552 versus 52/ av options

I have had all my Olive naim serviced by Chris West AV options (52 done couple years ago).   Just had my 135s done as well.

I never ventured to hear a 552 as I do not want to spend that kind of $. For that price difference should be major upgrade in sound quality.  Regardless of what others advise, you need to hear it in your own system.

Noted you live on Long Island- so do I.  What is the rest of your system?

david

Having made that move recently - I said goodbye to my fully serviced 52 on Sunday!

I am now awaiting my recently serviced 552 to come on song, which can be a bit frustrating when you are presented with little glimpses of just how good it can be - just a few more weeks and all will be good.

The great thing is that you get an upgrade for all your sources! My tuner now sounds like my CDX2 (with NDac and 555PS), and the CD now sounds simply amazing. The lift on my LP12 was equally as impressive.

However, it is a lot of cash and the air can be thin at this level, so be absolutely sure you are making the right decision before making the move. The 52 is still a formidable combination with olive amps, and unless you are thinking of changing them to a 300 or 500 it might be wise to stay as you are?

Are your sources up to that level of scrutiny Zoot? It/they should be really rather good before upgrading from the excellent 52.

Stu

zoot posted:

.......plus naim power cords .

Don't get above yerself fella, we're all using them  ;-)

Good luck if you make the change.

I had the 52/552 side by side for several weeks on end and swapped them back and forth maybe a dozen or more times. The 552 was better in all ways that the 52 was already good in, but in all truth the 52 was very close as much fun and involving to listen to-lacking in some insight, but very near the same excite level as the 552. The 552 attributes were more cerebral, whereas the 52 had about the same visceral involvement as the 552. All this with active DBLs. 

Oddly enough the 552/150 combination was stupid good, and far better than the 52/150 that I also paired it with. 

Gents, my 552/52 issue is the 552 is in Toronto not sure I could get a ab comparison.? ( Do I want one). Additionally have lp12 Valhalla maxed , XPS/outboard naim power source, CDX, Yet?......ps listening room has a grand piano 10 ft ceiling , rugs furniture... speaker sit 8 ft apart 5 ft from wall , hard to change all that. Got a pair of active isobaric in the media room suppose I switch out the NBLs....maybe it's as good as it can get? 

Zoot,

I am surprised by your delta -- my first used 552 non-DR only cost US$9000.

Both the 52 and 552 are highly desirable.  If you love the 52, stay put, in good company.  If you can get a 552 at a decent price, you could try it, side-by-side, and sell the one you like least, at very little loss for the convenience.

I don't believe a blind trade is worth the risk, unless your 52 is missing something important you seek.  Maybe not, even then.

Best,

Nick

I'm not sure I'd front an active 552 system with an NDX. The NBL needs to be close to the wall; perhaps rather than five feet you meant to say five inches. If they really are five feet out you need to move them, or get more appropriate speakers. 

552 all the way, will give justice to all future upgrades. I love the 52, but if I had the coin for a 552 I get it without battering an eye lid. Imo the 552 has the same DNA as the 52 (you have a taste) so if you like your 52 you will love a 552. Only down side is you are going to be up for a 500 at some stage, trust me on that one.  Personally I'm not a DR fan so to me a standard 500 would be heaven, once again money tree needs to grow. I can not recommend a 552 enough, bloody amazing, and without any shadow of doubt the best box Naim has ever made...or was it the gods?

Having tried the 52/500, the 552/135 and the 552/500 I can honestly say both the 552 and its companion 500 only are truly revealed when they are used together. You will get *some* idea about how each is an upgrade from the 52 or the 135, but the degree will be considerably muted. The 552/135 were about control, but subjectively lacking a bit of power and drive, while the 52/500 seemed a little bit of a loose canon, having lots of power but lacking in the n-th degree of control. 

Until you have heard both power AND control at the same time, one does not fully make sense without the other. 

It has been proven time and time again including by myself that the 552-150 combo just *slaughters* the 112-500 (the latter of which sounded like a welter of kidney punches). 

Ron Toolsie posted:

Having tried the 52/500, the 552/135 and the 552/500 I can honestly say both the 552 and its companion 500 only are truly revealed when they are used together.

This will not stop me enjoying your reported experience of the NAC552/ NAP150, Ron. After all, what is life without aspiration!?

Now back to Zoot.....

Thank you mr halibut , yes for too many reasons to state the nbl's were 5 feet out- now 3 inches from back wall, I've

got some bass traps for the corners Hugh Improvment, many thanks for your very helpful suggestion.

I heard somewhere that about 5" or 6" from the wall worked best. How big is the room overall - as they were previously 5' from the wall, maybe it's long and thin? Where are they positioned? If the room is 12' or more wide you could try firing across rather than down, which would put a greater distance between the speakers and the corners. This is all speculation of course. 

Once that is all sorted, I'd consider improving the sources, or at least your main source. The Valhalla LP12 is fairly basic and there are several power supply options. The arm may be an issue too. And on the streaming side an NDS would be ideal. I'd certainly look at this before a 552. 

I hope you find these ideas helpful. 

The trouble with getting an NDS is it might outperform the Valhalla LP12 (I say "might" to avoid another argument) so attention will then be  drawn to upgrading that. You end up chasing your tail.

Hello mr H, room is 14 x 22 8ft ceiling nbls 9 ft apart piano in the middle got bass traps against the wall the speakers are on and are 6 inches from back wall also two open doorways 6 ft forward of speakers ? That's where I've moved the speakers today noticeably better,,,

Dare I ask what you have your speakers sitting on?  I found major improvement with my nibbles when I put them on naim chips albeit this was on a wooden floor structure.

i can't comment on 52 but the 552 and 500 works great with nibbles.

Peter