It’s the pre DR 250 in Original Classic case.
So you have 250 Chrome Bumper
250 Olive
250.2 Original Classic
250DR Original Classic
250 New Classic
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Evening All,
Grateful for everybody who has taken the time to respond.
I do just want to be really clear that I’m not canvassing opinion on my speaker choice. I already have a set of B&W 705s — I love them dearly — they were selected after auditioning lots of different manufacturers across lots of price points. I’ve always enjoyed B&W, and the 800 series is ‘end game’ for me. I currently have an opportunity to pick up a set of ex-demo 805 D4s for around 50% off retail price, which feels too good to pass up on.
In terms of amp / source hardware, it’s going to be an iterative journey, whether I get the 805s or stick with my 705s. I do appreciate the challenge on going for the NAP 250 over a NAP 200 initially. The next move would likely be to replace the ND5 and the XS 3 with a NSC222. Thoughts?
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If you’re looking at New Classic gear like the 222, maybe wait until you can afford a New Classic 250 to go with it. This is much more capable of driving demanding speakers than any previous 250.
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Buying a New Classic NAP250 and a used Hicap DR now will allow you to use your Nait XS3 as a preamp.
This could be the first step towards your desired system and will provide your B&W 705s with more welly in your bigger room.
It’s not the way I would do it but it will ‘work’.
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Is Naim actually fully regulated? A dealer recently told me that it’s only partially regulated and doesn’t implement regulation in the same way that Vitus, D’Agostino, and Mark Levinson do. Could someone please confirm?
@ChrisSU is right. The NC 250 is more capable than the outgoing 250DR. It can deliver more power and is capable of driving more difficult speaker loads.
The OP needs to realise that B & W speakers need a powerful amp to drive them. With a 200 forget it, it won’t work.
Like I said a 250DR may not be enough.
When I moved house to a much larger living room my previous Castle standmounts suddenly became very disappointing with no bass and the magic they had displayed previously gone.
After auditions and a home loan I settled on a pair of Focal floorstanders. These immediately drove the room much better and the bass was back!
I had read in the past that speakers need to match the room and the room needs to match the speakers and this underlined it.
I think that unless listening strictly near field a large room needs larger speakers.
I would suggest trying some alternative speakers before changing electronics (that can potentially come later)
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The OP has made a clear statement. He intends to upgrade his speakers to the B and W set that he likes. That is a fixed point. The upgrade path then becomes the electronics. Which do we think is best? I think the nap 250 is the minimum required to get the best from his speaker choice.
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Hi @tpx_jm,
I am not an expert in these matters and there are people here who have more direct experience of your system/components, however, here’s what I would do.
You have a great amp and streamer.
If you think the amp is struggling, maybe the problem is the speakers not the amp.
If you haven’t already, you need a good dealer.
Take your amp along and listen to a wide range of speakers in your price range. Searching this site will throw up a wide range of options.
If the outcome is anything like my own project, some speakers will be a clear ‘no’ and perhaps one or two will blow you away.
See if you can try these at home.
The answer may well be B&W, but then you’ll know for sure.
If you find a pair that work for you, in your home, then you’re done. If not, keep looking, maybe at a different dealer - no dealer stocks them all!
If changing the speakers really doesn’t work, or you just love your existing speakers, then of course consider throwing more money at the amp.
I suspect that a good SN3 (or 2) is super value for money, but if not you may wish to dive into separates, but that is a slippery slope and there will always be an extra branch to climb to up the tree - so set a budget and stick to it.
If you think you may want spend more in the longer term and you will want to improve things further, then there may be some merit in going for a separate pre/power now as upgrading may be easier - but I would not let that get in the way of, say, a good value SN3.
But, if it were my system/money/ears, I would investigate different speakers first - and that will only cost some of you time.
Good luck 
Tony
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The OP wants B & W speakers and not to change the make! He is looking at 805s now. So that is the point where he is working from.
It is a question of if a 250 or 200 will work.
I have suggested a more powerful non Naim integrated amp to drive the difficult load of the B & W speakers. Something like a Rotel, Marantz or other make 200 watts into 8ohms amp, to drive the speakers with ease.
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In his OP he used the term “highly likely” to move to B&W 805s. That doesn’t sound like a “fixed point” to me. He also said that budget is limited. It therefore seems entirely reasonable to point out that installing the 805s in a large room without appropriately high level electronics might well lead to disappointment and suggest alternative paths.
Roger
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I understand and I am not saying you are wrong, but sometimes we all need to be challenged and there is no real downside to going off on a few jaunts to dealers to have a listen - it might be fun - and at the end of it, if he still thinks the B&Ws are the ones, he will not have any nagging doubts that maybe he took a wrong turn
And I wasn’t exactly twisting his arm!
Personally I was convinced I was going to buy a Linn pre/streamer, but after more listening, I went with Naim.
Equally I ended up buying a pair of speakers I’d never even heard of and not the ATCs or Neat at the top of my list.
We’re all different (said Brian) 
I was on the receiving end of a ton of good advice on this incredible forum - and have learned bundles from you too Dan
Finally, and I’m not trying to make a point here (honestly!), it might not be the OP that benefits from my golden wisdom (
) - it may be someone else lurking in the shadows that we don’t even know (that’s me 4 years ago).
Peace and love 
Tony
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Great post Tony. Maybe the OP needs to step back and have an open mind!
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there’s more than one way through this crazy world we live in
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I don’t really know about B&W speakers but to the uninitiated 703 to 804 just looks like doubling down on your current problem with your system. I’ve not been a slave to upgrading in the “right” order but there WILL be another good deal on 805’s in the future and my advice is to sort your amplification first, future proofing it for a move to 805’s in due course. You might find that with your 703’s singing the urge to go to 805’s dissipates.
I thought this was a key phrase.
It appeared around 7am (UK time) on 9/6/26. It made me think that the OP might be an Aussie and might not have access to the same stuff or the same range of stuff as Brits, other Europeans, and Americans.
If you want to go further into prehistory, I believe there was bolt-down version of the NAP 250 that predates the chrome-bumper version.
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Building a system in reverse will more than likely end in disappointment. Source first I say.
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Evening All,
To set the record straight, I’m in the UK, but I do appreciate the attention to detail.
The last couple of days have indicated that purchasing the 805s (irrespective of this forum’s opinion) is not the correct financial decision at the moment. That said, I do think there’s an opportunity to spent a smaller amount of cash on making these 705s sing.
To also clarify, the old room was 2.8m x 2.5m, and listening position was basically in front of the speakers. The new room is 5m x 4.8m with a well placed listening position that allows the speakers a good degree of separation.
In light of your suggestions, I am considering two upgrade routes:
-
swap the Nait XS 3 for a Supernait 3
-
Purchase a 250 DR (classic) and Hicap, using the Nait XS 3 as a pre-amp, with a view to swapping it out for a NAC 282 (and Stageline) or NSC222 at a later date.
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The room dimensions could be the source of your problems. 5 x 4.8 is pretty close to square, and square rooms are notoriously difficult because any (typically low) frequency signals with a wavelength similar to the room length resonate and cause problems. In a square room this problem is compounded.
What can make things even worse than a square room is a cube! I doubt your room is that high, but many rooms are around 2.5 metres high, which is half of 5, and multiples like that are also problematic.
I probably haven’t explained that very well, but what it boils down to is that if your problem is one of room acoustics, you should address that rather than throwing money at box upgrades which won’t solve the problem.
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