Blimey, the 272 is even better than I thought it was...

I’d go 300 first. My conflicting answer is proof you need to listen for yourself. One thing you’re right on is doing the boxes before the cables.

No quarter posted:

HH

you are lucky enough to jump to the 555/300DR in one step,yet if I end up doing it,it will Definitely be done in 2 steps...I have 272/XPSDR/250dr into Dyn special 40s.At this point,can you suggest which one to do first?,I know you just got them,but is there a new upgrade path direction to follow?I have ruled out Superlumina for now,and the Hugo 2 I am demoing,has proven to be VERY frustrating,so I think it is out.The 555 and 300DR are both a lot of money for me,I guess the question is,what is better...272/555/250DR or 272/XPSDR/300DR...?

It is a tough call,what I have now is pretty awesome to be honest,and really no rush to upgrade,I just like to set goals to look ahead to.I have never had a convincing demo of cables,that was a night and day difference,like HH is describing with the 555/300.

No quarter posted:

the Hugo 2 I am demoing,has proven to be VERY frustrating,so I think it is out.

What's very frustrating about Hugo 2? Just curious -- cheers!

Timo posted:

No quarter posted:

the Hugo 2 I am demoing,has proven to be VERY frustrating,so I think it is out.

What's very frustrating about Hugo 2? Just curious -- cheers!

I love the H2 with headphones,but today I tried to get it to play from my Core to an analog input on my 272,and could not get any sound out of it.I was using two rca cables that I normally have coming off my Teac CD/DSD player,so I know they work.I tried playing off my iPad,Core,and the Teac using RCA and optical...still no sound,so I gave up.I have brought it to work with me,so I am going to try and figure out how to get it to play (I have a reciever here,and speakers).I thought there was some magic sequence of buttons I needed to push or something,but it dawned on me a little while ago...use the remote,which I forgot I even had with it.Anyway,I hope I can figure it out,but things are NEVER simple in the Hugo world.

No Quarter: is it possible that the analogue input you're using with the Hugo has been disabled? 

joe9407 posted:

No Quarter: is it possible that the analogue input you're using with the Hugo has been disabled? 

Actually Joe,I was about to post an update on this...i hooked it up at work,and I now realize that I did not cycle through the inputs properly at home.I was thinking I just had to hit the “X PHD” button for line out to work,and it automatically goes to the right input.That is not the case,I should of hit the “input” button a few times until it started playing.It is just completely different than the Hugo 1 button layout.Anyway,the good news is that now I know how to do it properly,it works just fine here at work,so I will try it at home again tomorrow with the Naim gear.Keep in mind,I have only had this thing a few days,so I don’t really know all the functions yet.

HH, glad you are enjoying your upgrades I upgraded from a 250dr to a 300dr earlier this year and am still amazed at what the 300dr has brought to the system it is something rather special.

Like yourself one of the first things that struck me is how well it reproduces piano notes and the speakers just seem bigger also low level listening is greatly improved.

I'll be interested on your findings on the S/L  cables for the 300dr when you have them installed as I was discussing a demo of the same with my dealer yesterday.

Happy Listening.

Thanks; I’ll report back in due course. The last din to XLR took ages to sound right.

Your post promoted me to look at your profile, which got me thinking that a 555PS and then an NDS might well be a much better option for you than adding the SL wires. For the price of the wires I could have moved from 272 to a used NDS, but then I’d have needed a separate preamp, which would mean two more boxes, and that is something I’m not prepared to entertain. But as you have six boxes it’s not an issue. Just a thought. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

Thanks; I’ll report back in due course. The last din to XLR took ages to sound right.

Your post promoted me to look at your profile, which got me thinking that a 555PS and then an NDS might well be a much better option for you than adding the SL wires. For the price of the wires I could have moved from 272 to a used NDS, but then I’d have needed a separate preamp, which would mean two more boxes, and that is something I’m not prepared to entertain. But as you have six boxes it’s not an issue. Just a thought. 

HH,. thanks for the comment I have discussed this option with my dealer and have decided to wait for the new range of streamers when they become available just question of time ,Naim time that is ???

Strange things running in cables and Naim boxes the S/L interconnect was great out of the box the S/L speakers cables to an age sounding like a bag of nails to start with but 300dr sounded superb from new but had a wobble in month two and three settling after the third month.

That makes total sense, though the 555 should work with the new streamers. That was my assumption anyway. ‘Bag of nails’ eh? I’ll be fitting brand new din to XLR as well as speaker cables, and I’m expecting a level of wierdness compared to the wonderful sound I’m getting now. It will pass of course. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

That makes total sense, though the 555 should work with the new streamers. That was my assumption anyway. ‘Bag of nails’ eh? I’ll be fitting brand new din to XLR as well as speaker cables, and I’m expecting a level of wierdness compared to the wonderful sound I’m getting now. It will pass of course. 

Hopefully so as soon as anything is confirmed I can look to start the process hence the reason for looking at the cables shortly just to get the best out of the boxes as they currently stand having heard the improvements the S/L cables in the system have already made.

Hungryhalibut posted:

That makes total sense, though the 555 should work with the new streamers. That was my assumption anyway. ‘Bag of nails’ eh? I’ll be fitting brand new din to XLR as well as speaker cables, and I’m expecting a level of wierdness compared to the wonderful sound I’m getting now. It will pass of course. 

Have you considered borrowing a 'run in' pair of DIN to XLR cables and trying before buying? 

I had the din to XLR with my 250, and know exactly what it does. So there is no need to try them first. 

That's an expensive rearrangement moving the power amp up a level if you need new SL speaker cables too.

Ah well, it’s my decision and I want to get everything set up ‘just so’. If I’d lived with the head unit at the bottom, with the power supplies between it and the 272 it would have felt wrong and I’d only want the longer leads later. So I thought I’d get everything now and run it all in together, rather than seeing it as a half finished project. With the old bits sold, the new bits are not too expensive and I want it to sound as good as it can, within the constraints of being on one rack. 

I’m not sure why I’m feeling the need to justify myself - it’s my system, my life and my money. I’m perfectly capable of working things out for myself, and all I’m doing is passing on the effects of the upgrade to 555 and 300: the wires are something else really. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

Ah well, it’s my decision and I want to get everything set up ‘just so’. If I’d lived with the head unit at the bottom, with the power supplies between it and the 272 it would have felt wrong and I’d only want the longer leads later. So I thought I’d get everything now and run it all in together, rather than seeing it as a half finished project. With the old bits sold, the new bits are not too expensive and I want it to sound as good as it can, within the constraints of being on one rack. 

I’m not sure why I’m feeling the need to justify myself - it’s my system, my life and my money. I’m perfectly capable of working things out for myself, and all I’m doing is passing on the effects of the upgrade to 555 and 300: the wires are something else really. 

I must agree the extra money spent getting the set up correctly and as you want it is very satisfying and probably more cost effective in the long term.

HH   keep on listening and typing

Most of us are aware that system additions do typically need a long burn in/settling in period and that makes shop or home demo's more of an art than science
Therefore for me & suspect many others your description of the effect of the upgrades are useful.  Many of us do not have access to a local dealer or indeed have the time to go thru the in depth demo process.  I also believe you major on the enjoyment & emotion of music over the technical / hifi of sounds.  

Suspect if I could have arranged a 300DR + Passive SCM40 longer term demo I might have warmed to the ideal.....but then again that involves an extra box, shelf,  extra cables , less things to sell trade.  I estimated another £6 to 7K over the deal I managed a year ago. 

One last point have you found the volume setting has changed? I found that post getting the new X-ref stand I have started to listen at 36-40 range rather than 32-35 as the sound is just so much cleaner.   I remember a similar effect when the PSU was introduced.  My wife loves the stand and the effect it has had on music and the TV sound.

Interesting, I've heard 'burn in' on active components (i.e. boxes), but never on cables.  May be this is because I usually build my own cables, perhaps a combination of the materials I've used and de-stressing the ends after assembly?

When I put the 555 into my system I found that I could listen at higher volumes before listener fatigue started developing, but I could also get the benefits at the same volume settings I used previously.

Having just completed an upgrade on my TT I’ve now concluded that I need a 555DR for my CDS3 and upgrade the 250DR to 300DR which really requires a 552.  

See what you’ve gone and done HH

Yes, he's improved your system! 

After 300 / 555 and SL cabling we are all ready for 372! 

The Strat (Fender) posted:

Having just completed an upgrade on my TT I’ve now concluded that I need a 555DR for my CDS3 and upgrade the 250DR to 300DR which really requires a 552.  

See what you’ve gone and done HH

Yikes!!!

The CDS3, 555, 552 and 300 is rather good - it’s what I had ten years ago. Of course, this predated DR, and the idea of using speaker wires costing over £300 a metre was simply preposterous. 

With the exception of the minor bickering in the middle, I've really enjoyed reading this thread.  On a Hi-Fi theme I'm looking forward to hearing my NAP300 (next Tuesday) after its DR upgrade.  It's been serviced together with my NAC552DR and CD555DR as well.  Plus next Monday/Tuesday I'm having a dedicated power supply installed.  And I'm upgrading all power cables, interconnects and speaker cables to a combination of Chord Music and Chord Sarum T (from Sarum SA and cheaper Chord speaker cable).

Ive always found HH's advice to be amongst the best on the forum, and he has the experience of upgrading, downgrading and upgrading again which few of us have.  I wasn't aware of his accident but am delighted for him that issues are resolving.  And I thank him that Milan is now high on my list of venues for a city break or longer holiday combined with the Italian lakes.

Hungryhalibut posted:

The Strat (Fender) posted:

Having just completed an upgrade on my TT I’ve now concluded that I need a 555DR for my CDS3 and upgrade the 250DR to 300DR which really requires a 552.  

See what you’ve gone and done HH

Yikes!!!

The CDS3, 555, 552 and 300 is rather good - it’s what I had ten years ago. Of course, this predated DR, and the idea of using speaker wires costing over £300 a metre was simply preposterous. 

Just a matter of time, methinks. 

The Strat (Fender) posted:

Having just completed an upgrade on my TT I’ve now concluded that I need a 555DR for my CDS3 and upgrade the 250DR to 300DR which really requires a 552.  

See what you’ve gone and done HH

The turntable always has to be the best source or you'll stop using it, probably not a problem even with a 555ps (do you need DR on a CDS3?) I remember from a launch event for the HDX Powerline and Superline, the Naimed LP12 with a 17D3 held us rapt, when the 555 was started up people drifted off to hear what the HDX had to offer, admitttedly that didn't take long.