552 scary investment

My investment is my time to enjoy music. I did not invest in a 552, I brought it because i love music and wanted to buy the best of what i could afford.

For me , in contradiction to all things Hi Fi the pre amp is the "hub" of my system. It is the constant in my system where other sources/amps have come and gone the 552 has never gone any where and neither will it until i can afford the next thing which is better.

If you can afford it, demo/buy it. You won't regret it.

Richieroo posted:

Hi I have been enjoying my 272 with 555ps into my Nap500dr..... I now have a chance of getting a 2 year old 552dr .... it will be a real push for me to afford.... my plans are to eventually replace the 272 with an nds... But in the meanwhile use the 272 into the 552 until funds permit an nds.....

I have read all the threads on the 552 .... nobody seems to regret it.... I am still struggling internally  with the concept of a pre amp at this value..... the 272 with the 555 is that good.... ulp.... I think I need some reassurance.....

IMO a 552 is a total waste of money if its just going to be used to play digital music.

You could sell all your boxes and be quids in and buy a Chord Dave DAC to control your NAP 500.

Drones posted:

Richieroo posted:

Hi I have been enjoying my 272 with 555ps into my Nap500dr..... I now have a chance of getting a 2 year old 552dr .... it will be a real push for me to afford.... my plans are to eventually replace the 272 with an nds... But in the meanwhile use the 272 into the 552 until funds permit an nds.....

I have read all the threads on the 552 .... nobody seems to regret it.... I am still struggling internally  with the concept of a pre amp at this value..... the 272 with the 555 is that good.... ulp.... I think I need some reassurance.....

IMO a 552 is a total waste of money if its just going to be used to play digital music.

You could sell all your boxes and be quids in and buy a Chord Dave DAC to control your NAP 500.

A Naim amplifier consists of a power amp and a pre amp, they are designed to compliment each other. 

Drewy posted:

Drones posted:

Richieroo posted:

Hi I have been enjoying my 272 with 555ps into my Nap500dr..... I now have a chance of getting a 2 year old 552dr .... it will be a real push for me to afford.... my plans are to eventually replace the 272 with an nds... But in the meanwhile use the 272 into the 552 until funds permit an nds.....

I have read all the threads on the 552 .... nobody seems to regret it.... I am still struggling internally  with the concept of a pre amp at this value..... the 272 with the 555 is that good.... ulp.... I think I need some reassurance.....

IMO a 552 is a total waste of money if its just going to be used to play digital music.

You could sell all your boxes and be quids in and buy a Chord Dave DAC to control your NAP 500.

A Naim amplifier consists of a power amp and a pre amp, they are designed to compliment each other. 

Thats a very old school view.

A 552 is totally wasted if the analogue inputs are not going to be used.

Richieroo posted:

Absolutely, this is not an investment as such ... and will not and is not be so, but like a car .... it ain't lost a shed load on purchase. Ultimately to keep the vein of humour going it would a crap investment! Thanks hh!!!

It is an investment in terms of bringing [life-style choice] of culture into ones home.

It is called home audio, which is for musical reproduction,

and is music not the very best form of art?

So stop dithering and buy the bloody thing before someone else beats you to it! : )

Debs

Drones posted:

Drewy posted:

Drones posted:

Richieroo posted:

Hi I have been enjoying my 272 with 555ps into my Nap500dr..... I now have a chance of getting a 2 year old 552dr .... it will be a real push for me to afford.... my plans are to eventually replace the 272 with an nds... But in the meanwhile use the 272 into the 552 until funds permit an nds.....

I have read all the threads on the 552 .... nobody seems to regret it.... I am still struggling internally  with the concept of a pre amp at this value..... the 272 with the 555 is that good.... ulp.... I think I need some reassurance.....

IMO a 552 is a total waste of money if its just going to be used to play digital music.

You could sell all your boxes and be quids in and buy a Chord Dave DAC to control your NAP 500.

A Naim amplifier consists of a power amp and a pre amp, they are designed to compliment each other. 

Thats a very old school view.

A 552 is totally wasted if the analogue inputs are not going to be used.

 

Not necessarily, I'm sure others will agree with me. 

Drewy posted:

.......... they are designed to compliment each other. 

.... a remarkable achievement 

Chris Dolan posted:

Drewy posted:

.......... they are designed to compliment each other. 

.... a remarkable achievement 

I'm sure they do like one another. They complement each other, too. 

Drones posted:

Drewy posted:

Drones posted:

Richieroo posted:

Hi I have been enjoying my 272 with 555ps into my Nap500dr..... I now have a chance of getting a 2 year old 552dr .... it will be a real push for me to afford.... my plans are to eventually replace the 272 with an nds... But in the meanwhile use the 272 into the 552 until funds permit an nds.....

I have read all the threads on the 552 .... nobody seems to regret it.... I am still struggling internally  with the concept of a pre amp at this value..... the 272 with the 555 is that good.... ulp.... I think I need some reassurance.....

IMO a 552 is a total waste of money if its just going to be used to play digital music.

You could sell all your boxes and be quids in and buy a Chord Dave DAC to control your NAP 500.

A Naim amplifier consists of a power amp and a pre amp, they are designed to compliment each other. 

Thats a very old school view.

A 552 is totally wasted if the analogue inputs are not going to be used.

 

The 552 only has analogue inputs. 

Ahh Nigel beat me to it... I assume perhaps the poster meant the 552 is only worth using with analogue based sources like vinyl, tape  or FM radio?  In which case I respectfully suggest that is poppycock.

I agree with Simon.

The 552 transformed digital sources for me. Before I had mine I had a 52 and I was pretty non plussed with digital sources but since discovered digital is fantastic and can better vinyl in some areas. 

If you'd put a 300 in your system there might be some argument for stopping at the 272 +ps but the 500 demands a 552 and a suitable source. Its a mullet at the moment.

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

Ahh Nigel beat me to it... I assume perhaps the poster meant the 552 is only worth using with analogue based sources like vinyl, tape  or FM radio?  In which case I respectfully suggest that is poppycock.

I think that my CDS3 sounds rather lovely with the little old 552, which is actually a bit of a bargain imho 

Chris my little old CDS3 sounds rather lovely with my humble 282 - I wonder what it would sound like with a 552?

A brief tangent, if I may?

Strat, How is the CDS3, now that it has had time to settle down after returning from the factory?

Best regards, FT

The Strat (Fender) posted:

Chris my little old CDS3 sounds rather lovely with my humble 282 - I wonder what it would sound like with a 552?

Lindsay, you would LOVE it   and you can trust me as I am a lawyer 

Chris Dolan posted:

The Strat (Fender) posted:

Chris my little old CDS3 sounds rather lovely with my humble 282 - I wonder what it would sound like with a 552?

Lindsay, you would LOVE it   and you can trust me as I am a lawyer 

That's okay then

Chris Dolan posted:

The Strat (Fender) posted:

Chris my little old CDS3 sounds rather lovely with my humble 282 - I wonder what it would sound like with a 552?

Lindsay, you would LOVE it   and you can trust me as I am a lawyer 

Careful then Lindsay. That won't be free advice  

G

If I were to start my Naim adventure over again, I'd put the big money into the 552 first.  This goes against the source first theory, but the 552 makes the most of every source rather than showing the faults.  I found this quite different from the 72/102/82/52 preamps I owned in the past.  I think a NDX/552/250 system (for instance) would be a very musical and satisfactory hi-fi in a way that a NDS/282/250 would not be.  There's something magical about the 552.  

Chris - I'm very inclined  to agree.   On a visit to Naim I heard a NDX albeit with 555PSU into  5523x500s with Ovators 800 - superb.  

Chris Bell posted:

If I were to start my Naim adventure over again, I'd put the big money into the 552 first.  This goes against the source first theory, 

Well, kind of but not really. I regard the pre as a secondary source or source enabler. If that makes any kind of sense.  A good source needs a good pre.  But if you can have the lot then all the better.

I think naim pre amps serve up a sonic signature that has that focused leading edge quality..... that you can not measure in terms of lab frequency response.... of course when you plug it into an amp it will magnify that quality..... of course that can be both good and bad.......depending on system match.

The 552 is an iconic preamp, in fact it's one of the few upgrades that truly made my jaw drop open when I first plugged it into my system.

As HH pointed out, it only has analogue inputs.  I was running a Naim DAC for my digital sources, but ran out of analogue inputs on the 552  (I have far too many legacy devices in my system !)  So I replaced the DAC with a 272 giving me both the additional analogue inputs I needed and also a very high quality digital preamp for my digital sources...

So my 272 feeds my 552 which is what you're thinking about doing - so my advice is definately "do it, buy the 552".

I can almost guarantee you that your own jaw will hit the floor*. 

Roger

*PS - if your jaw does not drop open wide when you hear a 552 in your system, you can be pretty sure that it's time to change the batteries in your hearing aid.

The 552 was the single greatest upgrade I have made in my journey thus far- a huge step up from the 252. I would follow Deb's advice ....

ATB,
Mark

varyat posted:

The 552 was the single greatest upgrade I have made in my journey thus far- a huge step up from the 252. I would follow Deb's advice ....

ATB,
Mark

 

A week ago I would have concurred categorically on the 552 being the greatest single upgrade ever introduced into my system.  It is a whole new ball-game for any system into which it is introduced. However, a week ago I plugged my DR'd 500 into my system and now I'm not sure which leap was greater... Both are utterly stunning and of course complimentary and synergistic. Pretty sure the 500DR wouldn't be knocking sideways the way it is without the 552 feeding it... Anyway, point is that these components are undeniably expensive, but if they can be afforded then they absolutely justify..