NAC 332 v 552 - any direct comparison?

We heard mix n match. Worked better with NC amps (as in 332/300DR sounded off).

So yes 350s as a rack friendly replacement for 300DR, maybe.

Would open up a speaker upgrade too. SWMBO still proving intransigent on that.

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You have a great system as it is. Are you thinking of changing it all out step by step for NC300 series. That would make sense to me.

No not entirely, because we didnā€™t like 333.

Changing pre/power for 332/300/350 would provide improvement but at a cost.

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Maybe let used prices settle down with NC. The 350s were the most impressive to me. Alot of power there too.

I really like NC system. But for me 500 system was always my dream. And I live my dreams!

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Yes Iā€™ve posted a few times on this.

350s YES PLEASE
332/300 maybe in time
333/300 Meh.

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Sounds like a good plan to me.

I didnā€™t really hear the 332 as ā€œcleanerā€ than the 552 Dan and you and I usually hear it the same . I thought the 300 kit was more relaxed because of a less forward sound and less speed of response to transients. It did have very good imaging though. The new kit is further step away from how JV designed the early amps to sound IMO. But very good in its own right for sure

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Iā€™ve used cleaner to describe NC vs OC too.

But coming from a ā€œdarkā€ nDAC my ears are coloured :astonished: :laughing:

We did not dislike the NC sound. Perhaps more neutral or less coloured describes it.

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The 500 and OC is much more forward in sound. The NC is more neutral. When speaking to a dealer, he said they designed it so you can have the power amps with any make of preamp. He thought the sound was more neutral.

Cleaner may not be the right word. Neutral is.

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I agree. Well put. It shows that Naim have moved in a different direction catering for a wider market

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You see your streaming section will be similar to my previous NDS with ND5XS2 with 555PS. Read the thread about changing to ND555. You may find a 2nd PSU your best upgrade choice.

But there are a lot of fish in that seaā€¦ā€¦you are then up against a whole host of brands that Naim stood out from.

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Yes have been following that with interest.

Good NDS are cheap.

Still debating against non naim options. If we change out NDX2/nDAC/555PSDR we want to hear a significant uplift.

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I 100% agree

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Of course. You canā€™t put 2nd power supply on NDX2. ND555 with 2 PSUs is awesome. What you have is superb.

That to me is inherently better, assuming it does everything else well.

Although I havenā€™t heard any, the strong impression I have is that Naim has been gradually moving towards neutrality: Originally it seems to me that the primary focus on the timing aspects above all else resulted in quite significant deviations from accuracy in other parts of the signal, creating a characteristic sound. (The fabled ā€œNaim Soundā€.) Then over time other aspects have been improved (while not letting go of timing as the core need), so overall becoming more neutral, but inevitably resulting in reduction of the Naim Sound. The peak of that to date would be the Statement, next the 500 series. Perhaps the 300 series marks the conclusion of that, or Statement distilled to affordable, fully neutral yet still with the timing accuracy with which Naim started. If this is the case, whatā€™s not to like?

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He could put a 555psu on the ndx2 and another on the ndac though.

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Would that work with analogue and digital circuits? I had alot of success with NDS ND5XS2 and 2 PSUs.

Love my new set up digital. The LP12 is different league still. Listening to 12" New Order Blue Monday and sounds better than anything!

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The Naim sound is not gone. Far from it. I owned the 222/250 for a year and currently own the 332/250. Even the 222/250 has more PRAT than the 282/250DR I had right before it. The NC gear is more coherent and more tonally accurate. It also stages better. Yes, cleaner. All while maintaining the involvement that makes Naim a bit different. Those who try to simply label the NC gear as ā€œdetailed and differentā€ donā€™t have enough experience with it.

There seems to be a lot of coping going on in an attempt to downplay how great the NC gear actually is.

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Not sure itā€™s possibleā€¦?