552 preamp

The whole basis of upgrades is that more details, more layers should enhance the listening experience. Have you enjoyed a pop song on the radio but not enjoyed it so much on a good HiFi system? Some music seems better on less revealing systems. An impressionist painting can look great even though it is not detailed! However, unless it is a poor recording, eg many pop songs, good recordings should be improved by the better amp but each of us has to find what works best for us.

2 Likes

I think there may be something in that. The 552 is much better than the 252 and I am pleased with it. I just wonder whether it is too much for the 300DR or as suggested my room. I donā€™t think it is the room as I am not hearing mismatchā€™s, booming or screechy trebles or any obvious signs of such. I also need to be patient before jumping to any conclusions. I have a plan to goto a Naim streamer if they get the feature I want, and a Nap 500DR. The recent price rise announcement will probably get me to downgrade from new to previously owned on the 500, so if I donā€™t like the final set up I wouldnā€™t lose too much by revising my thoughts and selling on. I will give it six months of listening though.

1 Like

Itā€™s not a downgrade. Naim kit run well for YEARS and then are serviceable and restorable to essentially as-new. If I could have found a 500DR gently used Iā€™d have bought it.

1 Like

I would imagine rather well. Iā€™d need to have a side by side comparison though. Iā€™m also a fan of Naim and wouldnā€™t want to leave the fold without trying all possibilities within. So for me its early days to be even contemplating the thought. I think if I were an audiophile I would probably have gone down the route of having a listening room and treating it and any kit as a complete system to be tinkered with.
I do need to repeat the point though, that these are early thoughts about differences I am noticing, and not a thread about any dissatisfaction with the 552.

2 Likes

Canā€™t you just borrow a better source from a dealer and see if things change. If itā€™s restore a better and more balanced sound, you will know that the 552 has to stay.

No.

Hi Bruss,

Unfortunately nail hit squarely on the head. Iā€™m still with my 552 and 135ā€™s while my NAP500 is at the factory. And as good as the 135ā€™s are it ainā€™t the same. The 552 does bring out the best in them but the 500 has a power and ability to push stuff dynamically that is missing with the 135ā€™s. Problem is, that itā€™s this stuff that make the hairs on the back of your neck standard up. The musical realism with a 500DR is in another league Iā€™m afraid.

As someone has already mentioned, you need a really good source. I get a similar drop in realism when I listen to my Node against ny CDP555. And Iā€™m one of those that thinks the Node punches way above itā€™s weight. The 552 seems to exploit all these little nuances in a kind of ā€˜sum of the whole is greater than the sum of the partsā€™ kind of way.

Hang in there itā€™s still early days.

1 Like

Thanks for that. I am thinking of xpsdr/ndx2 rather than the 555 pair though. Iā€™d like to think though that my current P8/ hanna/ Gold Note setup is good enough for vinyl.

Always worth remembering that the 552/500 came before CD555 so a CDS3/XPS was thought to be a good match.

I run a ND555 into a NAC552 and a NAP300dr.

I donā€™t feel that the 300 is not up to the job. Much pleasure with.

8 Likes

The 552 absolutely shows you everything that your source has and doesnā€™t have. Digital or vinyl. This is why these ā€˜upgrade loopsā€™ get so ā€œinsidious.ā€ The old mantra about ā€œsystem balanceā€ is true.

Your system may be source-light and out of balance. The issues youā€™re hearing may be due to the source(s) not that 300DR. The only way to know is to spend some time with better sources in your home system. A few days listen with something borrowed from your dealer would be ideal.

I missed your vinyl set up . Much better. I think itā€™s on the level, just enough.

I have no dealer in the back end of rural France. I know that my future listening source will be predominantly streamed content. I also suspect that my node/Qutest can be bettered, but I want the functionality built in. Naim doesnā€™t have that yet. I hear what you are saying re source but my gut instinct is telling me this extra layering isnā€™t about the source.

Richard Dane has the 552 with 250 dr. Simon S had the same combo. And recently Nigel B. And all were satisfied. So I donā€™t think your 552 needs absolutely a 500 dr.

2 Likes

I donā€™t think I need a 500 but then I didnā€™t think I needed anything more that a Nait2 at one time. :grinning:
I believe that Naim have got their matching sets just about right though and just maybe the 500 would bring the best out of the 552.
I think my path is still to try a 500DR and then upgrade the streaming source. I will then know rather than forever ask myself the question as to whether I have found my personal Naim limit. No rush though. Iā€™ve come a long way in the last 20 months and another six months or so isnā€™t going to be a problem.

Also 552/250DR here, for now.

G

1 Like

I didnā€™t find the 552 added anything to the sound, when I didnā€™t have it and used my rossini built in pre direct to the 500dr, but I did find once I got my 552 back it had more of a dynamic sound, but everything else was he same, or as far as I could tell. I havenā€™t bothered trying it since as it sounds so bloody good.
But as with all this, your system is only as good as the worst part and itā€™s so easy to un balance it all, be it with a pair of very transparent speakers, pre, etc, it will start to show up whatā€™s bad in the system, the good bit is get it all good and its fantastic, so much so you wonā€™t believe the difference

I ran a 552 / 300 for many years and its a fantastic combo. I donā€™t think the 552 needs a 500 by any stretch of the imagination but I agree with other comments about it needing a good source.

7 Likes

Listening to this and it is all sounding pretty fine.

4 Likes

The NAC552 shines even with a NAP110.

6 Likes