Audio-Esoterica reviews Naim Audio's NAP 250 DR power amplifier

https://www.naimaudio.com/sites/defa...Power-Amps.pdf

"Several of our dynamics torture tests (featuring well produced drums, powerful orchestral, rock and World Music recordings) showed the DR could just as well stand for ‘Dynamic Range’ when compared with the straight NAP 250."

"Naim does things in a distinctively individual way; from the minimalist styling carried across all its products to the circuitry and proprietary connectivity. There’s a clear statement here: ‘follow us on our path and we’ll take you to the music’. And indeed, with the NAP 250 DR, that’s exactly the destination. And really, what more can you ask of any amplifier..."


Naim Audio's NAP 250 DR power amplifier is at Musicraft (Derby)

Naim Audio NAP 250 DR UK RRP £3899



Naim's story begins with one man’s passion for music and weaves its way through four decades and a raft of iconic product launches to the present day.

Naim Audio founder Julian Vereker MBE (1945-2000) was a racing car driver, entrepreneur and self-taught engineer with a deep passion for music. Spending his spare time listening to and recording his friends playing live in the 1960s, Julian found that playback on his system at home fell woefully short of the experience he craved.

Not content with second best he decided to design his own amplifiers and loudspeakers, ignoring accepted wisdom and focusing on aspects of performance that made music burst to life. These first designs laid the foundations for a range of iconic and award-winning hi-fi products that would reach well into the next century.





https://www.naimaudio.com/sites/defa...2012_FINAL.pdf A technical white paper on the Naim Audio Discrete Regulator technology


Naim Audio. The best of British.


Naim Audio's NAP 250 DR power amplifier is at Musicraft (Derby)

https://www.naimaudio.com/sites/defa...20250%20DR.pdf
Hi-Fi News reviews Naim Audio's NAP 250 DR power amplifier

"Naim’s Discrete Regulation and bespoke transistor technology from its flagship Statement amplifier combine to revitalise the company’s classic power amp."

"No mistaking the huge toroidal transformer feeding dual, discretely-regulated PSUs for the NAP 250 DR’s voltage and power output stages. Naim’s NA009 transistors are mounted under the central (black) heatsinking."

"Obvious even from a brief listen is the sheer power of the amplifier – and here I’m not talking about the figures on paper, which are easily bettered by plenty of amplifiers selling for less than the Naim, but the way it propels music along, and the impact it can deliver. Not only does the NAP 250 DR prove capable of presenting bass with a satisfying – and often surprising – weight and slam, it also shows just how well-controlled is its low end, with speed and dexterity when a drum-kit and/or electric bass is motoring."

"Similar qualities were very much in evidence with the Kansas City Symphony/Michael Stern recording of Britten’s Young Person’s Guide To The Orchestra [DSD64 from Reference Recordings RR-120SACD]. This is not just a great system-tester due to its encyclopaedic survey of the instruments of the orchestra, but also due to its remarkable dynamics. Listening to the great final fugue building via the Naim is a truly spectacular experience, from the fine detailing in the woodwind right through to the great slams of the full band at the end."

"But it lives up to the promise of its near-16kg fighting weight and that massive toroidal transformer dominating the interior view with a sound that can hit hard, play it cool or just captivate with the sheer detail and musicality on offer."

http://www.the-ear.net/review-hardwa...ower-amplifier
The Ear reviews Naim Audio's NAP 250 DR power amplifier

"This is easily the best sounding Naim amplifier I have reviewed, and one of the best power amps I’ve reviewed period. It has transparency, pace and bandwidth that caught me by surprise. Having heard what Statement could do I was optimistic but expectations have been well and truly exceeded."

"The NAP 250 DR is that sort of amplifier, one that gets out of the way so that you get carried away by the music, a seemingly simple trick but one that not enough revealing amplifiers can pull off."

"It does a remarkable job of showing you how musicians bounce off one another when they play together, this comes down to speed, there is little in the way of time smear with this amp, notes stop when they should so there is very little overhang."

"If you are looking for a tool that shows you precisely what’s going on in a recording this is one of the best amplifiers for the job, but it still puts the musical message first, analysis may be possible but emotional communication is the essence."


Naim Audio's NAP 250 DR power amplifier is at Musicraft (Derby)


Naim Audio's NAP 250 DR power amplifier is at Musicraft (Derby)

Naim Audio NAP 250 DR - Modern yet classic

Few components in the history of hi-fi can match the pedigree of the mighty NAP 250. First introduced in 1975, its regular updates – both aesthetic and technical – have kept it at the very forefront of power amplifier performance for more than three decades, creating unforgettable musical experiences for countless music lovers worldwide.

The latest NAP 250 DR lives up to the challenge set by its predecessors. Housed in the low-resonance, anodised aluminium enclosure of the Classic Series, it delivers 80W per channel (into 8ohms) with all the speed, power and agility needed to unleash your music.

New for 2015 – Statement technology

Our flagship Statement amplification system was ten years in the making. The research and development project drew on all of our knowledge and expertise, yielding several breakthroughs in technology. Now for 2015 we’ve introduced two new technologies from the Statement project to our core range of power amplifiers.

The NAP 250 DR now features the new NA009 transistors first introduced in Statement. In development for over a year, this key component was created in partnership with a specialist semi-conductor manufacturer to achieve the best possible sound quality. The NAP 250 DR also includes the high power Naim DR (Discrete Regulator) technology used in Statement to provide the smooth, stable power supply we know is critical for the audio electronics to make music come to life.

These two new technologies, combined with other small improvements to layout and componentry, mean the NAP 250 DR can produce even more of the fundamental musical pace, rhythm and timing that made the originals so popular with music lovers.

Features

— 80W per channel output into 8 ohms
— Large custom-designed transformer providing 400VA of transient power
— Advanced 009 output transistors, as used in our reference NAP 500 and Statement power amplifier

Technology & Craft

Like the flagship NAP 500 DR, and the NAP 300 DR, the NAP 250 DRuses a new circuit design with improved earthing arrangements, built on a very high quality, anti-resonance main audio circuit board. The NAP 250 DR uses the same 009 transistors that were custom-designed for the statement amplification. These outstanding components each provide up to 80 amps and 350 Watts, negating the need to use parallel pairs of transistors (which always have a negative effect on sound). Additional 009 transistors are used in the fully regulated power supply, ensuring the very best performance.

A new top-quality transformer is used providing the ability to deliver more than 15 Amps and swing a massive 400VA on transients. The NAP 250 DR is stable into any load and able to drive a 2-Ohm load for long periods of time.


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Thanks

Rick @ Musicraft