Upgrade

Hi all,
I’m considering an upgrade now.Last year I purchased my new 282 from my local dealer in Milan.It matches my 200 and Hicap.I’m considering a non DR 250.2 or an Supercap.Which way you would suggest?Please don’t say both…!
Thank you.

Neither. Stick with DR. So 250DR or SupercapDR. What’s the source, speakers and what do you have it all sitting on?

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Likewise

I would go for the 250.2 - upgrade it to DR when you can, but no great hurry.

I’ve never liked the 250.2. The 250DR on the other hand is excellent, and makes a perfectly matched setup with 282 and Hicap DR. If your Hicap is not DR I’d sell it and get a DR version. ’d do that. It’s a classic combination and a Supercap DR could come later if you fancy it.

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Thanks for your comments.Popeye,in my system I also have an Gyrodec with HR power supply,Benz Micro Glider SL on an Quadraspire wall shelf into hicapped(non DR)Superline,ND5XS and ProAc Studio 140.System on an Custom Design model Milan rack.

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Here it is.

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Hi Fabio,
If you have a Superline, then I would so so so recommend a Supercap DR for it.
Not a Supercap but a Supercap DR. The impact of a Supercap DR and the right Z foil Airplug resistor for your cartridge on the Superline is eye openingly wonderful.

So, if vinyl is more than 30% of your listening, this is what I would do.

Hope this helps, BF

p.s. like @anon4489532, I would avoid the 250-2 but the 250DR is a lovely, musical amplifier. Supercap DR first though.

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Thanks for the comments so far.I’m taking my time now to decide.I was thinking to make an audition at my Naim official retailer.
Mille grazie.

Yes 250DR is the next step, otherwise consider a 300, but I would look for a demo between the two with your speakers. Be nice to know which speakers you have.

Hi NFG,
you replied to popeye,if it was me that you wanted to put the question,as I said up in this thread, my speakers are some honest ProAc Studio 140 MK I,nothing more and nothing less.

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Sorry, probably haddn’t read everything, doh.
Yes, ProAc speakers very good, think a 250 would drive them well.

You are welcome.

Apologies for the hijack, but have to gush somewhere :heart_eyes: but I am SO enjoying the 282/SC/Napsc…by golly, I am gobsmacked at the 282 (even using only XS2 as power amp). Cannot wait to chat to my dealer about p/xing the SN3 for a 250DR, when it returns from hospital (kinda assuming that as a power amp the 250 will be superior, much as I loved the SN3). My end game approacheth… :hugs:

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Indeed, as a NAP140 drives Proac Studio 140 speakers to all but the loudest volumes, a NAP200 or NAP250 would do so even more. It presents an easy load to an amplifier, so compliments a good amplifier rather than highlighting the extra capabilities of a great one.

A change from 200 to 250 with these speakers will bring an improvement but I very much doubt that it will be a massive, huge, jaw-dropping shock of an improvement. I would expect it to be more of a “oh, that’s a bit better I suppose but was it really worth all that extra cost?” I say this having tried a NAP140 to NAP250 switch on Proac D2 standmounts as well.

Given your lovely and easily driven speakers, the power amp is not where I would choose to spend my available funds. I would be looking to put a Supercap DR on the Superline, a Hicap DR on the 282 or change the Streamer to an NDX2, depending on the relative importance of vinyl versus streaming to you.

Happy auditioning! BF

There used to be a blog on Signals website (UK Naim dealership) about various Naim components. Their comment on the 250-2 was that it was rather speaker dependent, sounding a bit thick with some. I don’t know how it would suit the Proacs. It was a good match with Thiel CS1.6s, which had quite a light airy sound tending to brightness but could rock given some encouragement from a 250-2, they couldn’t when driven by the Accuphase as used the first time I heard them.
If the Proacs sound a bit lightweight with a 200 the 250-2 might be a good thing but if they already sound quite full bodied than maybe not, I’d be surprised if no one has experienced this combination.

A supercap on a superline is a very good thing and I’d forego one to on a 282 to achieve it, however I’d be tempted to upgrade the Gyro first with a Unipivot arm and maybe a Gorb conversion. The Aro worked wonders on it according to Frank Abela, late of my local dealership and he helped Michell develop an armboard for it. A Roksan Sara might make a good alternative but you’d have to find out if Michell can do a board to suit its weight.

Thank you all.This thread gets interesting.So I go on provoking you.What about some Pmc twenty5 24 then?

Fabio,
There are many good makes of loudspeaker, not least Italy’s own Sonus Faber. PMC, B&W, Focal (Kanta range) and Dynaudio are others. However, finding a dealer whose judgement and skill you trust is more important.

Find your favourite dealer and ask for his/her recommended shortlist then try them out for yourself. Many Naim owners have learned over the years that specific speaker recommendations can be perfect for one room yet awful in another. Speaker performance is absolutely room dependant.

Enjoy the speaker selection journey and be prepared for it to take some time. It only took me 6 years to finally find the ART Alnicos after enjoying Proacs for 15+ years before that.

Best regards, BF

Changing from my 250-2 to 250DR was one of the most pleasing choices I’ve made. I actually decided to take the demo based on some of your disparaging comments about the 250-2, HH (lardy springs to mind if I recall correctly!) and have no regrets. More clarity, fun, agility. The forum (like any social-media-type format) can produce some nonsense, but there is plenty of good steer and advice when wading through.

Ha. Lardy sounds about right. People can agree or not agree, and of course the sensible thing to do is to try it yourself, as you have done. As you say, there is a lot of nonsense on the Forum and you have to take a view on whose views might accord with one’s own.