Thats interesting, im wondering if using a supercap 2 with 252 is where it gets the opinion of it being a bit boring.
552 must be so good, im happy at 252 but one day
Annoying when that happens but we live and learn.
.sjb
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That was my experience as well. Just meh, certainly not worth the price tag. The DR version was better for me but not enough at that price point. Current prices make it more attractive though.
I thought my 252 was fantastic from the very day it arrived, and I still love it. It’s not going anywhere, and there is nothing from Naim I’m interested in as a replacement.
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Yes… 252 is a very competent pre.
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Haha its supppsed to be content 
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LOL, great subject line given the repeated trashing of the NAC252 by some vocal minorities lately.
With my speakers, room and ears, the NAC282 was a bit too lively. But once I upgraded to the NAC252… woot!
Being more neutral, it suits my system & ears much better. But boring? NOT!
It totally rocks, and I’m in absolute heaven every time I listen to it.
You can have mine when you can rip it out of my cold, dead hands.
N.B. I have no issue with someone expressing their opinions, including to dislike certain products in the line, but they get blocked once they go into axe grinding mode, and keep repeating the same thing, ad nauseam, every chance and every thread possible.
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Yes I’d guess it’s so revealing it needs to get a good source. When putting a new pre into an existing system you really take a risk since the system has been tuned to sound good with the old pre. I guess that goes for changing any piece of equipment within a system. Such changes can lead to a need to change other bits and pieces or to change the layout. In my case it seems I needed to move the power cords around to regain something I lost - and get it back at a higher level.
So the 252 is a better starting point for me to get the system to the next level. Its much more revealing nature makes for a very natural tonal character and I’m guessing it is a pre that can be made to sound even better with time and effort
So the tweaking will of course never end. Different interconnects, power cables, cable lifters, supports, switches and so on and so forth😅
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Indeed 
Synergy is tricky and changing one component can make things slip a bit but at this level things are so sensitive so one can often get synergy back with minor tweaking with cables, dressing, setup.
I wonder if 252 is more close to 552 than 282. I’ve read some claiming 552 is a mix of both.
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At this level , source are very crucial … it needs a very competent source to match , of cos the rest of the components plays vital part too
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A balance system with a 252 at its heart is a good one! Looking back 252, 300, NDS was a sweet spot, prob should have stayed put with that!
Gary
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That is interesting. Do you find the 552 a step too far? I had thoughts like that in the beginning with the 252 (well, I’m still in the beginning I guess😅). It didn’t convince so I thought maybe it was too much for me, too “good” so to speak, if you get my thinking? Is it like that for you with the 552?
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I think it just comes down to matching everything correctly. An upgrade could either be amazing from the off or show that other components no longer work as well with the changes. I love the system I have now with the 282. I’m sure the 252 is amazing (I’m not listening to it as I don’t need any temptation 
) and i’m glad people are enjoying their music.
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I listened to the Nac 252 many years ago and it was anything but boring. Sounded similar to my Nac52 which is never boring. I have owned a 42.5, 112, and two Nac82s, none of which were boring either. I doubt boring is in the Naim DNA!
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i agree with this, my system really got going when i added another 555 to my NDS
Beast mode was initiated at that point
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In which ways do another 555 on NDS change its signature?
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Oh No here we go again
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Hahaha
i didnt “change it” i was running a none 555dr, put a 555dr on digital. it just made everything ultra engaging like i have never heard before, times a million. layers for days, just much better