Ps I wanted to add, the 552 is heartstoppingly phenomenal. Better preamps are available and will be made, but once youve heard it, it’s hard to want for anything else. Unless money is no object. But even then… 500 series will drop heavily if and when Naim upgrade them.
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The good thing is the performance of existing 500 won’t change 
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Great news Lindsay the 252 / 300 is a magical combo problem is the next 2 weeks will seem like forever.
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Fantastic news and very well done. Just went from 82 to 52 and a big uplift…
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Prices aren’t dropping much on 52s and 252s and Supercap DRs and 300DRs despite new kit on the way in with NC series.
I think Naim holds its price pretty well.
The streamers take a hit.as technology changes but the amps seem to keep their value pretty well.
Yes, prices will go down and the age of equipment affects the resale value.
A nearly new 252 will be £5000, an older one £3000 or less.
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I think my NAP300DR was my best purchase. With a 252/SC it is great and I don’ t really have any desire to change.
I may upgrade my phono stage at one point and get a superline and power it from the 252.
Who knows though - I am not tempted to spend 1000’s on the new 300 series preamp + powersupply - but eventually secondhand 552 prices will come down.
i never had a 282 so can’t comment on the upgrade to 252 .
I do understand the desire to move to more modern but for me it’s only the streaming part that is liable to get redundant fast - i doubt i wil have the money - but if i do 552 woul be my purchase and if i could afford to keep the supercap i would put it on the superline
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I have been telling him that for ages Nigel. However, the 252/300dr/505’s will have a better synergy and no one knows his system better than he does.
I am sure he will also have had excellent advice from Mr @Cymbiosis who has helped him on the journey.
The new 332/300 is an unknown, I haven’t heard one yet (must make a note to pop next door and hear one 
) therefore I am pretty confident that this is the right thing for Lindsay.
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Not sure they will, demand for a 552/500 will always be strong for those that can’t go to the cost of the new version.
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You’ve got very similar system to mine and it is hard to beat at the price. You have more DR kit, and I have older equivalents. Same speakers. But essentialy very similar.
Yes 552 maybe the longterm answer.
But if its not broken dont change it. Getting the 552 can lead to 500 and ND555 and so on. It never stops unless you want it to.
When does it stop.
For me, the new NC series don’t appeal as they are hugely expensive and too new. Wait until price drops in 5 years time.
A 552 DR and 500DR are my ultimate goal.
But for now I am very very happy with what I have and don’t need anything more.
Yes I will always want more! But will leave it a while.
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I’m sure you’ll love it. And don’t forget that as well as saying goodbye to the Hicap, you can say good riddance to that silly little Napsc. So that’s a saving of two power supplies and two mains leads. What’s not to like?
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Quite!
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I’m late to the party and you have made a decision, so congratulations. FWIIW, I found the real Naim magic started with a 252DR/250DR set up. I was then fortunate to have a great opportunity to move to a 552DR/300DR. The 300DR was a particularly good upgrade over the 250DR for effortless control of my speakers, and I’ve no doubt the 252/300 is an excellent combination. I’d happily have that as an end system, indeed that was always my end goal….
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Again thanks guys, really looking forward. @Polarbear is right about synergy a “better” solution would undoubtably have been 552/300 but there is inevitably a spending limit, and even going 552 (assuming a good ex dem or used was available)/250 would have exceeded that limit. What I’ve ended up with is a combination that whenever I’ve heard it makes the sweetest music, and a combination that was used to “voice” the speakers. Yes @HungryHalibut absolutely right less wiring, and no NAPSC and as has been said “they’re noisy little buggers to have around your system”.
The more I reflect on this the more I can’t wait, in fact I’m lining up the CDs already. And whoever ends up with my 282/HC/250 is in for a great time as well. It’s all good.
Best regards,
Lindsay
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Congrats, the 252/300DR is an outstanding combo & probably my end game for the foreseeable future, as I no longer have the urge to move further up the chain like I always have in the past. I’m not sure what your listening space is like but having recently moved from what I thought was a decent sounding shared listening space (lots of soft furnishings & some acoustic panels) to a dedicated listening space with more/better built acoustic treatments its shocking how much sound quality can be covered up by the room/how much actual performance is masked.
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You’ve done the right thing…I auditioned new speakers on the new classic 250/222 combo…it’s great but when i got them home and hooked them up to he 300dr…unbelievable…the audition was also in a controlled environment (treatments)…at home that is not the case…still to me home sounded way better
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Good to read all the 252 / 300 praise here: that’s what I’ll be listening to as soon as my local customs are done with their usual shenanigans (i.e. eke out the clearance process for as long as possible to rack up daily holding fees… gaah!)
I’ve acquired a 2021 300DR, taking advantage of some great current deals. Will replace a 250DR.
During a recent UK visit I demoed 300DR v latest 250 and felt the former was comfortably ahead. Now hoping NDS/555/252/300 will prove the perfectly balanced combo that’ll let me forget black-box upgrades for a while!
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I bought a very early original NAP300 and it was superb. Serviced this year and no DR it still sounds just as good. Twenty years old and still going strong…
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“We’re heading for utopia, roadmap says we’ll be arriving soon”
lyrics courtesy of the Eagles.
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Okay I wasn’t going to report for a couple of days but after 20 minutes. I often said the 282 was visceral and 252 mature but neither exclusively so. Well true but my home, my speakers, but after 20 minutes this is truly night and day, there is drastically more texture and timing, far more expression and the 300 is obviously providing a lot more control.
It’s going to be a late night 
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