Yep this is why Acoustica are hated by other dealers. The likes of Signals and Cymbiosis offer nothing or very little by way of discount. Good service is worth a lot but maybe not tens of thousands lot!!!
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I have listened many times to the S1, i can afford even at the current price. Yes, betterā¦ā¦but did not move me to buy. The replacement 552 will be uncomfortably close to the S1 for someā¦ā¦and prices will inevitably fall
My personal interest in the S1 still has the essence of the old Naim sound which the NC series does not have to my ears. Will wait for a bargain S1, or jump ship entirely.
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He had quite a few, 4 i think at the time.
Yes he offered a good discount and i guess thatās up to him, but it also shows how much other dealers make on a S1 if they sell at retail. I know where i would rather go.
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I agree with your analysis of the S1 sound Gaza. I liken it to a better version of the 52 rather than a better 552 if you get my drift. I never regret buying it and I wasnāt offered the sort of discount that Dunc is saying that he was (not quite) The S1 is Naimās star product IMO.
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Well gazza if you didnāt like what the S1 gives over a 552dr then you are certainly not going to like the new 300 series or the next 500 series i would say. As all the new gear is getting more transparent in itās sound
That is where i am coming out on itā¦ā¦.as you said close your eyes and could you tell its Naim orā¦ā¦ā¦?. Or another comment Naim have made the new series more appealing to the massesā¦ā¦inevitably some like me will move on in that case. So i will listen to others to find what i like.
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Also they degradeā¦get noisy etcā¦
I was talking to Naim at a recent event, they were pretty clear that it will take a few years before they replace the 552. When I asked why they said the 552 is very hard to improve on.
The 552 has always been subject to hyperbole but to state that a 25k amp and one of Naimās legendary products holds a system back feels a little disingenuous.
I like the concept if the S1 (no compromises the best we can do) but the cost and itās share size would be prohibitive for 99.9% of the population.
Gary
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As said, every system has it week point, and just because something is Ā£25000 doesnāt change that.
The fact is the ND555 can sound better, and so can the 500dr itās been proven many times by naim owners and naim dealers. I am not making this up all the factās are on this forum reported by other naim owners.
I find it hard to believe that naim says itās hard to inpove on. As i have said before, the problem is more likely it will sound very close or even the same as the S1. Once they add the same volume control with the mono design/floating boards that the 552 has already.
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Surely it is all relative? To say it holds the system back in this context is simply indicating that it is the least strong performer in the chain, and that it would be the component to change first if one wanted to go further. But this is not to say that a full 500 electronics system is rubbisb because of the 552. Personally I think whether or not that is true depends on the speakers - if they cost less than Ā£20-30k new I imagine they would be the weakest link, or if the speakers are at this level and very demanding ones then there might be a question over the power amp.
I feel that the concept of system balance at a relative price point is somehow getting lost in this discussion. Most systems will have a component that if replaced with a better component may preform better, but the wording āa weak linkā is really a bit out of context in terms of overall system performance at a price point.
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It doesnāt matter what word you use does it as it all comes down to the same thing?
At the end off the day itās the same.
Ok how about this then.
If you want to inpove your 500 system then the 552 is the bit in the chain to change.
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Well, yes, it kinda does, one has a more negative tone, whereas this conveys the matter positively:
After I left Naim and I felt I needed to wind the system back a bit, I was faced with whether to let go of the NAP500 or NAC552. I had listened to all the combinations on my SL2s and to me it was definitely the right choice to let go of the NAP500; I ended up with a NAP250. Had I kept the NAP500 and gone with a lesser pre-amp it was not nearly as satisfying a system.
However, I do agree with you, that if you want to do better with a NAC552 and NAP500 then, provided the source is top notch and active 500s are out of the question, the pre-amp upgrade to an S1 will very likely give the most gains. As you rightly emphasise, the pre-amp really is that important.
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Further to Richardās post I I believe that amplifiers are truly where Naim have excelled and IMO especially with the preās. From the 32 back in the day through to the S1 now theyāve produced amps of the highest level. I could still live very very happily with a 52/250.
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Keep going mate. You are doing a great job. You can have a rest once the 552 used prices drop to around Ā£4K. 
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My phone and predicted text, plus i never noticed.
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Prices have nothing to do with me as you know all too well.
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Correct glevethan ,the ALPS RK50 pot in both variations is exquisite in build and sound ā¦it is a large pot 50mm in diameter which can be a concern for some designs but as you say it is the Everest of ALPS design period.
Nice head phone setup by the way ,if I were to get into headphones Stax would be my first port of call.
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