Hi Nigel, you’ll see from my initial description, further back in this thread that I was fully prepared for all the usual blah blah about how much of an upgrade this would be over my 300DR.
What I wasn’t prepared for is this massive soundstage which has arrived … the MF9’s have “disappeared” … no mean feat, as you yourself know. 
On the points above about DRing Naim kit, they sent me an email just now with a new policy coming in to effect in September, no DR without service, see announcement and price list here.
The difference isn’t small is it Dave. Its not just the soundstaging but its the tomes and notes it makes.
The Titans are simply gorgeous on the end of a 500 
Hi Eoin, just had my email as well. It’s interesting that they think they can do the DRing better if they also service the boxes.
@dave-marshall, The unDRed 552/500 also produces a big soundstage. It’s interesting as you already had the 552DR that you still noticed a big improvement. I certainly noticed when I demoed a 552DR that it was much improved in conjunction with a 300DR. With my unDRed 552/500 the bass and high frequencies are noticeably better, to the extent that percussion instruments (eg. small drums hit with sticks) are easy to identify. I don’t get the zing from mine that I got with DR on DSOTM.
Congratulations and enjoy.
Phil
I posted this observation on the 552 thread which @Filipe started, but has anyone else noticed the irregularities between sterling and Euro pricing? Unless Naim Audio is basing the Euro prices on pessimistic forward rates post Brexit.
My guess is that euro prices are without salestax.
I suspect this is also due to elapsed time since DR the non-DR 500 are getting old and need a service to allow the DR to operate correctly. The Service is mainly replacing supply DC rectification Electrolytics that as they age worsen impedance at HF which the DR sees - and perhaps it is more sensitive to working as Naim want with that within spec. …but just a guess - you should service them if more than 10-12 years old IMO.
DB.
So if you had it serviced last year you’d need to pay for another service if you want it DR’d 
It adds to the case for not doing the DR if the service was relatively recent. A 552/500 can still sound mighty good.
Phil
That is an excellent point!
Naim may not have considered that anybody had a very recent Service and not the DR as well.
That does seem a bit weird. I would have thought it would have been more customer focused and environmentally aware if it had been applicable for units which hadn’t been serviced in, say, the last three years.
And no price at all for a XPS?
@Richard.Dane confirmed on the 552 thread that the prices exclude sales tax which I guess varies from country to country. Even so those prices would require booking through a European dealer.
It would be good as @Clive suggested if services performed in the last three years could attract a lower DRing charge.
Phil
I bought a second-hand 555PS from Leicester a few weeks ago, and sent it down for DRing (arrives with me Monday). It had been serviced in Salisbury late 2018, glad this wasn’t in place already.
You should be in for a great time ahead! Allow a dip after a few days in performance as it runs-in - not everyone seems to get that but I did and some other people I know. It goes ‘off’ a bit rough and sharp for a few days then after three weeks it is good and just gets better and better.
The 500DR is a very special Amp IMO.
DB.
Well, what a surprise!
Congrats Dave, enjoy.
I was told by Naim that the DR upgrade for an XPS effectively included a service as so much is replaced.
How is that 500DR doing driving your actives?
There is an unDRed serviced 552/500 available in Warsaw Poland on the Naim Audio buyers and sellers FB Page.
I am so loving my combo that DRing seems quite unnecessary.
Phil
This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.