I have finally acquired my Nap300 and connected it to my system, and I would like to share my experience with you.
Several of you have probably followed another thread about my thoughts on the 300, even though the decision was pretty much made.
It has replaced my Nap250DR, which I was also very happy with. My system now consists of six black boxes! I didn’t foresee that a few years ago.
As with everything else, I have to get used to the new sound, although I’ve only listened to it for half a day and a little bit yesterday evening.
My immediate reaction is that the sound is a little softer, perhaps a little muffled, with a more recessed soundstage, but all the details are there.
I just need to get used to it. Has anyone else experienced the same thing?
Many have said that the 300 is better than the 250 for listening to music at low volume. I would say that this is pretty much the same with my Dynaudio Contour S 1.4 LE. However, something different happened when I listened to vinyl; it is more detailed and clear. I can’t quite understand why. I would say that my 300 has been played in, as it is from 2016.
My system is now:
Source XPSDR>CDX2 and Rega Aria>Project Turntable
CD555PS>NAC-N272>NAP300DR
I take new gear the same way as I take new specs if it isn’t an instant improvement it’s not right.
And no amount of eye strain is going to do it any good.
Certainly it is more detailed at lower volume levels but I found it the opposite of muffling more openness combined with fluency, I would have thought those Contour 1.4s would have lapped it up, it’s obviously revealing more from your TT, other than the CDX2 what is your streaming source?
Similarly I’m not a great believer in long run in or warm ups but I would leave it switched on withe radio running through for a few hours. One question, shelving? Separate shelves to isolate the PSU are essential.
If it has only been on since yesterday, it’ll need a little while before it’s back at its best. Having said that, it should sound significantly “better” than your old 250, which may be that it’s approaching time for a service.
I’d give it a week, it’ll be fully warmed up, you’ll be a bit more used to it and you can then make sure everything is set up correctly - Burndy has been shaken and properly seated and isn’t touching anything, Powerline or whatever is fully engaged etc. If after that you’re not hearing a significant uplift you may need to have a chat with your dealer.
Sounds like the 300 may need a service, especially after 9-10 years. Our 135s twice benefitted noticeably from a service every 7 years, despite the longer service interval quoted by Naim.
Sorry to tell - yes I have experienced exactly the same thing. Compared to 135. 300 went back in its box in a day. Sound was too soft/smooth for me - but I was not give him enough time to warm up.
For me it was too much recessed sounding - but this is no common opinion here!
My 135 were fresh from service - 300dr was 10 back.
For me it needs to be good from the start - if not, I will not be happy long term.
My experience is that it takes a fair while for my 300dr to sound at its best after having been switched off. I wouldn’t listen too critically in the first few days and save that experience for once its been running for a couple of weeks. Often it sounds alternatively dull and bright as it settles down in my system (to my ears). So I’d advise sitting back and relaxing -there’s no rush to reach an instant conclusion about whether the amp is right for you…
I might think you are right Whsturm. I can already hear a lot of details in my musik, and the bass are very controlled. The stress faktor in my mind is a counteracting factor.
I give it some days, and relax
I had the 250 dr and 300 dr. From quite the beginning, the 300 dr gave a fuller sound and bigger soundstage. I personally preferred the 250 dr, because it was a bit more urgent and agile. The 300 dr sounds bigger and has deeper bass.
I feel here there’s something wrong, maybe needs service or some cables set up problem.
Give it a few days to sink in, it may be that it hasn’t been used in a while. There should be a clear improvement, but remember that high end audio is a game of subtleties and diminishing returns, all the superlatives you read here only become true after emotional processing has occurred, while in reality it’s just minute differences we learn to appreciate a lot.
Yes, it is nice explanation. About 5 years ago I moved from 250.2 to 300 (non DR) with a 272 front and was very pleased from the off, which isn’t always the case with me. The 250DR is more like the 300 than the 250.2 was I think. I was using 555PS with the 300 so I would agree with using your XPS with the 272, the extra power supplies are very effective here, improving both preamp and streamer performance. Low volume performance was great as I have commented elsewhere. 300 could possibly do with a service after 9 years, difficult to say. I hope you get satisfaction, I found it a really good combination, one of the best I’ve had. The 272 really punches above its weight, especially with the PS, and was very popular on here. So giving it time to settle is good advice.
Thanks Naimsw.
But I use 555ps for 272, and then I use XPS for CDX2. Do you mean that I should swap the two power supplies, I just need to understand it correctly…?
Sorry if this comes across as a bit direct but your 272 - even with the 555PS - is the bottleneck in your system.
To address this within the Naim portfolio isn’t cheap if you stick with 3 sources. Ideally you’d get a 333 and 332, keeping the 555PS but this is ££££. Perhaps the 222 with 555PS would suffice…??
The 300DR is only as good as the signal it is fed, postings suggesting that the 300DR is the issue are misguided…
The 300DR is a significant step up from the 250DR. The improvement should be immediately apparent, without requiring prolonged or overly analytical listening to appreciate the difference.
Everything is good Naimsw