As the older units have/had less parts, numerically - then they will seem to be more ‘reliable’. The modern stuff - like the SN’s - is much more complex (than say a NAC42 was) - so has more parts to go wrong.
To balance that out, the modern units are likely to be far better built, with less hand assembly and so ‘should’ be more consistent.
My first streamer from Naim a ND5 XS delveloped an early fault early on and I returned to dealer and he shipped out for repair. In the meantime he loaned me a Naim CD player which filled the void very nicely.
I also had one of the channels fail on a SuperNait 2 and once again the dealer shipped the unit out for repair and a Nait XS 2 was provided as a loaner for a few weeks.
I have found the gear very reliable for the amount of uptime and use I have had with my Naim system. …and the couple of times there was a hiccup it was quickly sorted and fixed.
Excellence in service during sales and service if a problem arises is an important factor on why I continue doing business with a company. …and NAIM scores high in both areas.
Here is my list of failures -
NAC42 - S boards went noisy (replaced FOC); Mute/Monitor switch went u/s (fixed, low cost)
NAC102 - only unit which had any real problems - strange in-balance from new - I should have returned it to my dealer, but ‘life’ got in the way - it did go back to Naim HQ after it was well out of warranty and was rebuilt with a new main PCB; I decided to move it on and sold it.
CDX2 - nothing in my ownership, but ‘oily’ display was replaced by the selling dealer, before I bought it (it was pre-loved)
The following units have been fault free -
NAP110
SNAPS
HiCap #1 *
NAP250 *
NAC72 #1 (2 sets of BNC’s)
NAC72 #2 (1 set of BNC’s) *
NAP140 *
NAC82 *
NAPSC *
HiCap #2 *
XPS2 *
(* - units I still own)
Just shy of five years old and my streamer is playing up, Error 238 and failing to restart properly but only intermittently. Still arranging for a repair on that.
The Uniti Core developed a reluctance to rip and a rattle after a couple of years, Naim said they found nothing wrong with it when I sent it in but the rattle was gone and it’s worked perfectly since.
CD player mechs go and their replacement is uncertain these days.
The speaker foam crumbles in some models after 15-20 years and tweeters benefit from a refresh about then. Naim have dropped support post Focal but DIY isn’t too hard.
The amps are nearly bulletproof given the odd service.
My Naim kit is mostly trouble free, but not entirely over the years.
My ca. 2016 NAC-252 had a bad output mute relay and quit working on one channel a few years ago. Focal-Naim North America repaired it free of charge and had it back to me within a month.
I had to get my HiLine cable repaired. Naim repaired it free of charge. Those plastic rings are extremely fragile and break too easily. Now I avoid touching the cable, but when I have to I am hyper-careful with it.
My ND5-XS developed a faulty board: It would display an error message on startup. It had to be repaired at a cost of $500+. When Naim sent it back, they didn’t pack it properly and the casing was damaged during shipping. It had to go back again to get that replaced, at Naim’s expense.
When I had a 42.5/HC/140 system in the 80s/90s the 140 had an issue with over heating and had to be repaired. I no longer remember the cost, but it wasn’t a free repair.
I’ve never had a fault with Naim electronics.
Cyrus, on the other hand ….
My CD555 has had the same fault twice. Lid refuses to work. Seems like a design fault. I wish they’d put a lid on it that wasn’t electrically controlled. It wasn’t too arduous to lift a lid with my finger on the earlier Naim models I’ve owned!!
However, nothing else has gone wrong. Ever.
Thankyou all for replying…interesting and actually quite reassuring
I have had issues with the DAC-V1 (USB connector & Display Screen).
I never had issues with the older CB/Olive gear.
Everything that Naim has built in the UK has proven to be extremely reliable. What the future looks like remains to be seen…
Hifi equipment is generally very reliable in my experience. I would be very surprised if Naim products are any less so.
With amps the only problems I’ve ever had were with Sinclair Project 60 power amp modules back in early 1970s and a Musical Fidelity Preamp2A once had had a moving coil cartridge input go into oscillation. Otherwise I’ve had no issues whatsoever with amps, and I’ve had amps up to 30 years old.
I found CD player mechanisms suffer from mechanical wear, with my usage lasting about 10 years. Styli of course are consumables. Streamer/DACs no issues though not had any for more than about 6 years as yet.
Speakers I’ve found extremely reliable unless subjected to damaging input. I did discover that a supertweeter on one ~45 year old speaker had failed, with no known reason though as the output of the supertweeter was by then inaudible to me it might be that it had failed a few years earlier when a bass unit was damaged by the aforementioned preamp oscillation (I had been playing loud at the time).
My NDX2 broke after one year, repaired and hope it last many years now, received a unity atom he faulty out of the box, was exchanged by a new working great unit.
Not a great start, but hopping that the naim gear stays for a long long time working without issues.
probs the most reliable gear on earth!
I have owned Naim equipment for over 30 years, and have experienced just two failures, both in recent months.
My CDS II transport has died, and I am waiting to hear - I hope - that replacement parts have been located.
My lovely NAT-01 was misbehaving, drifting off station. The boxes have been returned after servicing, but I have not yet hooked them back into the system.
So I would give a mark of 99%.
I’ve owned Naim gear since ‘94 and never had any issues. Their stuff is more reliable than just about anything I’ve owned.
Relay’s must be one of naim’s biggest reliability issues
I reckon failed CD mechs has also got to be right up there too. Not that Naim make them of course.
Been a Naim user for forty years C/B then Olive upgraded to the Classic range in 2015 the C/B and Olive was bullet proof never a problem but I have had a few failures with the new stuff.
Core replaced as it was getting warmer and cutting out, ND555 relay fault and then the DAC board went down my 552 also had a relay fault however whilst I have had the problems the service from my dealer Audience in Bath and Naim has been faultless.
Core replaced within 72 hours, ND555 relay problem a loan streamer installed within 24 hours of the failure same when the Dec board went down a 282 was installed on loan the following day when the 552 relay failed.
No.
Is there any particular reason you ask?
NDX green screen died after 6 years - well documented on Gen 1 streamers. Had it serviced and replaced…
Naim’s fault or just a badly manufactured batch - difficult to say; but I wonder how easy it would have been to get it sorted had I bought something with a less robust servicing and back-up regime?