canonman
pfm Member
Tannoy is part of a Norwegian group. Spendor's majority shareholder is Indian. Meridian is owned by a Swiss group.
The end for Naim and Focal?
- Thread starter avole
- Start date
Tannoy is part of a Norwegian group. Spendor's majority shareholder is Indian. Meridian is owned by a Swiss group.
CrazyindianZA
pfm Member
Arcam belongs to a Canadian group. It is not well known and for obvious reasons, they do not publicise it.
That's quite a powerful statement... and to be honest I don't disagree with it. I think you get good sound with them but almost always for the same or less coin IME better has been acheived.
Regardless, they have been a ambassador for UK trade in terms of domestic audio. ATC however are revered globally across both pro and domestic audio.
merlin
Avatar changed - Town names deemed offensive.
Quo vadis NAIM......Welcome Teddy Pardo
Naim
Teddy
Somewhat different business model I suspect.
CrazyindianZA
pfm Member
I had not realised that Meridian belongs to Richemont which actually has its origins in South Africa.
merlin
Avatar changed - Town names deemed offensive.
Why does it always have to come down to bigging up the products that people own at the expense of others here?
Both companies have done well in export markets and built good reputations for reliability and service over many years. It remains to be seen what fate will befall ATC but I rather suspect their overheads are somewhat lower and more flexible. One day they will most likely have to merge with an electronics giant from the East or risk extinction. Such is progress sadly.
Like they have no backbone?
On the other hand, the ability to expand your line of products and to step on as time goes on, is an important ability. Many companies died because they were stuck with a narrow line of products
Arye
zippy
pfm Member
So now we know that most hifi is made by someone else (just like cars, washing machines, and almost everything else)
Does it matter what happens to the NAIM name (and others) ?
If they keep the same standards they'll carry on.
If their standards drop too much or their prices rise too much then they won't.
I'm guessing that most of the innards of even the 'British' brands come from China/Korea/Japan anyway.
We're in a world economy, there's no such thing as 'British' any more.
Does it matter what happens to the NAIM name (and others) ?
If they keep the same standards they'll carry on.
If their standards drop too much or their prices rise too much then they won't.
I'm guessing that most of the innards of even the 'British' brands come from China/Korea/Japan anyway.
We're in a world economy, there's no such thing as 'British' any more.
SteveS1
I heard that, pardon?
Yes this is true. With VCs or investment companies in charge the pressure will be for more 'lifestyle' type products as we have seen recently and they will most certainly be made overseas. The higher end stuff may be assembled here, but I don't think people seriously think that all parts are sourced from the UK.
The thing people are probably sad to see is that these decisions on will not be theirs and haven't been since the original Focal takeover. The higher end stuff will not be allowed to be subsidised to the extent you might choose to if the decisions were your own.
It doesn't... that's the way you have decided to interpret it.
Again if it helps... they have been a good ambassador for UK domestic audio... it just so happens that they're not the only ones, and there is actually another that has acheived the same in both pro and domestic markets.
They are both to be appluaded for achieving such (regardless of whether you like the sound of them).
Mentioning ATC is relevant as they are now one of the very few still flying the flag for UK audio design and manufacturing, why anyone would have a problem with that leaves me utterly bemused.
And FTR I do feel sorry for the staff and hope they will benefit from long-term investment as opposed to 'ruin in the name of today's share price'.
They've always been good, its their value proposition that gives me a problem, if investment, together with smarter production methods ebables them to better compete I sincerely hope they achieve that.
bob atherton
pfm Member
I guess I can see your point. I do still have a pair of IBLs & SBLs and have never considered them an investment as I might a 1962 Leo Fender Jazz Bass.
I was looking at the greater good rather than a personal view. I have recently had some new SBL X-overs made by Naim at, IHMO, a very reasonable price; this is the sort of service that I fear will soon be lost.
Talking of pre CBS basses. I have played a few and they can be, but not always, rather special; it's mostly the light weight that blows me away every time.
Would I want to own a bass worth maybe 10K - 15K ? I dont think so, I would never gig with it for starters. When I saw Led Zep at the 02 a few years back JPJ didn't play his trusty pre CBS bass because it is apparently too precious; heck, the very last gig with your old band I think I might have dusted it off for the occasion!
James
Lord of the Erg\o/s
We know PS and Naim shareholders no longer have a controlling interest, so it won't be their call whether the Salisbury factory remains open. Ask a Naim employee and see if they feel more or less certain about their future.
nonsense. They're class- leading for streaming, one box solutions and sound bars (for want of a better description) at the moment. They're set to expand, hence one of the reasons for the takeover.
Of more concern is Focal, who make all parts of their product in France. They may be the big losers.
RustyB
Registered Ginga
- I don't see any connection to the Naim kit I used to run decades ago (i.e. the classic multi-box minimalist chrome bumper amps that built the company).
I don't think that's true.
Back then, you plugged your turntable into a 62 shoe box, plugged into a 140.
Now, you plug/wifi your computer into the shoebox streamer and plug that into a NAP 100.
Not that different, surely?
I don't think that's true.
Back then, you plugged your turntable into a 62 shoe box, plugged into a 140.
Now, you plug/wifi your computer into the shoebox streamer and plug that into a NAP 100.
Not that different, surely?
Bigbobby666
pfm Member
One thing that Naim do very well is marketing and branding, and if you ask me the line of all in one streamer/dac/amps are pretty relevant to the current market and sold as lifestyle products.
Naims iPad interface is a hell of a lot better than the competition imho (Sonos is atrocious); if they add in Spotify to their user interface i think that they are more than able to go mainstream. Which, with their latest all in one speaker / streamer is what it looks like they want to do. This take over may provide the funding necessary for them to increase their global advertising spend and delivery infrastructure for this more affordable product (£900). And start competing with the likes of Sonos which i personally think feels like a dated product.
I think the focus will move away from their traditional legacy multi box, and three hundred power supplies approach, which if you look at what they have actually advertised (outside of the audiophile press) recently would seem to hold tru; i see many more ad's for the affordable UniQute in the pages of Stuff & Photography mags than the 250.2, makes sense going for the bigger market. But as someone said earlier - hopefully this will sustain the quality products upstream where the research trickles down from.
Naims iPad interface is a hell of a lot better than the competition imho (Sonos is atrocious); if they add in Spotify to their user interface i think that they are more than able to go mainstream. Which, with their latest all in one speaker / streamer is what it looks like they want to do. This take over may provide the funding necessary for them to increase their global advertising spend and delivery infrastructure for this more affordable product (£900). And start competing with the likes of Sonos which i personally think feels like a dated product.
I think the focus will move away from their traditional legacy multi box, and three hundred power supplies approach, which if you look at what they have actually advertised (outside of the audiophile press) recently would seem to hold tru; i see many more ad's for the affordable UniQute in the pages of Stuff & Photography mags than the 250.2, makes sense going for the bigger market. But as someone said earlier - hopefully this will sustain the quality products upstream where the research trickles down from.
It's been going this way for quite some time and I fell out of love with who Naim have become a long time ago.
Knowing that Naim began with very simple circuits with very high quality components, it would look to me as a perfect opportunity for Naim staff to set up a cottage industry and go back to basics.
The faithful following are already assembled.
Knowing that Naim began with very simple circuits with very high quality components, it would look to me as a perfect opportunity for Naim staff to set up a cottage industry and go back to basics.
The faithful following are already assembled.