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Is Naim snake oil?

thebiglebowski said:
I never used the Naims with the shahinians but I did have a dynavector HX1.2 & L100 with the old Obs and now a Modwright LS36.5 & KWI200 (only using the power section) with the new ones.

Dynavector is similar to Naim but to me sounds more controlled and faster in the bass than Naim and generally more refined across the freq range. The Modwright is another step up from Dynavector but I think that is pretty much down to the LS 36.5 pre I'm using.
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Thanks. I've always trusted the ears of the Shahinian/Dynavector distributor here in the UK, along with his unusual lack of bullshit. I'm still waiting to hear the "new" Dynavectors and putting off getting my Naim 500 gear DRd in the meantime, but patience wearing thin....
 
DNM said:
Anyway, good luck to Naim but in todays world where SMPS' are more efficient and can be made to perform much quieter than big expensive toroidal transformers, as Chord, Linn, Devialet etc. have long realised, the Naim external PSU upgrade path does seem to be anachronistic.
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Unless your ears tell you otherwise....
 
I'd take a good linear supply over a smps any day of the week. I've never heard chord amps sound anything but steely, and devaliet never anything but dull.
 
Mullardman said:
The bloke asked a question. 'Is NAIM Snake Oil?'. We all know what 'Snake Oil' means.

So. We could all refuse to respond.
Or we could all say 'Yes it is'
Or 'No it isn't'.

Or, we could do what we have done and actually discuss the various issues which are constantly raised about NAIM kit.

FWIW,and to demonstrate my even handedness, I would join in any similar thread about any other company which had a similarly idiosyncratic approach and divided opinion in the same way.

'Is Linn Snake Oil..?'... ;)
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Thank you kind sir, for your well reasoned posts in a spirit of giving friendly sensible advice.
 
ERICLIMPIT said:
I once owned a Naim cdx2 which was very good, then, in pursuit of audio nirvana I spent £1500 on an xps2 power supply for said cd player, it made little or no difference at all.
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I owned a Naim CD3.5 and adding a hicap made a huge difference.
 
Like Moths to a flame, its the quarterly 'naim' thread.
'Snake oil' indeed - the OP sends a clear signal.
Last I looked Naim were a well regarded audio company producing well respected electronics - not a bunch of shysters conning people.

Costly it may be, but we all perceive value differently (mostly secondhand). A more pertinent question maybe how much longer can they keep the business model going with the annual price increase and a shrinking demographic. Some models will become collectors items (135's are well on the way).

I am nearly 2 years naim free, but spent 20 very happy years enjoying both Olive and the more recent gear immensely. It's great sounding kit to my ears, but it's not the only game in town.
 
Bob McC said:
Casual reading of back threads will soon throw up one poster who has posted double figures in the last 12 months thread crapping Naim at every opportunity.
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Could you not just save us the pain and distress of having to read all the naughty posting and just identify this miscreant?
 
adamk said:
A more pertinent question maybe how much longer can they keep the business model going with the annual price increase and a shrinking demographic.

I am nearly 2 years naim free, but spent 20 very happy years enjoying both Olive and the more recent gear immensely. It's great sounding kit to my ears, but it's not the only game in town.
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The annual price increase is a clever sales technique to encourage buyers to get thier orders in before the annual event. It also helps the 2nd hand market.

I always thought your system at Scalford was good... what have you changed to?
 
sq225917 said:
I'd take a good linear supply over a smps any day of the week. I've never heard chord amps sound anything but steely, and devaliet never anything but dull.
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Exactly, which makes it all the more puzzling why so many die hard Naimies have been sticking Chord Dac's on the end of their NDX's and using Radikal PSU's to power their beloved LP12's. I mean all those nasty switchers must be wreaking havoc in their toroidal edifices!
 
S-Man said:
The annual price increase is a clever sales technique to encourage buyers to get thier orders in before the annual event. It also helps the 2nd hand market.

I always thought your system at Scalford was good... what have you changed to?
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Some dull sounding French gear according to post 145 :)
 
Naim has always priced its products on the basis of performance, and not what's inside or how they are made. If you like how it sounds and can pay the asking price, you buy what you like. I still remember being astounded how much the NAC52/52PS cost when it first appeared. It's not until I purchased my own 52/Super some years ago that I realise how good a preamp it is.

The only Naim pieces I have now is an ARO tonearm, the 'Geddon PSU for my LP12 and a CB NAIT2, which resides in the attic as a spare amplifier. Each of these three items are simple to the extreme, but so effective at what they do. There is no snake-oil, fairy-dust or anything except good design and superb execution.
 
The only thing that irks me in Naim threads is the assumptions around the particular traits of a Naim house sound which largely only applies to the Olive and CB Vereker era stuff. Thats what, stuff originally sold at least 20 years ago? Time to get over that a bit methinks...Throughout the so called 'Classic' range as it has evolved, the sound has significantly shifted to something more conventional and much less idiosyncratic than the older stuff.

I am no Naim devotee. I've briefly owned a bit of modest Olive kit, heard lots at shows and demo'd some middling Classic pieces but its never really chimed with me but new Uniti range sounds very different again and is throughly modern in their sound signature.

In fact I am enjoying the hell out of a new Atom in the living room (2nd system) on my old Proac Tabs. I've demo'd the Nova too and it was absolutely excellent in both sound and function. Functionally they are ahead of the game with these new all-in-ones and I for one appreciate the investment this British company is making in this space. Talk on the Naim forums are of people preferring the Uniti Nova and Atom over some hardcore multi-box affairs typical of the Classic range. They don't sound anything like prior Naim to me.

Point is, the idea that there is a Naim 'house' sound, and its always been that way and always will be is twaddle. You can argue all you like about 20 year old hifi (including your Quads...) but Naim is a thoroughly modern and successful BRITISH hifi company making some really excellent products. A good thing.
 
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