if it doesn’t then, well nothing would have changed.
Naim certainly will have moved things on, as if not they will get slated for it, and i can’t see them doing this.
I feel you guys will either just have to stay with what you have, just like back in the olive to classic days, or go with the new sounding gear, that will be better than the out going gear.
Your choice.

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I’d be inclined to try out a NAC 332 (can be self powered / 1 box) once they appear in September, you’d imagine that would be a nice pairing with a NAP 300 DR.
Home demo wherever possible, trust your own ears first and foremost.

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Thanks for your thoughts Nick,

I have come to my senses. The problem was the power distribution system. I changed to an all Ansuz system af power cords etc. The switch and the distribution boxes are flat, and made to be on a shelf.

Since there is no return of the magic that the snake oil is doing, I thought about losing a black box in order to make it all fit.

My own doubts, together with all the feet back of everyone on this forum, made me realize, losing the 300 DR for space issues is somehow for from logic.

So I have put the power switch for the NDX on the floor next to the rack. And I put the distribution box on its side, at the back of the rack. Not the way it is intended, but I will make a sort of wooden stand for it.

These thing make it possible to move to the 252/SC, since I expect there will be a few relative young ones on the market, ones the new classic range is coming on the market.

Since my 300 DR and NDX2 etc, are just 3 years old, and I bought it new somewhere on the end of the line, it would be a bad trade to switch. The old classics are not so bad, at least I am enjoying the music :musical_score::musical_score::musical_score::musical_score::facepunch:.

Greetings Michael

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I will listen to you😉. You are right

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You are so right. Something new is on the market, and even I start to doubt the gear, that puts a smile on my face every day. Good feedback Lain.

I am no waiting for my 300 DR, it is taking my dog for a walk. I will ark it to poor me a glass of wine, when it returns, and we will play some music together :sunglasses::notes::crazy_face:

That seems an excellent solution to me, and great VFM.

At the risk of ruining your plan, I should mention that I found adding an XPSDR made a significant difference to an NDX2. Where you would put that, I really don’t know. Mind you, there is always another possible upgrade, and drawing a line when they start being hard to fit in seems pretty sensible to me.

Most important, keep on enjoying the resulting music!

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Thanks for your feedback. I keep the 300 DR, found solution, and enjoy the music. Greetings Michael

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Yes, an XPS DR is most logic, since it is source first principle.
The power supply is all about reducing noice. This can be done with the great XPS DR. But since I made many noise reduction solutions (Ansuz D2 pc, D2 power switch, Darkz under the trafo) I raised the performance enormously.

But you are right, de XPS DR is the lifting solution and more logic compared to my upgrades, wich are much more expensive. But, I already had some of this gear, before the NDX2 moved into my life :wink:

With the new solution for space problems, I am able to switch the Hicap for a SC, and therefore switch the 282 for a 252. A extra PSU for the NDX 2 will be a shelf problem again :see_no_evil:.

And as I enjoy the NDX2 like grazy, I love to spin my records also :sunglasses::notes:

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Very true Lindsay

Yes, that combination is something I wouldn’t expect. But some experimental things can work wonderful combinations. Thanks for sharing

My parents have the really old Naim gear. Still runs. Not for me, but it is cool and pretty nice sounding.

Perfect reply I’d say. Also, I looked at your system blurb - that’s a fine turntable!

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New isn’t always better. That goes for every consumer product. Anyone who has been in this hobby long enough, and who has owned enough equipment from various brands, realizes that you almost always give up one aspect of the sound to get something else. The age of a product has very little correlation to its capabilities. As you alluded to, at the same price level the sound is going to be more different than being better overall.

As far as the power supply in the same box design change, I don’t see anywhere Naim has explained what design change has been made to get the same results as an outboard power supply. From what I’ve seen, it seems to have been just a compromise to please more people. Then again, how much of an actual perceived improvement that has ever existed from an outboard power supply by the listener is debatable.

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You have to hope Naim have put the NC350 back into mono amps simply because they sounded better.

No Burndies and better cabling plus a dedicated transformer for each channel must help and there may be other benefits.

The Brawn stack is going to be over loaded but no doubt we can worry about that later.

I agree that new isn’t always better, but naim has had decades to inpove the range. The amp’s are such an old design along with the pre amp’s. Things have certainly moved on a very long way since these were on the design table.
I would certainly hope that naim could make a much better product now, as in much quieter so more real details can shine through, better amp boards, and so on.
I still wish they had gone for a better power solution rather than the big transformer, apart from the amp’s i guess, as i cannot see why they still do this, as the power needed to run say a streamer or pre amp is very small.
But you will always get some negatively when something new comes out, and for many reasons especially from owners off the older gear, it’s happened every time.

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