Iain is a bad boy, Pete! I’d recommend you have a listen to a 500 though before making any decision to change colour.
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I’m in a similar position to you and have always thought a 552 was the next place to go. I will take my time and wait until a well priced ex dem comes up within 100miles of me. Prices are becoming “reasonable” now the NC stuff is out.
My last upgrade was my power supply though. It was equivalent to a black box upgrade. Don’t let your electricity supply hold back your gear!
OK so it seems my instinct is good - I am going to home dem a 552…
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I just finished this journey last week. I had a 552 amp with a 300DR but my sources are not Naim. I have a Rega ISIS CD Player and a Clear audio TT with a pair of B&W 803D3 speakers. I couldn’t decide on a pair of 350s or a Nap 500 as a upgrade. I couldn’t dem the 350’s but did hear the at a show with the other new Naim Kit. after a lot of thought I bought a new pair of 350S from a local dealer who got them in for me. They arrived in mid January. What a disappointment. And yes I did have to get the special leads to connect to the 552 and Yes I did play for a while to burn in.
So in the last two week I bought a second hand 500 DR. WOOOW !!! The Music is back. What a Match with the 552. I want to play music again.
To answer your question. Don’t try to match new classic with old.Don’t purchase If you can’t try at home And definitely put a 552 at least with a 300DR and a 500DR for the ultimate listening experience.
I would also like to add this is just my opinion but I think I can answer the question I have seen here in multiple threads 350’s or 500??? Nap 500DR hands down.
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Or a NAP250DR
Not with these speakers - they need power to drive.
I chose them after listening to them at an Active Open Day at Cymbiosis.
The dealer recommended them stating that they work well with Naim.
To me, they did so and I part exchanged my PMC Twenty.23 loudspeakers for a pair of Kudos Titan 606 loudspeakers.
Ran them passive for a while and they sounded great. Then upgraded to active with two NAP 250 amps and then they sounded better.
They do appear to be well matched with Naim kit and you see a lot of this combo on the forum.
Since selling my Naim kit and getting a Linn Selekt DSM; Edition Hub, I kept the 606s, still running active, which now sound even better then before
DG…
Thanks DG.
I’m in a part of the world where it’s almost impossible to demo the Kudos brand. That, plus a home demo is totally not possible.
Only two dealers and they are nowhere near me.
That the 505/606 level price point (and obviously above) and they are fronted by some very, very good electronics says so much.
Because you can go deep in the NAIM ecosystem and they still keep up with significant upgrades, that is amazing TBH.
Not many speaker brands could claim that I wouldn’t have thought.
Hope the bank manager is in a good mood!
Time to get the cheque book out.
Thankfully I need some good sound equipment for my business.
Ah ha yes - I didn’t add my CD555PS to the list up there. That was a big move!!!
Actually @lamby2244 perhaps I didn’t write that properly. My last upgrade was a power block, which was easily equivalent to a black box upgrade. I wasn’t sure what your “power filter” was.
A nice clean supply of electricity to Naim gear can do wonders! The Chord M6 made a dig difference to my system.
In order, my more recent upgrades were NAP300 then 555PS then Chord M6.
My system (as would your be), is now getting to the point where it’s very sensitive to small changes like cables, supply, positioning etc. small (or large) tweaks make a difference.
Ha! I just bought the M6 - AMAZING beast and I thought it was all Woo Woo but turns out not!! Thanks for calling that out.
I have just gone and bought a 552 (2019) and got it for under £10k which feels good (I think). With the resale of the 282 and the 2x Hicap DRs it’s about £6k.
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The 552 is sublime - wow biggest upgrade of the lot.
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Another vote for the 552. Best upgrade I’ve done. Mine is also paired with 300DR.
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Yup of all the upgrades in all the components the 552 was the biggest by farrrrrrrr!
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Totally agree…hear hear…