This is my attempt to summarise the history of Naim Audio, based on the Product History, which can be found here: Naim Audio Product History
To keep it simple initially, just in terms of ‘Eras’, to start with.
1971 to 1979/80 - Bolt Down construction - BD
1979/80 (x) to 1988 - Chrome Bumper - CB
1988 to 2002 - Olive
2002 (xx) to 2015 - Black
2012 (xxx) to date - DR
(x - CB seems to have started with the introduction of the 42 & 110, in 1979, with the other units transitioning to CB in 1980)
(xx - Black really started with the introduction of the 500, in 2000)
(xxx - DR first appeared in the PS’s, in 2012, and then in the Power Amps, in 2015)
« Naim DR technology was first introduced to our separate range of power supplies in 2012. It was then applied to our flagship Statement amplification system and adapted to handle the higher current demands. Now we have introduced the benefits of this technology to our core range of power amplifiers, providing the smooth, stable and low-noise power supply we know is vital to audio performance. »
That looks about right. Note that the transition from Olive to the current look came first with the NAP500 as you mention although it just squeaked into 1999, and then the 5 series arrived next in 2000. The rest of the range transitioned to black in 2002.
I think the French are very keen on their April fool jokes. Eifel Tower decapitated etc….
Surprised we don’t see a black series box decapitated to form a new tin shoe box series or should I say a tin biscuit box series
I’d love to have a look at that one day - please - appreciate what you mean by it’s always ongoing but that’s the case with many things - has there ever been thoughts of a book - I did see on the forum where some members had put photo’s of old brochures and manuals etc - have Naim kept copies of that sort of thing? I think it would be great to have sat on the coffee table - especially as Naim don’t just follow the usual trends.
Remember that there were three versions of the NAP90; the first chrome bumper version in 1987, which changed to olive in 1989, then the revised NAP90/2 during the Olive period (1990) and finally the NAP90/3 (1993) in the slimline olive 3 series form.
OK, I guess the NAP90/1 and 90/2 are very similar, but the 90/3 is quite different, but get your point.
The NAP250PRO was a version of the NAP250.2 that Naim built at the behest of the BBC for high performance studio use. Some were sold to other professionals too. Not many made overall though. It had balanced input connectors and Speakon speaker connectors.
- appreciate what you mean by it’s always ongoing but that’s the case with many things - has there ever been thoughts of a book - I did see on the forum where some members had put photo’s of old brochures and manuals etc - have Naim kept copies of that sort of thing? I think it would be great to have sat on the coffee table - especially as Naim don’t just follow the usual trends.
