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Naim December price hike

For me, it’s the first question I ask of any brand. Is it worth it? Rather than bashing, I think it’s a sensitivity issue. I trust my ears. I enjoyed my previous speakers, some B&Ws. Some didn’t enjoy them and said why. I saw it as an opposing view rather than bashing.There will always be opposing views and people have a right to express them, especially when they have owned products previously.
 
Yes, because they are still run by the guy who started it. It's almost inevitable that Rega will slowly change when Roy steps down or dies, that's just what happens. Once the people in control have little or no emotional investment or scruples about how the company runs all bets are off. Even people who have been there many years can change their values when the pound signs flash up. We can do things the old way or you can live in a bigger house and go nicer holidays.

There are still great value products being made in the UK by people who care but they don't run glossy adverts so their products are too cheap so few people buy them! ;0)

To an extent that is true, however Linn is still a family owned company and look at their prices.

I used to know what the dealer price for a Linn Karik was, not sure how much it actually cost to make, however I suspect it was not that much.
 
I had one of those last month (a twisted intestine to be precise) Not a pleasant experience at all. An operation and five nights in hospital. Was nice to get home and turn on the hifi for a few weeks of listening while off work but hang on, my 552 has decided to lose the right hand channel this time. Oh well, loose women it is then:mad:
Naim bashing to diseases of the bowel, now that’s a thread drift.
 
It's not really Naim bashing on a sound quality basis as such it's more bashing an exuberant price hike. The same criticism could be made of SME and probably others.
 
That's fine. If someone says 'I'm a tosser and just want to buy really expensive stuff' that's fine but I get fed up with Naim buyers try to justify the prices and value. Buy it, enjoy it but shut the feck up.

You prefaced this with a quotation from me that I didn't make. It was made by Steve 67 a few posts above yours. I'm totally puzzled as to how a quotation can change author (maybe you can enlighten me?). Had me backtracking to see where I'd said that, as it didn't ring any bell at all. Very strange, and I'm not telling porkies either ! :D
 
And spending thousands on advertising helps promote the brand but it does not increase value for the end users.

Of course it does. People that place a high value on products from strong luxury brands such as Naim are doing so because they perceive and value a range of intangible things about the product beyond it's technical function. Advertising almost always plays an important role in helping build up the perceived value of luxury goods for those that respond positively to the associations used in the advertising.

If a manufacturer leans more towards offering reasonable value for the technical function offered (a bit relative when discussing luxury goods like home audio) then the advertising in magazines component of marketing tends to be a bit less important. This is even more so if you recognise that the response to products by the home audio press is something of a lottery largely outside the control of the manufacturer. Technical performance is all but irrelevant and replaced by some sort of subjective feeling about the product based who knows what. If you make a good product in terms of price and technical performance in the home audio sector there is certainly a case to maintain ones distance from the audiophile publications.
 
You prefaced this with a quotation from me that I didn't make. It was made by Steve 67 a few posts above yours. I'm totally puzzled as to how a quotation can change author (maybe you can enlighten me?). Had me backtracking to see where I'd said that, as it didn't ring any bell at all. Very strange, and I'm not telling porkies either ! :D
I had this the other day. Quite misleading.
 
Of course it does. People that place a high value on products from strong luxury brands such as Naim are doing so because they perceive and value a range of intangible things about the product beyond it's technical function. Advertising almost always plays an important role in helping build up the perceived value of luxury goods for those that respond positively to the associations used in the advertising.

If a manufacturer leans more towards offering reasonable value for the technical function offered (a bit relative when discussing luxury goods like home audio) then the advertising in magazines component of marketing tends to be a bit less important. This is even more so if you recognise that the response to products by the home audio press is something of a lottery largely outside the control of the manufacturer. Technical performance is all but irrelevant and replaced by some sort of subjective feeling about the product based who knows what. If you make a good product in terms of price and technical performance in the home audio sector there is certainly a case to maintain ones distance from the audiophile publications.
I think they are trying to make it a luxury brand but I don’t think it’s quite there really.That’s the issue for me.
 
Can we get to 10 pages? Maybe by that time we will have heard from all the experts on marketing, advertising, corporate governance, brand building, high finance & commerce.

The idea of Rega as some lovely cottage industry run purely out of love has again surfaced. They do market themselves! Just because they don’t appear in print titles that nobody reads anyway doesn’t mean they don’t have an effective marketing strategy. They 100% do.
 
No as young engineers some 50 years ago, doing apprentice slave work, S.B.O. means Spot Bollock On.

Every day is a school day.

I'm totally puzzled as to how a quotation can change author (maybe you can enlighten me?).

Nope :0)

Technical performance is all but irrelevant and replaced by some sort of subjective feeling about the product based who knows what.

Exactly. What is galling is when Naim sheeps insist their choice is based on performance alone. A guy on the Linn facebook group was upset with me because I suggested that, as buyers we are influenced by salesmen, advertising and factors other than performance. He insisted he chose Naim based on performance alone. I didn't, he didn't, nobody does.
 
Every day is a school day.

Exactly. What is galling is when Naim sheep's insist their choice is based on performance alone. A guy on the Linn Facebook group was upset with me because I suggested that, as buyers we are influenced by salesmen, advertising and factors other than performance. He insisted he chose Naim based on performance alone. I didn't, he didn't, nobody does.

I did not either as I learnt long ago Naim/Linn ran the Hi-fi sales in all nice shops, a cartel. I am glad this never happens now he he he he he ;) Strange I always associate marketing sales with banks and accountants and never the sound of music, odd me thinks.

A Pink Floyd song maybe.

 
He insisted he chose Naim based on performance alone. I didn't, he didn't, nobody does.

I know I certainly didn't
I went into Rayleigh Hifi in 1983 and said ...I've got XX amount of money...what's the best system for me?
I walked out a couple of hours later with a Rega P3 (r200 arm) a Nait 1 ( red led) and a pair of mission 70s speakers plus stands and a few cables.
And so began a love of naim that has only faultered in recent years
 
Personally, I'm more concerned with the rising prices of groceries, energy and other such essentials, rather than Hi-Fi equipment that I have no interest in buying, and no one is forcing me to buy...
 
Speaking with my manufacturing hat on: have you seen the price increases that suppliers are charging for some parts these days?

Last year I bought some push button switches and these were £6.50 each. The same switch today (12 months later) is now £12.65 each, so its doubled its price in 12 months! Now you could argue whether this is due to Covid or Brexit, but these massive component price rises is going to heavily impact on anything new that is made today, so expect big price increases from most manufacturers...
 
Speaking with my manufacturing hat on: have you seen the price increases that suppliers are charging for some parts these days?

Last year I bought some push button switches and these were £6.50 each. The same switch today (12 months later) is now £12.65 each, so its doubled its price in 12 months! Now you could argue whether this is due to Covid or Brexit, but these massive component price rises is going to heavily impact on anything new that is made today, so expect big price increases from most manufacturers...

Very interesting comment.

Do you think the global chip shortage will impact on dac - streaming components with regard to sales prices ?
 
Do you think the global chip shortage will impact on dac - streaming components with regard to sales prices ?

I think the shortages and supply difficulties are and will effect just about everything. You talk to any business owner and they are all saying the same thing, they can't get stuff. I'm sure it'll settle down eventually but I think it will be a while. A year or two maybe.
 
Naim are heavily reliant on aluminium casework, and that costs a lot of energy to manufacture and transport I'd imagine.
 


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