Naim Support Issues: Naim Uniti-1

Streaming Audio
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I have become alarmed over the failure of Naim Support to respond adequately to messages sent and acknowledged.

One case for this Thread is that I have had to attempt to replace a Naim Uniti -1 screen because this is no longer repairable via my Naim Dealer (Audio-T, Headington, Oxford) who nevertheless went above and beyond in trying to help me.

I have procured a replacement screen and managed to dis-assemble my Uniti-1. However, the internal (white) cable interconnecting the main board with the screen has been damaged. It is a 30-pin flat cable of around 40cm length, but otherwise has no identifying code or other marks to assist anybody needing an exact replacement. I therefore sent an email to Naim about this, and received a response on 24 July stating that as they are ā€˜very busyā€™ it might take time to reply.

During the intervening weeks I have bought and tried several possible replacements, none of which fits properly. And, oh, yes, Iā€™ve also been on holiday - Just like Naim, it would seem.

A sample of my response from Naim is here:

Dear ------------------------,

Thank you for your email - we would like to acknowledge that we have received your enquiry which will be reviewed by a support representative.

Your Ticket Number is 169493.

We are currently in our busy period, and apologise if it takes us longer to get back to you than usual.

Iā€™ll be posting a similar complaint in the HiFi section about Naimā€™s failure to helpfully respond to a problem Iā€™m having with what interconnects are needed to link my Nac-552 and PS with balanced-end power amps.

Seemingly, customer support is a very low priority - which is not the Naim so many of us grew up with and loved so much.

Skyebridge

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Best would be to use a telephone and speak to them.
Btw Naim support will likely not read this unless Richard flags it to them.

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Iā€™ve tried telephoning.

When did you last manage to get through?

Skyebridge

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Skybridge, sorry to hear you havenā€™t heard back from support. Iā€™ll email them and let them know the support ticket, sometimes they can slip through the netā€¦

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You wonā€™t get any help with DIY repair or parts from NAIM. They will tell you to take it to your dealer for authorized repair. Thatā€™s just the way they work.

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Richard,

Thank you for your message and effort to get some further response from Support at Naim.

So far I have not heard anything further. Basically, all that I am requesting is information about how to obtain a replacement for the circa 40 cm flat white 30-pin cable that interconnects the Screen board with the Uniti-1 Main board. The cable that I have extracted from my Uniti-1 - unfortunately damaged - bears no identifying mark or number (unusual in itself in a Naim product).

Given that Naim has recently been offering trade-ins on Uniti-1 and -2 units, I rather expect there must be a few of these cables around.

Meantime unhelpful people have suggested ā€˜Take it to your Naim dealerā€™, perhaps having failed to notice that this was precisely what I proposed to do in the first place. My ever-helpful Naim Dealer John at Audio-T in Headington, Oxford, tried to get the Uniti screen replacement done by that route, but it is unavailable.

If the Uniti was ā€˜mineā€™ I would probably go for a trade-in update. But I bought it as as a gift for someone who has helped look after my house and garden when we need to be away. He unfortunately is not in a position either to use the Naim App rather than the screen; or stump up the funds to buy a new Uniti, or equivalent.

Having owned, used and cared for maybe 100 items of Naim equipment since circa 1980, I donā€™t really need to read lengthy disquisitions about what ā€˜Naimā€™ will (or wonā€™t) do for me, or allow people to speak about on the Community Forum.

Naim is a great and unique firm. But nobody is perfect!

Thanks again,

Skyebridge

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I could be wrong, but I was under the impression this was a discount if you could prove ownership. No one actually wanted the units for exchange.

Where is the ribbon cable damaged? If itā€™s at one end, can it be cut shorter without impact? (Plus I canā€™t imagine thereā€™s anything special about the cable, match the pins and width and it should be good to go)

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Ah, so there wonā€™t be a supply of potentially ā€˜recycledā€™ ribbons. Thanks for that.

The Uniti-1 I bought for my friend was from Witch Hat Audio - Sadly now in liquidation.

I donā€™t need a new Uniti as Iā€™ve got SuperUniti, Dac, NDX, Cambridge CNX-2 etc etc

Naim already has this detail of the Uniti-1 S/N etc via my request for Support.

On the point you raise about a ā€˜running repairā€™: Yes, this looks possible, but the ā€˜excessā€™ length of the cable is not very much and repairing both ends would make it chancy (as well as being a fiddly operation with quite fragile copper).

At the end of the day, the simplest solution is for Naim Support to do the job that they are there for, which is to support Customers by supplying them with information that they need and properly request.

Skyebridge

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I may be mistaken, but this seems to be a continuation of a thread over on another well known forum. If I am right then one poster has given all the information needed to source a cable independently. In fact it has just taken me 30 seconds to find one at a measly Ā£3.50 posted to you from within the UK from a well known auction site beginning with e.
As far as Naimā€™s involvement in this as far as I can see, you attempted a repair as spares are no longer available and somehow the cable got damaged. Naimā€™s usual response is that DIY repairs are not condoned for which they have their reasons.
My take on this is that it is not really Naimā€™s problem and they have no obligation to help you and may only do so as a gesture of goodwill. That is if they have a cable in stock, which they may no longer have.

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The substance of what is being discussed here, belongs here.

The issue that I have raised is the absence of a helpful or informative response that requested non-proprietary information about a part contained in a Naim Uniti-1.

I paid thousands of pounds for this product a mere nine years ago.

Naim advertising routinely informs us that through its Dealers it will repair units that it has built and sold as far back as the 1970s.

Iā€™m sure youā€™ll have noticed.

Also, the information about a replacement cable you found on ā€˜another siteā€™ is partly correct but also partly incorrect. You might wish to look there again.

Iā€™d be delighted to receive further information about the replacement Uniti-1 cable you identified in your thirty-second search.

Skyebridge

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Iā€™m not doing a simple search for you and I didnā€™t say it was a specific Uniti1 cable - it was one that matched the specifications given previously. If you care to look for yourself there are many to choose from. Take your pick. I appreciate your comments about Naim not supporting things after nine years but try to get a new screen for a 9 year old TV and see how far you get. Parts do become obsolete and no longer available. Iā€™m afraid itā€™s part of the modern economy and if Naim could find a source they could warrant them Iā€™m sure they would have gone down that route. I shall not comment furtherā€¦

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If it was a simple search I would have bought the right cable weeks ago.

Iā€™m not stupid, as you imply.

And I donā€™t pay Ā£ thousands for my TVā€™s.

Skyebridge

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Re. the trade ins, this is mainly down to Naimā€™s support position - itā€™s getting very difficult, and even impossible to source some parts for the early Unitis (streamer bits in particular) so this is to try to do something for those whose unit may be beyond repair. Thing is, I donā€™t think the trade in units make their way back to Naim. Dealers may keep them, and in some case even the owners, so you may find parts units turning up either at your dealer or on the usual sales sites.

Re. parts themselves, Naim policy is doubtless the same as it has ever been - parts are supplied to your dealer, if they have them available. If John at Audio T in Headington cannot source the required part for you from Naim then I guess nobody can because there are no more.

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A few weeks ago and each time I have called Naim - the phone is answered straight away and the service is outstanding.

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You make very high demands, but you havenā€™t even bothered to call, so maybe you have yourself to blameā€¦

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Skybridge,

I said I was not going to comment again, but feel I have to.
Iā€™m sorry that you think I have implied that you are stupid. You have certainly taken all my comments totally out of context. It certainly wasnā€™t what was written or the intention. Itā€™s obvious to me and possibly others on here that you are very annoyed at the situation you are currently in.
The reference to the search for a cable is valid as there are plenty of cables of the specification given available on the ā€œauction siteā€. I did not, as stated earlier, say they were specific cables for the Uniti1 and as such the advice was offered as a guide to where you may get something that MAY be suitable if Naim can not help you.
You have completely taken my television analogy the wrong way as it was to simply highlight the fact that cost, or age of equipment does not come into it any more and hasnā€™t for many years. To highlight this, I have just had to dispose of a 3 year old printer due to lack of spares from the manufacturer - which are also not available elsewhereā€¦
I hope you get the Uniti sorted soon.
Regards

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Andy P and Bjorn,

On this specific issue I called the Naim telephone line three times in July before submitting my Online request to Support. On each of those three occasions, my call went through to a request for me to leave a message or use the Online system.

I donā€™t want this Thread to be diverted by supposedly helpful ā€˜alternative methodsā€™.

On those numerous occasions in the past when I have used the telephone to call Naim, I have always met with impeccable politeness and willingness to help.

But if you are (apparently) suggesting that ā€˜Everybody should call Naim by telephone because then miracles will happenā€™. I beg to differ.

Naim - these days - clearly wants people to use the Online message system.

That is what I did, providing clear information about the product, the problem, and the solution that I was looking for.

As previously stated, I received an automated response that Naim is ā€˜Busy at a time of high demandā€™ but WILL review my message and respond.

NOT ā€˜Maybe respond or maybe notā€™.

NOT ā€˜Wonā€™t bother to respondā€™.

This Thread is about why I am still waiting with no response to my request for Online Customer Support, which is Naimā€™s chosen preferred method for Customer Supportā€¦

It is NOT about telephone calls.

Skyebridge

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Richard,

Thank you for your helpfulness.

I shall contact John at Audio T in Headington, and report back in due course.

Skyebridge

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