ND555 dilemma (or else)

Sorry - but there are different experiences here. On 3 occasions, each with different speakers, I’ve heard the ND555 and albeit it to different degrees it has always tended towards bright. And I’m not the only person to find that.

I’m not saying it’s a flawed product but it just didn’t sound (entirely) right to me.

Regards,

Lindsay

@Peder, you have a lot of experience on finding installation problems or technical issues. So therefor I want your thoughts if room acoustics could influence. I am not saying that there are no issues with the ND555 or 552 or the cables. What got me thinking is that Stefan speaks mainly of voices which are not presented in a correct way. Myself when I moved up the stepladder I needed to “adapt” our living-room. I remember that I for a short time I had problems with voices and that they where no coming through properly. The solution in my place was to take away a painting with glass protection on the left wall. My definition of moving up the stepladder excluding acoustic improvements are that the sound gets cleaner and more detailed which for me demands more of the room.
Peder your thoughts please?

If the NDS sound great then ND555 should be better

Simple

As Linn says if it sounds better than it is better

And if it doesn’t then … Brand new ND555 or Refund.

This is not small money we’re talking about

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The Burndies on ND555 vs NDS are the same cables?,when I switched from my old NDS to ND555 I left the same old Brurndies as before… is it wrong? to my knowlege they are the same…isn`t?

Some people are way too hands-off with the dealer when things go wrong. Polite, but insistent. If the dealer doesn’t solve, then the distributor, or Naim directly, depending on geography. Here in the States, at some point, the statement that “I will call the credit card company and tell them the purchased item was defective and the seller has not resolved and they will do a charge-back” can work. We have decently strong credit card laws here. Ive never had to do that myself. Dealers typically want to get things right for their customers.

They are the same. I chose - after listening - to retain my old run-in CD555 Burndies as they sounded better than the new ones that came with the ND555. The new ones I’m certain would after several weeks/months run-in and end-up the same, but why do that it the old ones were immediately better, as they are the same cable.
Do not worry! :slightly_smiling_face:

DB.

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Are you saying that you prefer an NDS to an ND555?

This thread is quite unbelievable you should demand a replacement and if after one week you are experiencing similar feelings of disappointment then you should demand a full refund. End of!

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@Bobthebuilder problem with that is it was never home deoed bought blind. If its defective then it gets changed if it personal taste why should the dealer take a hit. Can’t be sold as new. If the op wishes to keep or sell and its not defective then surely that is there responsibility not the dealers or naims.

What personal taste ?
The money demanded by naim for ND555 should make it a clear outcome.
End of.
Otherwise refund no further debate needed.

Or is this supposed to be years of discussion comparing 282 to 252?

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@Analogmusic personal taste as to whether the op likes the sound or not. Surely if it was demoed and home demoed and the sound liked then all OK. If its not making the same sound then it’s defective and should be Swapped or refunded.

If however the op doesn’t like the sound in their house after not demoing at home why should the dealer take the hit??

Stefan, I assume when the dealer tested out your ND555 at his premises you couldn’t be there as well? It would have been very useful for you to know whether you still felt the same about the sound of your ND555 but in the dealer’s system.

Please remind me – did you say that when you put the NDS back – all is then well? And that you have done this a few times with the same result?

It would be nuisance if you dealer or Naim replaced your ND555 with a new one and then the new one had the same issues – indicating some other factor?

enjoy/ken

Precisely. Premium price should mean premium product.

Agree with this - some posters seem to have a sense of entitlement that just because they have spent money they must then get automatic satisfaction. This doesn’t apply to the OP btw

Most dealers will work with their customer to try and help but If the item is working as it should then Naim and/or the dealer have no obligation to take a hit just because the purchaser doesn’t find the character of the sound to his taste.

No it’s the other way round.

Naim asked for a lot more money than the NDS.

Why is that ?

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The issue here is, who determines if it’s “working as intended?” The OP surely has heard hi fi before, and if he says it’s defective, then it’s defective. A reasonable dealer/distributor would (a) come to the customers home to listen, or (b) invite the customer to bring it to the dealer to listen there, or © have it shipped to Naim or regional service center for testing (including a listen). Any of those would sort out if it’s the OP who hears funny, or if it’s the ND555.

I’d not expect a full refund without one of a, b or c happening.

i don’t agree with some points of view here, because the nd555 doesn’t sound harsh or bright at all, when run in.
It’s not a matter of personal taste here, but definitely something wrong in this particular nd555 item, or eventually in the 552 ( 12 years old).
I have heard it and a big majority of owners here found the nd555 particularly wonderful sounding.
The problem is perhaps in the naim factory today, too many items leave the salsburry factory with problems, like screen freezing, case defauts… Same for the Nova. One member had to replace his nova seven times!
I will not rush myself to buy the nd555, but wait until it has some maturity and stability in the production.

The dealer/Musicline has already checked it out and found no fault…

Home dems are largely the province of buying hifi in Western Europe I’m afraid. They are unheard of for most of us.

Heck, many of us live in countries where even a good dealer dem room is unavailable.

The sad truth is most of the audiophile community has no choice but to buy on a punt from brands they trust.

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Typically… these are the conditions under which we audition speakers…