Nothing really. But since when has that stopped audiophiles from upgrading lol.
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Hi @jsaudio,
I went straight from 250DR to 500DR about 10 months ago, already having a 552 (non DR), a ND555 with 1 x PS555DR, full SL loom, full set of PowerLines, Cisco 2960 and EtherREGEN switches and MusicWorks G3 power block.
I was initially impressed then a little underwhelmed, which I (wrongly) blamed on my Monitor Audio GX300 Gold speakers. I didn’t experiment with speaker positioning.
It turned out the ex-demo 500DR was not fully run in and it also needed to settle in. The new set of SL speaker leads were also burning in. It was also clear that the 500DR was showing up some of the recordings in my library. Now things have settled, I get wow moments every day and don’t fret over the odd dodgy recording. Just remember the 500 will give you warts ‘n’ all.
If your speakers were sounding great with the 300, they should sound even better with a 500 up ‘em, so I wouldn’t be too quick to blame the speakers, the mistake I made (although I accept my speakers are now the weak link).
Like others have suggested, I would experiment with speaker positioning and toe in. Also pay great attention to your Ethernet link from router to ND555 (switches, server, streaming cables etc), as I have improved SQ significantly by optimising this area. A good power block also makes a real difference to SQ.
Are your amps and power supply DR?
You have a great system so keep tweaking and I am sure it will come good.
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Downgrading is the new upgrading, less is more!!!
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Agree with Nigel here. Power is the first part of getting great sound. The 500 will pick up any inadequacy in your power supply. The 300s are more laid back and don’t reveal as much as the 500s. Really good power cable - above power line and exceptional power blocks will optimise your power supply
You both just need an extra 555PS each 
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I would visit a dealer and see if you could borrow a second 555psdr…and see what you think…I found that it made my whole system gel…its worth a try…
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The decay of notes…extra detail, power…and extra blackness…all bring the experience to a whole new level…
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I’d be really disappointed if you need an extra 555PS to make a NAP 500 sound good.
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You don’t.
I’m afraid I’d suggest something is wrong here.
To me, what makes an amp (or system for that matter) more engaging is in many ways how it handles the midrange and in my experience the 500 is way more nuanced, textured and delicate here than the 300. The treble is also clearer, sweeter and less shouty and the timing has greater cohesion across all registers. Those are at any rate the qualities that most struck me when comparing the two.
But you do not seem to be experiencing this although noting its virtues in the bass.
So assuming your Sopras are connected in phase (not wishing to be insulting but this can happen) and likewise assuming the drive units have not been damaged, and again that the arrangement of the units in your racks is optimal (the 552 head unit likes to be at the top and also benefits from space below - and keeping its psu away from the 500 psu is also a good idea), I’m afraid that unless there’s something very problematic with your room (lots of hard reflective surfaces etc), there could be a problem with the 500 itself.
Having got that alarmist comment out of the way, I would also respectfully suggest that without more information about your system, no one can really say anything that isn’t potentially unhelpful conjecture at this stage.
The obvious question would be whether anything else in your system changed with or subsequent to the arrival of the 500. But any and all info on how old your 500 system is, whether it’s DR or not, what mains cables and block/s you are using, how it’s installed on the 2 Fraim racks and using what height units, what your room dimensions and furnishings are and your speaker positions etc will help you benefit more from others’ experience, as would a mention of which music you remember sounding more engaging with the 300.
But I certainly wouldn’t recommend chucking any more money at your system before identifying why it’s not working for you at present. If you bought from a dealer, they may be able and willing to help by bringing another 500 and maybe 300 to audition at home (or as a 2nd place alternative in an identical system at their dealership - you could bring your 500 along to compare).
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Sorry to hear you have concerns about your 500. When I went from the 300 to the 500 it was my favorite upgrade. I have (for now) the focal maestro uptopia (2017 model). I previously owned the Sopra 3’s. I don’t know where you live in the USA but there is a Kudos/Naim/Focal dealer near Chicago that I have used sine 2016. You may or may not be able to work something out on a pair of 808’s. His service has been fantastic, it’s Tyler. You are welcome to ask the moderator to get my contact information if interested. Good luck with your quest.
Thanks to all! I have a 2 stack Fraim optimized with 552 on top of left. All DR,power lines, dedicated mains and the best AV Options power block. I will be playing with speaker placement adjusting in small increments. The room is somewhat large at 17X25 feet with plenty of room around the speakers.
I would suggest starting with a total system tear down and rebuild. Make sure your Fraim stack is not overtightened. Slowly rebuild paying close attention to cable direction and keeping cables from touching each other. Before you power up, cycle the circuit breaker a few times to clean it. Then power up each component in 30 second intervals so the breaker does not become overwhelmed. 500 systems are delicate beasts, poor performance can be often be caused by a set-up issue.
If your sound is still not to your liking a dealer visit is warranted. I rejected my first 500 (20 years ago) as it did not sound good. The dealer/distributer quickly replaced it with a much better sounding amp which I still own!
If you are seeking new speakers I’d recommend you to listen to ProAc K6 Signatures.
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I suggest doing all the usual things clean all plugs…by multiple plugins…carefully look at burndy routing…then possibly alter the order…of stacking… and try altering speaker locations. Also make sure there are no nasty switch mode psu’s on your ring… Have a look at your plugs screw connections make sure they a tight… There are allot of variables…tackle one by one…otherwise you will not be sure what the culprit was…I eventually tracked an issue with Roon on my system…it took me ages…I also understand plug-in order can also be critical…
If you followed my thread you will know I was at odds with my 500 DR when it came back from the factory. I wrangled with it for a few months before it started blowing fuses and finally failed. Since returning it’s been a completely different animal and I am very happy with it now.
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That must have been a very frustrating process!!! - you must have reached a point where you kind of doubt your self (arghh)… in way the blowing of the fuses must have been a relief - and the final return to base even more so. I am glad things are better now…you must have reached a point of Karma! enjoy!!
You have no idea how frustrating it was, the amount of second guessing and trying to convince myself that it was alright. I love my music and at one point I hated my system and would rather listen to youtube on the TV, thankfully the problem presented itself and we were able to sort it.
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Interesting thread JS. As an XS range owner, I had tended to think that buying a complete 500 set would be audio heaven. Seems not always. So I will watch with interest and hope it turns out for you.
Your NAP300 seems to have something for you with your speakers that the NAP500 is not giving you.
The NAP 500 is a complicated beast - glad it is sorted…