500 DR upgrade time

The 272 certainly offers more sound per pound: it's less than half the price of an NDX and 282, but it's a jolly sight more than half as good. And you can upgrade the whole caboodle with just one power supply rather than two. Anyway, all that is well known, but I believe that price and neatness, rather than absolute sound quality, will determine the direction for Naim.

Not only have Linn dropped CD players, but they have also dropped separate preamps. Streaming preamps are the way to go in my view. Just add a DR poweramp - nicely back on topic - and you are done. 

HH, I bought 282 couple of months ago, but looking back, I think I should have bought a 272.

As you said the advantages of one box, one PSU, and also nobody mentions the built in headphone amp, which 282 does not have... I think 272 makes a lot more sense than NDX/282.

and it sounds really good to me (272/250DR)

And even better with XPS and SL leads.

When I have seen on here comarisons between NDX/282 to 272/XPS with the same power amp for example I tend to see more in favour of the separate streamer and pre in terms of pure SQ. So I am not yet convinced of the sonic superiority and the ultimate sound per pound advantage of one box streamer/preamp solution although it is undeniably neater and cheaper than a separates alternative. Things may also less comparable when we move into the 252/552/NDS and the yet non-existent 372/572 territory.

HH nicely steered us back on topic but we appear to have veered off again. 

We impoverished part time working local government officers cannot afford separate streamers and preamps, and all those pesky wires, so have to slum it with a streaming preamp  and grotty old superseded speakers. 

You did however manage to treat your old speakers and (newer) amps to some rather lovely SL cables which I am sure has got the best out of them.

nigelb posted:

Hope the OP still does not mind us banging on about this stuff.

This is an interesting and enlightening thread. Who could possibly want to stop it?

I'd take a 500 level integrated amp/streamer if demonstrably ahead of 552/NDS/555PS/555PS, although with a Statement level streamer being in the works, that might be a short sighted move for some of us. What I would take tomorrow without hesitation is a 552 with a full range volume control as seen on the MuSo.

And the 272. Did I mention that it's got one?

The new style volume control is a wonderful advance, as I found on my V1 which now has a better home ...

A NAC N-572 streamer/preamp with the capabilities of a NDS and 552 in one box (OK it might need one or two hearty power supplies to keep pace) with the funky new volume control and no need for the posh SL interconnect for say two thirds of the price of the separates. Now that product I want. Wonder if it might happen?

Here's an interesting one. I've owned Naim amps since we got the electric in Norfolk. I had to power down the system for several hours a few days ago due to a local thunderstorm. The 'cold' system came back sounding pretty much as I expected. Fast; a bit on the lean side and hairy round the edges.

I was ready for the familiar 'fattened up and bloaty' on the second day and it didn't happen - the sonic signature seemingly much the same, if a bit smoother. So  the DR 500 seems to behave somewhat differently in this regard.

John.

J.N. posted:

Here's an interesting one. I've owned Naim amps since we got the electric in Norfolk. I had to power down the system for several hours a few days ago due to a local thunderstorm. The 'cold' system came back sounding pretty much as I expected. Fast; a bit on the lean side and hairy round the edges.

I was ready for the familiar 'fattened up and bloaty' on the second day and it didn't happen - the sonic signature seemingly much the same, if a bit smoother. So  the DR 500 seems to behave somewhat differently in this regard.

John.

its good that there are probably no more bumby rides John -- and the 500 is settling down well, even after the power down hicup. so i guess one could say that the 500DR has a very low bloat factor -- well not surprising really. :-)

enjoy

ken

Yes indeed Ken. It still remains to be seen if the 'periodic bloat' occurs with the DR'd amps after a few months of constant operation. 

John. 

J.N. posted:

Yes indeed Ken. It still remains to be seen if the 'periodic bloat' occurs with the DR'd amps after a few months of constant operation. 

John. 

I think the only thing that can cause the 'bloat' (yes I hear it on occasion too) on the Naim Amps is non-linearity in the power supply electrolytic caps after voltage spikes - perhaps just small HF ones, on the mains.

The main regulator cap sits 'behind' the DR circuit from the Amp and would attenuate any such effect, so if the new DR had, say, ten times better regulation, then there should be ten times less 'bloat' or anything else wanting through to the Amp, so maybe your observations could prove this has some truth.

In any case it is nice to hear of another DR feature I'll appreciate.

Mine will (hopefully) be done in June as I've been pushed back from my May upgrade slot. Something to look forward too.

DB.

Darke Bear posted:

...Mine will (hopefully) be done in June as I've been pushed back from my May upgrade slot. Something to look forward too.

DB.

nice excuse for me -- that there is no need for my to try to push my DR upgrade at this point as Naim are overloaded with such upgrades right now... very convenient :-)

enjoy

ken

Regarding how long you can expect to wait, I got my 500 added to the queue a week last Friday and I have been quoted a date for end of June/beginning of July.

Ghettoyout posted:

Regarding how long you can expect to wait, I got my 500 added to the queue a week last Friday and I have been quoted a date for end of June/beginning of July.

acrtually that is not at all bad turnaround!

enjoy...

ken

Friday was one of those days when lots of things happened nearly at once, the return of the 500DR being one of them. I’ve been mad busy and not able to listen as much as I would like. But what I have heard I’ve liked a lot.

The slightly zingy leading edges have extended into smoothness without loss of detail. And that’s the word that sums it up for me so far. 

Detail.

Everything is more detailed. Clarity has emerged. Quite a rabbit to pull out of the hat but pulled it has been.  Tone, texture, build and decay, position, spatial boundary. I can hear everything yet I can simultaneously hear the whole thing.  I wonder if this is what people mean by reduced noise floor? It didn’t sound like there was any background fug before, but it is now obvious that there isn’t any, so that suggests that it could be perceived previously – I just didn’t realise it. Maybe a better word to describe it is “clarity”?

Still early days. It appears that I have yet another brand new music collection. It’s a subtle change but none the less noticeable and most welcome. I expect the fun is only just starting.

Harry, this sounds good and you are probably right that the "fun is probably only just beginning"

Congratulations and ...

enjoy!!

ken

Harry posted:

Friday was one of those days when lots of things happened nearly at once, the return of the 500DR being one of them. I’ve been mad busy and not able to listen as much as I would like. But what I have heard I’ve liked a lot.

 

Milk day eh 

Good read my eh...twin!!!

Thanks Ken. I sure will

Since you ask Dusty, a new (to me) car was delivered and my old trade in was sitting on next door's drive waiting to be collected by the delivery driver.  Shortly before the new car turns up, next door's daughter in law arrives and drives smack into my car. That took a bit of sorting out . You just can't make this stuff up. It was hilarious - but not at the time.  I also had quite a bit of work to shift (which was difficult to concentrate on). Next week is looking a bit more sane and at least the 500 is sucking amps and bedding in, so it will be better prepared.

I was  a trifle (albeit only a trifle) miffed when mine took 3 weeks instead of the indicated 2, but it seems this was pretty lucky (though I had booked it as swoon as the order book was opened, which helped, I guess)!

Neil

Three weeks?!

Wouldn't that be nice?

Worth the (longer) wait though.

From what I understood DR have been a huge success for Naim, selling a lot more then predicted and also, upgrading been more popular budgeted. 

Good work Naim! Very curious what will be the next step for Naim. 

//Jonas

Ghettoyout posted:

Regarding how long you can expect to wait, I got my 500 added to the queue a week last Friday and I have been quoted a date for end of June/beginning of July.

Really? I booked my 300 in back in January and have been told there's no sign of a date.