all olive- stay pat or upgrade

David, I have the modern version of your olive system (252, 300, CDS3 and an LP12). Both our systems are top notch. Within Naim you are really going to have to spend some serious cash to improve on your lovely system. It really comes down to how much you want to spend.

Me, I have refused to listen to the 500 stuff for nearly 20 years. No plans to start now. I know they would be better but how much really? Only you can answer that...

Stu

davidf posted:

 

what would be biggest upgrade- 500 instead of 135s vs 552 instead of 52?

The 552 instead of 52

However, whichever way you go, your present system is well balanced, so slippery slope....

David - unless there is some aspect of your system's performance that is no longer pleasing you in the way it should I'd be inclined to stick with it. Your system is very well balanced and complementary in being 'Olive'. Change one component for, say, 500, stuff that has DR, and you'll risk starting a sequence of changes.   

For me the most significant phrase from your post is "..it sounds great".  Nuff said.  Just continue to enjoy.

But if you really have an itch to scratch, I look at your beloved CDS2.  To jump to a 552 without getting a source of equivalent calibre first might lead to disappointment.  BTW I emphasise with your resistance to contemplate streaming.

Mike 

David, the fact you haven’t bought any major hifi items in a while says a lot.

How about a PS555. IMO the XPS is holding back the CDS2.

Slippery slope. Only go there if you want to go all the way to ND555/552/500. or NDX2/282/250. Not sure if other moves worth it.

I would go listen to a black system to see if you like it. You might prefer the olive.

The DR tech opened up the upper registers some, and lowered the noise floor some more. you should go 100% DR.

You have a perfect system there regarding the amplification. Everything is designed to work together being from the same era. I’d say 552 would be the better upgrade but you’d soon be after the 500 so you’re looking at 40k which is a bit of a whack.

appreciate all your responses. I have always been curious whether a 500 amp would be a big improvement over the 135s- in that I have such a large space. But in reality the cost is probably prohibitive for me . My all Olive boxes look great in the Fraim- all matching.  Still would love to hear for myself.

david 

An alternative option for a large space, and cost-effective is to try ATC active speakers plugged straight into the 52 

How about not mixing the olives with the blacks? You will definitely avoid some schizophrenia.. In your situation I would do nothing at all and if you pointed a gun at my head I would say go with new speakers.

Haim Ronen posted:

How about not mixing the olives with the blacks? You will definitely avoid some schizophrenia.. In your situation I would do nothing at all and if you pointed a gun at my head I would say go with new speakers.

+1 The electronics are superb. Classic Naim.

What did you try in choosing the 1038s? There’s some wriggle room there, 808s maybe or try out some Magico, or shahinian for something a bit different, you’ve missed the ovator 800s but you’d need a few more 135s and a snaxo etc for those. 

The rest of the system is tempting wholesale change if you upgrade any one box,

A turntable would sound fantastic in front of your system and as YETI42 suggests you could try some different speakers other than that I would stay where you are.

Looks like a lovely balanced system.

If you have a financial itch maybe try an SL interconnect?

I have moved across from olive components in several stages.

Not everyone else on here thinks the SCap DR upgrade is better on a 52 than an olive original. I found that it was but that was as a halfway step to a 252/SCap DR where it all really seemed to hang together. I still consider the 52 to be a really special component though, and miss some of what it does..

Might also be interesting to try a 555PS on the CDS2. Of course you'll have it ready for your high end streamer when it comes.....

Bruce

I would buy superlumina full loom and keep the system as it is.

A secondhand CD555 and 555PS the former can be had quite cheaply.

I moved from 52/135 to 552DR/500 with DBLs with LP12SE and KDS.

I regretted the move after nearly a year of evaluation and found the sound I loved (instantly) when I returned to 52/135. I’m still happy and have no desire to ‘improve’ further. The olive system deliveres involvement, boogie-ness and a very real emotional experience with all music.

For me is was a fascinating experiment and luckily I have a virtually limitless budget for my system.

Sure the 552/500 impresses (although the 552 didn’t when it was returned broken after the DR upgrade) ... but once the initial differences wore off I yearned for the 52/135 sound.

YMMV of course ...

I think all the logical solutions have been suggested already. However, I would definitely second the PS555, whether DR or not, on the CDS2. This would be a significant improvement. I tried this at the dealer's premises before I bought my NDS. I almost didn't bother with the streamer.

The other suggestion I would back would be the NAP500. You could find a secondhand non-DR version which would go perfectly with the NAC52 - after all, that's exactly how NAIM was demonstrating the NAP500 when it was introduced. It is a huge step up from the 135s. Although in my case I went for the NAC552 first, it was the NAP500 which had the biggest wow factor.

And BTW, don't change the NAT01, which in my view is the best source component Naim has ever produced!

Be like Popeye, stay with Olive.

David B posted:

I moved from 52/135 to 552DR/500 with DBLs with LP12SE and KDS.

I regretted the move after nearly a year of evaluation and found the sound I loved (instantly) when I returned to 52/135. I’m still happy and have no desire to ‘improve’ further. The olive system deliveres involvement, boogie-ness and a very real emotional experience with all music.

For me is was a fascinating experiment and luckily I have a virtually limitless budget for my system.

Sure the 552/500 impresses (although the 552 didn’t when it was returned broken after the DR upgrade) ... but once the initial differences wore off I yearned for the 52/135 sound.

YMMV of course ...

this is a surprise - after all that I have read about the 500 series- assumed 552/500 would blow away 52/135s

the more I read the responses the more I want to stay pat

555PS might be good idea at some point- will supposedly help my cds 2 and if cd player dies, can use for streamer.

I have trouble justifying SL speaker cable- 05 is what I am using now terminated by AV options (who have done all my servicing)- hope Chris West never retires....what will I do if he does??

david

analogmusic posted:

I would buy superlumina full loom and keep the system as it is.

 

 

That would be silly IMO

Voiced to black boxes and far too expensive

I would replace those focals 

Go active with SL2s?

David you already have a wonderful serviced setup personally I wouldn't change a thing but (as others have mentioned) if it we're me maybe i would consider adding a 555DR PSU to the excellent CDS2 (owned one myself) then this leaves the door open for a CD555 or streamer.

Stick, don't twist it up.

But... to the naysayers I say, don't fear the mix.

I have chrome, olive and black and DR. 

Sounds fab.

'nuff said.

Go on a plush holiday or buy a Jaguar iPace with the saved cash.

Clive B posted:

And BTW, don't change the NAT01, which in my view is the best source component Naim has ever produced!

Will never sell it

use it daily on average 2-3 hrs