The first little black books, the covers area all the same. CB Nait 2 and CB 250 CB 32.5 and Hicap are all the same page content.
The Olive has only the 72 pre amp but covers the Hicap and all power amps. The 82 has its own separate booklet. The 52 is also listed as having its own separate booklet.
The larger white covers, the pre amp covers all of the Olive pre amp range from 52 down to the 92.
I also have a similar power amp manual that lists 90, 140, 180, 250 and 135.
The Blue cover power amplifiers covers as shown in the pic - complete range at the time.
The only other ‘classic’ manual I have is for the Nait 5i.
I don’t have any manuals for later ‘classic’ series pre amp separates. Were there any or were they all online?
Outer, left to right: Nov 2000 price list, classic product guide, multi-language owners manual, owners manuals loudspeakers, power amplifiers, power supplies, Preamplifier, CD players, nac 102 supplement, Olive product guide, April 2001 price list.
Middle: top-product brochure, middle left supercap manual, right owners manual, bottom - the pint mini connection guide.
Not guilty! All the kit I bought came with manuals, and the manuals went with the kit when I moved it on. The manuals shown all pertain to kit I currently have. The mini connection guide was found in a box for one of my preamps and that one will stay with me for good. Brochures and leaflets were from a dealer when Olive kit was current.
@Graeme@bruss
It’s refreshing to see and understand I’m not the only one that likes (maybe must have) the correct manual for a piece of “much loved and used” audio equipment.
Also, to read the same manual goes with the item, if passed onwards
That’s just good Karma
In-the-meantime, just trying to reach Hi-Fi nirvana, by connecting my “new to me” Olive system, with the correct manuals. I’m getting there.
The Olive manuals were the second major project I did for naim (the 1st being the square brochure which featured the Olives) and took many months of work.
The ‘Black’ cover / chrome era manuals had been around for quite a few years and with the introduction of the Olive range it was decided that it was a good time to update everything. This was in the early 1990’s (I think)!
There was a lot of drawings for me to do and copy to write (by various naim staff) and then I needed to pull it all together and get each one to work within the layout design style I had created. Everything in the manuals was checked and proof read numerous times by Julian, Paul, Roy and others. I have posted this picture before but it seems appropriate to feature here - My Design Archive print collection.
This is probably the main reason I’m here. Why I buy Naim. The fact it can still be serviced, and the company who made it still care to offer that service (my Nait 3 had a service in 2018), and what looks from the outside at least to be a low staff turnover place to work, all play in to that.
So, circling back to my original question and pulling all this information together, this is what I have learned.
My 72 (1989) is an early version, with BNC on Aux input.
The little black cover manual I have was originally developed for CB series. But continued into Olive era. The one I have - see above - is correct for inclusion and shipped with early 72’s (from 1989). Even though the 72 isn’t specifically mentioned. (That’s a lovely quirk in the story).
The 72 was introduced into a later version of the black cover manual. Maybe around 1992. Probably at the point at which CD on DIN was added ?
Then, followed a complete change of style, with new literature right across the board. (As evidenced by @GeoffC above). The newer style being published “early 90’s”. So maybe 93 or 94.
I’m assuming the 72 reappeared and continued in the newer style “Preamplifiers” owners manual.
So, my late 90’s Olive HC (1999) and 140 (1996) would have included manuals from this newer style. The HC was included in the “Power Supplies” owners manual. The 140 was included in the “Power Amplifier” owners manual.
@GeoffC it occurs to me that going from an owners manual with all Naim products, to separate categories was a big change in philosophy at that point in time. Was there anything that promoted this?
QUESTION
What shipped with an Olive HC, in 1999 - was a “connections guide” included ?
Anybody wish to add anything, or further comments?
I can only add that my 92/90.3/flatcap Olive slim line series also arrived with the black booklets, so clearly the change over of literature style took a while. I think I bought these around 1992/3. Not 100% sure.
Having only one manual (black cover) with everything in it meant that every time a new product was introduced or changed it became out of date, and with more pages added they became more expensive to produce. If naim wanted to ship the latest version as soon as it was available, the rest would become obsolete and ready for recycling. These also had too much information that wasn’t immediately relevant to the product it was supplied with, like diagrams of 4 and 6 packs for example!
By making the Olive range manuals product ‘type specific’ the idea was to simplify the information and not throw everything at a customer. The first 4 pages of all manual types had a generic ‘equipment installation’ guide section which included safety warnings etc. The main section would cover each version of that product - 52 / 82 / 72 / 92, and users could see the hierarchy of the range.
With the new design being A4 (portrait) rather than A5 (landscape) it avoided the ‘cramming in’ of the information and more importantly allowed the addition of drawings of the front of the naim units which were not shown in the smaller predecessor. Cable connections to relevant products were also included as well as remote controls and their operation - not previously needed until the 52 / CDS era.
The Connections Guide was a dealer only manual to aid installations - now that was a marathon putting the artwork together!
Connections Guide / 4 page cover / 62 pages / 148 x 105 mm
When I sold on my CB and Olive bits it was always to friends so I knew where it went and that it is still being used in most cases. Unfortunately, the 42/110 was stolen after a couple of years of my friend being very happy with her purchase. The 32.5 with 72 boards in still going strong normally in a friend second system but currently being used by another friend whilst his 72 is with Naim for repairs/service, the 140 is now enjoying a new life in Bulgaria with a friend who retired there. I have no idea what happened to the kit from other manufacturers. Now wondering what that says about me and my relationship to Naim?
