Colonel_Mad
pfm Member
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.
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.