I agree only if you like the same music as I do 
1 Like
There’s no side to this question, but is it OK to post one’s experience with a non-Naim piece of kit, or does that damn one to the coterie level of Hi-Fi forum hell?
If so, I’ll cease and desist.
2 Likes
That is a good point: I certainly don’t feel I enjoy music any more now than I did when I made my first hifi system back in 1969, for all the huge difference in sound quality. However there is a different level of pleasure listening to music when it is presented better (clearer, fuller, more detailed, more natural, noise free, etc etc) - it is not that the music itself is more enjoyable, rather it is the experience of listening that is more enjoyable. The two of course get intertwined because the experience of listening is part of the process of playing and enjoying the music, so I suspect that like others I often lump the two together when I use a term like “more enjoyable”, though sometimes I have been at pains to clarify.
4 Likes
I’m not quite sure what you’re asking or why you’re asking me. I have often posted my experience of my Auralic and Chord gear?
.sjb
1 Like
if that becomes a new policy - then this will a sad demise of the Naim forum for me - its value is its diversity and confidence in its products not at the exclusion of other potentially competing products - and appreciation that many mix and match, leave and return etc.
Should the hifi forum become a place only for fanboys to discuss a limited gamut of experiences of Naim only product it will loose its current diversity and appeal - but it ultimately is down to the proprietor of the forum - and the times may be a-changing.
16 Likes
I agree, from my experience, this Naim forum is dynamic, sharing and at times challenging. I believe a part of this activity is down to the open feel to discussing the use of other products with Naim. I find other forums often feel more disjointed and lack momentum, (threads die quite quickly) compared to this place.
I feel that a Naim only forum would be a bit ‘vanilla’, we can see that new product launches create a burst of activity, new Naim product launches alone, quite understandably, are not especially frequent, fresh discussion may suffer.
4 Likes
I don’t agree with that assessment. What brings people together here is a desire to achieve an illusive thing called ‘the best sound quality’. Whether that is achieved through discussing and investing money in Naim amplifiers, DAC’s or cables doesn’t really matter, it’s all part of the same neurotic approach to music playback.
We can ofcourse delude ourselves and say that ultimately it’s about a ‘love’ for music. But similarly a stamp collectors’ forum is not about an actual love for stamps but about the love for collecting stamps. They are two different things, that may or may not partly overlap.
The Naim forums are not about a shared love for music, but a shared love for playing music, and all the technical and sometimes fruitful discussions are a vital part of that experience.
7 Likes
It’s not a new policy; merely @Richard.Dane implementing policy that’s already in place when it was being pushed to the limits (and beyond) on a particular thread.
We’re incredibly inclusive here - the flow of many threads clearly shows that (even thread titles clearly about other brands). But sometimes people push things way too far.
9 Likes
Nothing in Richards posts regarding the currently withdrawn Chord TT MScaler thread suggested to me that policy had changed or that much of the discussion on that thread would be prevented, just that some posts had gone too far. I don’t know exactly to which posts he was referring, and I may not even have seen them, but hopefully that is all it was, and his reminders will be heard and heeded, enabling free discussion as has always been allowed within limits. I do also hope that the thread will be returned, edited as appropriate, whether or not at that point closed or kept open. If I understood him correctly discussions of alternative sources and DACs and amps is still acceptable, just mindful of whose forum this is and so not, to use someone else’s phrase, ‘taking the piss’ by rubbishing Naim in the process.
4 Likes
@Simon-in-Suffolk, I totally agree with your summary. Hopefully and probably it won’t go that fast. On the one hand, I think it is understandable that Naim focuses in its user forum somewhat on Naim’s own products and products of third parties with a clear link to its own products. On the other hand, it is precisely this information about new third-party products that makes this forum so interesting; Discussing forum members’ experiences with third-party products in relation to the various Naim components broadens my understanding and thus broadens my choice. Information that everyone can benefit from.
Let’s hope @Richard.Dane can continue to give us this freedom.
2 Likes
As said above, nothing for anyone to worry about. No new policy, just a case of our very tolerant position being tested beyond its limits
Even @Richard.Dane’s saintly patience runs out occasionally!
10 Likes
a company that is basically a cable company needs something new this is the second to come out .
I don’t think this is on the cards. There are threads right now comparing the spanking new record player to a pot on the hob, extolling the aesthetic virtues of non-Fraim racks, sticking bits of rubber and magic stuff under components, encouraging speaker wire that goes directly against Naim recommendations… Plenty that might be censored by a zealous moderator.
Crikey, a lesser moderator would have locked this thread yonks ago once it had been clearly established that no-one has any idea how Chord might be able to back up their claim! Since then it’s gone way off topic.
So I reckon the forum is in good hands.
2 Likes
Indeed I haven’t seen anything from Richard to state that, I was speculating should the policy change in the future - and stating why for me the current appeal of the forum -
Anyway as Clare states there are no plans to change currently - which is good to hear, its good to get these things reaffirmed - and you should never take this for granted
S
3 Likes
The grey area on these forums is really grey though, it can be difficult for us simple users to walk the line properly…
Obviously Naim would prefer it if mainly their own products were discussed, as opposed to competing products, this is understandable.
So if a company like Chord Electronics make a nice standalone DAC that also works well together with Naim equipment, this is more or less okay since Naim currently does not produce a standalone DAC.
Then if Chord also sells a power amplifier in the same range, it becomes more blurry if this is appropriate or not to mention.
Then if someone has demoed this DAC both with a Naim amplifier and a Chord amplifier and personally found the latter to combine best, then there is a problem. Because even if they would describe their preference as kindly as possible, for Naim this is in violation with the purpose and goals of these forums.
I appreciate Naim’s leniency in allowing many of these threads to exist, but at the same time by doing so Naim is allowing the space to exist for people to cross these virtual boundaries, and will then punish them and other participants for crossing a certain line.
Sometimes people have invested a lot of time and effort into certain threads on the forums, and it can then be disheartening to see these threads simply disappear from one moment to the next.
I don’t think so. There will still be threads showing non-Naim equipment, LP12 threads et al just has there has for many, many years now.
I think Naim are very generous with the freedom and with some flexible moderation this works very well. There are always those who wish to push things though.
Other forums are available should one not be happy with this one. Or do as a mate of mine did - he started his own forum (cars not hifi) with some cash from start-up members like me 
1 Like
Saying you preferred a Chord amp with a Chord dac would be perfectly fine, entirely within the rules, and would not be moderated. If the happy owner then stated promoting their said combination with an excessive zeal, it would be moderated. The rules are perfectly clear and anyone who has been here a while should understand them. Problems only start when people push too far. It’s also worth remembering that some people seem to like to argue for the sake of it.
2 Likes
On the other hand when predominantly Naim users discuss some other productd, especially when they might find those other products sound better in some way, it surely can only be to Naim’s benefit to be able to read the discussions.
2 Likes
To me this is not ‘perfectly clear’ at all, it seems very subjective where the line would be drawn.
I’ve also noticed that cultural norms can vary. What is considered too direct or explicit in the UK, where certain forms of communication are kept more implicit, in other countries this could simply be considered clear or honest communication.
The British form of indirect communication can sometimes be quite taxing for non native speakers.
1 Like
Anyone recognize this Chord (pun intended):
Its about leaving tonal harmony and entering atonality
1 Like