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Life after Naim

Has a 5i then 200/202 combo. Sounded good to me.

Moved to Ear Yoshino, quite a bit better, but then again more expensive. But what I do like is the amps are good in themselves and there is no chatter about power supplies and the next amp up being better and so on, which to be fair you can choose to ignore..
 
I moved sort-of on a long time ago. I had a 72/140 that served me well for years. A Shigaraki system from 47 Labs was a big upgrade though and I’ve been enjoyably round the houses ever since, currently using a Dynavector pre/Krell power amp. Naim still make some great kit however, although I find their current pricing over-cooked.

The “sort of” referred to above is the fact I’ve just committed to buy a Nait 1, to go with an old Rega Planar 3 as a future system for when we downsize the house in a few years when the kids leave. I just need to find a mint set of Elas to go with them now.
 
I haven't looked at Naim products since Teddy Pardo started to get a reputation and now have a hybrid system. I once had a 'thin' olive stack, so CD3.5, 92, 2x90, IXO, Credo set up and it was rather good. Now all music is streamed, so the next thing to go will probably be the NAC82 (with Teddy PS of course), but that would still leave me with a Naim SNAXO and SBLs as my last Naim products.

Like others I see speakers with in-built amplification as being the next step to reduce box count and volume. Mind, my 2nd system has a Squeezebox into a SMSL DAC/amp in to Ram 150s and it's not shabby !

CHE
 
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The last iteration of the great wall of Naim used to drive SL2s and an nSub actively. Sold it all when we moved house in 2014. Now using SME/Pass Labs/Aesthetix/Lumin.
 
I very much toy around the edges had 72/140/hicap many years ago liked it. Financial pressure meant I sold it for simple Rotel integrated, did not feel that hard done by. Fast forward 20 years had 72/180/sonic bliss with the 180 needed a service an Avondale 260z made more sense. Then started the tinkering so now have APX as power supply and diy TPX 1.5. power amps are Avondale based DIY. Pre amps stock 102 need to clear it out I think, stock 32.5 but have NJ 321 and NJ729 or Avondale 821a. 72 with full RSL boards. Naim SBLs with Wimslow crossovers.
So not sure if I have totally moved away from naim oh current listening to a naitXS through a pair of Rogers LS6 so I have not quite broken free. I very much deal in the bargain basement with naim products tbh
 
I had 15 years of Naim working up from CD and Amp 5s to various boxes ( 200/202, power supplies, cables etc) . While exploring the next upgrade I listened to some valves and realised this was far more the sound I was after. It did coincide with my tastes moving from mostly alt rock to mostly jazz and classical which may have been a factor.
 
I’ve owned and enjoyed a Naim system for many years. Only the other night during a listening session I was absolutely grabbed by what a damn fine noise those black boxes made. My problem is where to go after my CDX2, especially now as Naim are saying these can no longer be supported. I’m reluctant to go down the streaming route as I have around 2000 cd’s. I’m tempted to investigate the higher end Rega/ Roksan CD players but a little apprehensive that I may well eventually face a similar situation re: obsolescence with alternative manufacturers.
 
Had a 202/200 then a 252/300. Good kit but not really worth the money, particularly new IMHO. Now have Yamaha amps throughout the house, couldn’t be happier. Prefer my Denon DCD1600NE to the Naim CD players I’ve had (CD2 and CD5).
 
I owned Naim for 40+ years; far, far too many black boxes to list here, but at most levels and Aro/Armageddon and a ton of CD players + SBL in addition to the amps.

A few years ago I got a pair of Kii3 speakers and a RPi.
Sounds vastly better at a fraction of the cost.
I am completely uninterested in upgrading these days and only hang around here to sniff out any scent of a smaller Kii type solution to replace my Muso.
 
I do think active speakers are a game changer & you can get a great sound with fewer boxes. My current system is the best I’ve had at home, the RRP is probably half what the previous multi box set up was but options today are different from 15 years ago.
 
I’ve owned and enjoyed a Naim system for many years. Only the other night during a listening session I was absolutely grabbed by what a damn fine noise those black boxes made. My problem is where to go after my CDX2, especially now as Naim are saying these can no longer be supported. I’m reluctant to go down the streaming route as I have around 2000 cd’s. I’m tempted to investigate the higher end Rega/ Roksan CD players but a little apprehensive that I may well eventually face a similar situation re: obsolescence with alternative manufacturers.

I have had a Roksan Caspian M2 CD player and amp for the past 9 years approx. Both excellent IMHO..
 
I would urge anyone with a good CD collection to take a serious look at the Innuos Zen range. Even the lowly mini is as good of not better than any CD player I’ve had at home. Previously had a CDX/XPS2.
 
I happily owned Naim for many years. What I noticed when I was auditioning it, back circa 1990, was that when I listened to it I just relaxed. And forgot to think critically about how it sounded. I went from 72/140 to 72/hicap/140 to chrome bumper 250 to olive 250 to 82/hicap/135s. Still have my CD3.5. I enjoyed all that equipment very much.

When I got my Quad 63s I had a chance to try an Innersound Electrostatic amplifier which sounded better, to my ears, than the 135s. I replaced the 82/hicap with a Supratek Cortese all-tube preamp. Since then I've replaced the Innersound with a Quad 909 power amp. My system has never sounded better.

When I owned Naim I never experienced any of the things people sometimes criticize Naim for. Mine was never harsh. My only negative comment is that it lacks the transparency of tubes. I also feel that my current system offers better tone and insight into the music than my Naim setup. But for decades I was a very happy camper.

In addition to the Quad 909/2805 system I'm running a 300B based system with 93dB efficient JBLs. I tend to be more interested in low power and vintage amps these days. Was browsing Craigslist this morning looking at vintage Altec Valencias and A7 VOTTs as possible replacements for the JBLs. Just not sure its worth the hassle.
 
Given the recent Naim price hikes interested to know who owned Naim and has since moved onto other manufacturers. I’ve had a Nait XS for 12 years and am looking at alternatives due to its age. Quite frankly I love it, so had looked at a supernait as a replacement, anything higher up the Naim chain is out of my reach so just wondered where others may have gone.

Buy second hand before the price hike hits.

If you decide to re-use the XS, just get it serviced and consider a separate PSU.
Two moves which give more than a taste of higher up the hierarchy.
s/h Supernait 2 are often available less than half price of new SN3.

If possible go listen to Rega Aethos, replaced my 3-box Naim.
 
Given the recent Naim price hikes interested to know who owned Naim and has since moved onto other manufacturers. I’ve had a Nait XS for 12 years and am looking at alternatives due to its age. Quite frankly I love it, so had looked at a supernait as a replacement, anything higher up the Naim chain is out of my reach so just wondered where others may have gone.
Had loads of Naim over the years, went all the way up the classic range to the 500, I like swapping kit and trying new stuff, I’d definitely revisit a 282/300. I moved from Naim to Lyngdorf and currently Luxman. As far as alternatives to a used Supernait go I'd have a look at:

Yamaha 803 - serious value for money and often available discounted at Richer/Tyson
https://europe.yamaha.com/en/products/audio_visual/hifi_components/r-n803d/index.html

Nad C700
https://nadelectronics.com/product/c-700/

Lyngdorf 1120 (used ones are appearing)
https://lyngdorf.steinwaylyngdorf.com/lyngdorf-tdai-1120/

ATB
Gus
 
My first Naim amp was a Nait2 and I upgraded to a 72/hi-cap/250. I heard a lot of other Naim amps too as they were the thing to have back then. I really loved some of the things Naim amps did but there always seemed to be something lacking, something not quite right and the desire to upgrade was always there.

I picked up a Meridian 101 pre and 103D power amp for someone and testing it in my system I found it had a musicality my much more expensive Naim amp lacked. I bought a 101 pre and 105 monoblocks and I've never thought about changing my amplifier again! More powerful than the Naim, goes louder without sounding stressed like the Naim did and is more rounded and complete sounding. It just sounds 'right'.

I know that better exists but I don't care. You get good sounding systems at all performance levels and for me it's not about always trying to get to the next one. When you're focusing on the music and not the hi-fi, you're done.
 


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