Never found the 52 laidback - is 552 really more upfront? Or is this not meant with laidback.
Damn - I am tempted…
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The 552 is much faster sounding than the Nac 52,in that way closer to the Nac 82/SC,but in a completely different level ,the 552 is just awesome.
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Yes Drago I went from 552DR/135 to 52/135 for cost saving reasons. Then back to 552DR/135 and now 552DR/500DR.
I’ll try my best to describe the differences. The 552 is the more detailed pre. It sorts out more of the music and also reaches higher and lower in the frequency extremes. Better texture. More weight to the sound. More clean and defined edges to notes with more punch. It doesn’t deviate from the Naim house sound though. If you love the 52 you can’t NOT love the 552.
I would say go for it. Your speakers deserve it. I think especially with Kudos you will appreciate what the 552DR brings and if the price is right that’s a massive plus. Good luck and please remember;
Carefully set it up and leave it to settle in for a number of weeks or even months. The 552 takes a longer time to warm up than the olive generation.
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Maybe my source components masked it but I have had the 82 and the 52. I would say the 52 is faster so I don’t completely understand why some people say the 82 is the more lively sounding amp. The 52 to me is faster and somehow more refined. It’s a dramatic amp. Well it was in my system for sure.
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I completely understand what you mean here. The 52 is a dramatic amp. It brings out what is important in the recording and dumps the rest. It’s noisy when compared to many other amps but so much fun. The 552DR when not set up or warmed up/burn in etc will not excite as much. BUT when it comes on song it wins in every respect.
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Did anyone know when dr was introduced- 2012? The unit is from 13.
Is there a serial when it was changed?
Yes as one utterly committed Naim for many years , to this day it remains a mystery why it did not totally convince me. Been in the game long enough to know it could well be the rest of the gear at that time. Or a kind of “Nait2” getting to what matters most in the recording that the 52 has in spades.
The OP should try a 552 for sure. I intend to if the opportunity presents just to have a final check! Pretty blissful where I am in all honesty.
Gaz
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Spot on, exactly my experience between the 52 and 552. Beautiful as the 52 is, the 552 is just “more”.
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Yes -2012
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52>252. Different, better in many ways but a bit of the 52 magic missing
252>552. Magic restored, in spades. Pure music.
My twopenneth. Don’t try the 552 unless you can afford it!
Bruce
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Wise Words.
In fact… Don’t try the ‘anything’ unless you can (definitely) afford it… 
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Try going back to a 552dr now, and see if you still feel the same.
I already know the answer to this one, as once you hear it, that’s it.
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Tim has already answered your challenge: “I am not one of those people who thinks the 552 is a weak link or inadequate in any way“.
Let’s be honest - you just don’t like the NAC552, so why bother to comment on this thread?
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Auto corrected. Every thread.
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He aimed it at me and my response was trying going back and see if he feels the same.
Nothing wrong with that and i think he might find he has a very different view if he did.
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Remember that cassette deck you hated back in '83 … I reckon if you went back to it now you’d change your view. 
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Come on… I am reading in this forum for some time and really know the taste of the power posters here. I can differentiate - but please no discussion again, if 552 is weak!
Back in 83 the cassette probably wasn’t too bad, these day’s it really shows it flaws, and that’s even with the very best cassette decks you can get.
So yes i would change my mind and say what the hell did i see in that. Lol.
I tried cassette once again and sold my dragon, but i have kept my elcaset, but hardly use it.
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Not going there as no point.
It was more the fact that once you have moved on to better things it’s very hard to go back and enjoy what you once did.
The same goes with car’s, coffee, well everything really.
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Point totally given… iPhones, TVs, Houses…