I’d agree with your dealer, as it maximises the sound quality of the existing electronics. Otherwise you are adding black boxes without ever getting the most out of the ones you have.
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If they claim a cable makes a bigger difference than the XPSDR it to me seems like a questionable upgrade based on my experience with changing cables of all kinds. The 555PS however seems like a different thing from what I read. Boxes and speakers have always provided the biggest upgrade. Cables have been more like “is it better? Maybe, or?”. I want a clear non questionable upgrade for that money otherwise I’ll pass 
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I didn’t say that, I said it was more beneficial replacing the speaker cables than exchanging my XPS DR with a 555PS. I already have the XPS DR. The XPS made a big difference.
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Ah sorry misread your post. Will keep my eyes open for a used XPSDR.
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I’ve done all these upgrades. Going from XPS to 555 is an absolutely massive upgrade. Adding SL cables to an XPS powered 272 is nice but nothing like as significant. You can’t really put numbers on these subjective issues but if it had to I’d say that going from XPS to 555 was 10 times more significant than adding SL cables. Anyway, it’s massive.
As to the impact of the power supplies, going from XPS to 555 makes a much much bigger difference than adding an XPS to the bare 272.
What I can happily say is that a humble, superseded, semi-functional 272 sounds rather nice when coupled with a 555DR and a 300DR, powered from dedicated mains via a MusicWorks G3 block, connected with SL cables and sitting on a Fraim, and connected to some of the finest speakers around.
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I knew I’d hear from you. While I don’t dispute your opinion I can only base my experience on what I have. Remember I have the 250DR, you have the 300DR that may have some difference. But that fact remains the 272 is an excellent pre amp regardless of how you use or upgrade it. I think I’ve made it clear that I will not be in a hurry to upgrade it any time soon whatever Naim do about a replacement.
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I totally agree. I was simply trying to put the 555 vs SL issue into perspective.
When I first purchased my 272 about 3 years ago I ran this bare for a while then purchased the XP5XS PSU and I know some on this forum think the XP5XS does nothing to improve the 272 but I disagree, moving the power supply outside the 272 box made a big difference.
Then a good friend decided to go on holiday who owns an XPSDR so I borrowed this for 2 weeks, okay slight improvement but nothing massive and when I re-installed the XP5XS I didn’t miss the XPSDR.
So when I had the opportunity to purchase a used 555DR from Australia at a very good price I was a bit hesitant but after reading various threads I decided what the hell, anyway the 272/555DR blow me away and transformed the 272 into a different Pre.
The old XP5XS squeezed under the might of the 555DR
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Australian, if you don’t mind me asking and it’s not breaking any forum rules how much did you hand over for the used 555.
Thanks! The 5 is pretty cheap nowadays so might jump on that first to evaluate how much it adds. The 555 cost I cannot currently motivate even though it sounds like a great step up if only looking at performance.
Not sure if it breaks the rules but I paid £3.5k for an original 555DR, already owned a Powerline and kept the burndy from the XP5XS, the dealer who purchased the XP5XS had spares.
When I owned the XP5XS I used a full fat Powerline on this power supply but even using the supplied mains lead is a rather nice improvement to the 272, took a 555DR for me to change.
All power supplies were used in conjunction with my existing 250DR.
I had the XP5XS at first it really made no difference at all.
All you need is a Cisco 2960 and some Blue Jeans Cat6a cable…
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@Mike_S
I’d also like to go with the current streaming tech at this point. Right now I have a Superuniti, which sounds very good. So it’s amatter of whether I stay with a one box format and move up to the new Uniti Nova or go for a 2-3 box system.
When you upgraded from the Uniti Nova to the SN2 and NDX2, was it a big jump up? And did you also get a power supply?
I think my CDs sound excellent thru the Superuniti because of the Linn Reference player I’m using. It’s a Unidisk 1.1 with a Dynamik power supply upgrade. But really, every source I listen to sounds great thru the Naim. My rebuilt Kef R107s have never sounded better, and I used to run cj tubes and an Ayre amp. So I’m thrilled that I made the change to Naim.
Anyway, Mike, if you could give me an idea of the sound difference on your upgrade, it may assist my efforts to direct some superfluous cash to such an endeavour.
Thanks.
Cheers.
Dave
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Hi Dave,
Yes, all good fun isn’t it? I still have the Nova, it now lives in my media room/home office as a second system. If you want an all in-one system, it really is very good - as always, system synergy with the speakers and room comes into play.
But yes, the SN2 and NDX2 is a significant step up - as one would hope at twice the cost. I have since added the HiCap and XPSDR, so my two box limit has expanded to 3.5 - these things happen… Then I added Powerlines and Superlumina and fine tuned the ethernet side of things, and it is all very nice.
So, to answer your main question, the SN2 and NDX2 was a significant step up for sound, and my speakers liked the extra current over the Nova. It’s a great system with the NDX2 really being the jewel - it’s a world class streamer with Naim PRAT.
If the 272 is updated to the new tech, that gives an alternative low box count route. I think that then comes down to source versus more amplification, so a bit system dependant maybe.
Have fun and good luck.
This thread may be of interest to:
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Bump.
Tick tock, tick tock.
Absolutely agree, I wanted minimalist and searched for a DAC with a volume control purposely to add to my active speakers (one box soon became three however but my system is still small and neat).
Would be happy to more in detail hear what XPSDR do to 272 
Only one way to find out .
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