It would have to me!
Some buyers! I tried different a Phono (about £4.5k value) and carts (About £3.5k) but preferred the synergy of the original package
I think that’s a good point. The tweakers of the forum were probably not the target audience.
The Solstice wasn’t a lifestyle product but it also wasn’t aimed at maximising everything. That will be the new Statement TT
That’s fair…certainly not all. But I’m still stuck with a reference product from Naim not coming equipped with the best they can do at that point in time. It’s like the 552 (pre Statement) coming with a dedicated PS that can then be immediately upgraded after you bought it with a Supercap. Anyway, I don’t want to labor the point and I’m not saying it isn’t an awesome deck.I love my LP12 and would, I’m sure, love the Solstice too
1 Like
Not sure where the idea that Solstice is a “reference level” item comes from. I was not here when it was first anounced but it comes with a Power Line light not a full PL and a basic lavender din. I would say that puts it in the classic line up. I would also say, since the ND555 and 555PS is £26k that the pricing of the solstice puts it at the top of the classic range.
Remember a Klimax LP12 with Urika comes in at over £26K
1 Like
It reads from your words that, in car terms, you want a top of the range Mercedes 500-series long wheelbase limo for the price of a basic (without all the extras) 500-series model?
I don’t recollect any of the marketing material (or even discussion on here) stating the Solstice was Naim’s Reference level TT?
If you read post 1 onwards on here from when it was announced, it’s very clear what the offering is/was:
New from Naim – Solstice Special Edition turntable - Hi-Fi Corner - Naim Audio - Community
I took it from Chris Bell’s post #69 above. I don’t think he meant it definitively/literally though, and I haven’t been paying enough attention to know exactly where/how Naim were positioning it in their product suite.
1 Like
Ah I see. Bottom line it is a great TT that can be made even better if you throw money at it (sounds like an idea Linn could use 
). It is a real pity they are not making any more. For me it has that synergy with Naim that no other TT I have heard can manage.
1 Like
See my late edit in my post above – the other thread is a good read, and questions started early doors about positioning against competitor offerings and how the bits & pieces of the package compared e.g. motor PS/Phono PS and the cartridge.
Have you heard it Chris? I was amazed when I did (I have the 222 and 300PS on loan for a bit) I felt the uplift was greater than going to a radikal on an LP12
1 Like
My dealer just got a NPX power supply. I need to arrange a home demo soon.
3 Likes
Marketing = the art of creating demand for a product or service the customer doesn’t yet know they need.
Sometimes it works.
Sometimes it doesn’t.
5 Likes
Does anyone actually know how many are unsold?
How many reduced examples are actually out there?
Obviously I don’t know everyone who has auditioned one but I get the impression, perhaps inaccurately, there is a bit of sniffiness from folk that haven’t heard it.
I absolutely love mine and I love the LP12s I’ve heard. Sixteen grand is a lot for a TT but it’s £8-£10k cheaper than an Linn and that’s a lot cheaper than other brands available.
The Solstice was marketed as a run of 500 and we will never know the rationale behind that. I get that it’s good to ponder why but to use that as a stick to beat it, by folk that might not have heard it, seems a bit harsh.
I was having a look earlier, and I can find a few ex-dem and new Solstices for sale, looks to me like fewer than 20, although I accept there may be many dealers who didn’t show up. If they sold 450-480 to end customers in the timeframe, that looks pretty impressive to me, that’s a lot of high end turntables to shift in under 2 years.
2 Likes
In terms of quality of product and replay, I don’t think anyone has beaten it with a stick (so to speak).
What’s limited its attractiveness to many is a number of other things – the fact that it has been sold as a package is one, if you have already got a decent TT with a Superline et al.
There must be a few ex-dem out there in the UK alone, and if you scrub the VAT off etc and be charitable as regards dealer margin, a break-even exit price would suggest there are bargains to be had, which might influence those who initially dismissed it on purely £’s grounds – especially given the news about how it can be upgraded.
Probably coincidental , but shortly afterwards I think they launched a fairly seriously priced limited edition (I like Clearaudio , a brand that doesn’t get the respect it deserves on these pages - I suspect because of strong home grown brands like Rega and Linn)
Very recently there was an ex-dem offered at £11k by a reputable dealer. My interest was piqued and my fingers were itching a little… when I looked again the next day it was gone…
3 Likes
This week only you can buy a Solstice package for $16,000 in the USA.
1 Like
Maybe there is a loss of appeal for something which has, designed into its marketing, an enhanced nicheness. Doesn’t mean that it’s not great sounding though.