When the two stars collides ,it becomes a …Super Nova 
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Well, well, well, someone else brave enough to stick their head above the trench.
This is very difficult for me to judge. I know my source to be exceptional having directly compared it with many other DACs. I have also tried to better the 552Dr by moving away from Naim and failed immensely. What the 552 brings to the table is very unique and I haven’t heard another preamp that does it in the same way.
Having said all of that as of yesterday I can’t help but say the 500Dr is my fav Naim component. I’ll cop out by saying one thing. The 552/500 should be partnered together as I’m certain what I’m hearing right now wouldn’t be possible without the 552.
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Exactly, Bob Dylan can be a great test of a great system and great speakers. He usually sings with quite a thin voice but has those wonderfully expressive upper tones, with the lesser deeper toned traits supporting his voice… his vocal balance really helps convey his feelings… and his intricate guitar and harmonica playing in accompaniment with occasional voice popping on the mic really conveys a glorious intimate vibe.
But I agree lesser systems and speakers can loose a lot of this or make his voice just sound to thin, or bassy when it isn’t.
The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan is one of my favourite albums.
The Blind Willie McTell recording is a little over produced for my tastes, as the reverb feels a little over egged and his voice is set a little too far back in the mix for me… but yes his voice sounds more mellow and matured in that track… it certainly is a great performance, I like the foot tapping and the piano crescendos.
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For sure the 500dr and 552dr are ment for each other. But also for sure out off them both the 552dr is the weaker.
The 500dr can go on and give more, show you more if you let it.
Remember with 2 item’s you will almost every time get one that’s better than the other, it doesn’t make it wrong but it does make it true.
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Of course ,the Preamp is more important than the Power amp ,so if upgrading the amps a S1 first is the way to go.
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I wouldn’t say weaker. I know you don’t get along with the 552 as you have preferred the source directly into the amp in the past but I have had the complete opposite experience to you. The 552 has bettered every other preamp and variation I’ve thrown at it.
I’ll give an example. I’ve had the Audio Note M6 on home dem which I’ve compared with my SW1X PRE. Both of these amps have such a beautiful sound with detail and spacial presence. I prefer the 552 to both. If you check the retail on the m6 I think it’ll provide some context. The 552 is one of the finest preamps every made so no I wouldn’t call it weak. lol
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Once again completely missing the point i am trying to make.
It’s not about if another pre amp is better, it’s not about what said pre amp does to the sound.
It is just this
The 552dr when paired wirh the 500dr is the weaker component.
This has been proven hundreds off times now, and even by naim themselves with the S1.
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Great commentary - as expected
The synergy of these components is possibly what makes the 500 have the edge, the 552 - damn fantastic regardless perhaps is what lets the 500 do its thing.
But subjectively, the 500 has just got it!
Yes the Statement, such a piece, and it’s one reason I want to go to the Bristol show if Naim have it there, but I feel fortunate to have progressed to the outstanding system I have.
Hats off to the Naim team
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Thanks Graham, I’ll search and buy!
Jon
The high res version was available at MP3 price recently. That was on Presto’s website, but may have been a time limited offer.
Roger
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With you on that.
G
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Forgive me for saying but words have a strong influence on how somebody can perceive something. I’m not comfortable with the word “weak” it’s not how I perceive it and I wouldn’t want another member to perceive it that way if they haven’t heard it.
I don’t know who has proved that the 552 is weaker than anything. Regardless of price I have found the 552 to be an exceptional performer and I’d put it in a shootout against anything else. It will hold its own. To compare to the S1 is a little unfair considering the delta in price.
I don’t mean to offend but most of your posts aren’t favourable to Naim’s 500 series and I’m just providing the counter argument as I don’t see it that way at all. Naim is imo the best for amplification.
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Did I read that you bought the Nap 500 at the same time you purchased the Chord Powerhaus M6 in which case you would have a double whammy upgrade?
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I don’t know what word you would like me to use?
Plus i am just agreeing with the thread starter.
I loved my 500 system for a very long time. I would probably still have my 500dr if it had true balanced connections as it certainly didn’t seem to be letting my system down how ever i used it, Naim pre or no pre.
But it doesn’t matter what word you use really as it doesn’t change the outcome.
The truth is simply you can get more out off the 500dr, you can also get more out off the nd555 if you take the 552dr out. So not sure how you wish to say now it is, but for me i would simply say out off them 3 components the one that is going to limit what the others can do is the 552dr, therefore it is the weak link, and pointless spending any more money on better Amp’s or source until you sort the pre amp out.
This is exactly what i found and why i could never get the results i should have been getting.
These arguments are just bonkers. How can a preamp be weaker or stronger than a power amp? Anyone who can advise me if my Burndy is stronger or weaker than my NACA5. Please, please … nobody answer that. 
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It’s a bonkers topic! 
My 552DR has been the most versatile as I’ve had it for about 14 years that originally partnered with a NAP250 then NAP300DR and about 4-5 years ago the 500DR.
I could easily go back to a 250DR but I would never let my 552DR go, so the winner is the 552DR. 
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Easy.
Yeah according to you the 500 must be the weakest because Naim introduced the Statement Power amps. Bonkers logic.
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Your only example that you are based on is the DCS. Be it Rossin Apex or Vivaldi Apex, the sound is better direct into a power amp, than passing through the 552. So you conclude that the 552 is the weak link.
However DCS is designed to be connected directly into an amp.
I don’t understand how, based only on DCS sources, you can conclude that 552 is the weak link.
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