As I don’t know the 250 I can’t comment on the difference, however Bryston amps have been popular pairings with transmission line speakers for decades now, including by PMC themselves, and the 4Bsst2 is a very capable amp - I use it with PMC’s EB1i (originally alone, passive, but now the EB1’s bass driver as part of an active system). It is a very neutral sounding amp, so simply works, and without worrying what type of music (unless you want some amp-imposed colouring).
As for how to connect, that is best left for someone familiar with the 282 to confirm, but the manual says to use the ‘standard’ DIN output, so you’d need the appropriate DIN to RCA cable.
I can only for see problems with this approach either find speakers that don’t need masses of power or if you really want those Martin Logans be prepared to give up Naim amps. I’m afraid this is a case of wanting your cake and eating it if you truly are hooked on the Naim sound then find some speakers that will match with them there are plenty that do.
I have got to say that electrostatic speakers, when set up correctly, does have a sound that different to any other type of speaker… the air around the singer’s, their portrait of the music can be something special… but they do need a lot of power… and space behind them…
If you are wedded to this sound there is no option other than getting a power amp that can drive the low impedance that these speakers have.
It is possible to make a Naim/non-Naim combination work, but you will need to take care to match them correctly
I heard twice Martin Logans, both with Electrocompaniet. This brand came back recently. They are black. But don’t know if matches well with Naim.
McIntosh matches well with Naim. I heard once the pairing.
I’ve just been listening to another system running a NAC 72 into a March P502 power amp. That little shoe box size March is stunning and seems pretty neutral in conveying the quality of the NAC 72. He’s running the Harbeth SHL5 anniversary speakers and the sound is stunning. He upgraded to that from a CB 250.
The March is made in Austrailia and is literally about 20% of the cost of the 250, and delivers 350W. I’m going to borrow his to try running of my SN2 with the Totem Forest Signatures and see/hear what it does. There is another less powerful power amp too that I could add the Nova and Totem Hawks.
This could be a very cost effective way to get more current to the speakers with a neutral presentation from the Naim preamps.
At US prices the March is 14% of the cost of a new 250. Of course, in the US a 250 is $6,890.00 plus tax. I rather suspect that a 250 will be (much) more load tolerant due it being fully regulated, where the March is Class D. I had a pair of Class D PS Audio M700s which were excellent.
Alan March is recommending the P451 mono blocks as the best option off the SN2, rated at 225 W, so right at the top end for the Forest Signatures. I might borrow the straight P502 power amp from my friend first and see how that sounds.
I’ve been trying the March P502 of my Nova into the Totem Hawks. Whilst the P502 has more grip of the speakers and punch it seems to loose some mid range. The Nova on its own has a better soundstage and is more musical. The only thing I didn’t muck around with was the gain on the sub, as I didn’t want to reset it again for the Nova as it took a day to get it right. Also, ‘tis system is in a smaller room. So not sure. I’ll try the P502 tomorrow with the SN2 in the big room. Maybe it’s simply the pre and power just go better together in the integrated amps.
It was a tough ask Mike, i don,t know how they make them and sell at a profit, i guess something has to give? At latest exchange rate that would be £540 sterling for the March 502 on a Nova costing over £4000 here in the UK. But worth a try, if nothing else it showed your Totems did respond to a more powerful amp. So there are other options in the Naim range.
The thing is, though, my mate is running it with a NAC 72 (with custom boards) into B&W Matrix 3’s and it sounds superb! It was the same with the Harbeths SL5 anniversary’s he has. And he had CB 250 before and says the P502 is way ahead. I don’t know, different pre, bigger room and so on.
I wish I had dropped the gain on the sub now, as it may have been messing with the mid-range.
I have very successfully used a 552 with a Boulder 1020 (which showed me that the 500 ran out of steam earlier than I thought it did), and a 52 with some Exposure XVI monos (OK…that may not be considered a muscle amp, but still had a muscular presentation). Less successful was a 52 with some 500 wpc Class D amps.
There was a short time I was looking a buying magnepan LRS.
The Exposure 5010:s worked fine with 52/252 but they dont fit in a standard-height Fraim-slot (no big-deal to handle, but good to know).
I also tried Apollon class-D monoamps based on the Hypex NC1200 modules (400w/8, 1.2kW/2 ohm). They did fit into a std Fraim height by using lower feet. EUR1200/monoblock. Powerful but shy sound (compared to exposure and naim).
Regarding John Farlowe and Mr. Vereker I dont doubt they were friendly but their circuits (in the 80s) were not the same and Naim amps worked with any music while I ever only heard Exposure with rock (said to be their strong side). The 5010:s was more general purpose and were excellent with string quartet the weekend I borrowed a pair.
Okay so. I tried again with the Nova v Nova + March P502, with the sub disconnected. Same conclusion, the Nova bare is more expansive with a more open and clear soundstage than with the P502. Adding the P502 gives it a bit more slam, but brings the soundstage in and it’s all less open, and less musical.
So, then ran SN2 etc v SN2 etc + P502 and it was the same. SN2 bare was better.
I’m glad I’ve tested this out. Conclusion is that the integrated Naim amps at least have a better system integration than with a non-Naim power amp, so it seems in my two systems.
I was also left with a sense of diminishing returns going up the Naim amplification ladder, realising that I have, indeed, arrived with some pretty decent systems as they stand.
Interesting. My solution to that is have other hobbies, so hi-fi has become less important. Gym membership costs less, swimming costs almost nothing, even the most expensive fencing gears cost much less than hi-fi.
Gym is torture not hobby! Swimming, most enjoyable around coral reefs in tropical waters, averaged over several years, probably costs much the same as my hifi upgrades… as for other hobbies, photography can easily cost similar to hifi. Maybe stamp collecting?
