I guess if there are little changes Naim can make to a 252 or 282, then why change? In someways its quite refreshing.
Other hifi manufacturers tended to “update” products far to often. Reality was it was usually just a change of casework, with limited improvements to electronics. Some of these firms are now longer trading.
I find the classic & 500 series Naim aesthetic timeless but I understand that may not appeal to new (younger) customers - then again, it probably didn’t appeal to everyone when they were first released.
I don’t know but somehow doubt Naim haven’t upgraded components in analogue amps over time, whilst maintaining the original, tried and tested architecture. Evolution rather than revolution which is fine by me and it means I can take advantage of the evolution every XX years at service time.
I suppose the modern selling point is DR technology - maybe it could be marketed more as something new and desirable rather than just an improvement. Existing customers have an idea of what DR brings but does it help to attract new customers?
Is there an underlying assumption saying Naims preamps can be better as preamps within its pricebracket?
I would have thought that Naim would have made those changes if they were plausible.
Or is this an issue with aestethics?
When it comes to features I thought one of Naims main points was that separation as far as possible is beneficial for sq. Maybe I’ve got it wrong.
That’s easy, cost, space and facilities
Lots of people here exercising their keyboard skills, and reinforcing the Naim hierarchy but few actually offering their experience with alternatives. I know its a Naim forum but you can have an open mind if you let it.
My 2 year old NAC N 272 is on its way to Salisbury in order to repair multiple faults and failures. Which is the reason I statrted down this rabbit hole. In conversing with the Technical folks in Salisbury, I learned that the 272 will soon be a “discontinued” component. They will continue to service it, which is SOP. I guess the obvious conclusion to make… is that a new generation “all in one PreAmp Streamer” will soon be released or they are abandoning the “swiss army knife” approach to preAmps.
Dealers were notified months ago that 272, DACv1 and NAP100 were discontinued. The website now shows that for the 100, but not the 272, which makes it hard to know what the status is of various devices.
Edited to add the link to the original discussion after a dealer sent an email.
With all due respect, my view is the exact opposite - I would never pay 25K for a fly-by-night, “flavour of the month” piece of kit.
In fact my system (552, 300, LP 12 and Harbeth HL) is built around high quality products, well designed from the start, that have been improved incrementally over the years to stand the test of time. Since their introduction, a number of “beaters” have come and gone, most of them falling into oblivion in record time.
This said, I understand and I respect your point of view.
Claude
I don’t know what age of the design has to do with it - if someone creates perfection, it would never need changing however many decades pass (not suggesting here that it is, or isn’t, perfect as a preamp!).
But referring to another part of your response, yes, if I can buy any amp, or speaker, for £10k secondhand vs £25k new I would buy secondhand - but whether indeed I would buy at whatever price depends on the sound quality benefit I perceive it gives and my available resources - and with a DAC having an excellent quality of output that can drive a power amp direct I don’t see any value in adding a preamp - indeed it is likely the extra electronics will cause a degradation in signal, however slight, or add some character of its own.
Some prefer the Allegri - just sayin 
Hi Jgolf,
I have used the EAR868, Allegri and the Icon4 with the 300DR to great effect.
In all honesty I wouldn’t want to rank them, but the passive pre’s are a fraction more transparent.
No issues in terms of compatibility.
M
Each brand improves their preamp, generally every 5 years. Nac 52 improved . Gave new generation of Naim pre . Perhaps time to improve over 552. I guess it will be soon done, as it’s the case for SN3 , XS3. 553?
Or perhaps the 552 is as good as it can ever be without becoming the Statement, and may never have any further improvenents…
I think you are rather on the money with that observation…
I suspect to improve in a meaningful way - it would need a change in materials of the case etc as for example some very high end preamps strictly avoid ferrous materials in the casing to avoid interaction with the circuitry and avoid using shielded cables - which do introduce their own challenges… I am sure it all helps - but I suspect at that level, imperfections in the recording and mixing equipment, listening room etc are going to have more of impact.
And 3 times less expensive vs a 252 
Only comparison to other brands could answer to it. But as 99% of Naim users will choose Nac with Nap, that comparison will not soon arrive.
However if some prefer the Allegri at 1/3 of the 252 cost, it means perhaps something.
I sold my 252 to buy an Ear 912, at similar cost, but with inbuilt phono. So I saved 3k for the phono , some space, and better sound to my ears.
I don’t believe that there is no better pre with a 500 dr than 552 personally. But no one tried.
indeed - one can’t automatically or necessarily match price with performance and quality - I think I have mentioned that before 
Yes. That’s the point I was trying to clumsily make. I don’t think any view should be dismissed as irrelevant, because the OP was asking for views. I think the baby Jesus was a Sanyo man.
@jgolf53, I’ve tried an Exposure (think it was 3010 but can’t be sure) with a 250 non DR as a demo and found it a bit flat. Lacked sparkle. Could be all sorts of reasons for this but it wasn’t a patch on the 282. This was while my 282 was being serviced. I think, sonically, there is some thought that Exposure and Naim are relatively interchangeable.
The exposure 3010 costs 1,2k. So not surprising that a 282 makes better.
( Allegri is a passive pre…it’s different)
Sometimes yes…
However here the Allegri is a passive pre and gives you less connectivity vs a real pre.
It explains in part the lower cost. And Naim is also very expensive vs competition.
I don’t disagree for the most part. BTW a ‘passive pre’ is often referred to as an attenuator, and indeed some are superbly designed. Simply one needs to recognise it is simply attenuating and not buffering or impedance matching that an active preamplifier will typically do… but depending on connecting equipment can be a superb solution and potentially offers superb transparency. It’s good to hear you are enjoying yours.