Going to a 552?
Posted by: Zipperheadbanjo on 19 November 2015
Hi All,
I have an opportunity to pick up a dealer demo 2013 552 + 552 PS DR with about 300 hours of use on it. Cost is about 55-60% of retail. I would inherit the remaining 3 years of warranty on the unit.
I'd like some feedback if those on the forum believe it would work well with my gear (i.e. not be unbalanced). It would be fed by a Rega RP 10 + Superline / Hicap, and a Naim NDX>Chord Hugo TT (these are my primary sources). My amp is a 2013 250-2 which I plan on DR'ing at some point in 2016. Interconnects are Naim Hilines... speaker cable is Naca5... speakers are Proac D30R's.
I have no intention of ever moving to a larger amp, as my listening space is relatively small, but acoustically treated... I don't need anything more powerful than a 250-2.
I had never even considered the possibility of moving to a 552 preamp as the price new is just too hard to justify. That said, the price is right with this demo unit, and 552's come up on the used market very rarely... especially a 552 with so little mileage on it.
I can afford it... no remortgaging or taking a loan required (or stealing from the kids college funds).
Thoughts appreciated... note that a demo isn't possible... although I can get a 30 day window to return the unit if it's not to my taste.
Only you can make the decision whether it's worth it. How much do you use vinyl, as the Rega is a poor source, when you start introducing a 552? No Powerlines? Never going above 250.2? The power of the amp is not what you are only paying for when upgrading.
Only you can make the decision whether it's worth it. How much do you use vinyl, as the Rega is a poor source, when you start introducing a 552? No Powerlines? Never going above 250.2? The power of the amp is not what you are only paying for when upgrading.
The Naim boxes all have Powerlines.
Only you can make the decision whether it's worth it. How much do you use vinyl, as the Rega is a poor source, when you start introducing a 552? No Powerlines? Never going above 250.2? The power of the amp is not what you are only paying for when upgrading.
Poor source? I don't know rega tt`s but isn't that their top of the line?
Sounds a reasonable offer to me considering it's DR'd also.
You're not exactly slumming it with the RP10/Superline.
If you weren't having the 250 DR'd I would have suggested a 300.
As count'd says, it's not all about power.
I went from a 250 (pre-DR) to a 300( pre DR) in a small room. It gave better control of bass which suited the smaller room.
I'm booking my 300 in for a DR upgrade.
After audition I have 3m SL speaker cable and SL DIN-DIN on order. Maybe a possible future upgrade for you.
Sounds a reasonable offer to me considering it's DR'd also.
You're not exactly slumming it with the RP10/Superline.
If you weren't having the 250 DR'd I would have suggested a 300.
As count'd says, it's not all about power.
I went from a 250 (pre-DR) to a 300( pre DR) in a small room. It gave better control of bass which suited the smaller room.
I'm booking my 300 in for a DR upgrade.
After audition I have 3m SL speaker cable and SL DIN-DIN on order. Maybe a possible future upgrade for you.
Never say never regarding a potential amp upgrade, but I would definitely start with DR'ing the 250. Also prefer to keep the box count reasonable. The SL cables are an intriguing idea for down the road at some point.
Only you can make the decision whether it's worth it. How much do you use vinyl, as the Rega is a poor source, when you start introducing a 552? No Powerlines? Never going above 250.2? The power of the amp is not what you are only paying for when upgrading.
An RP 10 is hardly a poor source!
Sounds a reasonable offer to me considering it's DR'd also.
You're not exactly slumming it with the RP10/Superline.
If you weren't having the 250 DR'd I would have suggested a 300.
As count'd says, it's not all about power.
I went from a 250 (pre-DR) to a 300( pre DR) in a small room. It gave better control of bass which suited the smaller room.
I'm booking my 300 in for a DR upgrade.
After audition I have 3m SL speaker cable and SL DIN-DIN on order. Maybe a possible future upgrade for you.
Never say never regarding a potential amp upgrade, but I would definitely start with DR'ing the 250. Also prefer to keep the box count reasonable. The SL cables are an intriguing idea for down the road at some point.
It has been commented on that the 250DR lifts it up to the 300 pre-DR level. So yes the box count is minimised. The SL speaker is well worth a listen.
Sounds a reasonable offer to me considering it's DR'd also.
You're not exactly slumming it with the RP10/Superline.
If you weren't having the 250 DR'd I would have suggested a 300.
As count'd says, it's not all about power.
I went from a 250 (pre-DR) to a 300( pre DR) in a small room. It gave better control of bass which suited the smaller room.
I'm booking my 300 in for a DR upgrade.
After audition I have 3m SL speaker cable and SL DIN-DIN on order. Maybe a possible future upgrade for you.
Never say never regarding a potential amp upgrade, but I would definitely start with DR'ing the 250. Also prefer to keep the box count reasonable. The SL cables are an intriguing idea for down the road at some point.
It has been commented on that the 250DR lifts it up to the 300 pre-DR level. So yes the box count is minimised. The SL speaker is well worth a listen.
The 250dr is brilliant and much better than the pre dr to my ears
Thing is 552DR's don't crop up that often. The 552 will enhance the rest of his system no question.
Zipper
IMO, at its not inconsiderable price point new, the 552 faces much tougher competition in North America than in its home market. But at the price you're looking at, its age, and given its a DR, I think you're looking at an excellent deal. Its a stunning preamp backed by a first rate company that will give you years-decades of pleasure.
Originally posted by Sherrfieldgraham:
Thing is 552DR's don't crop up that often. The 552 will enhance the rest of his system no question
I feel you Graham, we are on the same page!
Timing is everything, 555PS!
The DR versions do come up for sale privately, albeit rarely, and usually are around 50%-55% of retail, sometimes less. Given you are getting it from a dealer with the 3 years warranty - it looks a good and fair deal.
Have no fear of your sources, they are more than up to it, and one of the many tricks the 552 has up its sleeve is to make good music from less than stellar sources. Try plugging in your £100 Blu-Ray or DVD player and see if it doesn't defy the logic. When I picked mine up a couple of years ago it was being fed by a SB Touch with £250 Micromega MyDac and it only took a few moments to know I wasn't going to miss the 52/SCDR it replaced. Also at that time I had 135s into SBLs and nothing got in the way of the 552's ability to display its charms.
Enjoy it. 'YOLO' as my daughter would say.
The 552 will undoubtably improve all your sources, but if you're particularly a vinyl lover, the improvements made at the source, will far outperform the pre-amp improvements.
The 552 will undoubtably improve all your sources, but if you're particularly a vinyl lover, the improvements made at the source, will far outperform the pre-amp improvements.
Thing is his NDX>Chord Hugo TT is also one of his primary sources.
Go for it IMO. You won't be disappointed and the price seems very reasonable. As others have said above, I'd look out to partner it with a 300 sometime in the future. You'd have a belter of a system then.
£10,865.30 - £11853 sounds like a very good deal to me for that young vintage. lucky find i'd say...
Good luck and ...
enjoy
ken
If you can afford it I would say go for it!
Fred
Grab it. It's a really good offer, you know it's been looked after, and at the end of the day the 552 is simply wonderful. You won't regret it.
""250.2 / 282 + 3rd party Dual Hicap / NDX + 3rd party XPS / Superline + 3rd Party Hicap / Rega RP 10 / Oppo 105 / 2 Powerlines / 2 Hilines / Audience Adept Response RP2 Power Conditioner / Proac D30R / Naca 5 / Quadraspire 4 Evo rack
System Details
250.2 / 282 / NDX / Repa RP 10 / Oppo 105 / Proac D30R""
Guess what, 3 years from now there will be another great deal! There's plenty of time to upgrade your present gear! It's taken a life time for some of these distinguished gentlemen, to reach 552 Territory!
Just my two cents!
Grab it. It's a really good offer, you know it's been looked after, and at the end of the day the 552 is simply wonderful. You won't regret it.
You did.
Ah, but the critical difference is that ZHB can afford it!
The 552 Pre is excellent to get at a discount price - if you can afford it then get it!
A good Pre will make everything else work musically better, as you will hear if you audition.
You say you will even get to return after 30 days - just try it! 
DB.
£10,865.30 - £11853 sounds like a very good deal to me for that young vintage. lucky find i'd say...
Good luck and ...
I agree given young age of it it sounds a superb price.. almost too good to be true..but I might be out of touch..
I do love the 552 threads. The real question is, 'what shall I do with £10,000?' (£20,000 new), not 'is the 552 great?', which we all know, is. Very rarely does a thread like this generate interesting debate, but instead usually just a string of 552 appreciation posts with no regard to the original question.
I have no idea to Zippers.... financial state, but if he's not considering anything above a 250.2 and merely states that there's no loan involved or remortgaging, he doesn't come across as being in the Sting league. Although I could be wrong.