Good morning and happy new year to everyone
Info; would it make sense to sell my Nac 252 sc dr and buy a used Nac 552 dr always staying with the NAP 300 dr?
Gustavo
1 Like
I say yes in answer to your question. Naim pre amps are the star components in the product range IMO and any upgrade will provide a worthy upgrade if your source is up to scratch. The 552 DR used prices are very attractive. Good luck.
6 Likes
Yes, it would, the 552 is an iconic pre amp and a good step up over the 252.
Used prices have dropped post the new classic announcements and I have seen them go for c8k
Normal rules are demo first but I think you would be hard pushed to find a 552 user that was disappointed with their purchase.
Gary
6 Likes
Another saying yes. I went from 252/250 to a 552/300. The 252 combo is very good, but a 552/300 is top notch really.
3 Likes
Hi thank you for your answer I wrote this post because I was told that the Nac 552 dr gave the best of itself with the Nap500 However in Italy there are no 552 used What would be your correct evaluation? And how much could my 252 be valued with sc dr?
Grazie
2 Likes
I’d say… not necessarily based on my experience… I had done exactly as you are proposing, sold my 252 DR and bought a 552 DR. My honest view as I’ve posted a few times, is yes the 552DR is better on fine detail and HF air, but it looses that organic, natural feel that the 252 DR gave me… so the initially I found the 552 DR impressive, but overtime I found I was missing things, and started listening to my and other people’s music through it less and less. In the end I sold it. This was a NAP250 which had been common for both the 252DR and 552 DR.
So my advice, audition carefully… I suspect if you love your 252 DR you might not gel with the 552DR. If you are looking for more energy from your recordings, with a slight enhancement to the frequency extremes…then the 552DR might be perfect for you…
SQ wise the 552 is NOT a big step up over the 252 DR… I fell for that rubbish initially… but it is a different presentation with some enhancements in certain areas that may or may not be relevant to your for your love of recordings. One clear benefit however of the 552, which is a key part that you pay for IMO is that it is less fussy to setup compared to the 252 DR.
The NAP500 has been designed to partner with the 552 DR howver.
8 Likes
8k ?
but not original maybe upgraded to dr
I beg to differ, more dynamic, more resolution, draws you into the music in a way neither 282 or 252 can as good as they are.
8 Likes
As I say the 552 DR is better on the ‘hifi’ things, but for me the 252DR has more soul and passion…and draws me in…
It almost feels like a window into the ND555 firmware debates…
But this is entirely why careful audition is required… I wasn’t careful enough and I got swept up with the false hyperbole that the 552 is automatically night and day uplift on the 252… it’s not… but has a very different presentation that may or may not work for you over time.
I’d say the 282 and 552 have similar traits, with the 552 being significantly more capable than the 282… all in my opinion of course.
1 Like
Looking at £10k to £11k for a 2017 -2018 model and more for newer one.
£8k to £8.5k gets you DR upgraded unit.
Prices have stabilised more now.
Yes, maybe you will get a bargain for less.
The 552DR works well with 500DR. I had 52 with 500DR and that paired well too. For me the 552DR was an improvement. But biggest improvement was going 135s to 500DR.
3 Likes
Thanks, I had a 552 no dr some time ago for 1/2 weeks tried in comparison doing detach and attach and but in the end I found the 252 more analog and warmer
However I think that the 552 dr had something more especially in the medium high frequency that I would not mind having Tannoy Canterbury Se that have never been very analytical
1 Like
Yep sounds somewhat familiar to my experiences… I was expecting and initially heard a sonic change when auditioning… and it was more forward and bright in a clean precise way… that I assumed was better SQ. However over the subsequent months of ownership I found was listening to it less and less and starting to become picky over recordings. It became self evident that my 552 was not a good match for me.
3 Likes
12 months and increasingly, it’s the music I’m finding more and more enthralling, yes it resolves more but the fluency in Robbin Ford’s playing last night and groove was utterly intoxicating. Vive la difference!
6 Likes
Dear Dan, I know the 500 dr is really the best
a friend in Italy has it and is happy
But with the 300 dr it is already a lot, having speakers with 95 db at minimum minimum volume I have incredible microdynamics so now I don’t know if I’m right to buy the 552 dr
In that case I ask you to let me know if there is a store that has it available
Thank you very much
1 Like
Just do a search on eBay, last 3 sold all for sub 8k
Original v Dr upgrade is the same thing. I have had both in my home and there was no difference.
Naim price the 552 c3 times more than the 252 which suggests their view is it’s much better.
I could have easily stuck with my 252 but to my ears the 552 is better although there is a lot of hyperbole surrounding its performance.
I wouldn’t pay 26k for one especially with the new classic coming at some point but if you were to pick up a used one, ideally from a dealer, then it’s a worthwhile upgrade.
3 Likes
Meant to add I ran mine with a 300dr and it was a great combination.
3 Likes
Try calling Naim dealers in UK or buy on ebay. You will have to pay additional taxes.
I think point I am making is a 52 or 252DR can work well with 500DR.
For me the 500DR is best part of it!
1 Like
@Simon-in-Suffolk great advice. This hobby is very subjective and I completely agree that the 252DR is more lush sounding than the 552DR. My preference is 552DR but recently I’ve been seduced by my sw1X pre 3. After changing a few tubes and adding a wooden base i actually find myself listening to it more and more.
So yes, always audition gear. You never know what you might prefer and quite often it’s not the more expensive piece of gear.
2 Likes
The actual difference is not as large as that that when you consider the PSUs … with the 552DR - the power supply is included. With the 252 you have to pay for the SuperCap (the 252 Powersupply) seperately. Looking at new prices from a few dealers including power supplies the ratio looks like approx 1:2.
But yes the 552 has more advancements in terms of mechanical stability and isolation compared to the 252 which makes the 552 easier to setup compared to the 252 in my experience… and I suspect quite a big part of what you are paying for with the 552 is this extra technical isolation as well as its bundled PSU., as well as the finish on the 552 is a little more ‘high end’ compared to the 252 in my opinion.
I found the top shelf of full-fat Fraim was best for my 252, my 552 was less fussy and I couldn’t really feel much difference between top shelf and lower shelfs… I suspect that was the enhanced mechanical isolation doing its thing.
2 Likes
If you already had the Canterburys then, I’d stay with the 252 and I write that as someone who much prefers the 552. The non-DR 552 was warmer than the DR.
1 Like