Hi Nigel,
Well, where to begin, after a long session with the 500DR last night?
My “thing” has always been to seek a presentation which fools me into believing that the singer / band are present in the room, possibly at the expense of accurate reproduction, (which may explain why the ATC active speakers just didn’t do it for me).
Just as with the move from non DR 300 to the DR version, which propelled me a little further down this path, the demo of the 500 takes things to an altogether different level.
Bass notes, though well controlled, go far deeper on familiar tracks and on some albums, Robert Plant’s in particular, voices are clearer, more realistic, and further forward in the mix. There’s definitely more “layers” to the music, where I am hearing the individual instruments as part of the ensemble, rather than just “the band”.
But the biggest surprise is that the soundstage is massive, extending way beyond the placement of the speakers, which have now truly disappeared, well, other than a feeling that they’ve each sprouted a pair of cartoon arms which are waving about shouting “Hallelujah!”
How this has been achieved, I don’t know, other than the fact that I can only assume that the 500, rather than be the natural partner for my 552, is, in fact, one half of the same amplifier.
So, where does this leave yourself?
Easy to spend other folks money, but I would suggest that if it is doable, bypass the 300DR, (which is a fab amp, nevertheless), and stick with your 250, before going straight to the 500DR. You already have the 552, and even in non DR form, I’m sure you would reap the benefits.
Needless to say, it looks as if I’ll be trundling my 300 over to Chester when I visit the show on Saturday.
As I’ve often said in the past, “the fun just never stops”.
Hope this helps,
Dave.