Naim NAP 300 DR vs Naim NAP 250 Detailed Comparison

Naim NAP 300 DR vs Naim NAP 250

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Naim NAP 300 DR

Power Amplifier | 90 watts RMS into 8-ohms

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Naim NAP 250

Power Amplifier | 100 watts RMS into 8-ohms

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Naim NAP 300 DR

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Naim NAP 250

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Naim NAP 300 DR

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Naim NAP 250

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Naim NAP 300 DR vs Naim NAP 250 Power Amplifier Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing NAP 300 DR and NAP 250, two Power Amplifiers by Naim. Let's have a brief look at the main features of Naim NAP 300 DR and Naim NAP 250 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	Naim NAP 300 DR	Naim NAP 250
Brand	Naim United Kingdom · founded 1973	Naim United Kingdom · founded 1973
Power	90 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms, and capable of prolonged output into 2 ohms with no discernible impact on performance	100 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms at 0.1% THD+N and 190 watts x 2 channels into 4 ohms at 1% THD+N, with a 300 watt burst into 2 ohms
Amplifier class	Class A/B	Class A/B
Damping factor	—	36
Built-in DAC	No	No
Phono input	No	No
Headphone output	No	No
Bluetooth	No	No
Weight	—	16.80kg / 37lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	3-7/16" x 17" x 12-3/8" 87 x 432 x 314 mm	3-5/8" x 17" x 12-1/2" 92.1 x 431.8 x 317.5 mm

What size room are the Naim NAP 300 DR and Naim NAP 250 Amplifiers good for?

The size of the room in which you are planning to use these amplifiers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their max power parameters:

Listening Environment	Naim NAP 300 DR	Naim NAP 250
Near-field	Poor	Poor
Small Room	Average	Average
Mid-size Room	Good	Good
Large Room	Average	Average
Very Large Room	Poor	Poor

NAP 300 DR and NAP 250 are members of Naim's NAP series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Naim NAP Series History

Model	Watts RMS (8-ohms)	Minimum Impedance	Built-in DAC
Naim NAP 300 DR	90 watts	2-ohms	No
Naim NAP 350	175 watts	2-ohms	No
Naim NAP 250	100 watts	2-ohms	No

The rest of this page covers where each one wins, how they compare in size, their inputs and outputs, the full specifications and a verdict.

Reasons to choose Naim NAP 300 DR over Naim NAP 250

Base Surface Area	1356.5cm²/ 210.3inch² vs 1371.0cm²/ 212.5inch²	takes less space in your room
Height	87mm vs 92mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces

Reasons to choose Naim NAP 250 over Naim NAP 300 DR

MSRP Price(*)	8,999USD vs 12,700USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
Watts into 8-ohms	100 watts vs 90 watts	Delivers higher power into 8-ohms speakers

Size, drawn to scale

Both amplifiers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.

One scale for both, aligned at the back panels the way they would sit against a wall, so the deeper one visibly stands further out.

Near-identical footprints.

Inputs and Outputs

The input and output selections that are offered is an important factor when comparing two amplifiers. Here you can find how the I/O selections of the Naim NAP 300 DR and Naim NAP 250 differs from each other.

Naim NAP 300 DR Inputs

Total Number of Analog Inputs: 1

Naim NAP 250 Inputs

Total Number of Analog Inputs: 1
XLR Input Port

Outputs

Balanced connections

Naim NAP 250 has balanced XLR connections and Naim NAP 300 DR does not. A balanced cable carries the signal twice, on two conductors of opposite polarity. Interference picked up along the way lands on both equally and cancels when the two are recombined at the far end, so the longer the cable run and the noisier the surroundings, the more it is worth. Whether it also yields more power depends on how the amplifier is built inside - some are balanced end to end, others convert to single-ended internally and deliver the same either way.

Naim NAP 300 DR vs Naim NAP 250 full specifications

Every spec we hold for both, side by side

Specification	Naim NAP 300 DR	Naim NAP 250
Overview
Brand	Naim	Naim
Type	Stereo Power Amplifier	Stereo Power Amplifier
Channels	2	2
Amplifier class	Class A/B	Class A/B
Output devices	Solid State	Solid State
Released	2015	2023
List price	$12,700	$8,999
Series	NAP	NAP
Power and performance
Power into 8 ohms	90 W RMS	100 W RMS
Power into 4 ohms	–	190 W RMS
Power, as rated	90 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms, and capable of prolonged output into 2 ohms with no discernible impact on performance	100 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms at 0.1% THD+N and 190 watts x 2 channels into 4 ohms at 1% THD+N, with a 300 watt burst into 2 ohms
Minimum impedance	2 ohms	2 ohms
Damping factor	–	36
Signal-to-noise ratio	–	111 dB
THD	–	0.013%
Frequency bandwidth	–	1.4 Hz-100 kHz
Power consumption	–	26 W at idle, under 0.5 W in standby
Digital and DAC
Built-in DAC	No	No
Network and streaming
Wi-Fi	No	No
Ethernet	No	No
Bluetooth	No	No
Inputs
Analogue inputs	1	1
RCA inputs	No	No
XLR inputs	No	Yes
Phono input	No	No
HDMI input	No	No
Outputs
Headphone output	No	No
Speaker terminals	4mm banana sockets	Binding posts
Features and control
CD player	No	No
Handheld remote	No	No
Physical
Dimensions (H x W x D)	87 x 432 x 314 mm	92.1 x 431.8 x 317.5 mm
Dimensions, inches	3-7/16 x 17 x 12-3/8 inch	3-5/8 x 17 x 12-1/2 inch
Weight	–	16.80 kg (37.04 lbs)
Finishes	Black	Black

A dash means the manufacturer does not publish that figure, or it does not apply. 34 specifications compared.

Verdict

Siblings in Naim's NAP range, so they share a design and a house sound. It comes down to power, features and price.

Area	Better	Why
Power	evenly matched	Effectively the same output - 90W against 100W into 8 ohms is under 1dB, which is not an audible difference in loudness.
Analogue inputs	evenly matched	The same number of line-level inputs (1).
Price	B	Naim NAP 250 costs less - $8,999 against $12,700 at list.
Watts per dollar	B	Naim NAP 250 is the cheaper watt - about $90 per watt against $141. A blunt measure, and it says nothing about how either sounds, but it is the honest one for raw output.

A Naim NAP 300 DR B Naim NAP 250
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both amplifiers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.

Which should you choose?

Naim NAP 250 has the edge on paper, though not by much. The rows marked "depends" are more likely to decide this than the score is. Think about the whole system: the roughly $3,701 saved by taking the cheaper one would buy better speakers or a subwoofer, which does more for the sound than the difference between two competent amplifiers.

What a spec sheet cannot show: how either sounds with your speakers, how the controls feel day to day, and what the app is like to live with - which is where most all-in-one amplifiers are actually won or lost. Power figures are the manufacturers' own and are not measured to a common standard, so treat small differences as noise. If you can hear both, that will tell you more than any row above.