As was mentioned upthread, it is certainly an interesting choice of locations for these stores so far. I am surprised places like London and Manchester haven’t been chosen for this model of retail - I would have thought in Manchester especially this would work well. I’m all for these lifestyle stores, provided it doesn’t dilute the enthusiast market and the network of dealers which support this segment.
Gangnam style in the latest Instagram update from FpbN…
https://www.instagram.com/p/CMC0koFI0IA/?igshid=q19nlyqpcbhw
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Breaking news: ‘a bunch of old farts on the Naim forum don’t like change’ 
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Yikes🤣
It’s official, Naim’s traditional core customer base (us old gits) is dying out! What are Naim to do? At this rate they will have no customers left in a few years, except for a few old codgers who want their ancient Classic Black Boxes serviced for the second time. So, is the answer to invent new Naim kit, targeted at a new breed of customer, sold through a new breed of store?
So we now have new(ish) ‘entry’ level Naim kit (MuSo and Uniti, the latter affordably packaged with some funky new French speakers) and new ‘money no object’ kit (Statement), to appeal to a new customer base (the yoof of today who are growing tired of a smart phone and buds, and the well-heeled who want the ultimate in hifi), marketed through a new breed of store ('pooter stores, upmarket department stores and ‘Focal Powered by Naim’). There you go, a complete strategy for the future in one sentence.
But there’s a problem. How do you sell traditional Classic and 500 series gear, and to whom? Can you get away with selling this kit in the new ‘Focal Powered By Naim’ stores and John Lewis? Do you persevere with traditional Naim Dealerships? Or do you reinvent Naim Classic and 500 kit?
I exaggerate to ruffle a few feathers and provoke some debate, you understand.
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Having looked at a few of the stores some of them are existing dealers and carry a lot of the range. As far as I can see Lyon only goes up to the top of Classic, no 500 or Statement. So it would seem that FPBN stores do sell the black box kit, and presumably have trained dealers.
You will see I did cater for this option, but how sustainable is it to continue to sell traditional products (Classic and 500 series) in the new breed of store?
If people buy the XS/Classic/500 kit then very viable, if not then not. It seems to me that Naim are trying an approach that may allow them to attract a customer base that wouldn’t necessarily think of going to a classic dealer showroom(although it is worth relating that a lot of these are existing dealers), who may or may not be attracted to the traditional hifi as well as the boxes with big circular volume knobs on top.
Certainly Devialet have tried selling their gear in ‘bespoke’ stores in upmarket locations. I am thinking of their store in Westfield in West London (and other upmarket centres?). But this store always appears empty and it all seems a little half-baked.
I am sure much more investment has been, and will be, put behind ‘Focal Powered By Naim’ and those stores will be staffed by top-notch ‘consultants’, to ensure the new experiential offer ‘bricks and mortar’ retail will gravitate towards, and banish the ‘Smith and Jones’ hifi store to history.
I love an optimist. 
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Clearly things are already changing in Oz. Naim may of course adopt subtly different distribution models in different regions.
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I think that’s correct and I also think to make the Classic/500 range more relevant they have to reimagined, fewer products and fewer options. The amount of different PS’s is a big problem for customers (new), dealers and an additional expensive to Naim manufacturing. To save money and confusion it would make sense to have one power supply for the classic and one for the 500 range. I’m sure those smart folk at Naim could engineer an easy option. But what do I know.
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Think it’s effecting our friends across the ditch (NZ) more than here. My dealer still carries and services Maim of course my opinion would change dramatically if that wasn’t the case.
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I’m still in Naim powered by Naim mode here.
Am I doing something wrong?
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ProAc powered by Naim
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Royds powered by Naim
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You’re so yesterday, RackKit!
Get with the program!
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Has been, a french expression with english terms. 
Or last decade! 
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Neat powered by Naim 
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