I posted a similar conundrum a few weeks ago. I have since had the 552 serviced and there is a considerable upturn in performance albeit still running in. I’m still not 100 percent convinced though. (But maybe 75 percent there. )
I think as others have said, if like me you have aspirations for a 500 then it is clearly a no brainer. However, with the 250 or 300 as an end game power amp I think it depends to great degree on aspirations for the system in future against synergy with other components in the context of the current system and listening environment. I know several people are happily running the 552 into a 250, including NigelB in the past. It doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be what you seek for your system in your room but I hope it is!
We all try to optimise the sound for the room at the end of the day and whilst some can tweak with room treatment that is not always practical. It may be that the 252 does that better in the context of your room.
There is though, I am sure, also an acclimatisation factor in respect of one’s own hearing I am sure and that is where I am now.
It will be interesting to see how things develop for you. Hope it suddenly all comes good and brings much enjoyment!
Oh… naked 272 or PS added?
There is something very badly wrong with a system that includes a 252/300 if it doesn’t sound loads better than a 272/250. There are many places that issue could be, such as the source, room, unserviced gear etc. etc. but something isn’t right there.
It had an xpsdr. As to the difference between the 272/250 and 300/252 I just didn’t hear it, but the jump to the 500 series was immediate and once it was run in was even better.
When I went from 252DR/250DR to 552 (non DR)/250DR, there was a significant improvement in all the important (to me) areas, although I knew the 552 was being compromised by the 250DR, which was being pushed to the limits of its capability.
I then skipped the 300 and went straight to the 500DR, as I wanted my end-game amplifier and the 552 and 500 work to their optimum when paired together. And blimey, what an upgrade that was. I could hear the synergy (sorry, an over-used word) between the pre and power amp.
The pre amp and power amp upgrades all happened with a ND555 as my source, and MA GX300 Gold speakers, so I know the source wasn’t holding anything back through the upgrades, but suspect my speakers are now the bottleneck.
I can’t comment on what improvement in SQ a 552/500 would bring over a 552/300, as I have never owned a 300 power amp. For the same reason I can’t say what DRing the 300 would bring. All I can say is a 552 paired with a 500 is fabulous.
252DR to 552DR was a marked improvement in all directions using 300/SL2s. Slight adjustment to the SL2s (inch further apart) and everything snapped into place.
I would never buy anything I might want to upgrade in the future. So if you think you might eventually want the 552, get it now. My only reservation about the particular 552 you are looking at is that you won’t be able to get it upgraded to DR (Naim has discontinued DR upgrades).
Wow. So either you have never upgraded a single item of your system, and never will / or you have made some bad choices along the way 
It would be wise for him to avoid absolutes …
Are you sure this is true? I understood that although it was no longer possible to have the DR upgrade in isolation, it was still possible if requested at the same time as a service.
That was before the discontinuation. There was a thread about it and his was the actual information that was sent to dealers, which was indeed discontinuation:
Thanks, I had missed that thread. Fortunately for me, it’s not an issue as all my units are already DR, but I’m surprised that there wasn’t a warning with a short time window to allow those who hadn’t yet upgraded their kit to do so.
Yeah, all discussed in that thread A reasonable argument was that achieving the goal of focusing scarce resources on new kit would have been defeated by a warning followed by everyone sending in their non-DR kit. And there was a 10 years grace period. But probably best not to reopen this here 
552’s on point tonight 
I think it’s starting to warm up… listening to Fiona Apple Tidal album…Sounding great!
(The Bottle of Merlot might have something to do with it 
)
No, I’ve just bought a couple of things and then upgraded at much greater cost than it would have been to wait and get what I ultimately wanted in the first place. The bad choice was the intermediate step!
Page 4 of the Manual gives details of compatible wines ! 
lol brilliant…
Don’t start that again
I can … the 552 takes no prisoners!!..it is fast transparent…and its all there (well nearly S1 is better) … I had to alter my speaker positioning and change to SL to the streamer…and then bliss…
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