I’ll never own the preamp or the power amp. But I did notice some nice stuff … Naim did away with the Alps volume pot. For a MUCH better stepped resistor network. Should not have the balance issues… My Aesthetix amp has one. I like that the 250 amp outputs 100 wpc into 8ohms and 190 wpc into 4 ohms! More Balls!
It’s too bad Naim doesn’t offer the 222 without their DAC and Streamer…
And I wonder if the 250 will be able to use most any speaker cable?
Yet…
You mean you don’t? 
As a rule of thumb add 10% more power going from 0.1% to 1%
e.g.
If an amp can provide 100W into 8 ohms at 0.1%, it will do about 110W at 1%
Conversely if it does 190W into 4 ohms at 1% it will do about 170W at 0.1%
Naim rates power into 8 ohms while clipping at 0.1% THD (IHF-202 standard)
Those who rate into 4 ohms and do not say probably use 1%.
In parallel industry they use 10%
Also, remember if an amp is unregulated (NAP250 is regulated) the power will go down as the mains voltage falls, approx 20% for a linear PSU.
Ok, thank you. So its really… a… ‘NAP340’… 
Really thank for the information and experience you are sharing. 250 is my target and having a so huge improvement to something that was already top notch makes me really optimistic
Yes, the new NAP250 and 250DR can use any speaker cable.
We can’t test all but we do model cables and speakers. We also do a test with a meters and meters of cables running along the corridors of R&D. We also run all amps on 2.2uF cap to simulate electrostatic speakers.
We do recommend NACA5, it’s good VFM.
It is stiff, this is part of the sound.
Remember what Faraday would say, any current will have a magnetic field, magnetic fields produce forces etc etc.
The bass notes will force the conductors apart. Forcing the conductors apart modulates the cable properties dynamically.
One thing any amplifier (not just Naim) with feedback dislike is the left and right cable to running together. e.g. running 5m of cable together.
The close proximity capacitively couples the cables, the two channels are effectively joined at high frequencies; they fight. Keep L&R separate.
It is possible to add networkers to mitigate this. These networks are detrimental to sound.
‘Any’ NAP250 is a brilliant amp (mine is from 1985…!).
But some are more brilliant than others… 
Where have you been all my life? 
Hi Steven, nice to see you hear. May I ask will you come to the exhibition in München this year? Hope can have a talk with you😊
I very much hope so!
Thanks:+1:t2:
@110dB Hi Steve, I did have my suspicions to your identity given the enthusiasm and technical details of the posts!
I just wanted to say that I think you’ve done a fantastic job of updating what is essentially 50 years of Naim heritage by bringing new ideas and technology to market, optical links for system automation - genius!
I will admit to raising an eyebrow at the elimination of eddy currents between the output terminals with the slot but it’s standard practice in power distribution so why not apply the same principle here?
Changing connectors and cabling is all part of making changes too - I understand it creates “turbulence” - I have both a CB setup of 1982 vintage and a SN3-based system but will be actively seeking out a demo of the new components to see how they sound, not how they are plugged together.
Asking for the 3rd time… @110dB can we get some info on powering the Solstice with the new NPX-300?
Thanks!
If running the cables together over a certain length is detrimental, would rotating one of the cables so the + and - run alongside the other cable with - and + negate the capacitative effects?
Thank you, that is a useful read.
I guess I was also thinking though that, assuming the new 250 is “better” than the 250dr (it’s certainly more expensive). And assuming that the 222 is “better” than the 272 (again, price wise, one would assume so) what constitutes the right “level” of speakers?
Lots of the contributors on this forum talk about a system’s “balance”. I subscribe to that too. As an example, I LOVE the look and sound of the Kudos floorstanders and have a hankering after some 606 in my end game system. Would a pair of 606 with a 250 and 222 be considered a mullet? I feel like a 250dr plus a 272 might have been, for example. But now, with a new 250 and 222 operating at a new sq “level” and price point, we sort of need to start again to find the “balance”. See what I’m getting at?
Taking the thought a little further, this forum has been a great resource (for me) of people saying things like “I’ve tried those speakers with that amp and it’s (brilliant/terrible/underpowered/overpowered)”. And while I know we must trust our own ears, the comments on here often provide a good shortlist. It will take some time to reestablish that depth of experience and knowledge.
Ok, I’ll stop rabbiting on now.
Yeah the shortlist is what it really is about. At the end of the day we all follow our own ears but getting the candidate list is the prize.
I was also thinking about speaker recommendation considering the new 250 is better. But I expect that a fair subset of pairings with the 250 DR will still be valid with the new amp driving them just that much better. Although surely it will open the door to new frontiers as well.
Yep, fair points, agree.
Maybe I’ll just get some 606 anyway and stick them on the Nova. I’ve always fancied a mullet, but my hair growing capacity is letting me down these days. Maybe this is my chance.
What about for those of us who drive Mercedes and Alfa. Can we have an Alfa red acrylic cover for the middle section to use on weekends 
