Yes the Muso range are made there. I suppose that’s the only way that Naim can meet the cost point and have the capacity to produce them. At least they’re not trading on a long gone British name and ‘retro’ styling.
2 Likes
They have a great reputation for sound, but for look, no no no.
1 Like
The Roberts radio, to me, is a lovely thing that just looks right. That Rose amplifier, on the other hand, just looks like a piece of crap. Awful design, cheap and manky materials. Unspeakably dreadful. Retro can be lovely. Perhaps the difference is that the Roberts is pretty much exactly the same as the designs of decades ago, whereas the Rose looks like it’s come out a project to ‘make it look retro’, which in this case has resulted in something that may look retro but in an extremely bad way. For example, those cogs just look ridiculous. They have no purpose. In a good design, everything should have a purpose.
3 Likes
I’d never heard of Rose before this week , and see Audio T now stock them. Totally agree with you on your comments.
I understand the Leak design and products and if IAG own them , good luck to them - I confess to buying Audio purely on looks - without hearing it (Ruark speakers - and they were lovely) .
My inclusion of Roberts Radio is probably unfair , they’ve kept the design basics and updated the capability, so it’s a bang up to date.
The overall design is testament to the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”
But surely it fits with the theme of vintage styling - and indeed vintage (though not outdated) speaker design?
As for those looks, it’s a classic British Stately Home type of look, and would fit perfectly in a house with wood panelling (and a very big room!). The price is high (understandably), and they are very rare on the secondhand market - I did see a pair a few years ago at a (just) contemplatable cost - then I reminded myself of their dimensions, and the fact that they do need a very large room!
Indeed. Not so much classic or retro as timeless and tied to a brand.
I love silver fascias but that doesn’t mean I love all silver fascias. The pic pisted for this thread is a case in point. I can’t deal with that at all. It is like they aimed for a Luxman-Nagra crossbreed and failed to an epic level.
Products that are made to intentionally look retro again to ride the current wave of nostaligia seem to miss the mark and lack a soul somehow. At least, compared to certain brands that had a certain look burned into their DNA and hardly changed in half a century.
4 Likes
That last paragraph is spot on. An unchanged or subtly evolved product is one thing, deliberately trying to do retro is something very different. Current Luxman and Nagra looks great, as does Naim. They seem more timeless than either retro or modern. Classic, perhaps.
2 Likes
Vintage because they have been continuously made.
Vintage style is something new, made to look old.
I think retro is the wrong word here anyway, nothing ever looked like the Rose. It’s a steampunk reinterpretation
Looks very Amstrad tries to take on Nagra to me
There was a review of that Philips in a recent HiFi News magazine iirc (Ill see if I can find it).
1 Like
Rose should have styled the amp like it’s streamer.
Using that large touchscreen to replicate all the controls and functions. At least you could turn it off or change it.
1 Like
I saw the HiFi Rose streamer units at my local dealer recently whilst looking at some Linn kit. Very clever with the various skins on that widescreen display.
Although not really my cup of tea, both units certainly stand out amongst other more understated kit.
I can see this will appeal to many, after all, touch screens have crept into lots of devices allowing for a custom interface
The Rose just looks awful, in my view. I wouldn’t have one in the house. The HFN review of it I’ve just read does say it is very well made, with quality materials. Whilst I’ve just sold all my NAIM stuff, I do think the classic stuff looks good (not in a FRAIM of course!). It is minimalist and dates very well, I think.
I agree for the integrated pictured above. Awful. But the streamer looks rather nice, with a modern style, not bling bling.
3 Likes
My dealer had it in to try but thought it was rather average on sound quality and passed on stocking it?