First day with 552

Posted by: thijazi on 23 September 2016

Today I unpacked and setup the long awaited upgrade from my NAC282/NAP250.DR to the NAC552/NAP300.DR setup. I hesitated for a very long time between an upgrade from the 282 to 252 or straight up to the 552. Finally I took the plunge and opted for the 552 on blind faith, never heard it and could not demo it so understandably, considering the cost I was apprehensive about the level of improvement this box will have.

Well, today after setting up the gear and spending a few hours browsing through my music my impression of the 552 is excellent, and if this is day 1 I cannot wait to see how this will sound once it is well "Bedded in".

My wife commented today that the music sounded "well rounded and real" for me this is exactly what this 552 upgrade did, it made music sound so much better that I am rediscovering old stuff which sounded ok on the old gear and now sounds great on the 552.. Some of the newer DSD music is sounding fantastic, I spent hours not thinking about the gear and thoroughly enjoying hearing new sounds and musical detail in tracks I listened over hundreds of times before.... and all of this considering that I have an entry-level source (DAC-V1) which must be the weakest link in my setup.... Amazing!

And, to add to the entire impression, the included R-Com remote just adds to the luxury of the experience....

Now I am not aching about the cost anymore

Posted on: 24 October 2016 by thijazi

I have the SL speaker cables and I noted an improvement in the sound quality over the NACA5 cables... Didn't test the SL interconnects yet.

Posted on: 24 October 2016 by Harry

A 555PS on the DAC gives you a 500 level DAC. It is utterly superb. To my ears only the NDS sounds better although there are some who think it doesn't sound as good.

Posted on: 24 October 2016 by thijazi

Trying to keep my self into the USB DAC world to avoid SPDIFF converters and the like, I use a PC for a streamer and use Roon to playback my music... The USB is just so simple and versatile.

Posted on: 24 October 2016 by nigelb

thijazi posted:
I have the SL speaker cables and I noted an improvement in the sound quality over the NACA5 cables... Didn't test the SL interconnects yet.

As you already have SL speaker cables, your system really deserves, and will benefit from, a SL full loom, IC first I would suggest. My 252/250DR has come on a great deal with the addition of SL IC & SL speaker cables. You might want to get your DAC/Source sorted first though.

I know, how about us swapping your 552 for my SL IC for a while so you can see how the SL IC sounds?

No need to thank me, I am quite generous like that.

PS, I have just realised you won't hear much out of the SL IC without a pre amp - a minor detail.

Posted on: 24 October 2016 by Innocent Bystander

thijazi posted:
Trying to keep my self into the USB DAC world to avoid SPDIFF converters and the like, I use a PC for a streamer and use Roon to playback my music... The USB is just so simple and versatile.

But the computer USB output will be full of electrical/rf noise, so if connected direct to a DAC the sound quality will almost certainly be less than optimal unless the DAC has good rejection. I don't know how good the DAC V1 is with that, but notably Hugo is susceptible (that's why people use a convertor), though Hugo TT is fine (and possibly 2Qute, though many say it isn't as good SQ-wise as Hugo).

Posted on: 01 November 2016 by thijazi

[@mention:48872963983698699], I like your suggestion pity I live so far away