I have a 272/555dr/250dr combination and am considering swapping the 272 for the 222. I am sure a few members here may have done just this. Is there an uplift in sound quality from the new 222 alone as the only change? I did trial a Linn Selekt edition hub with dual mono Organik DACs and it was noticeably superior in every way to the 272 at double the price of a new 222. It won’t be happening for another year.
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I’m curious about this comparison as well. 272 v 222 holding all else equal. Most of the comparisons I’ve read about have multiple differences in components influencing the comparison.
I’m also interested in the Linn Selekt streamer. In your opinion how high up the food chain do I need to go to beat the 272/555? I’m assuming I won’t be using the 555 with the Linn and going straight to the 250DR if that’s possible. My Linn dealer stopped carrying Naim so I don’t have Naim local to me anymore unfortunately.
PS - just realized if I move to a Linn streamer I’m going to lose multiroom functionality with my Muso. That’s a feature I quite like. Ugh.
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I listened to the Selekt Edition Hub with the the dual mono Organik spec at my dealer last week, very nice.
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I think that setup is around $22K here in the states if I have my components straight. Still learning the product line. That wouldn’t be too much of jump for me if I’m selling the 272/555. Unfortunately my dealer doesn’t have enough boxes to let me do a home demo, he can’t keep them in stock. And if I don’t like it I can only get store credit so that’s not appealing to me. I’ll have to go s/h if I want to experiment it looks like.
Since you already have the 555 it might make more sense just to see if you can borrow the NSC222. It won’t match but would be better than the NPX300 which is just above the XPS DR according to @110dB
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I don’t know the dollar price it was £16,950, I guess approx $22k
I don’t have a dealer to do a home demo so I’m stuck to waiting for s/h which will likely be a long wait. My current set up is pretty great but I do have some curiosity about the Linn streamers.
Sounds about right.
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I was listening to it compared to DCS Bartok, non APEX, and NSC222 unfortunately he didn’t have a NPX300. I preferred the Selekt. Going back to listen when he has NPX300.
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@ElMarko Greeting from Lower Hutt New Zealand.
I see we have the same main rig down to the Ovator400s.
We used to have an excellent naim dealer only a 20 minute drive away. They now sell Linn instead. The nearest naim dealer for me now is 600km away in Auckland. So I am exploring the Linn brand as it has excellent local expertise with the opportunity to try it out at home.
I had been getting a bit frustrated with my 272 as it was forever vanishing from my app, and was slow downloading tracks from Tidal, or randomly deciding not to play them at all. Currently it is well behaved as I had it turned off for 10 days whilst trying out the Linn.
I want to keep the 250 dr power amp so the two Selekts I tried had no internal power amps and were essentially streaming preamps, replacing the 272/555.
Linn Selekt DSM Hub Classic Katalyst stereo DAC NZ$12,900
I thought this was every bit as good as the 272/555 with the added benefit of super fast app and the possibility of room correction being installed when bought. Very musical indeed. I could happlily live with it long term.
Linn Selekt DSM Hub Edition Dual mono Organik DACs NZ $31,025
This was a revelation and transformed my system. No need to change speakers or amplifier. About the best I have ever heard a stereo system apart from a NDS/Statement a few years ago, and that was without Linn room correction set up.
The casework on the latter box was solid machined aluminum which is meant to be less microphonic. Also it doubles the cost . The Organik dual mono DACs were $10,300 vs Katalyst stereo st $2750.
I would not have bothered with auditioning the Linns if there was a local naim dealer. I do not want to let go off my 555 as it cost me $15000 and I hate to sell it at a huge loss. Hence starting this thread to get some insights on how good the 222 sounds.
Best of luck on your journey.
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I think this is the route I am considering but with Organik DAC upgrade. I shouldn’t have to contribute too much extra after sale of 272/555 which I acquired at very good prices and should be able to move them on at a premium at best and break even at worst. I’m in no hurry, I need to learn the product line and I’ll start watching the s/h market. We’ll see what happens.
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Great idea. I am thinking along similar lines. The Selekt Hub Classic( basic case) with stereo Organik DAC is USD$10,300 here and seems to be the best bang for buck, on paper.
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Hi IDAK - I too am in Wellington, NZ. Why not let go of the 555? I wouldn’t be surprised if you get 10k for it, and if so, that would subsidize the 30k Linn to 20k - and from what you reported, it would be far superior to a 222. Is the Linn future proofed as well ie. upgradeable internals? I’m of the firm mind now not to support Naim at all given what the new distributor has done in NZ (all Naim dealerships gone apart from the two new ones in Auckland so not possible to home demo or even shop demo if you’re not in Auckland. Further, the new distributor doesn’t even acknowledge who services Naim in NZ now). Why buy Naim now when you can get something as well built and as great sounding from Chris Murphy? Your report on the how the Linn stuff sounds has really got me thinking…!!! Cheers.
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This might be what I was thinking I’m confused on their line. It’s the same shape box as the expensive one but more basic I guess. Loaded up with the organik modules. I wish I could do a home demo. It’d be much easier to decide.
I think the innards are much the same and I think you can go dual mono Organik in the basic “ Classic”box.
The US $10000 Classic box I mentioned with a single Organik DAC as the one to go for is the same price roughly as the 222.
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@Django84 Good to hear from a fellow Wellingtonian. The Linn is upgradable as the DACs are interchangeable. The internal power supply is upgradable as Linn technology advances. Power amp modules can be added to the box, so it is quite future proof.
Sadly the 555dr would be lucky to make $6-7 k in the nz second hand market.
What system do you have as I cannot see it in your profile?
It is painful isn’t it? Linn and Naim are both fine brands but a big difference when you live at the bottom of the world is the support you get. Or don’t. My NDX’s screen has died (as they do) and I thought I would give one of the Auckland dealers a go to see what the service landscape might be now. I was told they would not organise service outside the two year warranty window and it took a couple of emails to prise the details of an (Australian) service agent from them. You would hope it would be different if you had bought a new Naim box from them and they knew you but who knows.
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So true. You cannot beat great local service and backup from a centre of excellence.
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That’s really poor isn’t it? That’s the experience I’ve had from the new distributor too - emailed numerous times to find out NZ service agents and no reply, ever. Looks like there’s no digital service agent in NZ and who knows about other servicing - certainly NZ doesn’t feature on the website. This is exactly what the concerned word on the street was about the new distributor and I suspect they’ll have absolutely no interest regarding any gear bought new from them after the warranty has expired - and two years ain’t long.
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Hehe - a ‘fellow’ Wellingtonian and in the same profession too (I’m not sure where I found out your true identity). You reckon a 555dr would only fetch that amount - new 16k? I bloody-well hope not. I’ve got an nds/555dr but I too am tired of the drop-outs and app seizing, and now with the absence of support and servicing…Had a better look at information on the selekt - looks extraordinary. Seems pretty unlikely that a 222/555 (or 300) at 30k would match the equivalently priced selekt (?what do you think) - and one less box (and no servicing requirement, hoorah!), and, future proofed with upgradeability whereas the 222 will be old fodder again. How did the selekt ‘sound’ v 272/555? My only concern is whether Linn is a little lean and clean sounding. I listen pretty much purely to blues/blues-rock/rock and would miss a sound without meat, weight, and punch.
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Also would love to hear opinions and experience from those who have listened to a 222 in a full 272 system, how much better does it get and is it really a big enough boost to be worth the investment?
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