Because they’d have gone bust by now if they didn’t bring new products to the market, like any business.
Because the old amps excelled in the market they were intended for, offering the legendary Naim PRAT & performance that belied “on paper” specifications.
A performance that could be improved upon, by offering higher output - NAP160/180, or by regulated power supplies - NAP250/135. These larger beasts offered more power in reserve & more control over the speaker drive units.
Naim were not fond of stacking output devices in the past (hence the bridged design of the NAP500), however, recent advances in output device matching have allowed the design of the NAP350 monoblock.
So there were (and are) many reasons to not stand still.
Regards
Neil.
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Just because they are good doesn’t mean that what came next is not an improvement. The market changes over time too which requires a different approach.
Thanks Max
I am inclined to agree with you
Dave
Certainly a 90 will be just fine (indeed excellent) with an easy load (and small mid-bass), but once you move to something more demanding the extra control inherent in a 110 or 140 will be obvious. The 110 uses practically the same amp modules as found in the 250 & 135 and can therefore better maintain performance into more demanding speaker loads.
A quick bit of window shopping has surprised me in that 110/140s can be had for not much more than a shoebox 90. Annoyingly they all mostly have some minor case damage and will need a service, so a serviced mint one will be harder to find and not cheap!
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Do you still have ibl’s max? I loved them like crazy and more the sbl but unluckily it is long time I didn’t auditioned them. Now all my love is fore Devore fidelity and atc…but i feel you are not an atc fan
Yes I do.
My amp is now NAC 62, dual-railed SNAPS and NAP 90, all serviced and recapped. I use K20 with Naim SA8 plugs all ends, into IBLs. My room is 35 m2, but since I don’t need to make music for a party or a Luna Park, I find it just right and very enjoyable. I’ve had a 140 many years ago but never a 110. I love the NAP90.
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DDD,
have you sorted your 90 quest?
Since I’ve been the only member here to actually answer to our question without suggesting something different instead, I’ll add the following:
I’ve been at a friend’s place a few times recently; he has collected a number of CB NACs and NAPs (other than having a full 500 system with SuperLumina and a 202/SNAXO/2x200/IBls set).
We have compared his CB 250 to his CB 90 with Sats; I’ve heard his 90 with IBLs and my IBLs with his NAP500. I think that I have a good idea of how a NAP 90 (and IBLs) sound in optimal conditions.
I insist that the 90 is a very lovely amp. What is really amusing here, is that almost anyone will agree on the Nait’s huge merits but most will ‘discard’ the Nait-derived Nap, the 90, in favor of something else, a priori.
NAP 90 was not designed to power the Apogee Diva; it’s a lovely, stable, musical NAP with some technical traits of a tube amp (a low damping factor, aka highish output impedance). I hope that you have found one and bought it by now.
Best,
M.
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Thanks Max
I did have my eye on one but missed it however I wholeheartedly agree with all your comments
I think a 90 would work very well with my N272 and easy to drive Rega speakers in my small room
I really like the NAP 90 too. And you’re right that it gets pretty much ignore compared to a Nait, but they are very different things and when I compared the 90 to the 110 (both serviced), it was a clear win for the slightly more powerful amp.
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So you prefer a 90 over a 110 Max ?
Interesting…
I fell in love with the Naim sound and my journey started with this 90/92/HC combo many moons ago. 
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I have very little experience of the 110. But you originally asked if there was love for the 90 and why it appeared there wasn’t much, many answered that 110 and 140 are better, I only told you why I love the 90. Best, Max
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Are we talking about the NAP 90 Mk 1 shoebox only ?
Are the full width 90’s included ?
I’m talking about a 'chrome bumper’ shoebox 90. My experience of the ‘olive’ 90/3 is lost in a distant past (as is my good sense).
M
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I have very good memories of my 90/92…always remember your first Naim like your first love 
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Some of us are still with their first love.
…
I can’t part with my SN1.
…
And first gf which manifests as my wife these days.
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And that my friend is a beautiful thing, you are very fortunate
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Now on my third love and this one’s a keeper…as for a significant other…the 72/180/HiCap fills the spot on.
Actually I thought Nait 1 power section was pretty much based on CB Nap 90.
All lovely kit from that era, still sought after equipment created by JV in the 80s/90s.
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