Another 552 owner

james n posted:

 

 

That's one thing that always impresses me when i see a picture of the internals of a Naim product is the neatness and thought that goes into the internal wiring. You look at the inside shots of some 'hi-end' (bloody expensive) kit and it looks like a real dogs dinner with internal wiring all over the place - it does make me wonder about the consistency of performance and what you are actually paying for. 

I wouldn't call these (randomly  chosen among Soulution, Dan D'Agostino, Audia Flight, Mark Levinson) 'dogs' dinner'. As far as internal wiring is concerned, looks to me like Naim still looks like the most 'garage built' one... But it is not meant as belittling it of course. It's just 90° cornered wiring, reasonable order and the sound one'd expect for around £20,000.

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

Well I had my first wow moment this morning with the 552, I think I get it... absolutely phenomenal... the feel, detail and insight with no trebleness or etching... I had no idea the Hugo sounded this transparent and this is with 44.1/16/2 incredible, what a combo..... my Mandelbrot set analogy has developed several fold more iterations.. you hear so much more... including the defects like tape master flutter, bad notes,  clicks and ticks ... but it’s all about letting the recording sound so much more authentic.. coupled with an infectious feel of beat, pace and timing.

Simon,

I think no-one here would have suspected that a NAC 552 sounded like a 1962 table radio... We're happy yours works properly for its cost.

Is the 552 the new 272?

Good 2018 to all.

M

Here's the inside of the 552 from a different angle (my one) :-

joerand posted:

I'd never argue that the NAC 552 seen above doesn't possess a tidy internal visual outlay and it only ever sounded impressive on the rare occasions I've head it. OTOH - when I'm demoing gear at my own lesser level the thought of removing the case, or for that matter even googling pics of the inside has never occurred to me.  My system boxes could well have a relative bird's nest of internals under the hood, but that doesn't enter my evaluation process. SQ output in my room the ultimate currency.

That's true, Joe, and makes sense. But I'd argue that it's nice to see the engineering which gives some reassurance as to where the cost, in addition to R&D, has gone. 

Nice tea towel as well

I think it’s called “positive reinforcement” but since this thread started my 552 sounds better than ever ........

and I have one of those tea towels as well, it’s great to belong!

.sjb

Hi Simon, a bit late for the party but congratulations with the 552 !!.

Also interested what your next move (source) will be.......

Still enjoying my "fresh" 282.

Peter

Guys, just catching up... Nick to your comment, Spotify still sounds like Spotify... but give a descent signal it’s amazing what info is there... and to the comment on Bitcoin value.. yes I was fortunate to get it almost spot on... I have bought some more... let’s see what it is in a year... if it grows the same rate as in 2018 as it did in 2017.. I might be able to get a flash Naim system for my then future Bentley..... 

Simon, I have often toyed with the idea of the ultimate monkfish, i.e. NDS/555DR/552DR/250DR and my 'crappy' Monitor Audio GX300s. To achieve this I 'just' need to swap my existing 252DR for a pre-loved 552DR, which is pretty much what you have done (although you went with a new 552) with one or two differences at the front and back ends.

I have however never quite accepted that the 250DR (250.2 in your case) was capable of handling the extra resolution the 552 would throw at it although I have always invested in the source and pre amp as a priority. But could the ultimate monkfish be a step too far? Your experience seems to show that the 250 is more than up to the task and I believe Richard used to run a 552 with a 250 if I am not mistaken.

My options going forward are:

a) a monkfish with knobs on i.e. swap the 252DR for a 552DR

b) swap out my trusty GX300s for something 'better'

c) swap my 250DR for a 300DR

My heart says a) and I suspect your experience will support this. But I hear so many good things about the 300DR and I know my speakers are becoming a weak link but they have responded so well to all my upgrades, especially the most recent addition of the 555DR on my NDS.

Now I would certainly do a home demo before committing, but I am interested in your experience and the experience of others contemplating these sort of changes. I hope this does not divert your thread too much and if it does I will open a new thread.

Nigel, given my experience thus far I can only indeed recommend a)... it is quite exceptional what the 552 brings... sure there may well be a few better amps than the 250.2 and I can possibly hear it’s limitations...but thus far the 552 gives me so much more 

Thought you might say that. I believe you can live quite happily with one kidney these days as it seems I have have missed the boat on bitcoins!

I did 282 to 552 with a 250-2 running NBLs, there wasn’t a downside and the improvement was greater than the 500 a year later brought about.

nigelb posted:

Thought you might say that. I believe you can live quite happily with one kidney these days as it seems I have have missed the boat on bitcoins!

The boat is always sailing with cryptos... it has always been highly speculative... and nearly always grown over the longer term of months, though more main stream now so the major cryptos  are reduced risk... so why not give it a go.. but just as with all highly speculative investments be prepared to loose it...

Richard Dane posted:

True, but luckily there are great sounding speakers that cost very little. 

I partly agree Richard as I have a set of Royd Eden at home that cost a bit over £100 used and they sound fantastic with plenty of power very fast and energetic. I've also owned Q Acoustic Concept 20's and Epos 14's in the past couple of years both sound great and both cost less than £250 used but neither those or the Royds had any bass to speak of and for me personally and IME that only really comes with bigger and ultimately more expensive speakers.

true that, bit of shame of if speaker can't reproduce the bass a NAP 250 is capable of (my Dyna focus 260 does, and then some )

nigelb posted:

Simon, I have often toyed with the idea of the ultimate monkfish, i.e. NDS/555DR/552DR/250DR and my 'crappy' Monitor Audio GX300s. To achieve this I 'just' need to swap my existing 252DR for a pre-loved 552DR, which is pretty much what you have done (although you went with a new 552) with one or two differences at the front and back ends.

I have however never quite accepted that the 250DR (250.2 in your case) was capable of handling the extra resolution the 552 would throw at it although I have always invested in the source and pre amp as a priority. But could the ultimate monkfish be a step too far? Your experience seems to show that the 250 is more than up to the task and I believe Richard used to run a 552 with a 250 if I am not mistaken.

My options going forward are:

a) a monkfish with knobs on i.e. swap the 252DR for a 552DR

b) swap out my trusty GX300s for something 'better'

c) swap my 250DR for a 300DR

My heart says a) and I suspect your experience will support this. But I hear so many good things about the 300DR and I know my speakers are becoming a weak link but they have responded so well to all my upgrades, especially the most recent addition of the 555DR on my NDS.

Now I would certainly do a home demo before committing, but I am interested in your experience and the experience of others contemplating these sort of changes. I hope this does not divert your thread too much and if it does I will open a new thread.

In my experience a).

Monkfish is a bit harsh. You’ll see what i mean when you demo

Max_B posted:

 

Good 2018 to all

Max, and a happy 2018 to you. I didn’t follow your comment about the 552 being the new 272... please clarify... the 552 is a very much older design... and quite different architecturally, functionally and performance wise... my point was referring to the change in 552 performance through run in... which was more than I had expected.

nigelb posted:

Simon, I have often toyed with the idea of the ultimate monkfish, i.e. NDS/555DR/552DR/250DR and my 'crappy' Monitor Audio GX300s. To achieve this I 'just' need to swap my existing 252DR for a pre-loved 552DR, which is pretty much what you have done (although you went with a new 552) with one or two differences at the front and back ends.

I have however never quite accepted that the 250DR (250.2 in your case) was capable of handling the extra resolution the 552 would throw at it although I have always invested in the source and pre amp as a priority. But could the ultimate monkfish be a step too far? Your experience seems to show that the 250 is more than up to the task and I believe Richard used to run a 552 with a 250 if I am not mistaken.

My options going forward are:

a) a monkfish with knobs on i.e. swap the 252DR for a 552DR

b) swap out my trusty GX300s for something 'better'

c) swap my 250DR for a 300DR

My heart says a) and I suspect your experience will support this. But I hear so many good things about the 300DR and I know my speakers are becoming a weak link but they have responded so well to all my upgrades, especially the most recent addition of the 555DR on my NDS.

Now I would certainly do a home demo before committing, but I am interested in your experience and the experience of others contemplating these sort of changes. I hope this does not divert your thread too much and if it does I will open a new thread.

Nigel - a couple of points:

When I was  dimming speakers at one demo we had an NDS/555/552/250 with both Focal and Kudos.  It was superb.  The 300 would of course have done more but it was excellent.   

With regard to speakers as you know I follow the line that synergy is everything and that source first as a religion is not necessarily the right way to go.   In that respect I can only say changing from the Dyn.Contour 1:8s to the Kudos S20 truly was a paradigm shift.    Of course I’m not familiar with your MAs but I suspect a speaker change will have a greater impact and give you more for the £s than a 552 - at this stage.  

Regards,

Lindsay

l share all your praise for the 552, and this may be a digression, but why are there so many outputs from its power supply, if passive biamping is ill-advised? Ditto the SC2. Would the sound not be cleaner without this? 

There are three stereo outputs on the PSUs.  This enables you to use a top end Naim amp (which requires 2 x DIN4-XLR) and a spare output just in case - useful if you are using an n-Sub via pre-out level connection.

Back in the day when I had a CDI and a 82, I went to the shop to demo the CDS but also listened to the 52 with the CDI. I was surprised how good the 52 was and I’ve always gone for the best preamp I could afford, for the last few years this has been a 552 (hopefully will get it DRed in 2018.

However, just for fun please try a supercap on any lesser preamp: 72, 102, 32.5 and you may be surprised.

good listening 

Dev B posted:

However, just for fun please try a supercap on any lesser preamp: 72, 102, 32.5 and you may be surprised.

good listening 

I did this with a 202 and it sounded fantastic.

Using the signal output nearest the Burndy socket (or the two nearest) is very noticably superior at this level. It’s in the manual but easily overlooked or forgotten (by me at any rate). Likewise for the supercap, if using a Burndy, or If using Snaic(s) or for hi and flatcap, use the output nearest to the Snaic, though the difference gets less marked with the lighter ps.

Well I am delighted to say the 552DR has taken quite a step forward in the enjoyment stakes over the last few weeks as it has settled in/burnt in. it really is a cracking piece of kit... it’s bizarre what it does to your recordings.. how can a preamp do this? I clearly am fortunate to now own one of Hi-Fi’s genuine icons....

Simon in Suffolk, congratulations, the 552Dr, is certainly a superb black box, enjoy