NAC552 in HI-FI+

Posted by: Simon Matthews on 03 September 2002

Very nice 11 page review in sep/oct hifi+.

Three opinions based upon use within different systems:

P Messenger after parting company- "I'll still be enjoying my hifi, but it won't be quite the same after sampling what the 552 can do, especially when playing vinyl"

Chris Thomas - "This is, I believe, the best product that naim have ever made"

Roy Gregory - "It is by some margin naim's most capable and impressive product to date"

Nice......
Posted on: 03 September 2002 by NB
If only I could afford one !!!!!!!!!!
Posted on: 03 September 2002 by NB
Just rushing out to buy a ticket. Then I can afford the 500 as well!! eek
Posted on: 03 September 2002 by John Channing
To be fair, Roy Gregrory's review was a long way short of hugely complimentary. However, the three reviewers were deliberately positioned as flat, middle, and round with the outcome we would all expect.
John
Posted on: 03 September 2002 by JosephR
quote:
Originally posted by John Channing:
To be fair, Roy Gregrory's review was a long way short of hugely complimentary. However, the three reviewers were deliberately positioned as flat, middle, and round with the outcome we would all expect.
John


That's a great way to review ... cool !
Posted on: 03 September 2002 by garyi
And Gregorys the guy that turns the speaker towards the wall right?
Posted on: 03 September 2002 by Gavin
How much is a 552 and a 500?

Regards,

Gav
Posted on: 03 September 2002 by Jaitch
Gavin
Retail prices are I believe:
NAC552 - £11500
NAP500 - £10500
Joe H
Posted on: 03 September 2002 by Blobdang
quote:
Originally posted by Jaitch:
Gavin
Retail prices are I believe:
NAC552 - £11500
NAP500 - £10500
Joe H


Bloody 'ell

Geoff Rowland, Brighton, UK
Posted on: 04 September 2002 by Derek Wright
less than 6 months fees for the rest home

get them now and enjoy the cash otherwise you will spend it and not notice the benefits in later years.
Posted on: 04 September 2002 by seagull
If you have to ask the price then you cannot afford it.

seagull
(who definitely cannot afford it!)
Posted on: 04 September 2002 by Mick P
Chaps

Just add £23k onto your mortgage and you are laughing.

You only live once and you never cotton on to that until you start growing grey hair.

Buy it and enjoy it for the next ten years.

Regards

Mick
Posted on: 04 September 2002 by Andrew Randle
All from Stealth owners no-doubt???

Methinks it's more indicative of greater things... like the economy.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
Tip 1: Change your mains plug fuses at least once a year
Posted on: 04 September 2002 by Derek Wright
I occasionally look in Loot and have not seen a 500 advertised for a long time - so where is the second hand market active?

Derek
Posted on: 04 September 2002 by John Sheridan
quote:
I occasionally look in Loot and have not seen a 500 advertised for a long time - so where is the second hand market active?


oh sure, let's tell everyone where to get the bargains wink
Posted on: 04 September 2002 by belsizepark
thriving second hand market in NAP500s?... what are the people selling it, buying??

Regards

Belsizepark
Posted on: 04 September 2002 by matthewr
"thriving second hand market in NAP500s?... what are the people selling it, buying??"

Divorce lawyers.

Matthew
Posted on: 04 September 2002 by Geoff C
I was at the factory in Salisbury recently, and PS showed me an uncased 552, which looked amazing. The suspension system was very ingeniously designed, and when he gave me facia I was shocked how heavy it was on its own! The build quality was superb.

Regards
Geoff
Posted on: 04 September 2002 by Rico
Belsize Park asked
quote:
thriving second hand market in NAP500s?... what are the people selling it, buying??
NAP90's dude - rumour has it a 552/90 dusts a 52/500 into SBL's, Kans, or other reasonable loads. cool

Hey - does the 552 come with a FLASH too?



Oh - it does. The FLASH also makes a fine weapon** for warding off intruders, so there will be no need for Mick to heft his 552 around to save the family jewels/Le Crusset collection from marauding crack-heads. wink

Rico - SM/Mullet Audio

** visitors to Chez Rico often remark on the similarity to the Mere (a Maori weapon, type of club) when exploring the tactile aspects of the Flash. The FLASH as modern interpretation of the Mere, perhaps?



[This message was edited by Rico on WEDNESDAY 04 September 2002 at 21:08.]
Posted on: 05 September 2002 by John Channing
HiFi Choice has an abridged version of the Paul Messenger review which appeared in HiFi+. It also has an article about Naim which I will read at lunchtime when I borrow my colleague's copy. wink
John
Posted on: 05 September 2002 by Doug Graham
James MCP

Not everyone wants to buy s/hand. Just because you do doesn't mean that everyone who goes to a dealer, gets the service and advice and pays the "going rate" is a fool. You seem to take great pleasure in cynicism. You seem to forget that the Hi-Fi business is a business. There are people out ther working as hard as the next man doing a great job in dealers(and in some cases having to to feed their families) and there you are, it seems, taking pleasure at s/hand Nap 500s being available. It's as if you are saying "can't be much good then" when you just don't know the circumstances. I think it's extaordinary that we provide a forum that is, in the main, used to benifit the end user but sometimes there seems to be a view from yourself that is blinkered. C'mon James, get with the programme.

Later


Doug roll eyes
Posted on: 05 September 2002 by Doug Graham
It's just a comment about "attitude". It's just like you saying "a Nait 2 is better than a Nait 5". I know that this is "only" your opinion but are you seriously suggesting that we make things worse than we used to?

Much later

Doug (no roll eyes just a blank)
Posted on: 05 September 2002 by Doug Graham
James

I appreciate the fact that you've bought new Naim things. If you read what I said and go back over some of your posts... I said "it seems as if"
Anyway, I'm sure that there will be others that will spring to any defence that you need.

Doug
Posted on: 05 September 2002 by John Channing
quote:
What did Hi-Fi+ audition vs the 552?


The Lamm L2 Reference (£12,500) and the Gryphon Sonato Allegro (£7900). It was also compared indirectly, since they also had it for review at the same time, to the Tom Evans "The Vibe".

quote:
And don't they always give good reviews?


They only print reviews about products they like. The bad stuff doesn't make it into print, a policy that I personally like.
John
Posted on: 05 September 2002 by Doug Graham
James

Of course you are allowed to say this. Enjoy your ATC's. But remember, power amps inside the cabinet of loudspeakers means that you save a VAST amount of money on the amp case.If we thought that active on board power amp loudspeakers was the way forward we'd have done it by now (exclude the active spk that JV made in early 70's) What represents value for money is for people to decide and it would seem that you've decided that a Nap 500 is poor value based on your choice of Active speaker and not in performance cos correct me if i'm wrong, you don't seem to have listened to a Nap 500. Would seem that it's a money thing again. I rest my case.(big black two box thing)


Doug
Posted on: 05 September 2002 by Mick P
and it's bloody brilliant.

Is it worth the money.......yes

Is there anything better out there for the same money........can't think of anything.

The truth of the matter is that people have moaned since time immemorial about Naims high prices and since time immemorial more people buy the stuff than ever before, so draw your own conclusions from that.

Regards

Mick