And this is what I am talking in terms of.
Generally, if swapping out a shed load of expensive Naim boxes for a single box of around £5K, there will be a performance penalty.
If examining specific examples then each needs to be evaluated.
Oh no!!!
Systempics .
Thanks for your answers.
Looked at the system pics, but couldn’t find yours.
But thanks again. As you appear very negative in this thread, I’ll not post any more responses to you and let you get on with your crusade.
DG…
I think his username from his previous incarnation was anon55098131
I really agree with this, and simply use the cables supplied with my Naim boxes and some A5. Naim make it easy for us in this regard.
I accept that cables can be used to fine tune a system but I really cannot be bothered. It all sounds great as is…
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But that’s because it’s vastly cheaper not necessarily because of reduced box count — the point I was trying, clearly unsuccessfully, to make.
Roger
When I owned Naim gear (for around 30 years) I always really appreciated the fact that Naim had taken all the guesswork and experimentation out of cables and eventually racks too. I never once felt the need deviate from these.
Well OK. I did once - out of sheer curiosity and because of all the good magazine reviews. Around 1990. Bought a Kimber mains lead for my NAP110 and some Mission solid core speaker cable to connect my Kans (replaced NACA5 - or was it 4?). Anyway total disaster. Sounded bloody awful and the Kimber mains cable caused the 110 to run extremely hot! Never again!
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I acknowledged your point. Clearly unsuccessfully.
A £5k all-in-one is naturally not going to sound as good as a much more expensive multi-box system because it’s cheaper. I wouldn’t have thought that was so hard to understand, but I’ll follow @DiggyGun out of the thread and leave you to your crusade.
Roger
Hmm, naturally?!?
Certainly one would very much not expect it to - and would be extremely surprised to put it mildly if something did, and large numbers of manufacturers would want it buried, but actually not totally inconceivable surely that someone could come up with a new approach/design, though £5k does seem a low bar.
That’s so true, sonic gains on the way up, space gains on the way down.
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Lots of interesting discussion, much not directly relevant to my question though!
There are various reasons for my considering downsizing. These include; moving house to a smaller property, not wanting the HiFi to dominate the most used room in the house anymore, wanting to use the Naim equipment we already have.
Further considerations include that we paid over £20k to build up our Linn system, but that was thirty’ish years ago and so that is a sunk investment to me. There is no way I can afford another £20k at our time in life. We have also changed our listening habits due partly to retirement. We now rarely sit in front of the HiFi for a listening session and listen to music more in other rooms in the house.
Despite the view that separates may sound better held by many (and I would agree overall) that type of set up will not suit me in the future.
Thanks all for your comments and I am now off to ring my Linn/Naim dealer to set up a listening session! 
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I have one Uniti Star with B&W 707 S3, one Mu-so 2nd and one Qb 2nd. All great
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Ah, that makes perfect sense and I can sympathise entirely with your situation.
Yes, habits and lifestyle can change in all sorts of ways when we retire. Having more time on our hands can either equate to listening to far more music, as with my wife and I, or it can mean going off in other directions and the hi-fi becoming less important.
A friend of mine’s father had a very costly Linn/Naim set-up and used to buy loads of records every week. When he and his wife retired to Spain they junked the lot. When I expressed dismay to my friend she told me that he didn’t want it anymore and would be using his time in retirement to pursue other interest like travelling.
Good luck with your auditioning.
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Welcome to the Naim forum.
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Regrettably, often the way - I read far more than I post. A few thoughts to try and address your question.
I have read through the thread and would offer the following Andrew, with your latest post perhaps offering more guidance as to your reasoning.
You have a wonderful system, albeit Linn, with active speakers, so a tricky one from which to downsize. I appreciate your reasons and wish you all the best going forward.
Just one real thought, since I have Naim active in main system. I also have Nova and whilst one or two esteem members have downsized to Nova and small speakers, the right combo will be critical, to maintain some of what you currently enjoy. I hope you can arrange extended home demonstration, hopefully you can defer that until you have moved. The Nova is capable but it has its limitations and in my second system that has been replaced with NC222 + NC250 with great results with Naim speakers.
Spendor speakers work very well and are available in small sizes and ime work well with Nova, other makes are available.
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I also have had a Linn system for some time - it is finally leaving during this year, in part because it has become faulty.
Pleased to hear that Linn is appealing to some forum members. Great shame that can’t also post on a Linn forum - remember that facility, suddenly culled because of too much heat!
I’ve long since given up on following Linn, given their shameful record on lack of servicing discontinued products.
All very well buying new; real risk if their attitude continues over the long term. Several of my items have gone in the skip as a result, even Class A in uk have been unable to assist.
I would be guilty of thread drift, if it wasn’t for the fact that this fact almost never gets mentioned when Linn is promoted here. Even some candid Linn dealers acknowledge the impact of the issue.
edit - I recall that I visited Linn’s factory, at the end, a listening session in their dedicated listening room - decidedly underwhelming imho, lacking in prat et al, tracks included the last Bowie album, just released, ymmv.
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Pev - I’m shocked!
What option could possibly be better than improved sound quality?
This shows a distinct lack of commitment to the Cause. 
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