Hello. I’ve just joined the forum having visited on and off over the years. I’ve had a Naim system since 2007 starting with a 122x/150x combination and working my way up to the current 252/250 driving a pair of Focal Kanta 2s - the most recent addition. Front end is an LP12 (purchased in 1988 and now in more or less Akurate spec and an Akurate DS. I’m very pleased with the system but the upgrade itch has started again.
Options I’m considering are
NAP250 to DR (Mine is one of the very last pre-DRs)
Supercap to DR
Speaker cables - currently Chord Rumour. Considering Super Lumina or possibly something else in the Chord range/open to suggestions.
Anything else I should think of?
My inclination is towards option 1 but I’d appreciate opinions on which of these would give me the most benefit.
Thanks
Chris
Welcome Chris
Just to add to your list I guess you might consider selling the 250 and adding the price of a service and DR upgrade and see what the cost of a pre loved 300DR might be. Good combo with 252.
Welcome to the madhouse that is the Naim forum. Why are you getting the upgrade itch? What is lacking in your current system? If it ain’t broke… Use the money saved to purchase more lovely music instead.
@ChrisRH my system is similar to yours at the front end my LP 12 spec is in my Bio, assuming you have had the Karsouel fitted to your LP12?
I still run a non DR SC for my 252 into 300DR, at some point I will get the SC DR you have more than sufficiant control on the 252/SC so as with your first thoughts I think the biggest improvement would be to get your 250 DR
I can tell you my 300 which was NON DR had this fitted a couple of years ago, superb up grade
Hi and welcome. I’m not normally one for recommending cable changes but in this case I would swap out the Rumour for an improved speaker wire. SL is no doubt very good but expensive, can you ask a dealer to lend you some to try. In my experience speaker wire is speaker dependent you might try Naca, Chord Odyssey or Epic. DR on the SC will be really good. With regard to the 250 no doubt the DR treatment will really help but if you think you will eventually be tempted by a NAP 300 then I’d be tempted to go for it now.
Hi Brown_Owl.
Thanks. An excellent point. I had a lazy Sunday yesterday listening to plenty of vinyl - a mixture of classical, jazz and 80s pop, some of which I hadn’t listened to for decades. It all sounded great. If for some reason I couldn’t change anything on my system, I wouldn’t be unhappy.
What is lacking? Bass sometimes lacks focus and tautness which I believe the DR upgrade would address to some extent. I also find low listening levels a bit disappointing. As well as being quieter, obviously, I feel there is a disproportionate loss of presence and immediacy. I like to listen late at night so this is quite important.
I’ve built up a fair collection of vinyl and digital over the decades. Sure, there is always room for more music but I can’t see myself spending comparable amounts on new stuff. I have so much to listen to already and whenever I upgrade - typically every 2 years, one of the great pleasures is rediscovering large chunks of my collection.
I know a 300DR would be a big step up and most likely give me quite a different musical experience. Probably further than I want to go and I could do without the extra box to be honest. My local dealer has just told me he has a preloved 250DR traded in and is about to get back to me with some numbers for a trade in vs DR upgrade + service for my 250.
Hi Antz, Fergi,
My LP12 isn’t at your level - originally purchased in 1988 with an Ittok LV II. Still have the arm, currently fitted with a Dynavector DV-20X. Upgrades include Lingo, Cirkus, Kore, Trampolin. I will definitely be going for a Karousel and it’s probably time I thought about changing my original Mk 1 Lingo to the latest incarnation.
Thanks for the suggestions on cables. My dealer will certainly let me try the SL and some alternatives. Now you mention it I have some NACA5 which I swapped for the Rumour years ago and have never tried on my current set up.
I’m still leaning towards a DR upgrade for the 250 as the first step.
As there is a 250 DR available to try that’s probably the first move.
I’d try a superline if a demo unit can be sourced by your dealer, try and get a 453Ω loading plug if you do given your Dynavector.
I skipped isoblue in favour of Fraim lite when faced with the choice but a later move to full Fraim proved so worthwhile I regret not getting it in the first place when I had a 282/hi/250-2. It’s a tough one this if you can’t get a demo, given the price, and you can’t even explore one shelf at a time as I could starting from Lite.
Cables I’ll leave to others, I’ve never had reason to move from A5 and the SL interconnect disappointed so I stuck with Lavender and Hiline.
I had a week with my NAP250-2 and a second hand NAP250 DR at home to allow plenty of back to back comparison. Not a difficult choice really and I’m now the very happy owner of the DR. I appreciate as some suggested that the 300DR would have been a bigger step but this suits me fine for now while I think about other components. (Just had the Karousel upgrade to my LP12.)
Thanks for all your thoughts and advice.
My first upgrade to the 272/250dr was the interconnect. I now use the Transparant Super. A hugh improvement, much stronger and tighter bass, better resolution in the highs, still perfect midrange.
Recently I changed the ethernet connection. I now use the Audioquest Cinnamon, again a big improvement. In all ranges a tighter sound with more micro details and darker backgrounds.
All together way cheaper than a new 300dr. Both upgrades highly recommended.
Next I will change the current shared power supply with a dedicated supply including circuit breaker of Gigawatt. Let’s find out the benefits.