It looks good… I’d pop in myself, but no plans to visit the south of France any time soon. I have no problem with Focal and Naim being shown off in an aspirational lifestyle setting. Naim’s deal with Bentley cars is another example of high end brands looking for synergistic relationships. If it serves to introduce the yacht owning, style conscious, loads of cash to spend crowd to Naim and this funds future generations of products then fine with me. They just need to avoid putting style above substance and keep true to JV’s ethos of sound quality over everything else.
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Fine aspiration in your last sentence - but how does a customer gauge that, when faced with a choice of 1 ?
In Berlin and most other F-p-by-N locations that I’ve seen online, they can just open the next door to the regular shop and listen to a lot of other brands that the same dealer carries. Apparently the one in Cannes is different but there are probably other hifi shops in town. If somebody decides that they want Naim without comparing, I don’t see a reason to discourage them
My point being that if it was me, I’d walk out and look for somewhere better. I’d be amazed if anyone, of whatever financial status, was happy to lash out mega thousands on any of their favoured purchases in life whether that be cars, houses, yachts, TV’s or audio systems … without comparing to whatever else is on offer.
How do you know they didn’t compare? Are they unable to walk into another shop? Or maybe they have money but not much time, and that’s their choice.
(Actually, I also spent several ten K on my Naim because I knew that I wanted one. I could have spent 5 more years listening to other brands, but didn’t)
In any case, either the shop is profitable or it isn’t. I don’t think we have to have sleepless nights over this
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Nor indeed over anything to do with hifif … And yet here we are … 
Sure. But if you walk into a Rolex or Rolls-Royce flagship store, they aren’t asking you if you wouldn’t prefer a Cartier watch or a Maserati instead, either.
I agree, it’s not unusual to see single brand flagship stores. Doesn’t stop you wandering down the street to see what else is on offer.
That kind of makes my point … so why not go where you have the choice under one roof, consistent environment for comparisons, etc.
Because you can’t get the Rolls in the other places?
I’m talking about amplifiers and loudspeakers, not cars.
I am aware, I just thought sticking with the analogy would illustrate how this isn’t so unusual in these spheres Essentially, different kinds of shops exist for different needs.
Flagship stores are one of them, and they can do things that others can’t - a regular dealer often won’t have everything from Atom to Statement, monster Focal speakers, home cinema rooms with in-wall speakers, and yacht rooms.
At the same time, I don’t think anyone is arguing that these flagship stores should be the only way to buy Naim
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The south of France doesn’t have many dealers who stock Naim 500 series. There’s a couple that list them with price but don’t have demo stock. There are FpbN stores in Cannes as already mentioned and there’s one popped up in Perpignan at an established dealership, I may have to pay them a visit. I’ve yet to find the Naim Focal combination enjoyable.
That’s an interesting point. I’ve never heard a Focal speaker that I’ve liked and so expected to hate their headphones, but they’re great. I got the latest and greatest Grado to compare, having loved my GS100e, but the beryllium Focals were streets ahead….
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Thank you for the write up.
The forum still reflects a proportion of membership loyal to the company of Julian, Paul and Roy. The whole Vervent, Focal tie-up is subject to a degree of scepticism verging on disdain.
Nostalgia deep in forum is - as Yoda might put it…
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It’s not really nostalgia (although Naim is missing a figurehead) - Focal and Naim have just never seemed the most natural partners. More a marriage of convenience than passion…
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I do like the new classic look (although the case design reminds me of the ‘cuddly toy’ power amps). Roll on the new range 
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Reminds me, my bedroom system on the Sunseeker is due an upgrade.
The stacking authorities have been notified of the offences accordingly.
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