Naim December price hike

[Timcat]

Naim are indeed exposed to material price rises, transport cost increases etc, but so is every other manufacturer. Despite this, many of these competitors do not go in for the sort of price hikes Naim have been indulging in over the last 15 years or so. I mentioned Bryston as an example in an earlier post, but other include Exposure, Musical Fidelity, Rega, EWA etc. Now, it is simply not true to say that a Naim Classic combination (say, 252/Supercap/ 250DR) is any better than an Exposure 5010 series combination, yet the Naim combo is over double the price at £16,800 v. £7,200. I actually owned that Naim combination, but with a pre-DR 250, and it simply was not that good!

Naim classic preamps are also woefully out of date; they have remained unchanged for 20 years or so and include a row of now largely redundant tape output buttons and input sensitivities that are simply way too high for partnering with modern equipment.

Having said this, I don't think the Supernait 3 price is too over the top, but it's getting there.

I would expect some Naim dealers will start to covertly discount the Naim kit they sell, or just side line it in favour of say Rega and Exposure.

 

[shug4476]

Recommended Retail Price - if only that were true. If anybody finds a single dealer openly offering discounts on new stock I would very much like to see.

 

[Muttley2]

when the world gets back to normal and raw material costs and component cost fall, which they will, I have a sneaking suspicion that these new prices won't fall back accordingly. When you look at a flatcap which is mainly a box of air it is staggering this is now a £1k offering, that why I bought Teddy Pardo products in the end, they did a better job and represented greater value for money to me.

 

[AudioAl]

I presume you have listened to Naim and didn't like it so apart from expending a bit of your leisure time you have lost nothing- well done you.

I have had a good auld listen to many brands and there are not too many I thought I wouldn't give house room: Grado 60/80s I found a bit shrill and a Primare amp from the noughties which was a bit too rich for my tastes but that's about it.

I still like Naim amps and their build quality and the fact that they are made in Salisbury. It's a pity that Julian didn't leave the company to the employees a bit like the other Julian did with Richer Sounds.

Yes , Some years ago I purcased a vintage tuner from a guy in kent , He was very willing to show me his system , Full rack of Naim , When listening he kept looking and asking " What do you think ? " Being polite I replyed " Yes its OK "
To my ears it sounded masked and a bit muffled , Also when at the Whittlbury show in Northampton not overly impressed , This may have been the room .

 

[Spraggons Den]

Ah you see that's where it went wrong.

It's common knowledge amongst Naimees that their kit always sound sub optimal in kent due to the county getting its electrical supply from France who bump up their nominal 115v to the UKs 230v using Linn supporting hamsters.

As for Northamptonshire, being a landlocked county it has the most horrendous earthing problems due to the dryness of the soil and the low, low water table. If you don't believe me, try using an AVO, DVM or other high quality multimeter to measure the capacitance between yourself when laid in bed naked and the earth under your shed. Any self respecting Naimee has long since fled to a wetter part of the country such as Manchester or anywhere in Wales or Scotland.

 

[AndyU]

My dealer felt that the 150s might be a better solution, so I'm tempted to give these a home trial if it can be arranged.

Sounds like a good idea to me. What else is there to do in a pandemic?

 

[stevec67]

So you don't think the the shipping/freight costs or materials used to build speakers or case work for electronics has gone up in price?

Of course it has, but that's not the driver. The same price hikes apply to say computers or TVs, they don't go up every year by 10%. It's a deliberate marketing ploy. I've got nothing against it, luxury goods do this as a matter of course, but let's see it for what it is.

 

[stevec67]

So Naim are exempt from material price hikes... who knew? You are normally one of the most knowledgeable and informative posters on this forum, but when Naim comes along your blind hatred of the brand makes you say some really stupid things!

No, you miss the point. There's no blind hatred. It's not a stupid comment at all, it's a well documented stratery for luxury goods, see my reply above.

 

[AudioAl]

Ah you see that's where it went wrong.

It's common knowledge amongst Naimees that their kit always sound sub optimal in kent due to the county getting its electrical supply from France who bump up their nominal 115v to the UKs 230v using Linn supporting hamsters.

As for Northamptonshire, being a landlocked county it has the most horrendous earthing problems due to the dryness of the soil and the low, low water table. If you don't believe me, try using an AVO, DVM or other high quality multimeter to measure the capacitance between yourself when laid in bed naked and the earth under your shed. Any self respecting Naimee has long since fled to a wetter part of the country such as Manchester or anywhere in Wales or Scotland.

 

[cruster]

Price hike Won't affect me , Never owned any Naim kit and probably never will

Congrats?

 

[Darren L]

Of course it has, but that's not the driver. The same price hikes apply to say computers or TVs, they don't go up every year by 10%. It's a deliberate marketing ploy. I've got nothing against it, luxury goods do this as a matter of course, but let's see it for what it is.

Ah I see, I didn't realise they went up every year by 10% and to be honest I think TVs have came down in price, the last TV I actually bought was in 93, that was a 25" Stereo Mitsibushi for £500 or there abouts, I'm sure £500 would get a much bigger TV nowadays but I leave the TV buying and choice to the boss

 

[Tony Lockhart]

I found a Naim price list from 1996.
A HiCap was £700, now £1600.

Using a calculator here https://inflation.iamkate.com/

it should be


I used HiCap as, apart from DR and different style, it’s close to what the 1996 HiCap was.

 

[tiggers]

I found a Naim price list from 1996.
A HiCap was £700, now £1600.

Using a calculator here https://inflation.iamkate.com/

I used HiCap as, apart from DR and different style, it’s close to what the 1996 HiCap was.

It is however a better product even if just a little so the price is sort of right.

 

[Tony Lockhart]

It is however a better product even if just a little so the price is sort of right.

Yep, I agree. But I’m sure some will still try to find fault.

 

[tiggers]

Yep, I agree. But I’m sure some will still try to find fault.

Oh yes, of that we can be sure. Certainties of life used to be just death and taxes, but now we can add a Naim bashing thread in pfm once a month to that list

 

[Woodface]

Only one more page to go

 

[PerF]

It is however a better product even if just a little so the price is sort of right.

There was "something" with the older Hicaps containing Holden & Fisher trafos.
They ceased in mid 90's aprox.

Hicap 2 and olive Hicap (non H&F trafo) - identical inside.
I'd love to have a DR Hicap with H&F trafo.

 

[pocketkitchen]

Recommended Retail Price - if only that were true. If anybody finds a single dealer openly offering discounts on new stock I would very much like to see.

It’s very, very easy to find Naim products discounted. Just pick up the phone. Half an hour’s effort can save an awful lot of money.

 

[Miss Ariel]

There was "something" with the older Hicaps containing Holden & Fisher trafos.
They ceased in mid 90's aprox.

Hicap 2 and olive Hicap (non H&F trafo) - identical inside.
I'd love to have a DR Hicap with H&F trafo.

For me when I had a 87 vintage Hi Cap ....that Something was a very audible buzzing from the transformer.....I should have upgraded to a supercap or should that be supercrap for double the hum

 

[shug4476]

It’s very, very easy to find Naim products discounted. Just pick up the phone. Half an hour’s effort can save an awful lot of money.

Name one retailer that openly offers a discount.