Steven Toy
Accuphase newbie
Another envy thread by the envious?
Naim's New Price List
- Thread starter Martin D
- Start date
No envy from me. I have enough money in the bank to pay for a Naim system, and have some over for a Rolex and a Prada handbag. However I have no desire to own any of these things. I'm spending my money on life experiences, I plan to spend time in the mountains this summer, have some interesting jobs here and there and enjoy my new house. You can keep your status symbols, I want people to measure me by what I do and not what I happen to own.
Steven Toy
Accuphase newbie
That's a good lifestyle choice and it's your own.
Tony L
Administrator
Are you now so entrenched in your oddly fundamentalist audio subjectivist campaign that you now wish to gag or derail all discussion on high-end audio pricing?
Do you honestly think everyone wants / lusts after things just because they are expensive? From a personal perspective my era of Naim was the chrome bumper stuff as to my ears it was just warmer, friendlier and bouncier than the olive and later stuff. That was a subjective decision on my behalf - I could have at the time afforded a fair stack of the olive stuff, but I didn't want to. I've no idea what the current range even sounds like as to be honest I've lost all interest in modern audio aside from digital. Again a subjective decision - the big, easy, natural and unforced sound I like seems to be viewed as rather old fashioned by most modern manufacturers, so I'm more than happy to live in the arena of painstakingly restored vintage classics.
raysablade
pfm Member
To be fair i bought a secondhand Rolex GMT II in 2006 for £1500 it's now worth £3500. I've had a good watch for the best part of 10 years and a spectacularly good investment that can be readily converted into cash.
With interest rates as they are there's a lot to be said the right using the right secondhand Naim and Rolex products as homes for your cash. Aside from the odd service. The goods themselves can be free.
« It is the NAIM sales policy, Julian Vereker explained it to me years ago, he said they put the prices up every year whether they needed to or not. The spin he put on to justify the increase, was that they were "protecting their customers investment by maintaining a high resale value" »
Post no 40 from a virtually identical thread of four years ago : here.
Post no 40 from a virtually identical thread of four years ago : here.
Steven Toy
Accuphase newbie
I don't think Naim's business model is sustainable just as annual house price rises at 10% are not sustainable. At some point the price rises will have to ease back to inflation levels or Naim will price themselves out of the market place. These deep-pocketed baby boomers aren't going to be around forever.
I am not seeking to derail any discussion. I am part of the discussion.
As for only being interested in the digital side of modern audio I would agree. That's where future technological improvements lie. The rest is different flavours of compromises and engineering.
raysablade
pfm Member
That assumes that Naim is trading in the same market forever. If Rolex is anything to go by i'd assume that their focus will(has) move(d) to a number of huge, cash rich, new markets in the east.
If that is the case the ability of the traditional customer base too keep up is not going to be a major concern.
The good news for traditional customers is that:
- higher prices,
- smaller volumes going into the traditional market and
- rigid price maintainence
protect their investment
Arkless Electronics
Trade: Amp design and repairs.
The Rolex example is a good one... Naim has become a "brand" that sells to people who maybe get some cachet from saying "I own Naim gear"...
There is nothing about a NAP250 that can possibly justify a £3400 price tag... are the parts expensive? No. What about R&D costs? It's a crude design that has been around for many years=0 The casework? Solid but basic, not expensive in reasonable volume, cost to Naim? maybe £25 - 40. Sound quality? nowt special... a modified Quad 405 will take it to the cleaners!
So where do we get £3400 from????
There is nothing about a NAP250 that can possibly justify a £3400 price tag... are the parts expensive? No. What about R&D costs? It's a crude design that has been around for many years=0 The casework? Solid but basic, not expensive in reasonable volume, cost to Naim? maybe £25 - 40. Sound quality? nowt special... a modified Quad 405 will take it to the cleaners!
So where do we get £3400 from????
davidsrsb
pfm Member
The snag is that the rich Chinese are tightening their belts at the moment and also want bling that can be displayed in public.
raysablade
pfm Member
Its a text book example of this.
Easier for Rolex to justify because they are a charity, but to be honest ,whatever the circumstances, who loses?
Existing owners recover the price they paid, or maybe even make a profit, after many years of enjoyment. New owners find a safe home for their surplus cash.
With a world population of 7 billion and rising I suspect that the bubble is a long way from bursting.
And how would Rolex prices fair if they had cut-price tick-tocks in Argos or John Lewis?
Sorry, I find this whole watch comparison spurious. Naim's situation is, to me, better explained by the death of the mid-market at home and the rather desperate attempts to find alternatives.
Sorry, I find this whole watch comparison spurious. Naim's situation is, to me, better explained by the death of the mid-market at home and the rather desperate attempts to find alternatives.
Absolutely nope, could invest many times more than i have already, its where the value line is drawn for me, if i chopped it all in for a system many times my current one, i feel i wouldn't be many times happier thats all, for me at least
Pedro83
pfm Member
I travel too, I haven't lived in the UK since July last year, left thinking i'd come back inside two months, ended up banging a flight attendant who I now live with, and haven't bothered to return yet. I also like my gadgets, I take off c.18weeks each year due the the nature of my business - the opportunities are endless, one of the perks of working for yourself.
I do not however want people to measure me, i'm not sure of the need or where you're coming from with that ?
Pedro83
pfm Member
Purely down to the fact that there is no intrinsic value to anything, only what the consumer is willing to pay. I charge supermarkets a thousand quid a day plus VAT to give them a 12 hour accumulation profile of vehicles entering and leaving their store. in the scheme of things in this context - planning permission, my costs are considered nothing therefore that is the price.
per flemming
Registered User
Funny, my first thought of measurement you was once you told you haven't heard a Naim setup/gear the last 20 years, yet you are superiour basher in just about every Naim named thread, strange imo
In terms of premium branding Naim are not so extreme.
My sister has just bought a yacht stateside at a boat show. If you want to see pretentious showy people that's the place to head. The price tags are just mind blowing yet there is a resurgence in demand.
A stack of black boxes with green logos is hardly blingy - unlike some of the watches you see.
My sister has just bought a yacht stateside at a boat show. If you want to see pretentious showy people that's the place to head. The price tags are just mind blowing yet there is a resurgence in demand.
A stack of black boxes with green logos is hardly blingy - unlike some of the watches you see.
Muttley2
pfm Member
Comparing Naim to Rolex just doen't stack up. Rolex are a renowned global brand where as not many people outside of Hifi circles have Naim on the tip of their tongue. If Naim think they can maintain this annual rise all well and good. I on the other hand am glad I got off that merry go round several years ago.