The (almost) bi-polar nature of Naim's products and customers . . .
- Thread starter Bob Edwards
- Start date
Gervais Cote
Predator
Can only agree on this. I’m a rock fan and I really enjoy Naim stuff. If I was a fan of Bach cantatas, my choice would be completely different: a little Sugden A21 or vacuum tubes such as a Croft or Leben would be on my shopping list.
Dave-L
pfm Member
On the other hand, I wonder how many people are actually put off posting here, or even from joining the forum in the first place due to all the brand bashing crap. It's hardly a welcoming environment is it? I'm not sure I'd bother asking for help here if I wanted advice about a Naim/Linn system.
wylton
Naim and Mana member
Sadly, I have to agree with you.
wylton
Naim and Mana member
Well, congratulations, you're a member of the 90% of Britain Club.
When will it end? Do you want medal or some such? What is your system so I can pull it apart and tell you how shit I think it is... oh no hang on.. I don't feel any need to do that!!!
Del monaco
Del Monaco
I think most would agree it has good sound. May not be your taste but for certain genres it is good. Having owned Naim myself in the past it was good with acoustic, pop and rock. But it’s the same for other brands isn’t it? I think some really get wrapped up in the Naim argument and some posts are provocative and vitriolic for the sake of it. Not really about Naim just bait to argue. Not very grown up really. And like a poster said earlier I do wonder why there aren’t other threads about other products that draw such argument. I think it can be contempuous.
Del monaco
Del Monaco
Not biting.
Curtis
pfm Member
It wasn’t a dig at Naim or their owners.
I just fail to see why there is an assumption that other kit can’t do rock etc.
I don’t personally have a problem with what kit people have.
Rock on!
Sorry, it's my new sarcastic way of replying on this thread, I have decided to adopt the persona of the hacked off Naim devotee
sq225917
Bit of this, bit of that
I'm not sure what you're trying to say here? Are you trying to make the point that because capacitors have a finite life span that Naim must be shit?
Or is it more nebulous than that and the inference is that the reason they produced multiple models and revisions of older designs is that they must be shit?
Did EMT only ever make one turntable?
To be fair, very few brands offer the servicability and residuals of Naim. Which other brand of mass produced hifi still services 30 year old models?
On the one hand, if you prefer Naim amps then surely you'll enjoy rock music most via a Naim amp.
However, I suspect that the strengths of Naim amps are very well suited to rock music. When I started getting into vintage Naim, rock music was probably the main beneficiary. But perhaps that says more about my previous amps.
None of this means your amps are not good with rock music. Perhaps they are better!
I'm making the point that the capacitors in Naim amplifiers have a track record of lasting 10 years before benefitting from replacement.
Whilst there are other brands where the capacitors have a track record of lasting longer.
Some so long that not enough time has elapsed yet for them ever having to be replaced.
Given the choice between 2 amplifiers, where one sounds better than the other and where it also has capacitors that have a track record of lasting longer, I know which of the two I'd rate as having the better internal build quality. And it aint the Naim.
I'd rather own an amplifier that never in my lifetime needed a service, than one which was supposed to get serviced every 10 years that was supported for 30 years.
Residuals for Naim are more a reflection of marketing than of any inherent engineering excellence compared to other brands.
Can you not see the irony in Del monaco saying that it's a "fact" that Naim have "superb build" and" reliability", in the same post that he mentions Naim's "mystical marketing and mythology"? When clearly this superb build and reliability are, to put it diplomatically, debatable?
EMT made at least 5 different major models of turntable in the course of 45 odd years. Your question about EMT wins the Off-topic Question Of The Thread award.
sq225917
Bit of this, bit of that
All caps have a rated lifetime, Naim just make a point of making sure people know to replace them before the performance tails off, rather than users just getting used to how things sound once past their best. One doesn't complain that valves don't last forever why should caps be any different, Naim have always been upfront about this, no reason why it should upset anyone. Do people cry when their tyres need replacing, no. Does it make a Porsche worse than a ford focus because you'll wear the tyres out quicker from driving harder, no of course not.
Its not like they use lower rated life caps, they don't, they just make a point of sticking to the rated service intervals as per parts makers specs.
Its not like they use lower rated life caps, they don't, they just make a point of sticking to the rated service intervals as per parts makers specs.
James
Lord of the Erg\o/s
Interestingly, before I even bought my first Naim amp, I attended a demo of the newly launched NAC52 back in the late 80s. The elderly gentleman who bought it listened exclusively to classical music.
James
Lord of the Erg\o/s
I'm sure leaving the amps on 24/7 hastens the expiration of caps. If instead of leaving them on continuously, and switching on only for listening, those caps will last your lifetime (assuming 2-3 hours of listening a day).
This is just 2 models though isn't it, due to their design? I use an unserviced NAC12 from the mid to late 70s without issue or any obvious need for a service.
Er... this statement is nonsense, how can a non-Naim amp sound better than a Naim amp, that's the stupidest thing I've ever read on here.
On a serious note in my experience most of the time Naim amps don't need a service, but they do benefit from one... many other amps may do so too (I know Arkless services all sorts of amps, but they do not seem to be afforded the same level of hostility from non-owners of course), but those built by the Nikky-Nakky-Noo Corp. in China are unlikely to have the option of being returned to the manufacturer for such a procedure... maybe that's Naim's problem... they should just close the service department and tell everyone their amps don't need servicing!