Contemporary thoughts of how to visualise source first is a nice full manicured bushy beard.
Those hipsters were onto something.
Although the old bald hermit with a massive white beard and hairy stuffed up ears could be onto something.
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Balanced. But the beauty is, that you can still build on it if you desire and the SN3 will deliver.
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…And maybe SuperLumina as icing on the cake. 
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As a generalisation, yes, but I would suggest that a lesser source than the ND555 with better amplification than the Supernait would be a balanced system. Add to that the fact that you could be looking at a 250 or 300 power amp, which in turn opens up the possibility of driving a much wider choice of speakers well.
It’s often useful to consider the principles in something other than audio.
Consider the image produced by the best lens money can buy coupled to a 1 megapixel CCD. Would this image be better than a lesser lens coupled to a 20 megapixel CCD.
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I think you have just described the upgrade vortex 
Stephen, I would say balanced with an opportunity to improve on the source…
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As we upgrade in stages we are continually unbalancing, and then rebalancing, our systems. However, with the exception of my start point (a massive Mullet), I have always grown my system with varying degrees of Monkfish tendencies. This is because I have always considered ‘source fist’ as my guiding principle.
So I have always upgraded my source and pre amp in advance of power amps and speakers. Actually, I have always had the feeling, once I had moved to separates, that the pre amp is the beating heart of any system, possibly why I have owned so many Naim pre amps.
I know others have gone for the best speakers they could afford first, checking they worked in their listening rooms. Two very different approaches to upgrading, but most likely a similar goal of our ultimate balanced, ‘end game’ system.
I feel however, as we now have great streamers at reasonable prices, the ‘source first’ mantra is not the holy shrine it used to be when the LP12, Nait and tiny speakers (an extreme example to make a point) were king. Some of us are also a little preoccupied, and distracted, with the bit before the source (router/streamer link), and we can take our eye off the bigger picture as a result. Guilty as charged.
So for me the goal is balance, but it seems to me we all try to get there in different ways.
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A balanced system is boring. Too politically correct!
You rebel, you…
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In my experience, speakers have, by far, the biggest impact on what we actually hear in an audio system. Especially as (if) you utilize different types of transducers, e.g. horns, electrostatic, planar magnetic, dipolar, omni, acoustic suspension, bass reflex, etc. Enormous sonic differences are immediately apparent between the various designs and technologies employed in loudspeakers. The rest of the chain: source, amplification, cabling, can optimize (or sub optimize) the performance of the speaker, but…the basic character of the speaker will remain and it’s impact on the sound will overwhelm everything else in the chain (IMO).
It’s difficult for me to evaluate upgrades as I always seem to be upgrading 2 or 3 things at once, however I do know that my system sounds better now that it ever has. I’m fortunate enough to have a dealer who not only makes sure that each upgrade is the right one for me but also consideration about cost/value. When I first bought a serous system in the late 70s I was told spend 60% of your budget on electronics and 40% on speakers. It wasn’t until I bought my first Naim gear in the 90s that I was aware of source first, oddly enough by the time I’d bought everything for that first Naim/Royd system it still worked out roughly 60/40.
Recently I auditioned a $10k pair of speakers that surprisingly didn’t sound as good as my 25year Royds. Obviously they were great speakers but they just didn’t gel in my setup, system out of balance. While I’m sure there’s merit in source first I certainly wouldn’t underestimate the effect of having the right set of speakers.
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Well that I agree with speaker synergy completely
However over 35 years plus it’s been 80%/20% for me with speakers at 20% or so
It’s been a long journey for me with speakers and Naim, even though owned quite a number of Naim and Linn speakers, and that doesn’t mean they weren’t fantastic speakers, in fact they were, but I knew something more compatible around the corner
Finally - Neat speakers do it for me with Naim gear both across less expensive front ends and more expensive front ends
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True, but they have to be the right Neats for your system
Funny that, but I had the exact opposite experience where improvements in the source and the amplifier completely transformed what I heard coming out of the speakers. The most extreme example was with a pair of Linn Keilidhs which started off with a pronounced tonal coloration that made the singers all sound like they had head colds. Improving the source first (by adding an XPS to the CDX) and then the amplification (swapping a 102 for a 52) eliminated the coloration, curing the singers of their head colds.
Well, the expenditure on the components might be balanced, but would it sound any better?
Indeed young fella
I do like XL6’s, but probably too much for my 250 and my bank account.
Harry has a lovely pair ready for your purchase !! My ones ha !!
Best speaker I’ve ever had !!
Have I broken any rules hear saying this - I ran them with nap 500 but could be fine with 250
I know I was tempted.