Any 552 Owner ever regretted buying it and why?

Come on fess up everyone

Short thread, me thinks!

No. But then I would say that, wouldn't I?

After a year on the rack, I mentioned during a factory visit, that although brilliant, our 552 somehow failed to convey the magic, the last degree of involvement, the last speck of fairy dust, that we believed it capable of delivering based pre purchase auditions, planned and unplanned. We were never unhappy with it, just occasionally left wondering if maybe..... Or then again, maybe our ears were aging, our room wasn't quite optimal, something else in the system was off.....

They offered to take it back to base. Roy looked it over and asked for a rebuild based on his recommendations. What was a superb pre when it went back, was transformed into something truly magical. Sound quality/musical enjoyment is paramount, but sometimes you need something extra in the after sales care department. naim delivered on all counts.

And that's before we even touch on DR.

Harry posted:

No. But then I would say that, wouldn't I?

After a year on the rack, I mentioned during a factory visit, that although brilliant, our 552 somehow failed to convey the magic, the last degree of involvement, the last speck of fairy dust, that we believed it capable of delivering based pre purchase auditions, planned and unplanned. We were never unhappy with it, just occasionally left wondering if maybe..... Or then again, maybe our ears were aging, our room wasn't quite optimal, something else in the system was off.....

They offered to take it back to base. Roy looked it over and asked for a rebuild based on his recommendations. What was a superb pre when it went back, was transformed into something truly magical. Sound quality/musical enjoyment is paramount, but sometimes you need something extra in the after sales care department. naim delivered on all counts.

And that's before we even touch on DR.

Hi Harry

Thanks very much for your insights. Just a few questions if I may:

Is Roy from Naim?

What do you mean about rebuild?

Phil

Roy George.

Technical director (hope it got that role correctly) , designer and audiophile extraordinaire.

I was informed that it had been stripped down and rebuilt. Don't know to what extent, but "stripped down and rebuilt" doesn't sound like they wiped down the case. Some wiring paths and angles of attachment were changed. The volume pot was replaced,. Past that, I couldn't say.  Jason (also from Naim) and Ian from my local dealer, bought the 552 back. Dismantled the whole system, soldered on new speaker plugs and blocks at the amp end, cleaned everything and rebuilt the system from scratch, and sat listening to it for an hour or so. Helen and I joined in for that part of the day!

It has been suggested on here that my experience was nothing more than a placebo effect, which is frankly insulting. Naim are obsessive in their attention to detail and their willingness to address issues, should they arise. They have been known to bin a whole unit (CDS3) and send back a new item it its place.

Assuming that most people take their auditioning and research seriously before pulling the trigger, especially when it comes to such an expensive component, and since the 552 is an excellent preamp, it will be very hard to find any remorse among its buyers.

A more interesting question would be who and why someone who has no financial constrains chose not to get a 552?

On the other hand, perhaps the sole purpose of the thread is to open another window of opportunity to pile superlatives on the 552 which is not capable of blushing because of its black color..

Or to throw insults at people who buy them. That's probably more a case of when then if. If the revolting behaviour which has characterised some other threads is anything to go by.

Yeah. A regret here.  I should have got one a year or two earlier when I tried the 252 and it didn't wow me. Instead I waited and waited, telling myself it was an awful lot of money (which it is) and my 282/SC was very good  (which it was).  I got there in the end but could, and probably should, have accepted the advice I got on here and from my dealer at the time. 

I understood that a very few classical music lovers on this forum have preferred the slightly recessed and delicate presentation of the 252 to the more forward and vibrant signature of the 552.   ????

Chag -

je ne regrette rien

Chag... posted:

I understood that a very few classical music lovers on this forum have preferred the slightly recessed and delicate presentation of the 252 to the more forward and vibrant signature of the 552.   ????

Chag -

I loved the 252, more gentle indeed and I love the 552 even more...

Haim Ronen posted:

Assuming that most people take their auditioning and research seriously before pulling the trigger, especially when it comes to such an expensive component, and since the 552 is an excellent preamp, it will be very hard to find any remorse among its buyers.

A more interesting question would be who and why someone who has no financial constrains chose not to get a 552?

On the other hand, perhaps the sole purpose of the thread is to open another window of opportunity to pile superlatives on the 552 which is not capable of blushing because of its black color..

 

To which any number of reasons could apply, from buying Statement instead, to simply not wishing to spend that much despite lack of financial constraints, to not liking its character/preferring the character of something else, to either not hearing or not appreciating the benefit in the context of her/his system/room/ears.

 On the whole if you reach a 552 you ought to be fairly sure Naim is for you.

 There’s a few jumped ship for valves, I can think of one who went for EAR, there were a few went to vitus (the thread was deleted after being tolerated for a long time but it was turning into a sales pitch) no idea if any if them regretted that move but they’ve not been back to abmit it and two ditched 555/552/500s for Rega Isis/Osiris, in one case at least to liberate some cash. I don’t know if any of them regretted the 552 as such. 

How many regret selling one I wonder.

Unless SWMBO found out and wasn't impressed

MDS posted:

Yeah. A regret here.  I should have got one a year or two earlier when I tried the 252 and it didn't wow me. Instead I waited and waited, telling myself it was an awful lot of money (which it is) and my 282/SC was very good  (which it was).  I got there in the end but could, and probably should, have accepted the advice I got on here and from my dealer at the time. 

Mike, it’s never too late as long as step by step upgrades can be avoided. 

Phil

Chag... posted:

I understood that a very few classical music lovers on this forum have preferred the slightly recessed and delicate presentation of the 252 to the more forward and vibrant signature of the 552.   ????

Chag -

I think when you get older you need a bit more excitement to compensate! SWMBO likes the volume a lot lower for instance because of more sensitive hearing.

Phil

Ravenswood10 posted:

Unless SWMBO found out and wasn't impressed

The 500 power amp is a bit of a giveaway but the 552 looks the same as the 282. Let’s hope Naim stick with the stealth technology. The only stealthy then needed is the credit card and bank statements!

Phil

yeti42 posted:

 On the whole if you reach a 552 you ought to be fairly sure Naim is for you.

 There’s a few jumped ship for valves, I can think of one who went for EAR, there were a few went to vitus (the thread was deleted after being tolerated for a long time but it was turning into a sales pitch) no idea if any if them regretted that move but they’ve not been back to abmit it and two ditched 555/552/500s for Rega Isis/Osiris, in one case at least to liberate some cash. I don’t know if any of them regretted the 552 as such. 

How many regret selling one I wonder.

Perhaps those who have downsized from 552 would like to comment.

Phil

Bert Schurink posted:

Chag... posted:

I understood that a very few classical music lovers on this forum have preferred the slightly recessed and delicate presentation of the 252 to the more forward and vibrant signature of the 552.   ????

Chag -

I loved the 252, more gentle indeed and I love the 552 even more...

I totally agree with this... one does need to get ‘used’ to a 552... if one has come from a 252.. the latter is far more gentle and gorgeously smooth and comfortable, the former just simply gets more out of the recordings in an uncanny way..and ultimately far more rewarding although you do start to take it for granted. 

Id say if you have mostly a diet of highly processed and compressed rock, then the 252 might be the tonic, if you love a wide repertoire and including classical and opera the 552 is magic.

Filipe posted:

Ravenswood10 posted:

Unless SWMBO found out and wasn't impressed

The 500 power amp is a bit of a giveaway but the 552 looks the same as the 282. Let’s hope Naim stick with the stealth technology. The only stealthy then needed is the credit card and bank statements!

Phil

Other than the case, the knobs and the buttons, it’s exactly  the same.  

Hungryhalibut posted:

Filipe posted:

Ravenswood10 posted:

Unless SWMBO found out and wasn't impressed

The 500 power amp is a bit of a giveaway but the 552 looks the same as the 282. Let’s hope Naim stick with the stealth technology. The only stealthy then needed is the credit card and bank statements!

Phil

Other than the case, the knobs and the buttons, it’s exactly  the same.  

And the sound

Harry posted:

Roy George.

Technical director (hope it got that role correctly) , designer and audiophile extraordinaire.

I was informed that it had been stripped down and rebuilt. Don't know to what extent, but "stripped down and rebuilt" doesn't sound like they wiped down the case. Some wiring paths and angles of attachment were changed. The volume pot was replaced,. Past that, I couldn't say.  Jason (also from Naim) and Ian from my local dealer, bought the 552 back. Dismantled the whole system, soldered on new speaker plugs and blocks at the amp end, cleaned everything and rebuilt the system from scratch, and sat listening to it for an hour or so. Helen and I joined in for that part of the day!

It has been suggested on here that my experience was nothing more than a placebo effect, which is frankly insulting. Naim are obsessive in their attention to detail and their willingness to address issues, should they arise. They have been known to bin a whole unit (CDS3) and send back a new item it its place.

Harry, that is good to hear. How long ago was that? Did your dealer start the process of getting Naim involved? Have others had a similar experience with flagship boxes?

Phil

MDS posted:

Yeah. A regret here.  I should have got one a year or two earlier when I tried the 252 and it didn't wow me. Instead I waited and waited, telling myself it was an awful lot of money (which it is) and my 282/SC was very good  (which it was).  I got there in the end but could, and probably should, have accepted the advice I got on here and from my dealer at the time. 

Sort of similar. I would never regret owning and loving a NAC252/Supercap DR but I did regret not going for a NAC552 sooner

I regret not getting a 500DR sooner. Having said that, the 500DR wasn't out when I got the nac552DR... 

Stuff happens when the time is right. Selavi....

When I first installed 552 I thought omg.... it was slam dung in your face...full edge of the seat ... initially I thought the high frequency too hot. Then I realised there was actually a helava lot more info coming through but balance was too hard and a bit edgy....I then replaced the hi line cable with a borrowed super lumina between nds and 552...... and then total bliss. The 552 is like a supercharged 252..... that does not necessarily make it easy to sit in a system it needs tlc but it does deliver in spades.