I think Naim’s little dalliance with AV was the first time they really went with a “me too” strategy - they did it their way obviously, and this amplifier and the matching AV2 were somewhat eccentric.
I don’t think you’ll be seeing further investment from Naim in these products.
A Naim/Focal branded soundbar - well that might be another story…
Never made a NAP-V145DR and knowing them, they would insist on making it a proper R&D project if they were to do so - or offer a DR upgrade to existing NAP-V145s. You could always ask though, and see what they say…
The NAPV145 was not, and was never intended as a NAP135 replacement. It was literally just a single channel version of the NAP250.2, and didn’t have the extra heatsinks, cooling etc… of the NAP135s. The NAP300 was effectively the upgrade/replacement for the NAP135s. I recall comparing a pair of NAP-V145s against a NAP250.2 and a NAP300. They were a marginal upgrade on the NAP250.2, but not really worthwhile considering the additional cost. Of course, the NAP300 took overall honours.
I asked the same question as @Karyboue some time ago on the basis that if the 145 is half a 250.2, then a DR conversion could be ‘doable’? It would probably have a to be 'after hours project by someone at Naim with time on their hands.
I don’t have the serial number for mine so don’t know it’s age only that I’ve owned it for over 10 years so it’s probably close to needing a service even though it’s Ok. Maybe servicing will keep the 145 owners happy even if a DR conversion isn’t going to happen.
Sadly no. I’m in Japan and not available. Maybe one day…@Richard.Dane may remember the days when I used to call him in the early 2000s when he was still in the Naim Office and I was building a 5 channel system using all Naim.
By the way, what centre loudspeaker do you have? It is an SBL, I suggest Hicap DR >> Snaxo SBL >> Nap250DR >> SBL.
This way you can use one of the channels for the tweeter, and one for the mid/bass.
You are right, V145 is slightly better than a 250.2, but on a central speaker it is much better on the voices. On a center speaker it is what we expect it to be.
My DR kills the V145 watching a movie or anything, really kills it, it is not the same sound. In my room the DR is wide and projecting along the walls, I love it, The V145 is “inside”, it almost “disappears”, it is blown in the back of the rear wall.
I watch “tonight” because of french curfew Stewart Copland’s documentary on The Police (what a sens of humour “The police was the first boys band” love it …)
It is great on the center channel as most of the documentary is mono … but sometimes it goes real 5.1 and the DR gets insanely great and “turns off” the V145. It is very frustrating.
You are right but where you would you put the extra HT or extra strictly stereo gear with Preamp + CD + power, etc ?
HT is at least 3 amps + a a processor an stereo a CD player + preamp … + power …
Get ready to stack all of this … (and that’s my biggest problem since I discovered the DR ans that the DVD5 as a CD player and the AV2 as pream are pretty weak …)