Non DR to DR. What did it do for you?

Hi-Fi Corner
1

I’ve read through the white paper and completely understand why Naim would want to keep ahead of developments and improve their new offerings.
From a listeners point of view, for anyone that traded in a non DR for a DR version, what benefit did you feel you gained? Also what other changes did you subsequently make?
Thanks

2

I upgraded my 500 to a 500DR. It was an improvement - mainly in the bass, IIRC, but some improvement to the whole range. Night and day? No, certainly not. A box upgrade? Again, no. But certainly an improvement. Do I begrudge the cost? Not really - I also had the amp serviced, of course, so it is impossible to tell whether it was the service or the DR upgrade that accounted for the difference. It does give you a degree of peace of mind that you have done all you can to get the best sound from it. The difference between the non-DR NAP300 and NAP500 was, I think, greater.

3

The non dr500 was excellent … slightly warm sounding. The dr was a little more forward and neutral …it definitely had more detail and more bass weight. The dr 555 was a big change more detail and depth…Athe same occurred on 250.2 to 250dr…The dr upgrade is very good but not essential…

4

Over the last few months I’ve more or less come to a conclusion that my final system. excluding a lottery win, will be 552, 300. The 552 on current financial planning won’t be until 18 -24 mths. Meanwhile I was going to go serviced 252, serviced 300 for 12 mths or so , then new 300DR and eventually new 552.

I now think for various reasons that rebuilt 300 to DR now and serviced non DR 252/SC will fill the gap and then trade the 252 for a 552 DR when the time comes.
The 300 DR will be as new when it returns from Naim so that can stay in the final system. Meanwhile I can’t see the value in paying for a 252/SC DR upgrade if I will be getting rid when I move to the 552.

5

Sounds sensible to me… :grinning:

6

Sorry if this has been said , but what is the cost difference between service and service with DR, and how much Of it’s internals are replaced? I think I’m right in seeing that DRs don’t hum?

7

They do hum like a flock of sheep! :sweat_smile:
Almost all toroïdal transformers based power supplies do hum.

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8

Significant cost difference hence my questions.
Internal boards are replaced. It’s virtually new electronics in an old case and seems good value to me if you are keeping the same model variant.

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9

My 500 didn’t hum at all, either pre- or post-DR

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10

Hi bruss,
In my room I found DRing the 500 a night and day upgrade, as it came back, as I’ve posted on the S1 thread, sounding like a much more capable and less strained amp with real headroom. Clearly this differs from other people’s statements above.
ATB Peter

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11

I’m looking into getting my XPS2 serviced with the possibility of getting a DR upgrade. This is the response I had from Naim with regards to cost difference. Please note the XPS2 is one of cheaper models to upgrade to DR. Whilst a Nap250 i believe is around £1500
——
So the DR update on an XPS is currently £1021.28, it is not serviced during the update - as pretty much everything is stripped out - so there is no need!

​

£330 is the price for a regular service inc VAT.

——
Still haven’t made up my mind whether to service or upgrade.

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12

I’m guessing that the speakers have quite an effect on the differences between DR and non-DR…

13

I wouldn’t state it that way :slightly_smiling_face:

Resolving speakers allow the electronics to show their potential.

I’d even add that a treated room will allow the whole system to shine, and show its best.

14

Depending on mains quality (i.e. DC being on the mains). My SCDR, 555DR, and 300DR rarely hum, neither my non-DR XPS2 (and not very loud if they do)

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15

Thomas just beat me to it! :+1:t3: ATB Peter

16

For me the DR on the power supply has the biggest benefit amp wise I prefer a none DR amp.

17

My XPS used to hum like the blazes at times, inducing complaints from my wife. When I got it DR’d I hoped it would come back as sweetly silent as my other Naim boxes. Sadly, it hummed just as much as before.

Roger

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18

I’ve only ever had DR versions of anything Naim and would agree that generally they provide a valuable uplift in sound quality and effortlessness to virtually any musical program. I also tend to agree that ‘hum’ is mains-dependent. In my old house a DR HiCap (or amp for that matter) would hum very faintly (not at LP, but was audible close up). In my dedicated mains room, there is zero hum and it is as silent as I could ever want or responably expect from variable electronics playing together.

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19

At one time I had two non-DR power supplies. A Hicap on a SN1 and XPS on nDAC. When the DR upgrades came out I got both boxes done. The change to the HC/SN was dramatic. A thickness and feeling of congestion was replaced by a much more open and transparent sound: transformative. The change to the XPS/nDAC was in the same direction but nothing like as dramatic, even though it cost a good deal more. But I did keep the XPSDR when I swapped the nDAC/SN/HC for 272/250DR where it performed sterling service until last year’s complete system change.

20

All DRs are worthwhile some more than others. If you have the funds go for it. Law of diminishing returns also comes in. I wouldn’t want to un DR.

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