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Son et Image Montreal 2014: Naim disappears up it's own a@*%!

Splityew

Splityew

pfm Member
Just spent a very pleasant day at the Hilton hotel in downtown Montreal wandering in and out of rooms listening to all shapes and sizes of audio equipment that I couldn't possibly buy, wouldn't want to buy and might possibly look into buying.
Even saw the DeLorean from 'Back to the Future" with other props from the movie like the hoverboard. guitar, inflatable Nike shoes, etc.. (why it was there I don't know).
The only room you couldn't casually wander into was Naim, which had a closed door guarded by bouncers behind a red velvet rope. You had to make an appointment to get in by handing over your email details and then get in line.
As I was leaving the door to the Naim room was actually open so I thought 'why don't I just join the end of the queue and walk in?' then I noticed the people handing over their 'Naim VIP' passes to the bouncers, I mean please this is just hifi isn't it?
I have no axe to grind with Naim, I'm originally from the UK and had nothing but Naim amps before I sold them and moved to the great white north, but seriously have they disappeared so far up their own arses since I've been away that they feel they have to act like this?
Happily however, the Rega rooms provided a perfect antidote with their UK paraphenalia and wonderful union jack sofa, and I was free to come and go as I pleased, almost as if I was at Hi-fi show.
 
I wouldn't go through this masquerade just to make sure that fat Naim box is any better than a Nait 2.
 
NAIM are a company that wants to make money.

If you don't like the way they do it fine, they don't care.

Days of the NAC32 are long gone.

They have moved on and are still here, good on em.


P.S. They still support older stuff.
 
flatpopely said:
NAIM are a company that wants to make money.

If you don't like the way they do it fine, they don't care.

Days of the NAC32 are long gone.

They have moved on and are still here, good on em.


P.S. They still support older stuff.
Click to expand...

Yeah, there's having a great product and making money from it while still maintaining a certain amount of humility.
And then there's having a great product and making money and just kind of being a jerk. The Naim I knew was the former, what I saw today made me feel a little embarrassed, you look down a corridor of open doors that people are milling in and out of except for one closed door with security people in sunglasses.
 
Frankly, most advertising offends me so I just ignore it. I base my purchases on whether the product meets my expectations, reliability and signs the company will outlive the product.

If Naim blocked you from entering their exhibit then they lost a sale and/or customer. So be it.
 
looking at it the other way. they are trying to be exclusive so that we can get more attention during the demo. as we know, ppl can pace in and out of demo room, talking and chatting loudly is disturbing
 
timeout said:
looking at it the other way. they are trying to be exclusive so that we can get more attention during the demo. as we know, ppl can pace in and out of demo room, talking and chatting loudly is disturbing
Click to expand...

You are absolutely right, but since people were perfectly polite, quiet and listening to the equipment in every room I went into, why they would be chatting loudly in the Naim room is beyond me.
 
It is quite clear. They are going after the hard-spending (and if they are HiFi incompetent and don't really care how it actually sounds, no problem) status-seekers. Naim-for-Bentley, etc. The days of the Salisbury cottage industry are long gone, its just business and going for the big spenders. Like people who HAVE to have a Leica because it is a prestige name. Naim today is a "luxury brand" like Gucci or Chuch's shoes.
Also, it might have been the Canadian distributor's idea to organise the presentation that way. I too would have walked away.
 
well. at least you get the chance to listen. no doubts going thru the hassle . from my end, they only do static display. End of the day, you still a winner
 
I have noticed a trend with some dealers are not interested in you if you enquire after the lower end naim hear. They may live to regret their decisions, more plebs out there than zillionaire's.
 
They were showing the new top of the line statement system, I can imagine they wanted that to Be a closed demo. Making it a closed demo elevates the worth of the demo, it gets listeners ready to listen, it feels like added value. Its not like they weren't letting riff Raff in, you just had to queue and hand over contact details.

Many demos at high end shows are closed door, frankly anything else is pointless as a listening experience.
 
amazement said:
I have noticed a trend with some dealers are not interested in you if you enquire after the lower end naim hear. They may live to regret their decisions, more plebs out there than zillionaire's.
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But in terms of turnover and profit one zillionaire is worth a heck of a lot of plebs. New approach to go hand in hand with their new Statement products.
 
It's just situationist theatre, if sir were truly able to afford it, sir would hire someone to do all the grubby work of listening for sir.
 
Fox said:
It's just situationist theatre, if sir were truly able to afford it, sir would hire someone to do all the grubby work of listening for sir.
Click to expand...

Where does one apply for the position?

(So last night on Radio4 there was an interesting chat show with Ieun Davis and 3 people who have companies that do stuff for incredibly wealthy people - like look after their money, educate their children on how to be wealthy, and source & train chefs, butlers, drivers etc - and possibly hifi listeners too?)
 
Chaps,

Naim are a great British company, more successful than any other, the only one that knows what music sounds like. What the OP describes is a sensible strategy for keeping the riff raff out and the exclusive feel of prestige ownership in.

What you moaning Minnie's don't understand is that there is nothing to be made out of you geeky, bodging, weirdo types and your high minded insistence on playing your awful music in their demos. It just puts off real buyers with real money.

I'd rather have Naim build my car, supply power to my toothbrush, service my mower than any of the other hapless excuses for manufacturers you lot go on about......cont P94.

(copyright M. Parry musings reproduced by kind permission etc)
 
That's it, I have just cancelled my order for Statement - I won't have plebs treated like plebs. I want plebs to feel valued and strongly feel they should be treated much better than wasters, for example.

Mr Tibbs
 
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