Less wrong choice

Trying to beat the Dec 6 price increase, I can get two 500-series components. Current system is NDX2, 252 and 250DR.

Which is a somewhat better approach in your humble opinion:

  1. ND555 + NAC 552 (with 250DR remaining)
  2. NAC 552 + NAP 500 (with NDX 2 remaining)

I am more toward the 552+500 since it is a classic and can buy it once and done while using my digital source NDX2. Is that a good choice or is ND555 as the ultimate source going to have more impact.

I am a-bit undecided because I see many people is okay with 552+250DR :thinking: and considering my speaker is Dynaudio Special 40 for now (until future) which the 250DR should be enough and thus a ND555 might be a better choice.

Any good thoughts on which two 500-series components to get first?

1 Like

I would go with the first option, as the second will expose the limitations of a bare NDX2. FWIIW, I’m running NDX2/555PS into a 252/250, you could go with one new box to hit that combo and add a full Superlumina loom if you don’t have it.

1 Like

Cables probably will be the last thing I do. My goal is to beat the price increase as next year my country will impose GST tax from 7% to 9% also. So is a double whammy I want to avoid.

I will take note on the bare NDX2 getting exposed by the 552+500. Nice to be reminded of that.

1 Like

The order I went was 552 first, then nd555 and then 500

3 Likes

Definitely go for the ND555 and 552, not forgetting that you will also need a 555PS. The 250DR will be perfectly fine and is ideal for your speakers. Running a bare NDX2 into a 552/500 would ruthlessly expose it as a source and you’d then need an ND555 to restore balance anyway. Presumably you already have a good stand to put it all on.

3 Likes

I did 552, then 500 and ND555 last, but only because it hadn’t been released so I was vinyl and CDX2 for a while. The 552 does get the best out of a source but better to give it the best in the first place. I ended up with 555/552/250-2 for a while when a 500 Burndy got damaged disconnecting it for a move and was still very happy with my system with the 250 in its place.

1 Like

I’d be looking at new a ND555 plus P.S. and used 552/500 which could be achievable for about the same outlay

Definitely Option 1 first.

4 Likes

Tks for the logical conclusion guys. Looks like ND555+552 that is. In order not to be exposed at the source and the 250DR is still good for my speaker.

2 Likes

Exactly. You’ll love it.

1 Like

I would definitely love to hear the second option. I use an NDX2 bare and would love to hear how it would sound in That system.

I guarantee next to no one, if anyone at all has actually heard that configuration so you should really try and hear for yourself.

I recently made this move. ND555 first then 552 and ultimately 300DR to replace 250DR in a few weeks.

From experience I wholly endorse this order. Source first still holds.

G

Helps me greatly in deciding the course of action.

1 Like

You could go NDX2/555/552/250(DR).

1 Like

option 1 should, of course, sound better than your current setup (so you would perceive it as a good purchase nevertheless)

option 2 in my view, however, should sound better than option 1 … in your current setup

why am I saying this? because I’ve had the 250 and S40 … but not for long as they were not a very happy couple and your speakers are probably a pair of sleeping beauties in a semi dormant state unless you go beyond 10-11 o’clock?

so, of the 2, I would definitely go for option 2 now and think about further upgrades later as the biggest imbalance I see with option 1 remains at the next stage - not feeding adequately a pair of wonderful speakers and that would not be addressed by millions in the source.

and btw considering you are also looking at it from a financial point of view ahead of the next price increase, buying a source which will inevitably be outdated soon enough (think ndx and nds), your money on the 500 might be more wise and future proof (if this matters)

2 Likes

You definitely hit it right on the Special 40. Not going to dispute, I feel low volume listening on my S40 is lacking and truly need to volume up. I thought my S40 is too entry of a speaker and you mention it is a sleeping beauty and wonderful speaker, that is pretty revealing to me. Perhaps I :poop: too much on my speaker.

Most people advice me to go source-first, but I do understand the out-of-date issues of the digital source also.

The exact nature of the future-proof-ness of 552+500 is exactly why I am initially undecided where to spend the two 500-series components for now.

2 Likes

This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.