Excellent, just pipped you, but we share that view!
edit - 3 series is excellent kit, but a more worthwhile upgrade from a lower base imho!
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I’d go with the new series instead of going 552 if it were me.
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This is certainly a consideration but they’re as rare as rock’n horse dodo down under
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Thanks. I thought I’d updated my profile
Hi @Milletta,
I can’t comment on NC, have never heard, but I can vouch for 552/300, obviously with the right speakers just compelling.
Good luck,
Regards,
Lindsay
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Well if you can get hold of a 552DR second hand, then as a couple of the other guys wrote, it has to be worth considering. Beware of forum conjecture and ownership bias. There has been an epidemic of it recently! How many have heard the new series back to back against the 500 kit? I have and all I will say is that the 552 is a great pre amp IMO. The dealers will probably want to sell you new equipment so only your ears should ultimately decide. I realise that geography works against you and the 332 is very good. Best of luck 
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We heard 350s with Sonus Faber Serafino G2 and they were excellent. So since you already have fabulous speakers you could stay passive and go the 552 route.
If you ditch it all for 332/300 try and hear them with ATC50s……
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I think you need decide which source(s) you want to focus on, vinyl, CD and/or streaming. You will get greater SQ by focussing funds on upgrading one or two sources, and accompanying amplification of course. You seem settled on your speakers.
IMV, it now makes no sense to run and upgrade both CD and streaming sources. Certainly moving to 300 series makes CD as a source of less value compared to streaming IMV. Additionally, Naim CD development has ceased and existing CDPs will become increasingly difficult to maintain. I would advise ripping all your CDs and developing your streaming source.
If you stick with OC, then you would gain more from streaming by moving to ND555/PS555DR, although this may not be doable where you live. Alternatively a 552DR would of course benefit your vinyl source, although I don’t know much about the VPI.
Alternatively you could decide to focus on streaming and move wholesale (or in stages) from OC to NC. The NC range also includes good phono stages, if sticking with vinyl is important to you, and the 222 includes a phono stage onboard.
I moved wholesale from a full 500 OC streaming system to a NC (222/300/250) system, due to space restriction in my new home, and never looked back.
Of course I cannot know the cost implications to you where you live of either upgrading (and possibly rationalising) your existing OC system or the cost of moving entirely from OC to NC. This is only complicated by the possibility to move from OC to NC in stages with the use of the new cables allowing NC to be connected to OC kit.
Your best bet is find a great dealer you trust to discuss, and most importantly listen to, a limited number of options. Just make some decisions about the source(s) you want to focus on and develop. For me it was streaming.
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Maybe no issue but you asked very vaguely for something specific whatever that is and you got my answer from one of us that has made the move from classic to nc.
Claus
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I’ve gone from 252/SCDR/300DR to a full-fat six box 300 series system. I much prefer the NC voicing and dynamics are much better. I listen to music more than I ever did.
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Another vote for NC here, the 252/250DR is pretty meh in comparison to the NC pres and amps to my ears. As others have said it would be cheaper to stick with the OC so if you prefer the OC sound then you know what you need to do. As always you need to listen for yourself.
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300dr currently not 250 and that was a big step up
I don’t think I was being vague…I wasn’t asking for technical responses nor active v passive solutions, more about anyone who has switched from what I have and what I’m contemplating…appreciate your input and thanks.
Thanks for the post. I listen to streaming, cd and lps so I’m not looking to choose one over the other…all my cds are ripped to a unitiserve which works great but the cdx2/xps/ndac/xpsdr is a superb player combo…my VPI is one I’ve built up as it started as a different player with only the plinth remaining as I don’t like the new shape…so flywheel drive, 10” printed arm, separate synchronous drive system, massive aluminum platter and Ortofon windfeld ti cartridge, Superline/scdr. Just trying to get a feel for those who have moved from the same pre/power combo to the new classic combo I’ve mention. I appreciate you taking the time to add input. Next it’ll be having a listen.
FYI another factor affecting the decision is that a change of importer a year of so ago saw a fire sale of Naim gear which has destroyed the trade in and up market. Naim handled this process quite badly imo and should have bought the stock back as the brand has taken a big reputational hit.
Oh and I can run anything as Australia has all the tech needed for any kind of internet steaming or power requirements…
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Thanks for the comment and that pretty much what I was wanting to hear…good feedback thanks
Thanks for the kind words…I’ve just received some trade in values and they’re not great right now because the outgoing importer slaughtered resale values after they lost the local contract and literally dumped a warehouse load of new stock…huge rep hit for Naim in Australia…so I might just sit tight…I mean what I have does sound fabulous and initially my aim was for a 552 but just wanted to get a feel for the NC stuff
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Thanks Lindsay, that’s precisely the comments I’m after…just a word or two from those in the know. Cheers
I’ve just looked and I see a list of my equipment in my profile so no idea what’s going on there
I have had a journey away from NDX/252/SCapDr/300/T88s and wanted to reduce box count, I moved to Linn Selekt full spec with active Atc scm40a both systems presented music quite differently and was happy with this system but was gradually listening to less music. I have now moved back to Naim 333/332/300 PSs and it seems to have the strengths of the Linn sweetness coupled with the Naim timing and attack. I think this system plays music a lot better than my original Naim set up and is much better than the Linn imho, I cannot be sure how big a part the ATCs play in this and the progress in the 333 over the NDX, but I am very happy with where I have ended up.and the new Naim series, apologies for rambling.
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