So I’ve watched a couple of vids on the upcoming Cambridge Evo range and they look very nice. Should Naim be worried?
Saw this few weeks ago, looks very nice.
Larger one has an MM stage.
Don’t think the NAD AIO worried Naim too much.
Gosh, just had a look. Quite lovely and the Hypex NCore Class D amps are certainty challenging the Class A/B for sound ‘ money value.
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Yes but I wonder how the highs are. Normally these class d amps have lots of power for the low end but driving the high end is a different cattle of fish.
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Interesting. First time I’ve looked at a box in a whole and thought it genuinely attractive. One of the problems of the lifestyle game. You need to pay for a designer. It looks like they have. Range if functionality matches it too on paper.
Not sure I agree re: class D amps. May have been true 5 years ago but we’re in different territory nowadays.
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Agree, they look very interesting indeed. Irrespective of sound quality, the design aesthetic alone will certainly sell quite a few boxes.
The advances in Class-D, esp from Purifi, look very promising - really looking forward to hearing a Purifi equipped amp at some point.
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Growing the market is a good thing. Brings more attention to the one-box system sector, for starters.
It was the same when I worked in media - working with thriving rivals is a much stronger position to be in than to see the whole sector shrink and risk becoming overlooked.
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Anyways, the Nova has a bigger and shinier big knob to play with already 
Now, just to get more functionality out of those screens…
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CA are, at the moment, churning out some very impressive products. I had a C75/A75 pre/power combination back in the 80’s and it was very, very, good. In fact I still had this combination until about 10 years ago when I dragged it out of the loft and leant it to CA for them to look at. The comments that came back was it bettered anything they had at the time! However the switch gear was knackered and I couldn’t be bothered to do a refurb.
I was reading in hi-fi news re. the new NQ/M dac/pre/mono-block combo and the review is very good indeed. It looks like CA are trying very hard to throw off the cheap-n-chearfull, ‘made in china’ image with a new range of excellent products.
Ooh Matron 
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Yes, that screen and user interface on the Cambridge is just superb - just watched a short vid on Youtube.
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Ah back in the day, remember how Receivers with FM/Amplifiers weren’t regarded as serious audio? You couldn’t mix delicate signals with amplification .
Any mention of a Naim receiver would be followed by a check that today wasn’t 1st April
My first bit of proper kit was a Technics receiver (not dissimilar from this at about 18/20 watts per channel) and today I have
a Naim Nova, funny how things are cyclical.
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Yes and even a neon or led was considered a no-no. I think the ‘convenience’ factor has tended to make users ignore this sort of thing.
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That display…wow. Guess it’s hard to comment on sound for now - although with stores having opened back up yesterday I’m sure it won’t be long!
Looks as though the software is also leaps and bounds ahead of Uniti range - more info on the box’s screen, Tidal Connect, actual next/prev buttons on the box itself…and that streammagic app!
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Ah, they can dissect the Naim offering from the position of a clean sheet of paper , my guess is the discerning buyer will still choose Naim over Cambridge .
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Yes, but once again Naim are needing to set or perhaps re set their position in the marketplace. Convenience and functionality in one box, or separates and ultimate sound quality from many boxes? There can be two separate ranges obviously but at some stage the price against the competition becomes a limiting factor. A one box Naim that costs more for no discernible sound benefit becomes a difficult sell.
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From the marketing video this looks very good. Especially that front screen. A few years back when Naim introduced the new Unit range I had high hopes for the screen, but after a week I returned the Atom, as it over promised, and the marketing material made it seem like the screen could do so much more. I’m glad CA is showing what can be done with good design. - obviously it needs to sounds good too 
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Saw these advertised the other day.
I’d want to hear one against a Uniti, but apart from the Atom (sold at RS), that could be quite hard.
However I’d hear both seperatly and make the decision. Looking forward to reading a review.
I had hypex amps for years. Great amps, nice and powerful with a big soundstage but there is something about the sound of my Atom that is just right. It is more cohesive, more musical and it seems faster. Haven’t heard the n-core yet though might be a bit different.
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Pretty certain I won’t be trading my Nova in for one of these. If I were buying from new and only had the budget for the Evo 150 I still reckon I’d buy the Atom.
Longevity and serviceability are major factors in a purchase like this as well.
We all know the specs don’t always count for much either.
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