The Naim New Classic range - Part 1

I think I might not have realised, how much difference there was between the 272/555DR and the Atom HE. Currently listening to the NSC-222, while below stays in its box………

4 Likes

Exactly and the 222 says 200 series, so fair assumption there will be a 300 series source offering

Listening to Tiger Feet……

2 Likes

Hope it doesn’t sound Muddy. :thinking: :rofl:

8 Likes

Unless you compare to a system costing a lot more then the new Classic 222-300-250 system does an incredible job for the price was my take-away.
It excells on clarity and timing without, to me, really sacrificing detail to get it. The old Naim approach of PRaT but with a very dark clear bottom-end removing a lot of coloration and ‘warmth’ but in a good way to me.

Two kinds of perceived ‘warmth’ - one, correct (for me) kind I pay a lot of money to retain in terms of low-level detail and harmonic structures through decay linking all the music together as it plays - and the second a product of low-end coloration feeding-up harmonics into the mix and adding colour.

The new stuff begins with a cleaner slate as I heard it, especially with the 300PS part of that system.

Gazza put it well - I’d say more visceral then sophisticated after that.

It excelled with good music and was very good with reasonable music recording quality. It kept you involved with what was playing which is one of my ‘tests’ - am I drifting my attention elsewhere of am I with the music.

DB.

8 Likes

Anyone mixed up Old and New Classic yet?

I’m thinking a 250NC for my 282.

I’m curious as to the nomenclature shifting around between 200 & 300, with the individual units priced the same.

Why not build systems around 200, 300 & 500 where the prefix is the differentiator?

The NAP250 is so venerated could we not have had a NSC250 & NPX250 as the foundation 3 box system?

It all feels a bit of a product number salad presently - imho.

G

2 Likes

Naim has always been the salad master. I still don’t follow all ways to connect boxes with each other. My friends when I talk about it all is like “come again???” :smile:

3 Likes

Why make a less capable power supply just to align numbers? Probably wouldn’t save much on the price for the same reasons as have been explained several times in this thread answering people who seek a 222 without a built-in power supply.

Also don’t forget lots of people bought 555 PS DR to use with NDX2, 272 and so on. So in practice there might not be much of a market for a low end power supply, even if it were a few hundred £ less.

Personally I think Naim have got it right pitching the single power unit as suitable for 200 and 300 series units.

11 Likes

I think that this is the plan, as things roll out over coming weeks / months / years (with the 500 horizon being “not in foreseeable future”, hence years?).

There seems little doubt that there will be a 300 level power amp coming soon. There seems to be lots of hope that there will be (non-streaming) preamplifiers, possibly at both the 200 (eg 282 replacement?) and 300 level (eg 252 replacement?). There also seems to be some hope for a non-streaming DAC (nDAC replacement?), or non-preamp streaming DAC (ND5X2 and NDX2 replacements in longer term?).

Maybe units with built-in power, but externally upgradeable, would be at 200 level (per the 222) , while (as-yet unreleased) units that require an external supply would move to the 300 level? That would be a very clear “level” differentiation, quite apart from anticipated performance increases as you move up the series.

I don’t see it as a confused outlook for series and unit numbering (especially given that product line trimming and simplification is a stated goal) so much as very early days with only a bare minimum of new boxes revealed.

Interested to hear if anyone else has interpreted the signs in a similar way?

3 Likes

Who said anything about less capable? Around XPSDR level would be about right and give headroom for the better 300 supply.

If each series was clearer in itself one might argue it would present easier mix-and-match options.

G

Trying to align numbers is like herding cats. I spent years trying to explain software version numbers. Eventually I gave up.

That is what you are arguing for. But anyway I don’t care. I don’t think it will happen because it would make no sort of sense imho.

Heard new 222/300/250 combo today at dealer. Sounds good.
Compared to my XP5XS/272/Nap300DR combo at home i am not so sure who wins the battle……Agreed with my dealer that only a real comparison at home will give a good answer….But to be honest, i am happy with my set and not in u hurry to change anything at the moment!

Have a nice musical weekend!

10 Likes

I would not be surprised to see a 200 level power supply in the future

1 Like

I don’t think the Classic cables are out yet. My dealer should be getting the boxes next week but they don’t have a date for when the cables to connect to the classic boxes will be avaiable.

I will be comparing the New 250 to the 250DR when the cables arrive. It’s a touch job but someone has to do it.

6 Likes

Isn t the whole idea to use 2 x 300 PSU for the higher end stuff anyway?

Naim will rebadge the NPX TT (200 Series PS one would assume) as used on Solstice source, that has Type 1 and Type 2 connections, that’ll likely slot in where a HiCap does today in terms of price point and target interoperability.

1 Like

A pair of 4 pin DIN to standard XLR (L and R) shouldn’t be too difficult to get hold of though…?

Designacable makes a 4pin din to balanced XLR pair for the SupercapDR to connect to balanced amplifiers. Not sure I’d want to try those on a home demo though lol