Agree with Dan that you need to be guided by your longterm system aims and avoid thinking purely about the now. If you aspire to a 250 then hold off spending now on the 180 and build funds so you can trade it for a 250 when the right opportunity presents itself.
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Checked your profile and with dual TP hicaps you will be in business with the 250. Good luck with your decision. Like I said I got 2014 serviced CB 250 for ÂŁ880 a few years ago. Deals are out there. Wait and see.
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While the Nap 180 is very good, Nap 250 which is properly serviced will be at a different level. Your end goal should determine your choice.
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I never understand when people say things like this. Surely every serious amp will have a more-or-less flat response down to 20 Hz and certainly lower than the speaker will go. Can you elaborate? Thanks
Sure, it doesnât flap your trouser legs 
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Still not getting it 
It simply means the 180 doesnât produce as much bass as a 250, this isnât a case of one amp being better or worse than other, but each having an advantage when in a particular situation. The 250 is generally more well rounded and probably preferable in most circumstances but the 180 does score well from a delectable leaner and detailed bass sound that isnât mudded by it trying to produce an over weighty bass that is unlikely to benefit itâs room acoustic outcome.
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Debs - liking your explanations. Iâm listening across the width of a standard garage sized room with the system mid way along one wall (canât set up to listen along the length of the room) and just a few items of hard furniture in addition to the listening sofa. Any views on whether a 180 or 250 would be likely to perform better in such an arrangement?
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I get that bass can sound differently by different amps. My question is how an amp can avoid exciting low-frequency room modes when any olâ amp goes down to 20 Hz with a basically flat response, which is anyway much lower than the vast majority of speakers.
I guess itâs the difference between the practical experience of hearing what the amps sound like in ones home system, and being fixated with technical specifications 
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And I have absolutely no problem with saying that a certain amp sounds better in a certain kind of room for a certain person, and that this does not have to be most expensive or nominally best amp. But thatâs not the same thing as saying an amp avoids the exciting of low-frequency room modes.
I never said it did.
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I donât know what else this would mean
The quote is out of context to the original paragraph, however there is nothing wrong with how iâve explained it, i talk from how it sounds IME and not meaningless pamphlet technical specifications, which maybe why you donât get it.
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Power supplies can add bass too. The arrival of my Supercap meant I had to adjust my speaker position owning to extended bass that wasnât there before 
Sorry, I tried to keep the quote short as this is encouraged by the rules and the full context is available with a single click on the arrow.
I can totally agree with the sound aspect, I just disagree that it would be because of the stated reason, or at least I would not have an explanation if it was so. I see it stated liked this quite often and I always wonder, so thatâs why I thought Iâd ask. Not saying that there canât be an explanation in room acoustics or amp physics in general, but wondering what it is.
I think the explanation is there for all to see.
1 - you assume all amps have a flat response down to 20hz. No, they do not.
2 - even if both amps go down to the same low frequencies the 180 is leaner. Both amps may excite standing waves IF they exist but one is less likely to do so.
By âleanerâ I would say lower mids are missing from the bass to some extent on the 180.
Never seen a frequency response diagram that isnât practically flat down to 20Hz for any good (or even reasonable) amp
A standard garage size⌠3m x 6m?
Nice oblong area which either a 180 or 250 is capable of performing enjoyably, however they are very different sounding amps in presentation.
As you already have a 180, it stands to reason to get it serviced and enjoy that detail refined lean and fast sound, especially if you like reclining on the sofa in the triangle of heavenly sweet spots. The 180 is so really good for this, oh yes.
But itâs feasible to suppose a 250 would be the more well rounded amp here, the extra bass the 250 brings could be welcome, although not a given, much depending upon the interaction with your Royd Doublets, and the acoustics in the room.
There is only one way to find out 
I bet a good well tempered 250 would ace it if you like to dance about 
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