Hate for Naim

You only have to look on some other forums and it’s very obvious. I’ve no idea why some people go to such an effort to have a go at Naim. It’s only hifi after all, hardly important in the scheme of things. I’ve had Naim for 38 years now but I’d never say that it’s the be all and end all. I just like it. Maybe that makes me one of the proverbial Naim sheep, I don’t know. Baa.

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Gotcha, I don’t spend any time on other hifi forums so I wouldn’t know. I think I have an old Pink Fish (?) log on somewhere but it’s been 20ish years since I was on that site so it’s probably deleted. We have a hifi thread on my motorcycle forum and most of the participants aren’t familiar with Naim. I think I joined this site in 2001 and my moto site in 2002 and they’re still the only sites I frequent aside from FB/instagram which are different animals.

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People get in a froth about everything.

See some of the comments on YouTube about Mercedes/BMW/Audi/Lexus etc etc by people who would not appear to have the proverbial pot.

I imagine if I went on a Nike forum (sadly, I can imagine such a thing exists) and said I like Onitsuka trainers, I would doubtless get rinsed.

Like HH, I have had Naim amplifiers since the mid-ish 1980s, but I have no desire to shout about it, nor deride those who choose an alternative.

It is only an interest, a hobby, a means to an end. If you get vexed about someone else’s stuff, be it a car, hi-fi, trainers or washing machines, assuming the other party has not been an offensive keyboard warrior, I would venture that you are not entirely correct…

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I like our Miele washer dryer. Top machine. Perhaps people really do get in a lather about them. Switch on thump. Excessive noise on the spin cycle….

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Separates is the way to go!

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A long time ago (like 20 years) I went to a Naim dealer to buy a Naim system and I think my budget was around £10k at the time. I don’t remember what the system was them showed me but then they played another one, a little more expensive but not much and there was no contest, I bought the non Naim system. They certainly knew what my reaction would be. Now I’m back looking into streaming and I think I’ll go the Naim route for the source at least, and maybe pre amp…unless they show me something else again which unexpectedly blows me away…

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Yes, I’ve read a lot of hate for Naim on other forums. For me, like @Myx said, it’s mainly that the components are all made to match each other, and they’re towards the higher end of the audio industry. I had a difficult time trying to match components in the past, and now my music sounds better than it ever has.
I believe the only other audio manufacturer I would do this with would be Ayre. They make some lovely units that are designed for each other, and they also have a special philosophy regarding their sound signature.
Good ol’ Charlie … RIP …

Indeed. Twintubs were quick because you wash and spin at the same time. :grin:

There is actually research showing that drivers of poncy cars (which can be thought to include puffed up SUVs…) are less compassionate – like less likely to stop at zebra crossings…

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No space unfortunately. It’s great in the winter though - put the towels in to start at 1am using the cheap electricity and you have clean, dry and fluffy ones in the morning. In the summer, or course, they hang on the line.

That’s because they are stupid. Why would you buy such a thing if you weren’t? Actually, pootling around in our Audi I find that drivers of posher cars are much more courteous, even those in BMWs! It’s the entitled SUV drivers that are beneath contempt.

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I think the difference between Naim and Audi owners (or anything VAG) for that matter is that Naim employ decent engineers. Or at least it would appear that engineering trumps accounts at Naim.

There’s a high level of faith in Naim products for good reason as they’re engineered to perform in all respects. Audi not so much unfortunately yet their owners have similar levels of faith.

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When I lived in North Oxford, one couldn’t ride a bike during school-run times – far too dangerous with all those inattentive SUVs on the road. And run over by an SUV is like running into a wall at high speed… :scream:

You wouldn’t like it here in the states, those big SUVs and even bigger trucks are standard now unfortunately. I think it has a lot to do with the typical American being too “big” to fit into a standard sedan or coupe.

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Audi and BMW used to be the big annoyances for me, I’m sure they are great cars to own, just seem to have a high proportion of idiot drivers.

In the city these seem to have been overtaken by Range Rover users who need nothing of the kind for a trip to M&S or Waitrose.

I bought our end-terrace house primarily as it was designed hall to hall and had big rooms/high ceilings, so I assumed a big gap between listening room and neighbour’s lounge many years ago was sensible. We previously had very elderly adjoining neighbours who were quiet. I’d not realised how paper thin the party wall was until a younger family moved in. I enjoy playing loud and despite thinking I was being considerate with the hall to hall arrangement I suspect I may have driven the older folks bonkers.

What people hate about Naim is the volume control. It is a pain in the posterior. Everything else is great including the sound.

I don’t follow at all it’s a rotary knob.

Maybe it’s lack of tone controls :wink:

The range for adjusting is too narrow. You touch it and the thing go up or down big time. It’s difficult to master.

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Thanks for clarifying - which device or pre-amp?

I’ve never found that to be honest though I generally manually adjust the pre-amp rather than using the remote.

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The same here… After buying the house, I went there one evening, and I could hear the neighbour playing the piano in every single room with the exception of the toilet…

Before moving in two 15mm blue plaster boards (bloody heavy things…) went onto the party wall, plus some 50mm sound insulation wool between that. Not the most sophisticated sound insulation, admittedly — but it made a huge difference…

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