Did you upgrade from 300DR or from 300? I am asking because I had 250 upgraded to 500 and then downgraded to 300 and then upgraded to 300 DR. I did not like the 500, but 300 DR was good upgrade over 300. I think the new power distribution box had a greater impact than the 500 alone. You can test this easy. Also did you upgrade the power cables at the same time? They too have a big impact.
No it isn’t actually
But i don’t want to go over again how much better the dcs kit is without the 552 doing it thing in the mix.
I have also found that my headphone amp’s sounded better when not running through the 552, and at the time i didn’t put two and two together. But i ran my headphone amp’s directly from source rather than through the pre amp.
Obviously in naim’s world the S1 shows exactly where the 552 shortcomings are, and so it should. But also the new pre amp’s are, and i am sure once they bring out the new one it will certainly show big gains, as really the big gains in the statement is really the S1, as this is the real star there.
But obviously this is a naim forum and with many 552 owners that don’t want to here things like this, i get that, but at the same time it’s silly to not be open to things.
The last thing i am going to say on this is this
For me the naim rollercoaster stopped once i tried to better the NDS, i ended up loving what my new dac did at the dealers, but i could never replicate this sound at home, i tried for a few years to over come this, and not for a second did i think, or even believe it was downto my lovely 552dr. Well i was wrong.
Back to the topic.
How a 500 outshines the 552
It’s a very special record. I hope that you can find one in The Original Source series, but they are limited numbers, so may have sold out.
Not sure why @Dunc’s position is so contentious (conceptually). I’m not at these lofty heights but it seems logical to me that in any system there is a component that the upgrading of would benefit the system as a whole the most (the weakest link). I think the suggestion here is that in a system comprising a 552 and a 500 it would be the 552. What’s wrong with that? If you have a full 500 system what would be your next move (if you felt the need)?
4 Likes
hello @Dunc, in my experience the 552 needs a good power cables and power distribution box to show its full potential, I could not believe what a difference it made, biggest upgrade ever.
Or, to put it another way - if you had a standard mid-range “old classic” system, and you could choose to upgrade your source plus one other item … I wonder what that might be?
Please allow me to explain. As the OP states that since he put his power amplifier in he had a major uplift in sound and therefore he thinks the 500 out performs the 552. However he still merits the 552 for the change it brought about to his system.
Many users have answered it in a way where if they had to let go of one of the devices which one would it be. However @Dunc has taken the opportunity to repeat what he said on this forum many times as he doesn’t seem to want to let go of an opportunity to criticise the 552 in this case. At other times he has been critical of the 500 series in general. Fair enough that’s his view but I’m sure the horse has been beaten to death by now.
If I removed my SW1x DAC or my 552 pre I will not enjoy my system anywhere near as much as I am right now. I know because every time I’ve tried that’s been the case. Yes I believe the 500dr is performing a vital task and doing it exceptionally well but I wouldn’t dismiss the chain of my system before it. I’ve already mentioned the pre but even when I have put in any lesser DAC into the chain the sound has become flat, less engaging, the highs don’t soar as high and the sound overall is far less engaging…even with the 500dr doing its thing. I’m certain the OP would experience the same if he tried.
2 Likes
When the time comes to consider a 552 - and you find a better performer for the same price or less - that’s when 552 becomes a weak link. Ditto for 500. Comparing oranges and apples is “fruitless” 
4 Likes
Well said
1 Like
I have only lately just answered questions on it all, as i know it’s a complete waste off time.
But you are right i should never have sold my 552dr, it was fantastic.
Luckily i can now buy it back at nearly half the price i sold it for last year. Bonus.
LOL. maybe you should. Wait, was that another criticism.
I’ll have you know all hifi is trading at shockingly low prices right now. Naim holds its value better than most.
If I was choosing to upgrade any system, I’d try and evaluate for my given budget which component would benefit from being changed the most. If it’s the preamp then so be it or the source so be it. The replaced component would have been, by definition, the weakest link in the system. Isn’t this what we all do?
If you believe a full 500 system to be audio nirvana then that’s fine and the concept of one component being the weakest link is indeed a moot point. But with the very best and strongest chain in the world, enough tension will cause one link to break.
2 Likes
Sure but the 552 partners the 500. What’s a better match for the 500 than the pre that was designed for it. Remember the 500 came before the 552. I certainly haven’t found a better partner for the 500 or even the 135s.
Agree the 500 and 552, great match as they were designed to be. Now if you had the funds, and inclination, to go to one statement level component, which one would you change first and why?
1 Like
Ooo that’s a very difficult one to answer. I honestly couldn’t tell you right now. On one hand I have always found improving upstream is the way to go but I would be so tempted to try the statement monoblocks.
It’s the S1-pre by a country mile – not even up for debate.
3 Likes
But then the 552 would definitely be the weak link with S1 monoblocks 
3 Likes
1 Like
The 500 and the 552 bring very different things to the table, instead of one giving ‘more of the same’ when added to the other.
But the 500 is far more fastitious about the company it keeps. You need at LEAST a 52 to sound good through a 500. You would not believe how toxic a 112 sounds when paired with a 500, even if the 112 is gifted a Supercap. I know because I tried it.
Yet a 552 can shine using lesser poweramps. I think the lowest down the ladder I got with the 552 was a 150. The 552/150 was enormously better than the 112/SC/500.
So what does each bring to the table…well moving from the 52–>552 (like I did) gave improvement that are more cerebral…purer tones, more articulation, better imagery, deeper soundstage etc…but did little to elevate the grin factor. The first time I home demo’d the 552 I LOVED what it did and admired all the improvements it had to offer…but when I put the 52 back in the system it was nearly as much fun to listen to.
But moving from the 135 or 300 -->500 is completely different. Yes, some ‘round earth’ attributes are enhanced, but what is immediately more apparent is the enormous sense of grip, control, unrestrained dynamics and sheer verve and swagger that was almost entirely absent on even the 300. In other words the 500 gave visceral impact while the 552 only offered cerebral ticklings.
The only way to get BOTH the cerebral and the visceral enhancements is to aquire both the 552 and the 500, and the truth really is greater than the sum of the parts. I have already in the past referred to the 552/500 as a 4-box integrated amp as they are spiritually joined at the hip.
A friend of mine started off with a 52/6x135/DBL active system upgraded to 52/3x500 and left it at that. For him the viceral improvements of the 500 were sufficiently aligned with his tastes that the 552 did not seem a ‘must-have’. And he never got one, although I am sure he could have easily afforded to do so.
I wish I could test a Statement Preamp/NAP110 vs a 72 preamp into the Statement power amps…I am sure one would be the decisive winner and I am almost certain it would be the former.
8 Likes
This feels a bit like a luxury debate…
2 Likes