I should think naim know exactly what the next 500 series will be. As you normally design the performance off a new range from the top, and then remove things, etc to make the lower models perform less.
Doing it the other way can lead you with no where to go, and i don’t think naim are stupid and would do that.
Plus i don’t believe for a second that after all this time that they are struggling to better the 552. After all the statement did it many years ago now.
But i am sure they would rather try snd sell what remains off the 500 series first at a good price, as already you have people holding back waiting for it rather than getting the 500 we have how. Plus i would do the same if i was them as spending big money on new 500 series kit with the new one not far away only means a huge loss for you.
As i have said before, the big problem for naim is it’s statement range, the new 500 series would be extremely close to this, making the statement look very expensive for the difference. They probably would have to stop selling it.
Thats some Statement 
Anyone else think the stock photos were simply flipped to b&w grayscale vice actual photos of the new white lights? 
I find myself wondering what the feeling was among owners of NAC52, SC and a pair (or two) of NAP135s before the introduction of the NAC552 and NAP500. Did loads make the switch, or did the market grow? Perhaps we will never know.
There are a few things to worry about in my Naim life. I concede this is not one of them :-)))
Don’t forget the fund you need for the additional Chord Music Speaker Cables you need and the additional Chord Music interconnection cables for the active crossover.
But you will be rewarded by the SQ you get from your Titan 808 
I need 5m lengths of speaker cable so 2 x extra pairs of Chord Music at that length is £32k at retail. No thanks. The thing is I listened to Kudos KS1 and a few weeks go and really liked it. It marries well with Kudos speakers and Chord Music ICs. £1k for 6 x 5m. I’m happy with that.
Not if the design brief was for a new, simplified classic range. Which appears to be the case.
By all accounts the current 500 series comfortably betters the New Classics.
My point is I wonder whether the economics of a new 500 series works at this point in time. Perhaps in a few years when NC owners are looking for something more.
I may be completely wide of the mark. I love my 500 system. I’ll hopefully be retiring in a few years and don’t see myself being able to start again upgrading to a new 500 series at that point. Given the demographic of people buying high end hifi, I don’t see many others doing so either.
I stand by what i said, you don’t bring out a complete new range not knowing where you will end.
Naim will 100% know exactly what they have, if they haven’t then that’s just stupid.
They are just waiting for the right time.
And that’s what I said in the third paragraph above. So we are agreeing 
Same boat, agree with your comments.
I have no desire to ever change from my 500 series, it more than meets my needs and still astounds me today with how good it sounds.
Naim are still demonstrating it at this years Bristol Hifi show which is an outstanding achievement to have a product still in production.
Still will love to hear the new 500 Series as it will no doubt be a big step up from the existing.
Many claims, do you have any knowledge to back them up or are you just guessing wildly?
An educated guess like we all are doing here.
But it makes very good business sense unlike doing it the other way, which make no sense at all.
Rationalising and simplifying your (very confusing) main product range in this modern era where Hifi is a very niche product / purchase for most people makes perfect sense to try and satisfy existing mid range users and attract newcomers to the brand.
Upgrading your “affordable” (excluding statement) top of the range system without being sure you’ll recoup the development costs doesn’t. I’m sure Naim know where they want a replacement 500 series to go. They are probably on with the feasibility studies. I don’t believe a final design is close. If the market research suggests it’ll make money it will be developed and put on the market. The current owners of Naim don’t strike me as being the type who’ll develop a new range for the hell of it or simply because they can.
@Bjm none of this is “claim” on my part. I know nothing, it’s simply my opinion.
I think its fair to point out, we are many with NO desire or money to own 500 series kit.
The great thing is even you have an old Olive combo or something else, its really nice kit.
I think most are forgetting that the UK isn’t naim’s biggest selling area, like most these days it over sea’s. This is where, at the moment, the big spenders are, and every main player wants a piece off it, and naim will want to be part of it still going forward with a new top end product.
It seems that for the majority they like new, expensive products, value, and sound quality come second, so they might not care if the inpovement is small or even sideways?
I bet most of the statements sold are outside the uk ?
To be fair and consistent, wasn’t Naim using an S1 as a preamp to demonstrate their 500 series in Bristol? Was the 552 left behind for a reason?
And I bet a lot of Statements aren’t sold to people who love music; rather those who want something big and suitably expensive to show off to their friends or business connections. I’ve got a £200k amplifier, look how successful I am.
@HungryHalibut I don’t agree with that. Why would you even bother with a hifi system if you don’t like music? I know some people have more money than they know what to do with but can’t imagine that anyone would own hifi without an interest in music. Maybe they aren’t getting out of it what some of us would deem as appropriate but I’m sure they still enjoy the boogie of it.
I did say love music, rather than like music. And having spoken to senior people at Naim I know it to be true, sad as it may be. I don’t think it matters that much if an improved 500 series gets close to Statement for a lot less. You just stop selling Statement. It’s no big deal. It was a good vanity project and it delivered some decent real world improvements. Its work is done.
That is sad. I’ve never heard Statement componets, would love to. I love my 500 system. I’d expect to move on it from it someday.