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Naim Solstice officially unveiled . . .

Interesting product. From what I’m told the first batch is already spoken for so I’m guessing how limited it is looking ahead will be determined by how dealers report it selling through. Good luck to them.
 
To save a bit of money and still match your Naim kit

McIntosh-MT5-Precision-Turntable-1.jpg

this is what immediately came to mind for me too. The Naim looks more grown up though
 
Is the need for a tall platter also related to the 'magnetic bearing' do you think? i.e. not just about mass.

This is the only pic of the innards I can find atm:
fCBNRaDWMnb43HFYR376nn-970-80.jpg
 
Thinks Xerxes. Shudders. I’ll be very interested to see if that will be exactly there in ten years time, let alone the 50+ one would expect a high-end turntable to last (e.g. my 124 is 56 years old, and it is a young one!).
Thats what I thought.

My Xerxes is fine, limmited ammount of sag that is causing no problems.

Pete
 
I think it is a stunning looking package and I can't wait to hear it. The days of tinkering with springs and grommets and arm lead dressing for some will surely be over. As for Clearaudio making it I think outsourcing the deck itself makes perfect sense. I think the Naim HQ must be busting at the seams as it is without a dedicated Deck, Arm and cartridge assembly area. Leave it to the people who already have these facilities already and whose staff have years of experience assembling this type of product.
Stop being sensible Mr Darino, and what's with the constructive post? You seem to have failed to understand this should be a Naim-hating thread!

I dunno, we're all moaning about Naim's move towards the consumer end of the market (what would Julian have said!?) & they go and punt out something that'll only appeal to a few old hi-fi farts! Swines!

(Thinks-wonder what it sounds like?)
 
With a turntable and arm that high, how do you safely lower the stylus? Where do you rest your hand?

It's a problem, especially for the crinkly old farts who have just ordered it. Without even hearing it. Which tells you all that you need to know about them and the sales strategy Naim are employing here.
 
I have to admit I’m surprised they went for a real high-mass design. JV wasn’t in that school at all using a Phonosophie P3/Aro/Armageddon. The P3 was in effect a tweaked Thorens 300 series, so a fairly low mass suspended subchassis deck. Pretty much the polar opposite of what this appears in the picture. Based on the WHF “review” it appears to be very much based on a Verdier with a similar high-mass mag-lev platter. I’m assuming there is a sub-platter and belt-drive hidden from view, i.e. it may not actually be anything like as high-mass as it looks. The design element that concerns me is the “compliance built into the ply plinth”. As an ex-Xerxes owner that fills me with blind terror as mass-loaded wood tends to bend rather than bounce given enough time (very little time in the case of the Xerxes). The surprise for me is the price. Assuming it is even half decent £16k is not a lot for a statement record deck that comes with a arm, cartridge and phono stage. For comparison (if it ever appears) SME want £20k for their reworked Garrard 301, M2-12R and plinth combo, i.e. no cart or phono stage (Stereophile). It is a tough market at this price point with a lot of serious technology up for grabs, e.g. the Technics SP1000R, and I’m sure SME, Linn, Well Tempered etc all have decks for sale at that price too.
Hi Tony, just a small correction - the Phonosophie, doesn't have an Armaggedon - its a P3 power supply (similar to a NAP 140 without the amp output stage)
 


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