Another 552 owner
Posted by: Simon-in-Suffolk on 13 December 2017
Well it finally happened, and I am letting my new 552 settle down and enjoying its mood swings... certainly sounds rather impressive as you woul expect in my system... it’s interesting how certain very familiar tracks do sound different from my 252DR, almost as if the mixer levels for the instruments are different.... and yes on my 252 you could follow the instruments, but with the 552 you can follow but also get more of the subtle inflexions and timing in those embedded instruments... also fair to say the imaging is quite noticeably enhanced on the 552 over the 252... happy chappy.
I can understand some people deciding to go to a smaller, simpler system, rather like some people down-size their house once the kids have left home. That might involve moving on a 552. But moving one on for performance reasons? I can think of only one.................for an S1 
not trying to spoil Simon's fun, but I've heard 552 many times, and very good it is, in S-i-S still you are listening to a Hugo 1.
Hugo 1 is indeed a very good source, but a quick listen to a Hugo 2, or Chord Dave shows the evolution....
The Chord Dave is much better, and a 552 can't turn a Hugo into a Dave (I've tried it)
the Chord Dave on the other hand, even a lowly NAC-172 preamp can easily show what it does.
At the very least the 552 deserves a Hugo 2 
Yep, listening to it now before heading out the village farm to get a crimbo tree... The only thing I’ve adjusted is slightly turned down the Hugo output level, my 552 appears ever so slightly more sensitive than my previous 252...
i recently had a long chat with the renown Mr Watts at the Signals event... anyway long story short I will be keeping my Hugo 1 for the time being .... 
Simon-in-Suffolk posted:
i recently had a long chat with the renown Mr Watts at the Signals event... anyway long story short I will be keeping my Hugo 1 for the time being ....
Oh you tease!
.sjb
Simon-in-Suffolk posted:Yep, listening to it now before heading out the village farm to get a crimbo tree... The only thing I’ve adjusted is slightly turned down the Hugo output level, my 552 appears ever so slightly more sensitive than my previous 252...
i recently had a long chat with the renown Mr Watts at the Signals event... anyway long story short I will be keeping my Hugo 1 for the time being ....
Yes I'm very happy with my 2Qute listening to M.Bubble Christmas LP on Tidal and sounds rather good.
It’s brutally exposing the inadequacies of the CDX2.
Just cancelled my order for a new 552 and am sticking with my 252. I am not having a 552 expose my source! Ooh…errr...missus!
A new 552, especially a DR version, takes a few months to properly come on-song. It is indeed the Bass that most obviously improves in subjective quantity and quality, but it is in fact everywhere that steadily improves. At three months you have the bulk of the performance but nowhere near all of it - at nine months it sounds significantly and obviously better all-round and that is when you really have the 552 singing, but it continues improving after that too and I'd say it is getting to the peak of its performance after about 12-18 months.
Unless experienced the above will seem silly and crazy, but it is what happens. Why can't it be delivered like that with all this done - well if Naim could warehouse them for a year as they get completed playing music, then perhaps, but we are not that patient!
It is a nice ride with quality Pre-amps from Naim. The 552 is always exciting and capable and just gets better and better with time. If you are concerned about the price, then content yourself it is possible to do the same all over again with the next one up in the hierarchy - it is the same effect all over again with run-in, but think of all that money you have saved with the 'modestly-priced' 552 - now I shall duck. 
DB.