All I can say is WOW. New system installed today. Paul from Billy Vee installed it. 4+hours. We have a wonky wood floor (it’s a rental). He was very meticulous getting the Fraims just right. Will shift the chat over to system pics 2025 but I am a very happy camper and glad I stuck with naim. Have to still decide on new speakers but the existing ProAc D38s (pre-ribbon) are handling the 500s well.
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Paul’s great isn’t he? Whether it’s a small or a big system, he always gives it the same degree of care and attention when installing
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Great end to the story.
Maybe time to update your profile 
Good luck with the new system.
R
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Thanks @ratrat, and yes, the profile update is on today’s “to-do” list. 
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The thing is with Naim…the system needs to be left switched on for at least 2 days before any serious listening. So its quite easy to put the Naim gear at a disadvantage…dealers know this…so your right walk away.
Incidentally you have ended up with the system I have…it is amazing…and should give you many years of pleasure…I keep mine powered on for long periods…its essential for the 500 to be fully warmed through…
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Hi @crispyduck, yes, top quality service. Thank you @stuart.ashen , @crispyduck and @Sinewave for the recommendation/endorsement of Billy Vee and all who provided advice, wise counsel and some smiles over the past 3+ months. Listening to Krishna Das (Sri Argala Stotram/Show Me Love) a few minutes ago and now Imogen Heap’s Blanket with Jeff Beck from Beck’s Ronnie Scott’s show. Love my new system (as Hendrix’s Wind Cries Mary comes on…)
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Hi @Richieroo, yes, plan is to keep the system on unless we are away for an extended period. Hear you on running the system in. The NAP500DR was a demo so that is nicely run-in. Paul said the other components will also benefit from time so looking forward to that path as well.
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I spoke to Paul recently and he mentioned that I helped some anonymous forum member to buy a 500 system. Still waiting for him to send me my commission…
When I recommend Billy Vee I guess I am really recommending Paul. Always top draw service!
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By the way…if ever you want to improve things still further…and substantially in my opinion a second psu for the ND555 is brilliant… I amnot a big fan of Super Lumina between 500 and psu…din yo xlr. All other areas are great…I suggest you keep the original cable…
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Congratulations that is one awesome setup, I am sure that once it has settled in you will be spending many a long hour listening to your favourite tunes.
Enjoy.
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From friends of mine I understand the Proac speakers are a match made in heaven … I wish I had the space for them…enjoy…keep us posted on your bedding in period…it should get better and better…mine took around 6 to 8 weeks to settle…and really deliver.
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Have a demo of the Marten Parker Quintet’s booked for Saturday. Listening to Peter Frampton right now on the new system with the 15+ year old ProAc’s. Sounds so good!
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Proac’s seem to match Naim quite well…
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Biased opinion from me but yes Proacs and Naim go well together. When I change to the 300 series one day I’ll keep my speakers for sure.
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Tested the Marten Parker Quintet’s yesterday. They are very nice speakers, but I wasn’t convinced. Believe it may have been due to a few factors. Speakers were tested using first the naim NC300 series with only a separate (non naim) power supply for the preamp. Source was a ClearAudio Innovation turntable with a non-ClearAudio phono stage (didn’t catch who made the phonostage). We switched to a Gryphon 333 which provided an improvement, but we (the dealer included) think the speakers were hampered by the listening room, which was on the small side and their placement being a bit too close to each other. The diamond tweeter was impressive but the mid-range was smeared (which I think was the dealer’s term) and the bass “bouncy” (my term, and which I attribute to the room but also my ears as my existing ProAc’s present very differently). I am not ruling them out and the dealer is very happy to give me a few days with them in our flat which is a much more open space and which I will likely take him up on.
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You could try…these..at home… Arendal Sound 1528 Monitor…they have excellent bass balance apparently…https://youtu.be/5ErkBhf3FT8?feature=shared.
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Its lovely to hear that Billy Vee has provided aa demo that suits, on the issue of younger people not getting into HiFi, I think its the case that you can get acceptable (even good) sound from a Spotify account linked to a set of budget headphones or a stand alone buetooth speaker. While on holidays in Marbella 2 years ago I came across a shop dealing in miscellaneous items and playing some light jazz through a JBL Bluetooth speaker, B&O make very acceptable sounds from their Bluetooth pieces, so while it may not be Statement level, it’s affordable and gets you into the music.
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I wish I had that sort of money to demo speakers lol. My dream speakers to try around that price would be Magico and Wilson Audio (perhaps even second hand and higher up the range).
Happy demoing 
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Thank you @Richieroo. I read up on the Arendals post your suggestion. They look like a very interesting option given the broad range of positive reviews that exist on the web and given their model of being direct to consumer, there would be some potential incentive to trash them given the stakeholders in the manufacturer to consumer supply chain that are cut out of the process. Not sure if I am willing to go down that path and risk the hassle of having to return them if not impressed, but given the technical specs, reviews and pricing, hard to ignore.
Hi @richardjpaterson, yes, am very lucky, have been working 39 years, and am now (finally) debt free, empty nesters and spending some disposable income on some selfish priorities and enjoying the process. Once fully kitted out, the hifi upgrade will be >1X the cost of our first home 34 years ago. Will then go into cash conservation mode for another 2+ years to save for the final selfish indulgence (hint, four wheels and made in Germany). I’ve listened to the Wilson Watt/Puppy and they sounded really good and fit what I would expect a very high end pair of speakers to sound like. Two issues for me – they look a bit industrial (not extreme though and I could probably get my head around them or a pair of their bigger brothers) and second, they are made in the USA. At the moment, being Canadian, I am avoiding buying American, especially for big ticket items. I am therefore looking for something that sounds as good as the Wilsons, but made in Europe. On Magico’s, they are definitely ones I would demo, but same issue. Made in the good ole USA. I have to think that there are a some good alternatives made here in Europe that I would be happier writing a cheque to.
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