52 and 350?

Hi-Fi Corner
1

Hello,

Did Someone listen to this combo?

Thanks

2

I think this combo would be a mismatch as different voicing.

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3

Thanks for your answer.

But could you develop a little bit your meaning.

I listen to the 350 and I was surprised how musical and expressive they are.

And I think they would add more power to the DBL?

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4

Personally, I’ve never found DR units to work particularly well with non DR units
they just don’t seem to gel, in my opinion. Because of that, I’d expect the newer Naim Audio voicing (like the 350s) wouldn’t be the best match with a NAC 52.

5

I would counter that by saying that I find they work very nicely together (DR and non-DR). I have a NAC552 and adding a NAP250DR really was a big step up over the NAP250.2 that stepped in when I had to let go of the NAP500.

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6

My 252/scdr go well with the 350s.

And my 72 works very well with my SCDR and 350 combo too. Dare i say it, not too different from the 252.

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7

Not sure about the argument that different series don’t work well together. I use a 332/nvc-tt/npx300 new classic preamp with an olive 250 and it sounds absolutely fantastic. Would an NC250 sound better with this system than the olive? I think yes - but that doesn’t mean the olive 250 does not work in this system - it absolutely does!

enjoy your olive 52 with the 350s!

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8

Thanks for these answers!

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9

The thing is Jacques I’m not sure if anyone has heard a 52/350 combo. As recently as two weeks ago at Naim I heard ND555/552/500 v 333/332/350 into Focal Diablo and easily preferred the 500’s.

DBL are fantastic speakers as you know and were voiced with your amps. I’ve heard my 52 with one of my 500DR amps and that was an obvious upgrade over the 135’s without sounding like a mismatch. 52/135 is still a classic combo though. I enjoy listening my analogue sources through them very much.

As always ownership bias and listening tastes affects us all so finding so any kind of consensus here is extremely unlikely.

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10

I think it’s a mistake to generalise about issues like this, you need to take each combination on its own merits. From my own listening over the years I’d say that I have never heard a Naim preamp that didn’t sound better with a DR power supply than the non-DR equivalent. The NDAC, on the other hand, sounded better to me with a non-DR 555PS than it did with the DR supply when I asked my dealer to demo it after hearing comments to that effect on this forum. As always, get a demo and decide from there.

11

Through times I had combined many different vintages from Naim.

At no point I can recall, was it a mismatch - there’s of course various signatures, I believe it a matter of trying for yourself.

If you already own 350/DBL, I’d not hesitate to find a cared serviced 52/psu. They comes up now and then, actually a few weeks back I saw one.

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12

Have thought about going active?

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13

I had a 252/Supercap and olive 250 at one point driving IBL’s. No problems or mis-matching and sounded rather good. Happy days.

14

Thanks again for new answers :grinning_face:

15

I listen several times to active systems.

I prefer the passive way.

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16

On DBL’s active is a big upgrade over passive, in my system ,active with Nap 250 and Nap 135’s outperformed passive Nap 500 and Nap 500 DR.

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17

What made you change from first time you made the comparison and 500 passive won?

18

It was at a dealer many years ago,then at home
many years later Active was superior.
I talked to the dealer sometime ago and he confessed that DBL active is better.

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19

Like I said in my opinion.:+1:

20

I had 52, Supercap 2 and 500DR. Sources were NDS, 555PS, CDS2, XPS2 and Linn LP12 at that stage mid spec.

A hugely enjoyable system. And coming from 135s the 500DR was one of the best hifi purchases I have made. Superb power amp. For the price to enjoyment value it was the sweet spot and I love the build of the Olive and CB gear.

So 52 with 350s, sure it will work no problem. Maybe a Supercap DR will really make it sound right.

Nothing wrong with hybrid systems. I have had a mixture until my current system.

Going from 52 to 552DR wasn’t as big for me as 135s to 500DR.

52 is very sweet. With going to 552DR more refined, detailed and accomplished. But 52 and 500DR was good enough.

Having heard 350s they have different sound signature so be interesting to hear how it works.

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