Naim in 2024 - what do you really really want?

You don’t, you just know that you have one of 1,973. Why does it matter whether it’s the first or last to be made? Bragging rights to having no. 1 I suppose. But what if it’s 666?

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Or 444.

I’m dare say that most people on this forum have received the Naim Christmas email containing a link to a YouTube video.

“New year, New sound emotions”

The video features a Focal speaker, Naim Statement amps and lastly something that looks like a tuning fork.

Could this be a hint of new products from Focal and Naim to launch early in the New Year?

Yes, I’ve just looked at it. I’m not sure what it means but somebody should really have checked it out. It runs on into an ad for the all-new Muso 2 followed by one for the Muso wood edition which is supposedly available! I watched it again and this time it ran into the instructions for setting up your Solstice turntable….

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I think it’s a Dyson Air purifier, dreadful ad, dreadful video, French marketing Dept no doubt

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No, not me, must be on the naughty step for not having upgradeitus!

Although I did buy a Nait 50 :man_shrugging::rofl:

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A really good plain dac would be good

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Probably a coincidence but usual marketplaces are flooded with NDX/NDX 2, CD players like CDX 2 CD5 XS are pretty scarce with higher asking price than few years ago

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Exactly linked with a Innuos or Melco - job done!

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Yeah its a no brainer…

There’s a dealer trade in deal in January which adds a free “zigahzig-ahh” as a further incentive.

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It depends to some extent on the listener. I’ve been to listen carefully to the new 300 series with Dynaudio confidence floorstanders and I’m familiar with the high level OC Naim sound. My Vitus RI-101-2 is going nowhere.

If there had been an Ultra-Nait I might never have defected but I think the brutal truth is that if you have 40+ years invested in R&D to optimise pre-power combos in a particular way, it would be commercial suicide to go in that direction (cannibalisation of pre-power sales and R&D disadvantage vs competitors who have chosen a different path).

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Listened to the Vitus 101 at lotus hifi recently. I used to own the mk 1 version as well. Also heard the Thrax integrateds. All very impressive and it makes you wonder why the need for 6 or more boxes and a surgical level of precision wrt setup!

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So it’s all a nice wish list, but is there any real expectation of new stuff this year? What’s the word on the streets😉

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With the release of 200 and 300 range, its logic a 100 range would see the light.
Maybe a 600 or 800 range, doubt this year though.

Their next Nait could be a Nait 100 based on the Nait 50.
As Naim are full blown into streamers, maybe a 100 range streamer ?

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Logic and observation of trends suggest the following in my opinion.

2024:

  • Narrow rear leg for Fraim standard shelves to accomodate New Classics.
  • 3rd gen muso and next-gen Uniti, as they are currently sold with significant official discounts.
  • One of the Unitis (Nova?) likely to be called “CI Uniti 102” according to Bluetooth certifications, which makes it a 100-series product. I would expect it to arrive with an updated streaming card (based on StreamUnlimited 1955), WiFi 6, balanced pre-outs to match New Classics and probably built-in phono input.
  • I assume that this “102” product will take over the role of the ND5XS2/Nait XS3 pair, but as an all-in-one device. No more XS or Si ranges down the road.
  • NAIT 200 as a replacement for SN3, which will be upgradeable by NPX300 (for the preamp part) and with balanced pre-outs as well for a smooth upgrade path towards separates. Combined with the end of the road for the NDX2-SN3 pair and the end of all green lights.
  • I keep hoping for shoebox NSS-111 and NAIT-100 as entry level “separates”, but Naim seem to move towards integration of functions the lower you get, so I don’t think it will be very likely. But you never know…

2025-2026:

  • NSS-S1: A Statement-level streamer, with whichever state-of-art DAC technology works best for Naim.

2026-2027:

  • New 500 series, with trickle down technology from NSS-S1.

That’s all I can think of, but Naim might surprise us… let’s see!

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You see, I’m not so sure there’ll be anything new this year, or, if there is, it will be later in the year. There was a lot of signposting and well informed speculation before last year’s announcements, I’m not picking up any of that this year. Maybe a time for a visit to some dealers for a chat.

The best “informed speculation” I’ve seen so far :+1:

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“CI” usually refers to Custom Install, i.e. for automated homes.

A CDS4 perhaps? (Although Naim seem to have bolted the door firmly shut on CD players.)

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