Gap in Naim integrated slot

Will Naim fill the gap left by the Supernait 3, simple question?.

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I think the market for ā€˜super integrated’s’ is slowly shrinking. I am not sufficiently familiar with Naim products but it seems the Nova is Naim’s answer to todays Supernait in power and topology but with added features which many these days want. A modern Supernait no? Few want more boxes in their living rooms. Integration is not the future, it has been here a while.

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@Winniethefoo This issue is open ended. Other threads have noted brands with ā€œsuper integratedā€ amps. If one wants something different than what Naim offers, they should explore those. Personally, I find single box solutions to often be sonically compromised Also if a single box solution fails, one is left without music I have the luxury of space and finances to have a Naim multi box system Others circumstances may differ There are no absolutes

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They use to say the same in the 70s when the stereo receiver became popular…

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My NDX original sounds significantly better into any amplifier than my 272 pre streamer did so for me personally keeping the streamer amp amplifier separate still has merit IMO.

I can see the need for integrated amplifier streaming solutions for the market and that market is evolving to fewer units people are prepared to purchase and have in-their homes.

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They only discontinued Supernait 3 due to component supply nothing else and I’m sure a replacement is going to take some design work as a work around.

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Yes.

Moving from curated separates into a much cheaper, simpler, all in one. is a part of the audio journey. Whether thy decided they keep the lifestayle system is their prerogative.

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[quote=ā€œSkeptikal, post:6, topic:45571, full:trueā€] I’m sure a replacement is going to take some design work as a work around.
[/quote]

But will the eventual sales justify the development cost? I should imagine the direction of travel is greater digital integration so perhaps a NC integrated with optional on board DAC? I wonder what % of Naim sales are from Muso and Uniti?

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Not in the market for an integrated, but the question for me would be what currently available Naim source would you use it with? A NSS 333 is Ā£8k and combined with a NC SuperNait would be around the same price as 222/250. So arguably that’s already covered. I do think the decision to have only a combined streamer and preamp in the 200 series rather than separates makes range expansion more tricky.

Roger

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Hi tricky question but to follow in Linn footsteps where the only integration includes a streamer I for one am not interested.
I want to play my discs and keep it as simple and minimal as possible.
:thinking:

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You’ve hit the nail firmly on the head there Sir.

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But which component did SN3 have in it that no other product in the world have?

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Yes I totally agree with you, but would add a caveat.
I too went from a five box system to a Nova and it was the right audio decision :light_bulb::light_bulb::light_bulb:for once.
There is another option besides big boxes and that is smaller boxes. I have a BlueSound Node on order and I may/will pair it with a Chord Qutest or a Limetree DAC.

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I had a Technics receiver , very good for the money , I was happy with it.

I see products like the Atom or Nova as descendants of it , the new StarLite even has an FM option ( (I think) . The name receiver may have 70s connotations but we now have the likes of Naim, Linn, Arcam and Quad all producing products that follow the path of the 1970s receivers.
If I wasn’t very happy with my Nait 50 I would be happy to add a Naim Atom ( and I wouldn’t miss the three platefuls of spaghetti at the back )

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If people are asking for this, I assume it’s for an integrated in the Ā£4-5k range. Which is covered by the Nova. So the question is whether Naim wants to build something that doesn’t have a streamer, includes a phono stage, and offers superior SQ. Which is kind of the 50, no?

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I guess so, it just creates the 333/newSN versus 222/250 paradox, as they would likely be a similar price.

Interestingly though, the Nova already has the volume control derived from the statement that is used in the new classic line and performs very well as an integrated amp with better sources. I once ran my ND555 into rhe Nova and I thought that had the edge over my old SN2/NDX2, so I would expect a new SN to be pretty good - but maybe close to Nova in terms of the amplification?

There does seem to be a gap now in Naim’s product line up at the more affordable end. No straight forward integrated amp and no matching similarly priced source. I suspect this simply reflects current market trends. People want streaming amps now. It’s a great shame IMO but if we look back to the late 70’s / early 80’s the situation was much the same I guess. The entry level was the 42/110. Naim’s first source component, other than the tuners, was the very expensive CDS. Unlike Linn they have never produced a budget speaker. I seem to recall that Linn’s effort, the Index, didn’t get a very good reception, even amongst flat earthers, so this was possibly a wise decision.

Given that we are essentially back to those early days in at least some ways with the current product line up maybe history will repeat itself. The market now is very different indeed to back then and Naim are now a very different company so we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

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I would think there is a market for both. The SN3 and Nova coexisted for several years and, as far as I am aware, both sold well. I had both for a long time and still have the Nova. You may well have a point though about the N50 as that is what replaced my SN3/HiCap but I think the N50, apart from being a limited edition, is a bit too niche for the mass market.

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Personally I don’t like the look of the Nova or NC stuff, too busy with displays and white LEDs and logo etc.

IMHO the SN is a stylish one box solution. It doesn’t need to have features that others don’t have, I just want a non fussy, stylish single box with everything I need.

I’d like to see a SN4 with Class AB amp, MM phono, Ethernet port with UPnP and onboard DAC in the classic style and green logo :grinning_face:

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