one 555PS or 2?

analogmusic posted:

I don't know. I've heard 552 many times and it's good but not an alchemist 

it won't turn a bad source into a Chord Dave 

I've rather have a Dave with a 282 than a mediocre source with a 552

and that's how I spent my money and no regrets at all 

he has nds/555dr and don't know if he can add second 555ps.  it is the question...

It's the Naim forum. 

I only ever had one 555PS powering my CD555 when I had it. 

I have learned that everything can change sound "somewhat". 

In value for money terms I really would be looking somewhere else other than a second 555PS to improve your system. 

To paraphrase, don't be bonkers and buy a second 555PS. 

.SJB. 

Hey...sorry for the stupid question but what's "OP" stand for. I know you are referring to me but I have no idea what it means. 

Chris Dolan posted:

Richieroo posted:

I think hh is totally right ..... 

I think HH is mostly right 

HH is usually right.  I want that on my tombstone "Usually Right".

I have the 552 and the second 555PS DR on my CD555.   Both are an uptick from what you are used to.  The 552 is a big step up.  The second 555PS is incremental but in a nice Power Supply-oriented way.  If you like the Naim Power Supply upgrade path, the second 555PS is the last step.

Richard Choong posted:

Hey...sorry for the stupid question but what's "OP" stand for. I know you are referring to me but I have no idea what it means. 

 

It's 'Original Poster' Richard.

I've only just noticed that the words 'Original Post' appear at the end of you know what.

John.

Chris Dolan posted:

Richieroo posted:

I think hh is totally right ..... 

I think HH is mostly right 

+3 HH is Always right--Again damn!

D41

252 seems not to be rated so much here, I cannot understand why?

One of the most contagious set-up ever listened, the time when no streamer was on the horizon and  even a 'modest' Xps on a nds3 player would  tie listener to the chair ,was 252/supercacp /250.2.

Now we have Nap 300 ,555 ps and .......282

What have I been missing? 

While I also would love to have the two 555 solution to power my NDS, you would be throwing money into the fire if you did this while you would still run the 282. So please make sure that you upgrade to the 552 or even the S1 if money is not issue at all. Then look at cabling, and I didn't look at your profile but if you don't have a rack get yourself a fraim........., with all of that in place the second 555 will be a delight. It will drive a natural type of tone which you thought you already had...., but which only get's truly achieved by getting the 2nd 555ps.

Good luck with your journey.

Antonio1 posted:

252 seems not to be rated so much here, I cannot understand why?

One of the most contagious set-up ever listened, the time when no streamer was on the horizon and  even a 'modest' Xps on a nds3 player would  tie listener to the chair ,was 252/supercacp /250.2.

Now we have Nap 300 ,555 ps and .......282

What have I been missing? 

 

I am not sure, the 252 is one of the best NACs Naim have produced... but is different than the slightly more forward sound of the 552 which seems quite preferred by some on this forum and perhaps has certain similar traits to the 282. To my ears the 252 has  perhaps more in common with the Statement NAC in overall presentation.. I guess it's down to personal choice ... i.e. the more traditionally forward Naim sound of the 552 or one of the more natural open sounds (in my opinion) of the 252. I think with certain speakers they may benefit from the added 'sparkle' and drive of the 552, whilst others perhaps breath almost better with the 252... I simply have based this on years of years of listening to different systems with an open mind.. and I currently own a 252 and declined a 552 with my current system... but clearly other opinions are out there.. so I will say its down to choice... for example I preferred mostly the NDAC/555PS to the NDS and I prefer the Hugo to the NDAC so I perhaps hear things a certain way. What I have discovered is that there is no alchemistic effect of any Hi-Fi component and certainly not from the 552 or 252 or Hugo ... it's about how they work in a system and personal preference.

The best sounding systems I have ever heard have all  used either 552DRs or 252DR NACs

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

Antonio1 posted:

252 seems not to be rated so much here, I cannot understand why?

One of the most contagious set-up ever listened, the time when no streamer was on the horizon and  even a 'modest' Xps on a nds3 player would  tie listener to the chair ,was 252/supercacp /250.2.

Now we have Nap 300 ,555 ps and .......282

What have I been missing? 

 

I am not sure, the 252 is one of the best NACs Naim have produced... but is different than the slightly more forward sound of the 552 which seems quite preferred by some on this forum and perhaps has certain similar traits to the 282. To my ears the 252 has  perhaps more in common with the Statement NAC in overall presentation.. I guess it's down to personal choice ... i.e. the more traditionally forward Naim sound of the 552 or one of the more natural open sounds (in my opinion) of the 252. I think with certain speakers they may benefit from the added 'sparkle' and drive of the 552, whilst others perhaps breath almost better with the 252... I simply have based this on years of years of listening to different systems with an open mind.. and I currently own a 252 and declined a 552 with my current system... but clearly other opinions are out there.. so I will say its down to choice... for example I preferred mostly the NDAC/555PS to the NDS and I prefer the Hugo to the NDAC so I perhaps hear things a certain way. What I have discovered is that there is no alchemistic effect of any Hi-Fi component and certainly not from the 552 or 252 or Hugo ... it's about how they work in a system and personal preference.

The best sounding systems I have ever heard have all  used either 552DRs or 252DR NACs

indeed Simon, good as 282 is 252 takes sound to another level without upsetting presentation (I'm certainly with you on that) it astonishes me as preamp addition is rather ignored nowadays .

Another point is, has been pointed out, equipment support and cabling (and dedicated mains obviously).

As for Cabling I find the NACA5 to be the least introspective cable on a micro basis , you loose to much , on the other hand quite useless to replace as no one gives on a macro basis that whole picture at any price. Notwithstanding something to really deal with  before anything else,I think.

Antonio1 posted:

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

Antonio1 posted:

252 seems not to be rated so much here, I cannot understand why?

One of the most contagious set-up ever listened, the time when no streamer was on the horizon and  even a 'modest' Xps on a nds3 player would  tie listener to the chair ,was 252/supercacp /250.2.

Now we have Nap 300 ,555 ps and .......282

What have I been missing? 

 

I am not sure, the 252 is one of the best NACs Naim have produced... but is different than the slightly more forward sound of the 552 which seems quite preferred by some on this forum and perhaps has certain similar traits to the 282. To my ears the 252 has  perhaps more in common with the Statement NAC in overall presentation.. I guess it's down to personal choice ... i.e. the more traditionally forward Naim sound of the 552 or one of the more natural open sounds (in my opinion) of the 252. I think with certain speakers they may benefit from the added 'sparkle' and drive of the 552, whilst others perhaps breath almost better with the 252... I simply have based this on years of years of listening to different systems with an open mind.. and I currently own a 252 and declined a 552 with my current system... but clearly other opinions are out there.. so I will say its down to choice... for example I preferred mostly the NDAC/555PS to the NDS and I prefer the Hugo to the NDAC so I perhaps hear things a certain way. What I have discovered is that there is no alchemistic effect of any Hi-Fi component and certainly not from the 552 or 252 or Hugo ... it's about how they work in a system and personal preference.

The best sounding systems I have ever heard have all  used either 552DRs or 252DR NACs

indeed Simon, good as 282 is 252 takes sound to another level without upsetting presentation (I'm certainly with you on that) it astonishes me as preamp addition is rather ignored nowadays .

Another point is, has been pointed out, equipment support and cabling (and dedicated mains obviously).

As for Cabling I find the NACA5 to be the least introspective cable on a micro basis , you loose to much , on the other hand quite useless to replace as no one gives on a macro basis that whole picture at any price. Notwithstanding something to really deal with  before anything else,I think.

what? Not even the SL speaker cable??

As for alchemy, well Touraj of Vertere explains this very well on his website - "there is nothing there (after the source) that can improve on the signal, all components will either distort, change, modify and effectively ruin the signal - and cables do this the most. If you take away less by improving cables, then there is more music coming through"

I sometimes, like Simon, chuckle at many over enthusiastic forum members comments, especially the 552 (and sorry Simon, even 252) - as when I auditioned Dave it was with the entry level 172 preamp, which was fully capable of showing me the difference between Dave and the lower down Hugo TT (and it was massive).

Anyone who heard that demo with me, would find very difficult to justify spending money on the preamp, when that money could and should have been used to improve the source.

No amplifier has any alchemistic power, the very best amplifiers are good, because they do less damage to the signal. And these are not my words, this is from Naim itself.

so here is the email from Naim

 "You should visualize any setup as an assembly of imperfect items … nothing in the setup is perfect and nothing in the setup can add quality – only take it away.

 A better preamp doesn’t add quality – it only takes less away from the signal that comes into it before it passes it on.

 Similarly a better cable doesn’t add quality – it takes away less.

 Improving a cable in the setup will overall improve the performance of the setup as a whole."

a so,  552 won't magically transform a ND5XS into an NDS/555DR.

Unless someone on the forum can claim this

Anyone?

raise your hands please, anyone who has experienced the 552 making an NDS purchase irrelevant, and happy to use an entry level CD5i with a 552.

Also what is an amplifier?

It take the input signal, and then rather than amplifying directly that signal, tries to create a higher voltage/current signal by taking the mains and making that mains current, a mirror of the input signal.

There's distortion throughout the replay chain, probably more so with each box and IC added. Then again, listening to music via loudspeakers without amplification is rather moot and/or mute. I'm not shaking my finger at my amplifier for what it "tries" to do. I'm listening for what it does.

analogmusic posted:

Antonio1 posted:

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

Antonio1 posted:

252 seems not to be rated so much here, I cannot understand why?

One of the most contagious set-up ever listened, the time when no streamer was on the horizon and  even a 'modest' Xps on a nds3 player would  tie listener to the chair ,was 252/supercacp /250.2.

Now we have Nap 300 ,555 ps and .......282

What have I been missing? 

 

I am not sure, the 252 is one of the best NACs Naim have produced... but is different than the slightly more forward sound of the 552 which seems quite preferred by some on this forum and perhaps has certain similar traits to the 282. To my ears the 252 has  perhaps more in common with the Statement NAC in overall presentation.. I guess it's down to personal choice ... i.e. the more traditionally forward Naim sound of the 552 or one of the more natural open sounds (in my opinion) of the 252. I think with certain speakers they may benefit from the added 'sparkle' and drive of the 552, whilst others perhaps breath almost better with the 252... I simply have based this on years of years of listening to different systems with an open mind.. and I currently own a 252 and declined a 552 with my current system... but clearly other opinions are out there.. so I will say its down to choice... for example I preferred mostly the NDAC/555PS to the NDS and I prefer the Hugo to the NDAC so I perhaps hear things a certain way. What I have discovered is that there is no alchemistic effect of any Hi-Fi component and certainly not from the 552 or 252 or Hugo ... it's about how they work in a system and personal preference.

The best sounding systems I have ever heard have all  used either 552DRs or 252DR NACs

indeed Simon, good as 282 is 252 takes sound to another level without upsetting presentation (I'm certainly with you on that) it astonishes me as preamp addition is rather ignored nowadays .

Another point is, has been pointed out, equipment support and cabling (and dedicated mains obviously).

As for Cabling I find the NACA5 to be the least introspective cable on a micro basis , you loose to much , on the other hand quite useless to replace as no one gives on a macro basis that whole picture at any price. Notwithstanding something to really deal with  before anything else,I think.

what? Not even the SL speaker cable??

 

 

Never tried it, good point , one should try this first.

The cable developed after their super sytem on mind, if on classic series retains the balance of sound would be a nice addition. What you report on cables is sensible to me, hope any classic power amp  to be quite a good equipment to benefit from them as statement does and not to show accordingly any weakness whereas statement clearly don't ,obviously due to any equipment being thoroughly tested in a full set-up to keep balance at it's  optimum as possible.

joerand posted:

There's distortion throughout the replay chain, probably more so with each box and IC added. Then again, listening to music via loudspeakers without amplification is rather moot and/or mute. I'm not shaking my finger at my amplifier for what it "tries" to do. I'm listening for what it does.

not sure if you are adding anything to the discussion, other than trying to be a English language teacher

you did move on from owning Naim amplifiers, though...?

analogmusic posted:

you did move on from owning Naim amplifiers, though...?

Correct, but your post (that I responded to) was about amplifiers, Naim not specified, as if that should somehow matter as to musical involvement. You've got Chord and Vertere in your chain. I've got Plinius and Rega in mine, Chord ICs and Zu Audio mains cables as well. My digital source is a Naim CDP. All FWIW. Wasn't the OP about PSUs?