I would’ve found $5k through beg borrow or steal. 
Think they’re pretty hard to find here these days.
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No dr 555 ps though. I think it a guy called mike that got that with the powerlines. I wonder….about 8 G for them
Remember there are different approaches to bass driver design. A larger driver requires less power than an small bass driver because it does less excursion but over a larger area. Conversely, similar bass energy from a small driver requires much more excursion and more power.
This is often why very easy to drive speakers have huge 15" bass cones. A 20w valve amp can drive those. Albeit usually at the expense of greater distortion due to the large lightweight cone.
Of course, exceptions exist. You do get (but rarely) large cones that are very heavy are damped and also need power.
I preferred the lid on the CDS3.
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Make of this what you will (if anything).
In an idle moment this morning I had a look at my nearest dealer’s website. They are part of a national chain and have a sale on at present.
The following no longer appear in their new products catalogue -
NAC 252, NAP 250, NAP 300.
The NAC282, NAC 552 and NAP 500 remain as do the Nait 5Si, XS3 and SN3.
The following appear in their “clearance” section. The numbers in brackets indicate the quantity available nationally as at the time of viewing. The £££ numbers are the discounts being offered.
NAC 252 (4) £2500
NAC 282 (15) £1800-1920
NAP 250 (12) £1425-1600
NAP 300 (6) £2500
There are other items (including the NAC 202 and NAP200) and this may all be coincidence of course, particularly since the NAC282 appears in both lists. It may also be due to supply difficulties and their inability to fulfill orders for the “missing” items at present. It may, however, suggest the possibility of making room for new products.
I will make no further comment. As I say, make of it what you will.
I wouldn’t draw too many conclusions here as it seems the chains regularly “clear” their higher ticket ex-demo stock at least twice a year in some cases.
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Same thing is happening here, I’d say that it’s more to do with the economic downturn and over stocking than anything else.
Anyway I wouldn’t be too concerned a good amp or pre amp doesn’t suddenly become a bad amp just because a new one is released.
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I couldn’t agree more Pete. I think this also applies to the DR stuff. My kit is about to be serviced and cannot be upgraded anymore. Bovvered? Not really.
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That must be pre-DR kit surely - like proper old stock 
If that was for me Stephen then yes. New 2004ish. Sounded great then, still sounds great, and I hope for a small uplift after servicing.
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Sorry Stuart, i was replying to this pricing - i wasn’t quick enough or clear enough in my reply.
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No worries. Certainly some good savings there. It might be a risk if major changes to the product line are afoot. Conversely a great last chance to upgrade a classic system.
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I think those numbers are the discount off RRP not the selling price
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Speaker efficiency indeed varies, however it is is not inherently the size of the driver: all else being equal a large driver moving a small amount to move the same amount of air uses the same amount of electrical energy as a smaller driver moving a longer distance - rather efficiency is related to the weight of moving parts, primarily the cone, stiffness of suspension, number of turns of voice coil in the magnet gap, and strength of magnet.
Aside from that, whilst relative efficiency of the bass mid and treble drivers is part of the equation, the need for more driving power at lower frequencies is not primarily to do with driver efficiency (indeed the driver efficiencies in a speaker are often similar): Bass uses more energy than mid, which uses more than treble, because for the same sound pressure level a more air has to be moved on each excursion of the diaphragm. This is self-evident watching speaker cones where no movement of a tweeter dome is visible even at extremely high sound levels, where the bass cone with low bass at the same sound level will be moving a large amount. And the much bigger and heavier cone moving further in and out takes a lot more energy to make it do that.
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That chain clear out ex demo at this time of year every year. Some excellent bargains to be had on ex demo 252/300 combo.
When the 272 was discontinued they offered fire sale prices, one of the reasons we ended up with a 272.
Interesting they aren’t advertising new 252s. I expected those to be current for a while yet according to chats with various dealers in Englandshire.
I am hoping for something exciting…I hope the Naim crew at the mothership…have been beavering away quietly during the pandemic…and are ready to release something special now…maybe a Statement level headphone … amp together with new topline headphones…which have been developed in tandem…anyway…fingers crossed…
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There are definitely products coming which haven’t yet been mentioned on these forums.
We’re not in the market for esoteric statement level products, but there’s a “mass market” naim offering coming in January for which we’ve already been offered demo if we travel. Although dealers nearer to hand may also have early stock.
Given we’ve just upgraded to 252/300 it’s clearly not amplification related!
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I have not ever seen the CD3 lid in action…I am curious now?
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Have you ever seen the Alien craft in War of the Worlds when the canopy opens…
It’s not like that 
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What Richard said. Most chains clear ex-demo or ex-display once or twice a year. I got my brand new full warranty “open box” 5si for £845 June 2021. The rrp was around £1200. Shortly afterwards the rrp went up to £1400 where it has stayed. These are what I call “bargains”. 
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