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Moving from Naim

In my opinion the trend for "moving on from Naim" is based on the fortunes of the company in the years since Julian Vereker died. He was really a unique guy. One of the old school hifi company designer/owners who lived their hobby, no doubt, but perhaps the only one who really latched onto the burgeoning internet age as he did.

Naim looked good, sounded good and it was easy to follow its upgrade paths. It was priced at a level you really had to save up for (building desirability and anticipation) and then after all that there was the designer of the gear who was accessible night and day on the internet to discuss your system, musical interests and the future direction of the companies products. He provided a fascinating insight. He 'gave' as much as he took from his customers, always keen to explain the thought processes behind new products and welcomed you into feeling part of the company yourself, even as a lowly customer. A great bit of marketing and I suspect it was all a bit unintentional. If you were outside that part of the culture you perhaps didn't understand why people were so brand loyal when the products themselves, whilst up there with the best, could arguably be bettered in hifi terms.

There was cheaper gear, better gear, more functional gear out there but the whole set up drew the customers in to something more. Since Julian's death that key part has been sucked out of the company slowly, year by year. It is only now that aspect of the Naim brand has completely gone that people are realising that, yes, there are other hifis out there that competed/out-competed Naim at the time and also that their second hand values are far more within reach all these years on. People are increasingly open to giving them a try.

I guess my conclusion is that Naim isn't suddenly bad hifi. Just that the brand loyalty has been eroded as the support and culture that once surrounded the brand has diminished. People no longer associate ownership with being part of a wider movement or members club and instead are (probably quite rightly) putting more emphasis on performance and value for money.

I still won't be selling mine for now as I love what I have, but I don't think I'd hesitate to move on from Naim myself anymore if the upgrade bug ever hits.
 
Hi again,

A big thanks for everyone's input and advice...I've lined up a couple of dems so I will post an update within a week or so once I've listened to a few systems.

Regards
 
I was in a similar position this time last year, 20 years of Naim ownership- CDS3, 252, 300.
During the golden age of the WigWam I heard many fine systems, but none that ever made me question my continued Naim ownership, but there was always that nagging doubt that there must be something else.

Fast forward to now and the Naim is gone and replaced by a Devialet Expert 400. I was not bowled over by a 200 (previous version to the 220 you have heard), the magic only happened by doubling them up into mono block version. I think there is plenty of similarity between the Devialet and Naim house sound - YMMV.
My advice would therefore be to hear a 440 set up.

I'm going to listen to the 220 Pro Expert and if I like it I can then (in the future) upgrade to the 440.
 
In my opinion the trend for "moving on from Naim" is based on the fortunes of the company in the years since Julian Vereker died. He was really a unique guy. One of the old school hifi company designer/owners who lived their hobby, no doubt, but perhaps the only one who really latched onto the burgeoning internet age as he did.

Naim looked good, sounded good and it was easy to follow its upgrade paths. It was priced at a level you really had to save up for (building desirability and anticipation) and then after all that there was the designer of the gear who was accessible night and day on the internet to discuss your system, musical interests and the future direction of the companies products. He provided a fascinating insight. He 'gave' as much as he took from his customers, always keen to explain the thought processes behind new products and welcomed you into feeling part of the company yourself, even as a lowly customer. A great bit of marketing and I suspect it was all a bit unintentional. If you were outside that part of the culture you perhaps didn't understand why people were so brand loyal when the products themselves, whilst up there with the best, could arguably be bettered in hifi terms.

There was cheaper gear, better gear, more functional gear out there but the whole set up drew the customers in to something more. Since Julian's death that key part has been sucked out of the company slowly, year by year. It is only now that aspect of the Naim brand has completely gone that people are realising that, yes, there are other hifis out there that competed/out-competed Naim at the time and also that their second hand values are far more within reach all these years on. People are increasingly open to giving them a try.

I guess my conclusion is that Naim isn't suddenly bad hifi. Just that the brand loyalty has been eroded as the support and culture that once surrounded the brand has diminished. People no longer associate ownership with being part of a wider movement or members club and instead are (probably quite rightly) putting more emphasis on performance and value for money.

I still won't be selling mine for now as I love what I have, but I don't think I'd hesitate to move on from Naim myself anymore if the upgrade bug ever hits.

I agree....I think value for money is utmost in most buyers minds these days. TBH I'm getting frustrated with Naim...the cost of upgrading (to DR) is too much I believe and I can't justify the cost of another DR upgrade (I had my 555PS upgraded to DR last year). I would also like to replace my NAC5 speaker cable (I've heard the Super Lumina speaker cable) but that's more expense so I figured let's just change the system.
 
About the only Naim thing I have left, apart from my 01, is the NAC A5; and it's staying ! Very versatile cable to happily go from moving coil to electrostatic speakers and from s/s to valved power.
 
I made the jump a few years back. First to a Berning amp and then finally to Devialet. I still have a great affection for the Naim kit but don't miss the hassles that go with it and ultimately I enjoy my system more.

I'll be interested in your demo findings.

James
 
About the only Naim thing I have left, apart from my 01, is the NAC A5; and it's staying ! Very versatile cable to happily go from moving coil to electrostatic speakers and from s/s to valved power.
So you haven't discovered Van Damme yet then :rolleyes::D
 
i jumped from a 62/140 nearly a decade ago to an exposure 2010s and recently went back, finding myself a second hand 62/140 kit - really mostly just for the lovely CB industrial design which i love... i miss the naim sound though its FAR less transparent than the 2010s. thinking maybe if i futz with the circuit a bit (in the usual ways) i can have my cake and eat it too - at least a bit.
 
The Teddy Pardo I80A has easily beaten my Supernait 2. I keep the SN2 though because it looks nice on my spare rack and a little decadent too ;-))

Sold all my other Naim stuff including DAC, HDX, XPS, HCDR, HiLine etc. as a custom MacMini into a Teddy Pardo DAC sounds a lot better...

Chris
 
and still naim is the most respected british hifi firm by far.fact they grew considrrably during the years while other had disapeard and for a reason. we will see who is going service devialet o or tp or most(not all)other firms in 40 years from now like naim does
 
Should I ever ditch my Naim amplifiers I'd go Rega all-in, TT, amp, speakers, cables great sound, support and value.
 
In my opinion the trend for "moving on from Naim" is based on the fortunes of the company in the years since Julian Vereker died. He was really a unique guy. One of the old school hifi company designer/owners who lived their hobby, no doubt, but perhaps the only one who really latched onto the burgeoning internet age as he did.

Naim looked good, sounded good and it was easy to follow its upgrade paths. It was priced at a level you really had to save up for (building desirability and anticipation) and then after all that there was the designer of the gear who was accessible night and day on the internet to discuss your system, musical interests and the future direction of the companies products. He provided a fascinating insight. He 'gave' as much as he took from his customers, always keen to explain the thought processes behind new products and welcomed you into feeling part of the company yourself, even as a lowly customer. A great bit of marketing and I suspect it was all a bit unintentional. If you were outside that part of the culture you perhaps didn't understand why people were so brand loyal when the products themselves, whilst up there with the best, could arguably be bettered in hifi terms.

There was cheaper gear, better gear, more functional gear out there but the whole set up drew the customers in to something more. Since Julian's death that key part has been sucked out of the company slowly, year by year. It is only now that aspect of the Naim brand has completely gone that people are realising that, yes, there are other hifis out there that competed/out-competed Naim at the time and also that their second hand values are far more within reach all these years on. People are increasingly open to giving them a try.

I guess my conclusion is that Naim isn't suddenly bad hifi. Just that the brand loyalty has been eroded as the support and culture that once surrounded the brand has diminished. People no longer associate ownership with being part of a wider movement or members club and instead are (probably quite rightly) putting more emphasis on performance and value for money.

I still won't be selling mine for now as I love what I have, but I don't think I'd hesitate to move on from Naim myself anymore if the upgrade bug ever hits.


Wonderful post, probably sums up how a lot of us feel, even though I came into Naim in 2004, my dealer at the time had worked in Naim with Julian and there certainly was the club feel to their forum at that point.

I've recently sold my Naim source and am totally enjoying thring various products to run Roon into a Hugo TT.

To the OP, Naim amplification is still their strong point (IMHO), perhaps instead of ditching everything, change your source to a streaming one (preferably with Roon) and it may well give a lease of life to your amplification.

Having said that I would be quite prepared to move from Naim but I hope I'd be careful not to throw out the baby with the proverbial.

Do let us know how things progress.

.sjb
 
My Naim peaked at CDS/52/250 and SBLs. Sold the lot to buy some wonderful guitars then sold those and started back on the Naim treadmill. Now using Teddy Pardo amps with NVA speakers. I changed simply because I found something I liked more than Naim (which I never thought would happen).

If you want to buy new then Teddy and NVA both offer sale or return so at least you get to try in your own home. The speakers need a bit of setting up (nothing new there) and they seem "odd" at first due to the upward firing bass driver. Once you get them in focus you are rewarded with music my Naims only hinted at. These are 2 superb manufacturers who offer some excellent value for money. They have also pretty much killed the upgrade bug.

Well worth considering.

If you do try and then want to return the Teddy stuff, do you have to ship it back to Israel at your own expense?
 
and still naim is the most respected british hifi firm by far.fact they grew considrrably during the years while other had disapeard and for a reason. we will see who is going service devialet o or tp or most(not all)other firms in 40 years from now like naim does

Really, who cares? I don't. I will keep this or that Amp for as long as I like, then sell it or use it in a secondary system somewhere.

I have a lot of respect for Naim and would always recommend the brand or the products would somebody want to take a safe root. But I like to take risk cause right there is opportunity...the risk with the I80A was to have to ship it back at my expense. That is nothing for testing an Amp for which the OEM claims it would clearly outperform my SN2 and it did. I like testing "big mouth" and find it extremely entertaining when they deliver!
 
After 30 plus years of Naim (going from Nait 1 to 52/135) I'm now all Teddy Pardo (PR1/Active ST60) for amplification. My ears and wallet are happy. Still have Naim SL2s and Fraim.
 
After 30 plus years of Naim (going from Nait 1 to 52/135) I'm now all Teddy Pardo (PR1/Active ST60). My ears and wallet are happy.

Pretty much my journey as well. I had active IBL's at one point which were a bit special though....

Now, if Teddy made a CD transport that would be the icing on the cake for me..;)
 
Really, who cares? I don't. I will keep this or that Amp for as long as I like, then sell it or use it in a secondary system somewhere.

I have a lot of respect for Naim and would always recommend the brand or the products would somebody want to take a safe root. But I like to take risk cause right there is opportunity...the risk with the I80A was to have to ship it back at my expense. That is nothing for testing an Amp for which the OEM claims it would clearly outperform my SN2 and it did. I like testing "big mouth" and find it extremely entertaining when they deliver!

From its limited specification I would not expect the 180A to outperform the SN2, too much hassle to find out.
 


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