500 to 500DR?

Don´t worry I choose non DR Nap 500 over the DR version of musical reasons.

That’s interesting I’d like to hear more about what brought you to that conclusion.

Same for me, my serviced 500 non-DR, 552 non-DR and nDac/555PS non-DR play music like no other set-up I have heard :smile:

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I don’t know if i would call it more musical.
The 500 non dr just can’t do the same things as the dr. It’s just less resolving, more noisy, etc.

No bit of kit can be really more musical, as in what are you trying to say with the word "more musical " anyway?
It’s not like it’s added an extra violinist or guitar, etc. Normally, as you get better gear, what you are actually buying is less noise, so you get to hear more of what’s actually recorded.
Obviously, you can also gain more details, wider sound stage, etc . but again this can come from a lower noise floor normally
I wouldn’t say the 500dr is voiced any different from all the other naim stuff really.
But that’s my take on it for what it’s worth

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So how explain that most preferred the Ndac/ 555 non dr vs the dr?

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Engagement in music played is not always about more detail and deep black silence. My 552 has a much higher noise level than my former 272. MUCH more. But still it is completely destroying the 272.

It’s interesting what parts of music presentation that engage us in different ways. I sold a Sarum T DIN DIN since I preferred Lavender. Didn’t see that coming but I start to learn what engage me and what is not and it is not inky black, high detail etc. I try not to think that much and just focus on what my feet tell me be it DR or not DR. Completely super happy with my non DR 552 and 500.

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Voicing in the final stages of development perhaps?

We preferred our 52 with an olive Supercap over the same pre with a Supercap DR. With the olive SC, the definition of each note was a bit fuzzier / less clearly defined due to a higher noise floor, yet music timed better.

The Superline was laughably better with the SCDR than with an olive SC though.

I make no claims whatsoever that an olive SC is more capable than an SCDR. The DR version is technically superior.

As for DR on the NAP500, it has only ever been a major improvement to the 500 whenever we have heard it, a very clear improvement in every respect. YMMV.

Best regards, BF

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Even with a Nac 552 non dr?

Why the interest? I thought you preferred your valve preamp to Naims?

Hi FR, who is your question addressed to?

Best regards from an unbelievably gorgeous Andorra.

The question was for you Foot tapper :joy:

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So we can’t discuss about products we don’t have now? New forum rules? :joy::joy:

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‘Course we can mon ami … and we can also question each others’ psyches :slight_smile:

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Sorry FR, I don’t follow you. What about a 552 non DR?

We prefer the 552DR but what of it?

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So I can respond to your original question: I have no desire to buy a 552, be it dr or non dr. I would have to buy then a separated tubes phono and all that would cost me around 18/19 k , so out of my budget.
My next purchase, when funds will permit, will be the 250.3.
I bought recently different Nos tubes for my ear 912 and enjoy since yesterday the uplift in sound.
Just back from holidays.
Greetings from Lacanau lake , near Bordeaux. Very nice place.

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As for DR on the NAP500, it has only ever been a major improvement to the 500 whenever we have heard it, a very clear improvement in every respect

I asked if you preferred still the 500 dr , even if the 552 was non dr. I hope you will understand now my question.

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Ah, understood. Yes.

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It very much looks like it :+1:

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An interesting conversation about the foot-tapping abilities of the 500DR as I recently lent someone my SL interconnect and DIN/XLR’s. This forced me to use the old Naim ‘mains sourced’ DIN/XLR’ and my Lavender cable. Whilst these where nowhere near as realistic as the SL’s I found myself really engaged with the music using the old cables.

I tried to analyse what it was I was enjoying and think that it may be down to Naim’s ‘voicing’ of my DBL’s. I think Naim are so good at what they do that the match of the old cables perfectly balance the DBL’s, and whilst SL does sound more realistic it highlights weaknesses in the frequency extremes that he old cable covers. This also seems to marginally improve timing, which then converts to foot-tapping.

For me it’s always about how loud I can play the system and everything hangs together. With the old cables I can play the system ‘loud’. With SL I reach a point where some frequencies are a tad too much.I expect this all changes when you couple S800’s into the chain - especially if they are driven by a statement. After all that’s why they developed the SL in he first place.

For me this has been another lesson about ‘chasing the dragon’!

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Now listening to string quartet music, in which the benefits of the lack of noise shine through, with of course also the better sound stage. So far I haven’t yet come accross an album which is edgy…, this was different when hearing some specific albums on the non DR version.

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