I had to keep a eye on Richard so it made sense to get a Naim system
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the Naim ecosystem
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I donāt use anything āiā or Apple for that reason. Itās a controlling issue for me.
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Why am I here as in, have Naim equipment or on the forum?
Owning Naim was a chance thing, my wife and I many years ago had somehow decided that valve amps were the way to go, mainly because all her guitar amps were valved. We read the HiFi press and got some info there, we spoke to people and gathered information. By this time we had all but decided probably after talking with too many people that hated Naim but loved valves so had completely decided against the brand (despite me loving what I had heard some years before). Eventually we visited some HiFi shows to begin listening to some valve amps. At one of them, in some hotel in Bristol Naim were launching the first CDX, after some hours listening to valve amp after valve amp and feeling a little downbeat we decided to see what Naim had to offer. Having got our entry ticket we ventured in and sat down and listened, both of us were instantly very impressed with the sound presented from the active SBLs, thatās were our Naim journey started and since then we have refined the sound until we have what we want
Why am I on the forum? Well Iām bored senseless during these lockdowns, itās something to read
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Iāve had some Naim equipment since 2013. Muso to 172/200 ending with my Lite.
I like the sound.
On the whole I use the forum to inform where I might take my system next or for tweaks/specific system issues.
Some topics inform and some yawn, mainly when they get out of hand, but then I switch off.
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The expense and inconvenienceā¦
For me: how they are built and how they look inside-beutiful! Also, resell value and serviceability.
And of course: the sound (not everything they have done sounds great)!
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I first heard a Naim amp in the late 70s and was blown away by it. Once I had an LP12, it was the obvious next move.
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In my youth over the hills and far away in the Austrian mountains, pre-internet yada yada, I somehow was always fascinated by hifi and music, and saved up for my first āseparatesā system from an early age. At my 12th birthday may parents chipped in and suddenly there was my champagne colored Philips separates tower with flimsy rack and all.
A few years later I got to know another nut in town who turned out to have odd shoebox size boxes with a weird name. This stayed with me when I left for the big city even if I still knew next to nothing about it.
Years of dabbling in hifi followed, then I lost interest but I had my stuff anyway, then the interest came back and I improved somewhat, which included a CD5i-2 when it was new. A friend got one as well shortly after, and a Nait 5i. We both were fascinated by the range up, and for the first time I learned more about Naim and loved it.
Over the years, whenever I listened to some stuff at the dealerās, I liked Naim the most but was always too cheap to invest. At the beginning of 2020 I invested a bit (P8, a new NAD pre/streamer), so I was in the mood already. Then the pandemic, lots of time, some money left to spend, this forum, and as a result the new system happened. Loving it.
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The sound signature
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You rang, Mālud?
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In the early 80s I was exposed to the Naim sound by my friend (and hifi journalist) Malcolm Steward. In his small living room fearsom sound pressure levels from his Naim/Linn system showed me the way although I actually didnāt care for his active SBLs. 30 years later I decided to resurrect my ancient kit and the magic was reborn.
I had a brief dalliance with Musical Fidelity with my studio set up in the intervening years, but the build quality was awful and simply showed just how well made Naim gear is.
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Naim stuff just plays music so well, whatever level you go in at, to my ears.
I also like the longevity aspect with regards to parts and servicing plus the fact they are Salisbury based.
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When I was in my late teens I had a mate, a few years older than me who was really into hifi and often berated me for buying a JVC stack system which was my first hifi. While he didnāt own any naim boxes he was always enthusing over the brand and I remember him showing me a picture in Hifi Choice of a naim CD player with the pivoting draw and I had to agree that was the epitome of cool
Eventually, having upgraded to Marantz/Monitor Audio (still have the cd52 se) I felt the need for new kit. Iād booked a demo at a local hifi shop with the intention of comparing audiolab and Cyrus based systems which I did. I much preferred the sound of audiolab and was hovering over the purchase when my dealer disappeared,returning with a uniti lite and after bestowing the virtues of streaming capabilities which I hadnāt even considered up to that point, my ājourneyā began.
A few years later I found a good deal on old stock uniti 2, part ex ing my lite and adding a nap250 dr and that is where I am now. The look of the classic range is iconic, understated, discreet and functional and if you rap your knuckles on the casing, solid sounding, not that awful tinny sound that many other brands have. For me, naim had the sound I was looking for and with an upgrade path clearly mapped out, should I feel the need and have the available funds, I canāt think of any reason to look elsewhere.
As to why Iām on the forumā¦ Knowledgeable people always eager to help with any problems, hifi related et al, itās a good place to while away some spare time.
Now for my second cup of tea of the dayā¦
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Ive been into hifi since my youth and could never afford anything near what is in my listening room now. So first went chinese for a while and then a bit of a flirt with retro. When fealing it was time to get in the business of real hifi again I was drawn to Naim which always had been unobtainium to me. Picked a Supernait and was blown away. Added a Hicap and on it went. Many moons and lots of money later Im still blown away with the music every time I sit down to have a listen. Don`t see any reason to change. All in all extremely pleased with the music being delivered in my livingroom by NDS, 555PS Dr, NAC282, Hicap dr, 250DR on isoblue with Spendor D9.
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Had an Arcam CDP/Ariston TT/Rotel amp/Heybrook speakers and looked to upgrade. Was opposed to Naim because of a lot of anti-rhetoric on other forums but a great dealer leant me a CDX2/202/200 to try, the rest as they sayā¦
Regards,
Lindsay
This is such a good forumā¦I do not look at other fora, despite my gear being non-naim (although I was a Naimman in the past). The satire and humour here is really good stuffā¦and there is little, very little, of individuals setting themselves up as the first and last word in everything.
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I planned on buying NAD/Rotel separates but the dealer had 42.5/140 combo trade-in. It blew the comparable priced components away. Upgraded to 82 then 52 with Nap 250. CD3.5 to CDX with PS, on to CDS2/XPS. Finally found a CDS3 and upgraded to 555PS. After NBL purchase I decided to see if the active route was the best path forward. 3 Nap 250.2 amps later and I am set for life. Naim CB, Olive, and Black all had the house sound but bass and low end improved with reference series. Naim sound can be addictive!
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My first Naim system was a NAC 42.5 chrome bumper with a NAP 90 (I think), bought in Toronto, Canada some 30 years ago. The dealer said great things about it, mentioning the brilliant support service they had been given from Salisbury for a lightning strike on a recent returned unit. I liked the look of it, liked the brand, it sounded good - and the rest is history.
It was unusual hi fi kit to have on show in Canada, at the time. Was very happy with it and stuck with the brand. Wish Iād kept those chrome bumpers !
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For me seeing SL2s at the Bristol show years ago. Totally beguiling. I said to myself, one day Iāll own those.
Like you @popeye I was also very taken with the simplicity of the manual CD drawer. So different, slightly eccentric and the fact Naim was not far from me in Salisbury meant I was hooked.
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I agree with this. I think Naim are incredibly open about other brands being discussed and recommended, bravo.
In my experience this is the most civilised forum I use.
I have never thought that Naim are āthe bestā, but they are among the best. They are also backed up by excellent service centres which help maintain second hand prices. This makes buying Naim a risk free proposition as you will be able to sell any unmodified unit onward without taking much, if any, hit.
I would happily recommend Naim, whilst remembering that ANY HiFi will depend on your room and ears.
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