I have the opportunity to purchase a s/h NAP 500 and was wondering what enhancements it would bring to my current system which is CDX2/XPS2, SN, Totem Sig 1s. ?

If it's a good price, and you believe you can get rid of it for the same amount, I would buy and try. Can't be bad, but you might not get the most out of the 500.

If its got its psu and it so cheap you cant say no.
Go for it and sell the SN or px it for nothing less than a 252 and psu.
If you cant do this? I would not bother.
As you wont be getting ANY WHERE NEAR the best from the 500.

Using the Snait as the DAc through the 500 is unbelievable. Listened to it for a brief time at Promusica in Chicago. They were feeding a set of SF's. I was impressed. Aren't there many options through the Snait such as that?

options, options, options.....what to buy next

rega1

Having owned and extensively used a 110, 140, 250, 135s, 300 and 500, I can say that with a doubt the 500 is leagues ahead of any other amp in its range and will give you improvements that you could not imagine even exist. Direct comparson with a 250, 135s and even the 300 showed them all to sound relatively dull, lifeless and lacking considerably in detail, energy and musical intent- even with a 552 upstream,although in isolation they sounded anywhere from fine (the 250) to very good (the 300). Even the shoebox Linn Tukans I had the 500 into sounded no less than spectacular.

A second hand 500 will hold its value even after years of use while providing immeasurable enjoyment and the psychological security that there is nowhere up to go from that point.

Ron

A touch removed from the initial post however - I am currently running a 552/300 passive into Allaes (along with the requisite fully Naimed LP12/Akiva and CDS2/555PS). If had the chance would you go active with another 300 - or passive with a 500?

Gregg

quote:

Originally posted by Theotherone:
I have the opportunity to purchase a s/h NAP 500 and was wondering what enhancements it would bring to my current system which is CDX2/XPS2, SN, Totem Sig 1s. ?

Hi Theotherone, is that the NAP 500 were the guy is asking 12,000 Cd. it's pretty low for a /04...make sure you can touch it before you buy it.
Let us know how you make out.

Steve

Gregg,

Whatever, I'd get a Superline. That will definitely give you by far the best result on vinyl irrepective of what's happening further down the chain. Then if there's enough left over, it'd be a toss-up between a 555 head unit, and a 500, although the active 300 option is awfully tempting...

As to the original post, you won't be using the full capabilities of the 500 but at the same time you will realise quite substantial improvements. The Totems are quite demanding speakers so the extra grip and drive of the 500 will come in very handy.

quote:

Hi Theotherone

Hi Theotherone:The guy in question is a super honest guy and a man of his word--just bought his 552 from him.

I appreciate all the responses. Timoth, yes I certainly have the impression that the seller is very honest, in fact he told me he had sold his 552 to a chap in Vancouver....you lucky fellow !

You could allways try a Cap'ed Nac 32.5 or 72..

I think Ron is right, the 500 value holds fine, not sure about his statement
"leagues ahead of any other amp in its range"

You probably need to go with a Superline first,but....

IME the 500 is so far ahead of the 300 (and I appreciate that not everbody agrees with this) that a 500 passive system could well outperform a 300-based active one with four fewer boxes and one less pair of speaker cables. But going active with another 300 is also a very large upgrade. Either way you can't lose. I personally would go with the single 500, because one day you may well get another 500, with a Snaxo and then really max out your speakers.

Going active with the 300s with the goal of eventually changing them for a pair of 500s would be difficult and probably would involve selling the 300s at some loss, and then possibly using 1x500 and 1x300 as an interim which may not be a good pairing given they sound so very different.

quote:

Originally posted by glevethan:
Ron

A touch removed from the initial post however - I am currently running a 552/300 passive into Allaes (along with the requisite fully Naimed LP12/Akiva and CDS2/555PS). If had the chance would you go active with another 300 - or passive with a 500?

Gregg

SN and a 500.
Have Naim ever tried it?

Ron and Frank

Thanks for the replies - I just updated my system profile - the SuperLine has already been here for over a month. Possibly the biggest upgrade EVER!

"Going active with the 300s with the goal of eventually changing them for a pair of 500s would be difficult and probably would involve selling the 300s at some loss, and then possibly using 1x500 and 1x300 as an interim which may not be a good pairing given they sound so very different"

Never going to happen - twin 500's are out of my league. What about adding a 250 to my 300 for active (definitely cheaper than another 300)?


Regards
Gregg

I think better idea is to trade S-Nait with pre-amp such as 252 or 552.

quote:

Originally posted by Ron Toolsie:
Having owned and extensively used a 110, 140, 250, 135s, 300 and 500, I can say that with a doubt the 500 is leagues ahead of any other amp in its range

Which range would that be? It's 2,5 times more expensive than the first amp downstream the range...

Richard.