500dr

Listening to the Cult - Electric. The DR is certainly more suited to rock IMO. This album sounds turbo charged after listening to it on the 500, which was a great listen in its own right.

Was it really worth the leap though Stu?

I can hear some hesitation or say some things you miss with non DR or?

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At RRP no. For what it cost meā€¦ hell yeah!

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DR is like 500 on steroids

Deeper wider soundstage. More detail. Faster, more aggressive, presentation. Not noticing any more bass but hearing things in the mid range I havenā€™t heard before.

I just keep wanting to turn it up. And thereā€™s no strain, no fatigue.

More emotional connection, more foot tapping. Maybe 20-30% more if we can put a number to these things.

I couldnā€™t go back.

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Try Carlos Kleiber conducting the Vienna Phil for Beethovenā€™s 5th if you want loud 500DR goodness.

https://tidal.com/browse/album/17626399

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I found that it put more flesh on the music compared to the original 500 - more solid images of the singers, more micro-detail presented cleanly and clearly that was either just hinted-at before or not really present.

I also found the low-bass extension far better and cleaner with plucked-notes or synth chord spectra very clean and rhythmic - timing is tighter and more correct and connects to me better.

Top-end was also smoother and more extended in fine details. I always thought tha the old 500 was the first amp which properly portrayed the note-decay or space after notes compared to my previous old 300 but the 500DR just takes that to a new level of mastery in being very clean and revealing in a ā€˜just thereā€™ non-impressive way.

Always nice to hear good reports from an upgrade. :bear:

DB.

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Thatā€™s the problem I have with mineā€¦ā€¦start off a listening session at a reasonable volume, keep nudging the volume control up and then my wife comes in and although her lips are moving no words can be heard. Usually sheā€™s telling me she heard my music at the end of the drive :joy:. Itā€™s effortless and crystal clear.

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I agree with everything you say, and you say it so much more succinctly than I could put it.

The 500 is outstanding. The DR takes it to a whole new level.

I will never listen to a Statement!

Easy fix for that one = divorce

It worked out OK for me :joy:

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Indeed - the S1Pre into a 500DR is divine. :see_no_evil:
ā€¦it is a path some on this forum have trod who never ever intended.

DB.

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Everything is possible I guess :grin:

I started with a 272 hanging off a Technics 1990 amp a few short years agoā€¦

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Oh boy :hear_no_evil:

And there was le thinking there was no where else to go :sweat_smile::joy:

It would seem you have more material to work withā€¦

It just never ends does it :joy:

Seriously though, get the nd555 and stop and enjoy it

Iā€™m so glad that I did not move from what I have in 2004 when I bought it. Yes there was the 552 and 500 and DBL and active 300s with SL2. At some stage we have to enjoy the music and get off the continuous upgrade treadmill

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Iā€™m enjoying it now, I really am :grin:

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Exactly Stu. My CDS2 with 555PS sounded on steroids and now my NDS with ND5XS2 sounds on steriods. Mor emodern units sound more hyped up if that makes any sense?

Enjoy Stu. You deserve it. Sit back and enjoy. Unplug from life and plug into DR joy!

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