This is a lovely interview, thank you for sharing.
(Also looking forward to that elusive solution I’ve been looking at for a headphone amp that he let slip…) Happy to trial it if they need any help.
That’s fine FR. I enjoyed the interview with Charlie. A nice bit about the the forum too, and very pleased to hear Charlie’s excellent reply to the final question of “`Why should someone buy a Naim?” If you don’t feel you have the time to hear the entire interview then it’s well worth just listening to this last couple of minutes from 19:53 to the end.
Thanks FR, nice interview
Clear upgrade path… Ehm… Not really 
I’ve had Naim for years and still don’t get what can work with what, why and so on. It’s a mess I’d say.
I believe the Naim customer experience is very market dependent. The UK (and South Korea) sound amazing but I rely on support in Spain and have been waiting 18 days (and counting) for case fuses. I have been waiting 11 days (and counting) since Naim marketing said they would get back to me. Naim marketing no longer have a name, they are just Naim marketing. A rather disinterested reply from Naim support recently and I have heard similar complaints about Naim support by a retailer in the last week… A very different experience pre and post Vervent.
Other than maintaining and possibly upgrading (cables/DR) what I already have, I cant see myself purchasing any more Naim. Not too long ago I couldn’t see myself purchasing anything other than Naim.
Just my experience - I know it is not the case elsewhere…
Thanks for sharing!
Well that’s how you feel and I get it. But don’t be so upset about it. I would suggest the reason why you are so p|§§€} off is because you very much enjoy your Naim system and you are not getting your Naim fix when you thought you could, like I said I get it, and your local dealer is blaming Naim, but I’m sure he loves Naim when Naim fills his pockets with money. Tom Tom sell them just go online job done.
I do not mean to rub salt into your wound but thats how I would handle it.
I enjoyed that interview myself, good to know how the company’s ideology hasn’t changed bar the popularity of the product compare to what it was.
I understand the clear upgrade path. To me you don’t have to get confused over different cables etc it done for you already
Upgrade path is very basic 282 to 252 to 552 etc nothing confusing about that?
Interestingly a while back a mad Audiophile buddy of mine got together a cds5i,72/hicap/250 epos es14 (hes has es11 too actually a few sets, like I said he’s mad) So he had these cord company rca to din interconnects., said they where the bees knees that was till we hilined his proverbial. You should of seen his face( tango moment, even dropped his bacon sandwich you could say ) he had his own hiline within 2 weeks. A clear upgrade. Job done 
That would bug the hell out of me too. There is no Naim here in Japan at all (muso doesn’t count). I make sure I do everything through a friendly dealer in the UK. They look after me and respond fast.
It’s probably harder for you because Naim do officially exist in your country and customers are supposed to go through their local dealers (for good reasons).
I’ve never known a dealer to not have loads of spare fuses though. Your complaints are justified.
Oh you have become Japanese…,
Hope you enjoyed the win over Ireland. I rang my wife when I found out, her response was typical Japanese style “ we have so many gaijin in our team…” she is a bit more into it today after reading her “girls feed” for the last 5 hrs. I was waiting for the Samurai to kick in and sure enough it has.
Thanks for posting FR. An interesting interview and it sounds like Naim has an interesting future ahead.
I’m terrible. Not even watched one minute of the rugby.
Most sumo wrestlers are foreign too. I’m not sure what to make of that. I mean every time there is an eating contest, it’s always some tiny Japanese guy that managed 300 hot dogs in 10 minutes or something like that. So it’s not like they can’t pile on the pounds.
Well that’s how you feel and I get it. But don’t be so upset about it.
I’m just relaying recent experiences in the context of the OP. There reality on the ground (my ground) is not as it would seem from the interview. Charlie extolling the virtues of the Vervent deal contradicts my own experience post Vervent, which is that Naim and its network have shifted from being personal and customer centric to selling boxes. It feels like the wrong direction for such an iconic brand and risks the very identity that made it great in the first place.
Fuses were mentioned simply as an actual, current example (albeit a minor one). My first query was 06 Sep and after being passed from pillar to post, from Naim, to distributors, to ASCs and back and forth, I was told on Friday 27 Sep they will be at least 7 more days. I never experienced service like that in the past.
Sounded like a politician to me.
Charlie looks and sounds like a hugely talented and intelligent individual and no doubt is a nice guy but and this is probably just me I switched off after 90 seconds he could just as well have been talking about aircraft parts.
Slightly concerning that he referred to voicing Naim to be optimal with Focal speakers…
Look guys, healthy cynicism is good but be realistic. A responsible MD, CEO or Chairman does not have the luxury of saying certain things. Maybe his views on Focal and the group are honest maybe they are spin, but if he thought different than what he said in the interview and actually voiced those opinions, someone would have his head.
That’s just part of being a manager. Don’t shoot people for doing what their are responsibly bound to do. If there are any gripes, for sure Naim know what they are from the forum and dealer feedback. How much is in their power to address is another matter.
I’ve not seen or heard of a drop off in service from the core market close to home. Maintaining brand integrity and quality on shores afar is on old chestnut for almost any company that is small enough to rely on regional partners. It has been and always will be a battle for the mothership.
As to the Focal relationship and belief in their speakers, I think it is a moot point. After all there are loads of Focal users on the forum who are really happy. We know speakers are personal. And as for the Naim sound, we know they did a massive departure from that when the Ovator range came out so it’s entirely possible their ears love Focal. The fact I cannot fathom liking that sound is neither here nor there because the same could be said for a bunch of other speakers I didn’t buy too.
With that in mind, I think it was a good interview. It was about the brand, not the gear and he came off very well. On top of which, knowing his position, I take some things with a grain of salt and that’s okay.
And here is some interviews from the past
Any thoughts on The Naim voice versus the Naim Sound?
The latter is often rejected as distinctive on this forum because the music sounds natural. Charlie seemed to be saying that when Naim equipment is matched with other manufacturers it is important that the Naim voice is maintained.
What he really means is that he hopes Focal sound would change…