@Innocent_Bystander, so true! Car makers will have you think that you canāt do without new model as though they made a big mistake with the out-going model. Likewise, tax, financing will try to make it feel attractive.
I am old school, tax benefits does not mean free. And I donāt like tire pressure sensor which means there is a radio transmitter inside each wheel where battery runs out over time and you have to bring it into shop to replace and no longer can rotate wheels unless you recalibrate the radio. I donāt even like the electric handbrakes (I do have). What happens when it fails? How much does it cost to re-code a key fob? There are so much useless tech in cars nowadays in my opinion.
Whilst true, itās a tautology (unless youāre a thief ). It is also used to suggest that the more you pay, the better something is - which is, in general, possibly mostly true, but many many times, completely false. Itās possible to pay Ā£2k for a tv in one shop and buy the same TV from another for Ā£1.6k - doesnāt make the 2nd tv worse. And many people spend a good long while sourcing bargains, so get great value for money.
To the OP, value and cost are different things. When the things you value are achievable in terms of their cost, then they are not too expensive. When you donāt value them as much, then they are - or if you cannot afford the cost, then to you they are too expensive. So itās a bit of a moot question. It can also be answered by asking how much disposable money you have - if itās ~Ā£1m/month, then no, they are not. If itās Ā£5/month, yes they are.
If your question could be interpreted as ācan you get a decent sounding system for less than a Naim oneā then the answer is - possibly. But Naim has good competitive products from Ā£500 to 2 orders of magnitude above that, so wherever you are looking, you will probably have Naim on your shortlist.
Alternatively, if you are asking, do we wish Naim kit was cheaper - then be careful what you wish for - they need to make enough to stay in business so they can service my kit and continue to offer upgrade paths. I donāt think all the employees are rolling in cashā¦
All the Naim gear Iāve purchased was either used or ex dem. Great savings on the new prices meant I could buy from higher up the range, everything nicely run-in, any faults or issues already sorted and far less depreciation when I traded-in.
This is a very strange thread. At one point it has the beginning of a romance novel, then devolves into car prices and at the end used vs new prices. How about this: Outside of the U.K. Naim is very much overpriced. In the US a DR500 plus 552 preamp and the ND555 is $80,000 dollars; not including thousands more for Fraims and cables etcā¦ Huge markup by US importer.
At least there is a much bigger market in US. The mark-up down under where I am is even higher. This was recently discussed in another thread. May be you can have a laugh at me and count yourself lucky.
For me it falls into two categories later streaming gear 100% overpriced because of itās shelf life but their amps and pre amps though a little bit pricey are bomb proof and retain their value well.
My advise is buy used from a proper dealer.
I guess one way to tell if Naim stuff are overpriced is how market responses to its products thus pricing. Asking uncle google, I was told revenue in 2017 and 2018 were Ā£27m and Ā£29m respectively; and Ā£100m in 2019 Focal & Naim combined. So I guess market is responding adequately well to Naim.
Lets not judge Naimās performance or any company performance based on this stupid pandemic year.
Maybe we can change our view, so if Naim stuff are more expensive then there are people purchasing them.
I only talked about brand new stuff but didnāt mean secondhand are expensive. Of course second hand are much more economical, but if most people buy secondhand, then maybe not many people buy new stuff anymore, itās like for Naim there is already a cycle in secondhand market. This is not good for Naim
I just wish my wages had been indexed to Naimās price list increases since c.2008
In the UK, the still active 2nd-hand (pre-loved - whatever that means!) market, provides a route to obtain all levels of kit, and I regard this as a major plus for the brand. Or negotiate with dealers on ex-dem stock.
Unquestionably, 2nd-hand prices have softened but it must be remembered that things like 500 series kit didnāt appear much before 2008 (IIRC) and the more expensive kit will always lose value fastest which, for some, means relative bargains can be had.
Many legacy UK hi-fi brands are no more or been absorbed in name only in to larger concerns. Itās great that Naim hasnāt lost its independent identity.
I have a 555PS on the CDS3. While many see the CD as a dead format, itās my preferred way to listen, and as far as Iām aware the CDS3 should be serviceable/repairable for many years to come
). It is also used to suggest that the more you pay, the better something is - which is, in general, possibly mostly true, but many many times, completely false. Itās possible to pay Ā£2k for a tv in one shop and buy the same TV from another for Ā£1.6k - doesnāt make the 2nd tv worse. And many people spend a good long while sourcing bargains, so get great value for money.
