I’ve been into the Naim stuff for more than 40 years. In the last 20 years a 250 then a 300. Had the 300 DR’ed and big improvement. Then a pivotal moment last year. My local dealer let me try a 2005 500 that had not been serviced since new. After 5 seconds I knew I had to have it. It was that big a game changer. Managed to get the DR upgrade organised in November last year and it’s just the best. I used to have bass boom in my room with certain recordings, however, all that is gone now. Just sublime!
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So the 500 at your place added a bit of bloom compared to 500DR?
The non DR 500 totally blitzed the 300DR - immediately! However the DR upgrade to the 500 took it to a different level. Just lucky I was ably to have the upgrade before it was discontinued. The rest of my system is a ND555 and a 552. Don’t really bother with vinyl anymore and the LP12 plus the albums (in excess of 1,000) are an Xmas present to my son.
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Interesting - I had SL2s active with a pair of 300dr that had bass boom and changed to kudos 808s with a single 500dr and no bass boom (used to vibrate a bit of the doll’s house in the room).
As part of the testing process (sorry this is a bit complex), I also went from a 300dr on a run in pair of 808s to a 500dr on brand new pair of 808s which immediately sounded better (and the first 808s took over 200 hours to sound decent - hugely different from when they were fresh out of the box with no hours). So the 500dr was a big step up from the 300dr, measured in a slightly odd way!
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When I compared a 12 year old non serviced 500 to a 250dr…I literally could tell the difference in a couple of bars…the 500dr or non dr is epic…
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I might pull the trigger on a non DR 500 replacing my 300DR. I know I should get a 555 for my NDX2 first but the 500 seems like yummy with the 552…
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Just been talking about this on another thread. A 500 whether DR or not is still a 500. It has more grip, control and effortless power.
Look fosrward to hearing your thoughs and next update on this.
Source…first.
Ime.
G
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Non DR 500 is something very special.
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I read it was the last product Julian signed off before passing away 
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How long have you had the NAP300 DR?
Almost three years
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My only comment is that a 500 will ruthlessly expose the limitations of the NDX2 without the power supply, which was why I was suggesting you not sell the 555 PS when you did. Now, you will be swapping more boxes around and not have a balanced system. Wait for a 555 (again…) first, then a 500 DR later if needs must would be my approach.
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And be sure the 500 doesn’t then trigger a speaker upgrade 
okay, that was two comments.
I will most likely end up with both 500 and 555 eventually and it’s not always boxes turn up in the correct upgrade path and even more seldom where I live. The 300DR is a great amp however so that adds more hesitation than leaving 272 for 552 
Haven’t made up my mind yet though but reading through this forum makes it rather clear that 500 vs 300DR is a rather big upgrade DR or not and it is not an awful lot of money between them both if selling the 300. A 555 would cost me more.
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I’m sure it will 
Looking at my latest 5 years upgrades I know myself good enough to understand it will take a lot for me to stop 
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Hah, only because you sold your last one
Self awareness is a great thing. Maybe not so good for your pockets 
In the interests of balance, I’m sticking then…until a 552 comes along that I can afford. And The Ekstatik is a future consideration for funds.
A 500 would require a second Fraim - which for all the undoubted SQ improvements, would mean divorce…happy to remain ignorant of the 300’s failings…
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Had to to get where I am now Just a slight detour. I know what I need and will get there eventually. I just can’t do it all at once
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FR,
Yeah getting to the Quad ESL 57 is an odd journey.
Please bear with the crazy list of speakers I have had (there is a journey somewhere in it):
- 1977 - Magna (local NY shop brand)
- 1978 - KLH 5
- 1981 - Dahlquist DQ10 (with stands, a must)
- 1989 - Dahlquist DQ20i
- 1999 - SoundLab DynaStats
- 2012? - Eminent Technology LFT-8b
- 2021 - 2 sets of Quad ESL 57 (1 set as spares)
Other speakers:
Martin Logan Quests (I was going to repair them, tossed them out) I think ML hybrids tend to suck IMHO.
ProAc TabRefSig. Love them but they are effectively headphones without the band. I have Chris West at AV Options tricking out a NAIT2 for my office where they will be used.
Wharfedale something on the basement Naim Atom.
If I walked in my local Naim shop I would probably lean toward the new ProAc’s with the ribbon tweeters. They are as close to the resolution of the Quad ESL 57 as I can get with dynamic drivers.
When in the UK at UHES I really liked all the Neats I heard there but in the states they are scarce.
My local Naim dealer is a very accomplished tech and has rebuilt numerous ESL 57s. So I will probably ask them for old-time sake, to spruce up my second pair of ESLs.
Now, why not the new Quads or even the ESL 63s?
For me the simplicity of the signal path of the Quad ESL 57 really pays off in not mucking with phase and timing.
With digital sources the primary challenges are time related (phase, coherence of timing between fundamental and harmonics, as well as the dreaded pre and post echo of most of the digital filters commonly used).
So, for me the speakers that work best are the Quad ESL 57s. I wish they didn’t because of some irrational itch I have to buy speakers ‘worthy’ of the rest of ‘my kit’. I may feed that itch with a pair of REL subs once I move my SxS Fraim around.
Being a frustrated audio engineer, I have oodles of drivers in my workshop that I may eventually turn into a speaker. I have some exotic stuff like the LAT700, ribbons and even electrostatic drivers.
Well that was as long winded a theft of a thread as I have ever seen.
Forgiveness requested after the fact.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
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