Hifi News 300 series review

Hi-Fi Corner
1

Has someone read this November Hifi News review on the 300 series?
Is it worth reading it ? Do they compare vs the OC ?

Thanks

2

Yes, it’s a positive review. The conclusion reads:

‘The 300 series from Naim’s New Classics range fully lives up to its promise - its presentation combining a shade more warmth and culture when required with the ability to let go and power out the music when let off the leash. From the closely-detailed NSS 333 streamer/DAC to the effortlessly punchy NAC332/NAP350 amplification, this is the ‘Naim sound’ with broadened appeal, albeit never quite tamed.’

The sound quality is rated at 88%.

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3

“The ‘Naim sound’ with broadened appeal” :thinking:

Surely it should read ‘A New Naim sound with broadened appeal’

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4

I’m not sure what point you’re making. That seems to be a distinction without a difference.

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5

My concern is that the ‘Naimness’ has been diluted. But it’s all conjecture until I listen with my own ears.

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6

It should likely have read “An improved Naim sound with broadened appeal.”

7

Interesting…how do they measure / rate sound quality?

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8

Sorry, I don’t know the answer to that. I don’t buy Hi-Fi News as a rule, but I got this one to read about the new Naim equipment.

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9

The primary focus of Naim amps originally was the timing accuracy, and IIUC that has remained the core basis ever since. The fabled “Naim sound” I suspect is a characteristic that arose through focus on timing with other aspects less important, but actually a distortion from neutral sound accuracy. What it seems to me may have happened over time is Naim has managed to developed their amps further to improve performance at everything else without losing that critical focus on timing, and as a consequence the sound has become more neutral - and surely attractive to more people. On the other hand, for someone where the primary attraction is that old characteristic sound then indeed making it more neutral might be negative even though timing accuracy remains.

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11

Would you mind posting the link please? For the life of me I can’t find it on the Naim website.

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13

Oops, sorry, went to see and found I had mis-remembered - it was the NAP 500 review I saw on there. I’ll delete my erroneous post.

14

That’s a shame. If it had been over 90% I may have been interested. I guess I’ll save my money.

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15

What do they mean by “ never quite tamed” ? The contrary of a polite sound ?

16

Still wild (I assume from the context here that they mean that in a good way)?

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17

Sound quality 88%. That’s… what… good? bad? better than 87%? worse than 89%? What’s the Standard Deviation on that point estimate???
:rofl:

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18

I don’t think much, if anything makes it beyond 90% on HFNRR. Basically, anything over 80% is excellent. I guess context is all here - best to take the number in light of the review, as without it means very little.

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19

Don’t they give every review 88% these days?

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20

It certainly seems that way…

21

Totally meaningless numbers! About as useful as the 5 stars HiFi Choice awards to most of the items it reviews.

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22

Some very ‘clever’ comments here - apparently from people who haven’t deemed it necessary to read the review to consider that their comments are helpful.

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