Exactly what I was aiming too, but clearly my room is too small for a Scala Utopia. My dealer even said the current Sopra2 could’ve been better still in a larger room than mine now
i.m no expert but i would have guessed moving from separates 52/135s to an all in one would be a major step down in quality - not really a fair comparison to OC
All I will add to the ‘direct comparison’ debate from a position of some experience now is…
‘Blimey’
G
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El Niño effect on this forum aight? 
Although I’ve got a chance to listen to the NC300 set (with a Scala Utopia speaker), and still like my 500s better, I wouldn’t be credible enough to judge here on which one is actually “better” (whatever that mean).
I just look at this from commercial POV, if I were Naim management and thinking the NC300s (full blown with two NPX300s) hands down better than the 500s, I would just discontinue the 500s series until a new NC500s series have been made that surely is better than NC300s, especially they don’t hold much stocks of the 500s nowadays (I think they are made to order only lately).
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Nick,
Thanks for such a detailed write up, it has served as a great memory jogger for me. Also I agree with your assessment and the only thing I might add is that I think Super Lumina was added to the 300 system over the standard cable at one point. I think it was an interconnect to the 333, but I may be wrong. For me it had a bigger impact with the 300 system than the 200 system, opening up the sound further with more detail and coherence.
I’ve heard the NC equipment on a number of occasions now, and heard both the 200 and 300 systems give soso accounts of themselves, as well as them both giving very fine performances. Happily the latter was very much the case on Thursday. I’m sure I could very happily live with either of the systems.
With the 350s being added there was more of the same, more detail, openness, coherence and grip. However, for me, it wasn’t the big jump that many others have reported. The nagging doubt that you had about the ability of the 250 driving the Focals remained for me with the 350s. Yes, it sounded better, but I didn’t feel that they really got to grips with the speakers. At times for me it felt like the 350s lost a bit of control with the bass and it became a bit bloated. It might just be the tracks that were played, but it reminded me of my chrome bumper 250 with my SBLs which exhibited a similar behaviour. Jason did say they were difficult speakers to drive. That all changed of course with Statement. It truly got the Scala Utopias by the scruff of the necks and there was absolutely no doubt just who was in charge… The ND555/Statement combination sounded absolutely awesome! It’s probably just as well that it’s out of reach for me, otherwise it would likely be a must have.
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That’s the one.
The one where the nd555 had all the so called good bit’s and better set up compared to the nds that had to slum it in comparison, and even so the difference between them was not noticeable, that’s the one.
Dunc you’ve moved on from Naim by not your addiction to the Naim forum. My God man what makes you tick? Start a DCS forum or something. 
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Apart from the entry level and Uniti kit, the rest has always been made to order.
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Let’s get serious for a minute, yer right
If the new 300 series is tapping at the heels of the 500 kit, then that’s only good news for the future. Right.
You can right now go and compare a full 500 set up against a full nc300 set up, and see where you are with them both.
Then i guess you decided what’s for you, and if the added expense does indeed bring you the benefits over the nc300.
That really is it, isn’t it.
Plus that’s exactly what anyone in this position should do.
All the chat on here is just that chat, and really does no more than just point out options.
Just like every other thread on this forum, its just options and only you can decide if you want to try them.
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I love it on here really, why?
Well it’s a friendly place on the whole
Believe it or not but i still like what naim does and stands for. You only have to see the factory visit pic’s to see the dedication, etc.
I guess i got frustrated with naim over the last 5 plus years, as i know they can do better, but i feel with all the changes that have gone on, things have taken longer to come, but hopefully things are now happening.
It’s really a shame that a great British film like naim couldn’t offer me what i wanted when i went looking for a naim upgrade, as if they could then i guess i would probably have it, and still have it now.
But i am hopefull that the new kit might temp me back into naims fold. Probably not in the dac department as i have reached my end game probably there, but i have always like naims Amp’s, and so lets see.
Plus i only give my thoughts, and at best it might give you something to try.
Plus i am on many forums, even the dCS one.
Cheers dunc
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Music and the equipment we use to play it are not a sport.
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Why the BIG IF again. For a lot of people (including the dedicated naim people) it has not touched any 500 heels. 
Some really interesting additions thanks.
It sounds as if the possible small limitations of NC250 with those speakers that some thought we heard with those speakers (e.g. bass more noticeably good when quieter) is much reduced by 350s but even they are not a complete answer. I wonder how good those speakers would sound with a 500DR.
The views of most (but definitely not all) ears still suggest that there is nothing in the 300 range that is quite a match for 552/500. For anything less extreme in the OC range, the direct NC alternatives are either competitive with the OC boxes or a definite improvement on them. That seems to be just as it should be.
eBay suggests £7650 today for a 552 and less than £12k for an almost new 552DR from a dealer. It looks as if very roughly £6k gets a 500 and closer to £10k will probably get a late 500DR.
If it were not for how good 552/500 are found to be by many, and what good value those prices are in such an elevated context, I suspect that there would be a lot more effusive and unalloyed praise here for the NC range - after all, we all came away thinking they were rather good. Compare the new NC prices?
Finally, I take the point that some have made that 20 years of progress usually means better results. A possibly relevant counter-example comes from vinyl or indeed the original recordings themselves - compare many 1950s and 1960s examples with what was quite normal in (say) the 80s, or with some modern 300g vinyl monstrosities.
Thanks for clarifying, Richard. then it’s clearly Naim has no baggage to drop them if any of its product line don’t deserve its place anymore on Naim’s product hierarchy.
The fact that they’re still selling the 500s shows that the 500s still deserve its place as one level above the NC300s.
If anyone don’t agree with Naim on that, I think it’s just a matter of personal tastes/preference. At the end of the day, it’s up to one’s ear and preferences to enjoy, that’s exactly why there are many choices along the product line.
Nick, bear in mind that during those 20 years the NAP500 and the NAC552 have not stood still, but have been improved along the way, particularly with the DR update and the move to the NA009 transistors taken from The Statement and applied to the NAP500.
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Naim cannot please everyone. Not sure why they should? Just like DCS cannot. Or Innous or whatever company.
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It’s a good point, and the extra that DR units command in the second-hand market shows that buyers recognise that fact.
Great post and sadly overlooked. I can state here and now that 3 x 500DR are incredible. I’ve heard full statement several times now and the active 500’s lose nothing in comparison . If the 500 was lacking that wouldn’t be the case.
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Yes active has always sounded more alive, Naim and their dealers should really promote active systems.
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