I do not.
But I will field some answer to this question in order to widen the periphery of the topic being covered.
I chose Naim due to the ‘house tuning’ they do.
Clearly it works (whatever voodoo is involved in the decision making process to achieve ‘said tuning’).
Based on reading and watching interviews with key Naim people on the design of ‘recent parts’; the steps they undertook to achieve ‘a certain sound’ was, in my eyes, ‘brilliant’.
“many paths to the summit”.
without quoting anything verbatim (take with a handful, not a ‘grain’, of salt!);
they chose certain tolerance components due to the musicality it ‘influenced’ in the final sound.
Having a tech that doesn’t understand ‘the whole’, and is using their own biases’ and preconceived notions, means that you may be getting ‘mixed messages’.
(I know- ‘confusing’, “right”?!)
As a case in point- a small read on a hifi forum (not this one), and many many contrary posts can be found on a wide range of topics.
the consensus with regards to audio is ‘hardly unified’.
What I have learned from decades of reading articles and interviews is that ‘tuning for spec sheet warfare’ (something many actually do, ‘sadly’) is EASY. (but musicality suffers)
A few designers have gone on record/‘been quoted in interviews’ stating that 'when they first make a circuit or a design, ‘it benchmarks brilliantly’ (but sounds ‘naff), and then they have to ‘detune it’ (for musicalities’ sake).
Naim made certain decisions with regards to design that generates more ‘second harmonic’ distortion… (and not doing so via a digital chiplet), something that is pleasing and ‘musical’.
If that means NOT USING THE BEST TOLERANCE parts, but equals musical satisfaction; I defer to their judgement.
I do not need know how the Apple Pie is made in order to enjoy my (just) dessert(s).
if a tech doesn’t understand why certain components are used- there is a ‘very real’ opportunity for them to ‘break’ the house sound/‘tuning’ that has had a lot of effort to achieve.
The problem with much of audio reproduction is- it is esoterica.
Companies do not always talk about their ‘occult’ (hidden knowledge) design decisions.
Having a tech that knows the brand (and believes IN the resultant audio) would be an advantage, is my advice here.
Having seen a Denefrips DAC thread (elsewhere) diss tuning the component by ‘easing some screw’ tightenings; sadly the lack of consensus on these sorts of things means the internet is filled with (miss) information.
Of which no doubt I have many times contributed.
Whilst I may not come across as humble in my public facing endeavours (we need spokespeople who have passion); I am always an ‘open book’ and ‘willing to learn’.
Hand tuning audio devices to achieve a specific resultant sound is MUCH OF THE BATTLE.
Naim have a following, for whatever that reason is…
In my limited experience it is earned.
Before I had first hand experience,… for decades whenever I was buying beautiful kit from others, second hand, I would politely ask “what have you upgraded to?”
The amount of serious audiofools (I prefer that word over ‘audiophile’) who have jumped to Naim (house) sound is ‘many’, and many of these people have moved on from some pretty incredible kit.
I respect enough of them to have come to realise ‘there MUST BE SOMETHING to all of this’.
Turns out ‘they were right’ (who knew?)
The part I am using now is ‘budget fi’ compared to what I have used previously- but it has that ‘something special’ that makes listening to it very worthwhile.
If that requires using a green illumination (or ‘whatever’) to nail the resultant sound… well, as the Monkees are singing to me right now (playing a ‘best of the Monkees’)- “I’m a believer”.
