Factory Tour

I was going to copy this into the “Brain Teaser” thread but thought that might be criminal.

Anyway, we now have sufficient information to put names to all five in the initial line-up.

1 Like

I think if we haven’t worked out who is who it’s one for the Brain Dead Thread. :thinking: :crazy_face:

2 Likes

Right Said Fred thread, only not wearing stage clothes.

1 Like

Arrrgggghhhhh. We’re busted!

1 Like

How about this:

3 Likes

I have been temporarily MIA due to catching up with an old friend after the visit - much beer was consumed and am now reading the ‘good wishes’ around our visit. I appreciate your concern for our safe return.

It was lovely to chat with others members and to share thoughts about our passion. Really interesting to hear first hand about the science behind decisions that Naim have made over time and the balance with listening to determine whether a design choice resulted in an audible improvement. Steve Sells is as expected a very knowledgeable man and his pride and joy with the Nait 50 project was infectious.

I thought the Focal speakers were rather bright. I don’t have much experience with the brand but if I have identified them correctly, they were perhaps struggling with the 200 series we listened to.

I did have a problem with the controlling iPad as it kept defaulting to the factory wi-fi rather than the dem room. As a result, the App presented me with the opportunity to control a dozen or so ‘rooms’ across the factory. The thought of putting Rush on ‘Party Mode’ across the factory did occur to me but somehow I resisted. I hope you are all proud of me.

9 Likes

Not with Rush, but that has been done before!

3 Likes

At a guess I reckon It was likely down to a combination of using Marketing’s iPad from upstairs, along with it being signed in to more than one of the factory Wi-Fi networks, and a possible spot where Wi-Fi signal drops right in the centre of the room where you sat.

1 Like

That’s very generous. My first thought had been user error!

1 Like

Does this raise any alarm bells regarding Wi-Fi security. If someone who is not a member of the company has access to a device with access to so many Wi-Fi networks what could they potentially access?

Just wondering out loud as it may well be perfectly ok, just sounds a bit off.

No I don’t think it was you just a complicated network.

1 Like

You have to have your phone MAC address added to the system to be able to use WiFi in the factory; and there are multiple networks. I could stream to the muso next to me, but couldn’t fiddle with anything in r&d or the dem room. I think there might be a basic guest one for visitors to give internet access only, nothing internal.
Don’t worry the system in place (with ruckus enterprise waps) is robust/secure.

1 Like

I blaim the NAIM APP :rofl::rofl:.

2 Likes

for those of those of us who were unable to be there it would be great to get some actual feedback on the tour itself…what did you get to see, overall impressions, what did you get to listen to? etc etc

1 Like

Lots of Nait 50 on the assembly line, lots of new classics in various stages and a well organised workplace. We won’t allowed into the R&D area so there’s not much to add regarding anything “new”. However the fact we won’t indicates there’s obviously stuff in various forms of development.

Staff were helpful happy and it appeared well trained.

2 Likes

No security issues. They were different music networks - factory and offices, and the one dedicated to the dem room.

I will try and give you a feel, without writing an essay …

We went through all departments apart from the previously mentioned R&D and the office. We saw Goods In, wiring, testing, assembly of modular elements, robot / camera checking of assembly, Statement assembly, returns for repair, soak testing, what happened to rejected items and recycling / testing of components that have been out to shows etc. and finally packing / dispatch.

We also spent a good period in the Dem room, chatting with Steve Sells, and listening to the 200 series. There were a lot of Focal speakers ‘on display’ around the factory.

Apart from the technical explanations I mentioned above the thing that struck me was the lengths Naim go to to ensure consistency. Most people know that there are photos and open top exemplars of perfect construction but they have added scrolling IT based images of construction stages, scanning of different elements, in-house built test rigs for components and modules and rigorous construction - individual wires of uniform length, same amount of wire stripped and consistent tinning of the wires - fanatical would be the phrase.

I hadn’t appreciated that most circuit boards are made externally with surface components while ‘through hole’ components, wires and individual components are added by hand. Anything made offsite is tested when it comes into the factory and only used when it matches well established standards.

All in all, this adds up to the long term reliability most of our Hi Fi exhibits and for me, fully justifies the price charged - it is as far away from mass production as I imagine it is possible to be without being a cottage industry. No wonder it lasts for years.

Hope this helps!

19 Likes

Thanks

These are ordered in like that. Pre cut to correct lengths and stripped at the ends.

Stripped further at one end than other - to indicate in which direction it should be soldered.

I recall, say, the leads to and from the volume had short ends on circuit board and long on potentiometer (or, frankly, vice versa). I wondered out loud if perhaps the directions should be opposite for TO and for FROM.