Worth a read, even if the conclusion isn’t all that surprising…….
ATB, J
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It really is utterly amazing how good these components are. They were top tier 25 years ago and they are top tier today.
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Thanks for sharing!
Still in love with my 552/500, not going anywhere.
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The NAC552 and NAP500 are proper classics and still sound so good.
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Always nice to read a nice review, but it is what hifi magazine, say no more really.
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Nice to read that they checked with Naim that no plans to stop building these units anytime soon.
Score dropped a bit for ‘features’ but it gives me everything I need.
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It’s great review. I’ve never heard the 552/500 but knowing Naim amps as I have for many years I’ve no doubt at all that they would be everything I could ever want from an amplifier. At nearly £54K I could never, and would never, be able to afford them. I can’t help feeling that it just shouldn’t be necessary to spend so much to get excellent performance but if I was rich I wouldn’t hesitate.
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It must have taken a massive RD investment across those 4 boxes too, especially the 500. Wasn’t it about two years in just time, let alone the staff costs?
Glad its still going, shame about the stopping of the ND5XS2, glad we bought one though.
Martin
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Had my 552DR/500DR for some years now and it still delights. Can’t see me ever changing it.
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Same here. Almost affordable too if you purchase ex-demo or second hand. Having said that, the bargains of a few years ago seem to have evaporated.
Like the CD555, another absolute pair of classics from the Roy George/Paul Stevenson era.
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Yes. I bought mine several years ago, initially the 552 and the 500 later, when the prices were a fair bit lower and I got a good trade-in on my other Naim amps. Not sure I’d stretch to today’s prices.
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I bought my 552 new, albeit with a good trade in, but every time I play music it seems like good value.
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Agree,todays prices are just insanely high.
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Dont forget £20k of that £54k for a 552/500 is the dealers cut. Assuming you dont negotiate.
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Oh yes the great dealer mark up debate. Low sales number on high end gear, cost of premises, holding demo stock, demo time, delivery and staff costs……
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Speaking as someone who can at least claim some experience at the expensive end of things…
IMO such extreme expenditure is not necessary to get great sound and/or excellent audio performance. Such performance can be achieved at a much lower cost.
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When well taken care of and set up properly I think the 500 series is the most fairly priced hi-end music making machine 
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And when i had to move my kit……my dealer did that free of charge, all in the price
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I wouldn’t mind having a listen to an integrated 500 level streamer and pre if ever such a thing materialised, and a less coarse, full range volume control would be nice. The conclusion of the article comes as no surprise. This is why my focus is on my music collection and its development. The system just stays out of the way.
The comments in the article on simplification of presentation ring true with me. Something I’ve consistently noticed, such as when going from XPS2 to 555PS, putting it on Fraim, upgrading to DR, going from 252/300 to 552/300 to 552/500 is how things sound more detailed, more realistic, yet more simple, cleaner. I think the noise floor may have something to do with it. Less is more.
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