Those who have moved on from Naim.....

[JTC]

Not sure if I have replied to this before. At one point, had 52/SC/250. Had various things in-between. Now firmly in the active camp. Rationale? Well, far better value and fewer boxes, plus I get a sound quality that is beyond anything I could get from a passive amp+speaker combo at the cost of my speakers.

I will qualify this by adding that some types of speaker had to be ruled out of consideration, e.g. electrostatics or larger horns; these might equal or better my actives for certain things I am sure, but there is always a compromise for such speakers...

Regrets? Probably not sticking with the Adam Compact Actives (which I still have) as they are, for all intents and purposes, 90% as good as the 100 towers at a fraction of the price, and far more room friendly. But I had to have big active floor standers; that itch needed scratching...

 

[Arto]

I went from heavy Naim-route to Regas. I had 252/SC/CDS3/XPS2/SuperLine/SC/300 before and (or still I have 252 and xps2 for sale) went to Rega Osiris/Isis/Aria.
I found Regas more fun, more body and they sound same every day. Naim didn't.

My TT is Simon Yorke Designs 9fv with Lyra Delos. Cables are Atlas Hyper.

 

[hammeredklavier]

Naim ==> Avondale ==> cheap pro audio/computer based/mass market stuff.

Alex

 

[Dinovector]

I'm not in the least bit interested about moving on from Naim, neither have I got any interest in upgrading, I'm really happy with what I've got and the way it sounds

 

[MVV]

I went from a 52/Scap/250 to 32.5/Hicap/Mono modded 110s. If I ever upgrade again it will be Cambridge or something bought on specs alone but more likely active speakers- ATC or Event Opals. The whole Linn/Naim thing has become a luxury lifestyle accessory like those silly handbags or cars the Beckhams like.

 

[Martin D]

2 interesting mentions

Onkyo 5000R and Event Opals, seem killer value for money?

 

[sonix]

If I could combine the speed/attack of the Naim with the organic quality of the Quads I'd probably have my perfect system
John.

Try using a croft preamp with quad power amp and source and you might get that.

 

[martin dawson]

I've been a Linn / Naim user since 1978 when I bought the LP 12 with Ittok, which I still have today in it's various incarnations. This being Karmen, Armeggedon, Cirkus, Aro and Keiski Blue.
I bought my first Naim system in 1982 32, snaps and 250 CB and at the same time I bought a pair of Isobariks DMS. I lived happily with this set only upgrading the snaps to a Hi-cap and the 32 to a 32.5. From then on only upgrading the LP 12, Valhalla to Lingo mk1, Asak to "T" then a couple Karma's.
Then 7 years ago I changed the Karma for a Dynavector DV 20XL and the Ittok for the Aro. About 5 years ago I changed the Lingo for the Armeggedon, then bought some LesW 821A boards for the 32.5. Roundabout the same time I had Zener of this parish fit NCC 200 boards for the 250. 3 years ago I bought the Micro Benz Wood SL at the same time I bought the ASR modual for my 2 Hi-caps, as one of them I use on the 3.5CD.

I kept this system like this for about a year then I had the Khan fitted to the LP 12.
Last Christmas Gaius found a Grad 1 pre and a TPX 2 set-up which I bought, at the same time I had the Karmen fitted together with the Keiski Blue.

Finally I parted with the 250 and bought a pair of Witch Hat Audio monos. So now the only piece of Naim kit I have is , 3.5CD, ASR Hi-cap and my 101 Snaps tuner.

I have to thank the Tangerine Audio lads Mark and Derek for being ever so helpful in all things related to Hi-fi. Good people to deal with my next step will probably be to have the Kore fitted.

Now that I've had the monos in the system for a while I must put pen to paper to post my findings on them shortly.

Regards,

Martin

 

[Linus]

From what I've been told the L300 is not available now and has not been for the past year. What do you hear?
Thanks

 

[Alco]

For a long time Naim fan like me, there's only 1 substitute... Sonneteer.

 

[Avonessence]

Source: Naim CDS3/555PS > Rega Isis > Arcam Alpha 5
Amplification: Naim 552/250.2 > Rega Osiris > Primaluna Prologue 2
Aural connection to the music: Naim Allae > Zu Druid IV > Zu Druid V-Dueland Black Copper

Extremely happy now, it was an expensive trip but worthwhile to get where I am today with my music replay.

 

[VLa]

Had nait xs, cd5x, flatcap2, stageline and headline+napsc. Jumped out of a naim wagon because of long and costly upgrade paht, that I found to be on front of me.
Now I had Heed Obelisk si+Obelisk dt. Sounds more to that what I like.

 

[vicdiaz]

Just to keep this thread alive my main system (down for service at the moment) is Linn but during the last year my office system has moved from Linn (Wakonda/LK140/Katans) to 72/Avondale TPX/250 and SBLs. Why? I missed something about Naim and as @Gaius says it just plays music.

 

[Killersteve]

Went from
Naim CDS3/Teddy XPS => Rega Isis SS => Innuos Zenith MK3/Teddy DAC
Naim NAC252/SC2 => Teddy PR1
Naim NAP200 => x2 Teddy MB100
I regret nothing!
For me more natural sounding. Not only the mids.

 

[Del monaco]

Naim was good kit. Well built, good dynamics etc. But not magic. I sold the kit due to financial reasons and wondered what I would miss when I pulled together my budget replacements. Was unsure at first but after a few weeks didn’t miss anything and realised there’s so much other excellent kit out there.Don't get me wrong, I value the Naim as part of my history and journey but now I’m pretty much where I want to be and enjoying the music.

 

[say it as it is]

Naim was good kit. Well built, good dynamics etc. But not magic. I sold the kit due to financial reasons and wondered what I would miss when I pulled together my budget replacements. Was unsure at first but after a few weeks didn’t miss anything and realised there’s so much other excellent kit out there.Don't get me wrong, I value the Naim as part of my history and journey but now I’m pretty much where I want to be and enjoying the music.

Out of interest what did you change to and what you class as budget?

 

[Del monaco]

Out of interest what did you change to and what you class as budget?

I initially changed to second hand Nad amplifier.I think 325BEE alongside a Rotel 965BX. The NAD sadly failed so I looked for an alternative. After listening to its predecessor I sourced a Yamaha AS 501. This combined well with the Rotel. I had a cassette deck that I’d had since my first hifi buy and I sourced a Yamaha CT1010 FM tuner for £60. All in all the equipment cost me about £350. I bought QED XT 40 speaker cable in place of the NacA4. I had a Squeezebox Touch Pi which Is served by piCoreplayer on a hidden Pi. And this goes through my already owned Dacmagic 100. I also already had my CM8 speakers which had replaced the Spendors S6 speakers I previously owned. It is a very different sound signature to the Naim I had but it is a more transparent with good dynamics and really superb mid range detail. Also a good soundstage with great height.Close your eyes and you’d think the speakers were taller. And a very unbox sound. Best of all it excels with classical, my first passion with is something that the Naim never got right really. So I class this very much as budget, even super budget in respects of the Rotel and Yammy tuner!

 

[Robert M]

Where's Alco gone, I remember him from the naim forum

 

[say it as it is]

I initially changed to second hand Nad amplifier.I think 325BEE alongside a Rotel 965BX. The NAD sadly failed so I looked for an alternative. After listening to its predecessor I sourced a Yamaha AS 501. This combined well with the Rotel. I had a cassette deck that I’d had since my first hifi buy and I sourced a Yamaha CT1010 FM tuner for £60. All in all the equipment cost me about £350. I bought QED XT 40 speaker cable in place of the NacA4. I had a Squeezebox Touch Pi which Is served by piCoreplayer on a hidden Pi. And this goes through my already owned Dacmagic 100. I also already had my CM8 speakers which had replaced the Spendors S6 speakers I previously owned. It is a very different sound signature to the Naim I had but it is a more transparent with good dynamics and really superb mid range detail. Also a good soundstage with great height.Close your eyes and you’d think the speakers were taller. And a very unbox sound. Best of all it excels with classical, my first passion with is something that the Naim never got right really. So I class this very much as budget, even super budget in respects of the Rotel and Yammy tuner!

Cheers for that looking for a budget amp just now until I get myself sorted missing music was seriously considering a Denon micro system as prices of amps seem to have gone up a bit

 

[Nero]

I had two racks of black boxes (see System Pics thread), and now the only Naim I have is ARO and Fraim, which are great products. Music is flowing much more sweetly in the Nero household, with far fewer boxes.
No Naim-bashing from me, it's good stuff, but there are alternatives.