Very helpful. Thanks a lot 
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Nice post and pretty much sums it up 
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Thanks for that I remember reading this as avidly as everything else available about Naim products. Not long afterwards I met Julian Vereker and added the Armageddon upgrade to my LP12. Still in regular use today! The co-opetition between Linn and Naim has produced some of the greatest products, and I am very glad that both companies continue to thrive today, despite the small (large) fortune it is cost me over the years.
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Hi @chris5 ,
I have found that the passive pre-amps that I enjoy are built around autoformers. Others tend to compromise areas I find important, like dynamics.
I came to the Icon 4 via a circuitous route, which included my cats destroying my stand mounted speakers. A friend lent me a pair of Mk I SBLs which I found worked brilliantly in my room. This was with my then amps, EAR 868PL / EAR534. Out of curiosity I bought my bolt together 250s downstairs, these had always struggled in comparison with my 534; NOT, through the SBLs, they held their own.
A friend had a 250DR and I borrowed a 300DR. These were better than the old 250s, with the 300DR taking the crown, and so it was bought. This now works with my Mk 2 SBLs.
In the pre-amp stakes the 868 was an excellent pre with a very good phono stage. But, for a slew of reasons, I decided it was time to move away from Class A, including the arrival of the SBLs. At the time I had a Townsend Allegri+ which bested the 868 as a line level pre in terms of transparency. However, it is fully manual and with digital recordings I find a remote to be de rigueur.
An acquaintance, who has extensive Naim experience and uses Naim daily, was extolling the Icon 4 and so I got hold of one for an extended period. I would say it is on a par with the Allegri+, but with a remote and AV bypass - ideal.
I have not directly compared the Icon 4 with any of the Naim pre-amps in my current system. What I can say is that with my analogue system I have never had anything approaching the sound quality I now get at home:
LP12 / Aro / Geddon / Troika > Tron 7 GT > Icon 4 > Naim 300DR > Mk2 SBL
Hope this helps - IF Pal will lend one to you I think it is worth a listen; there is a balanced version.
M
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Thatās some good insight of a great journey, thank you
Pal is certainly exactly how I had been led to believe, super helpful and more than happy to help, I just need to figure how to organise things now and will be trying out the 4pro, hopefully with active ATCsā¦
Thanks, and all the best
Look forward to reading your thoughts.
I think the consensus is the 52 is higher quality/more enjoyable/better than the 252.
If you already own the 52, itās only a one way ticket to the 552, or stay put.
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I think there are at least another two people who prefer the 282 to 252 on this forum. The 52 and 552 are endgame for those who can afford these fine pieces.
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IMHO 52s are still great VFM - if you find one. So is a 300DR for less than Ā£4K. In the unlikely event that I ever get a 552, my 52/SC will go to Tasmania to replace the 82/ Hicap (into 250) - I canāt envisage selling it.
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Consensus among 52 owners maybeā¦
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Iād agree with that. Iād also say that the NAC552 is not that much better than a NAC52 - until itās partnered with the NAP500, where there does seem to be a degree of synergy.
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The great conclusion from that is that, unless I decide to go active or give up on Naim (both unlikely imho), I can either plan on spending Ā£50K for a modest improvement in amps or stay as I am. Easy choice.
Deguello playing nowā¦
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Iād add this is consistent with my experience. Moving from a recently serviced single HiCap to a supposedly serviced SC (a service 6+ years prior) on my then just serviced 82 gave no discernible improvement, which Iāve always attributed to the fact that the 82 isnāt accessing the best of the SC without a Burndy connection.
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Because Naim replaced the 52 with an improved 252 that is worse. Okay so.
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My personal view and from experience is the 252DR is a completely different beast to the none DR 252
Not sure what you are saying here. Is it the power amp 250 vs the 250DR you are referring to?
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Iād argue that all kit has compromises and imperfections. Some of us find some of those more or less distracting/ annoying than others do.
In any system/ room where I have heard them, I prefer (net) an 82 to a 282, and I prefer a 52 to a 252. I also just-about prefer an olive 250 to a non-DR 250 or 300 (but it loses to a 300DR, as discussed).
Where there are differences in any of those cases that someone notices, I can absolutely understand why they may pick differently. Judging by the non-representative sample here, I think the consensus in with me on the 82 and against me on the 250, but it doesnāt mean in any case that I am wrong or that anyone else is.
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Iād completely disagree with that having owned both and originally testing the 52 and 552 with a 250 when the 552 was released and the differences were very clear. Obviously a 500 makes the most of the 552, as the dealer was obviously keen to show me. I was amazed that anything could be better than the 52 I loved. Then DR was another step forward 10 years later. Iām surprised anyone would say a 552 is not much better than a 52, but of course everyoneās ears and their preferences and priorities are different.
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Sorry the SuperCap DR
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Yes, I think the confusion and debate occurs when statements are made about x being better than y, when really itās a matter of differences in presentation and personal preferences. Probably some confusion as well, in that I always refer to a 252 as the DR version, as that is what has been around for some time now.
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