I bet that drink is going down well, listening to your lovely 500 !
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Of course……just kidding
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I expected a bigger deeper soundstage and more slam, and I’m getting that in spades. It’s all the stuff I didn’t expect that’s really blowing me away…
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When the music gets complicated, it has grace under pressure, while other have to try too hard.
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Yes exactly. It’s like the truly great footballers, when they get the ball everything around them seems to slow down and the next move becomes simple and obvious. One of my favourites was Pirlo, made the game look effortless. Sorry not the best analogy but it’s what came to mind.
And I’m hearing so much more. Things I would expect a source or preamp upgrade to offer.
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He posted and then disappeared, slowly followed by his smile…
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That’s exactly what’s special about the 500…
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My 300 was an amazing amp. It brought me countless hours of listening joy.
As I packed it up I was wondering about its chances of being unpacked again if the 500 wasn’t to my taste. I wouldn’t have bet against it.
Well I can say already with absolute confidence, going back would be impossible.
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That’s exactly it.
It was with complex music that the difference between the 500DR and the 300DR was obvious.
With the 300DR it was a bit messy, if I may say so.
With the 500DR there was more separation, more micro dynamics, we go deeper into the recording.
We go from something fuzzy to something structured. I’m exaggerating, of course, but it gives an idea.
But I believe it’s the 552DR/500DR combination that does that. It’s an interdependent set in my opinion.
I’m a big believer in staying with the same brand for the whole system.
EDIT :
This is one of my test track : big and complexe.
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So far I would have difficulty choosing between the impact of this upgrade and moving from 252 to 552, and I really didn’t expect that. As you say Thomas, the 552/500 synergy could well be a factor.
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Mixing brands is rarely a good idea, and can become quite frustrating.
It seems clear to me that the 552/500 are meant to work together as a whole.
When I decided to switch to Soulution I adopted the same strategy.
I bought the Soulution 760 and the Soulution 711 because they have been engineered and designed to work together.
Even if I had had deep enough pockets to buy the MSB Select Dac II, I would not have done so. Or I would have bought their amplifier as well.
I am really curious to see and hear the forthcoming Naim ND Statement.
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Mixing Naim power amps is fraught with difficulties but I understand that Naim pre amps work really well with ATC active speakers.
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The 552/500 pairing is a great one and so it should be. The better the source you can give it, the better the results you will get. I can honestly say thats my findings so far with them
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My 606’s are earning their money tonight. They were accomplished with the 300, perhaps a little too much so. The 500 is grabbing them by the throat 
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And this will just get better and better over the next few weeks.
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Will you stop that. My 300 DR is quite enough.
No, really, it is.
Really.
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I never heard a 300DR Bruss, but I can well imagine it’s a thing of great beauty.
My only worry right now is whether the 500 might be a little too much for my 606.
That said it’s been powered down for at least 4 months and quite possibly a lot longer, so I guess there’s some settling down to do in it’s new home.
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It’s a difficult thread to read Bruss
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Reading all this @Stu299 I am now thinking 552, 500 to replace my 82, Supercap 2 and 135s. And Titan 606s. I turn 50 next year and am taking a pension from a previous company I worked for with lump sum but will continue working so finances will ease considerably. Thinking of changing out speakers first. Would then go for 552. Will pace the upgrades out.
I have been thinking about his alot and haven’t upgraded anything for a couple of years.
I am not fussed about DR. Need to keep costs reasonable. My speakers are pretty good Focal Aria 936. I will move these to conservatory where they will be used on my system also as I have a speaker switch from one room to another!
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Maybe Titan 808s? And an ND555? In a while of course…