Why Naim?
I started with Sansui ‘new’ class A,then Pioneer, Technics and Nakamichi, variously with Wharfedale, Bose and Celestion. Hi Fi mags of the period were talking about JV and his approach to sound being more important than power so I listened to a Nait 2 and Kans with my pl12d in a showroom. I think I might have made my first credit card purchase of note that day.
Why still with Naim? Probably brand loyalty as much as anything. If it aint broke, don’t fix it. The only other hi end kit I’ve demoed is Cyrus, and it just didn’t give the clean sound and warmth together, that I like from Naim.
Brand loyalty is a big factor for me in many things. Trid various makes with purchases but I return to Honda M’bikes, BMW and Lotus cars, Pioneer TV’s untill they ditched them, and Denon AV. If the brand signature changes then I try elsewhere. BMW have changed considerably in the last few years so the replacement when it comes may be elsewhere. I guess I’saying this on here as a comment on where Naim may be heading with new products. I perceive a lack of consistency in quality of streaming kit, which worries me. I’d like to move to Naim streaming sources to feed my 252 or future 552. I don’t have the confidence to invest that much money at the moment.
I started with original Unitiqute, then SuperUniti, then 272 with monoblocs, then 272 into active ATCs, when 272 replacement was not forthcoming (covered elsewhere) I demoed NDX & Pres vs Auralic/PS Audio/dCS, bought the Bartok - otherwise could still be a Naimee
Mainly because it’s a responsive/lively forum. I also have some Naim kit!
I’ve only had a Naim (SX2) for 3 months now and with Qobuz I can’t imagine a previous life. For me it all started with a Synology NAS and a Mede8er X3D, plus a decent REVOX amp and Celestion speakers (electrostats). Then, by pure luck, I was able to buy an Audio Note Meishu amp and Audio Note Zero CD transport & DAC, combined with Xanadu speakers (a Dutch brand) for a very nice price and a whole new world of audio bliss opened up for me. I was, however, frustrated with the Mede8er’s interface and then I read about Roon. So, I set out to buy a Nucleus - as a streamer with Roon, I figured. The HiFi dealer convinced me that the Nucleus wasn’t really a streamer and sold me (on) a Naim SX2; two months later I scraped the bottom of the piggy bank and bought the nucleus as well. I can’t believe how much better than the Mede8er the SX2 sounds. Roon is great too! 90% of what’s on my NAS is on Quobuz and in beter quality at that. So, I’m by no means a Naim-all-the-way guy, but happy with the SX2.
I always new about them and l wanted to try them at a time of life I could afford to. Can’t say I’ll stick with them I don’t tend to do brand loyalty unless its head and tails better than alternatives in my price range. Overall I have mixed feelings as they sound great but stability of the streaming platform and their software is not great. Could quite happily switch brands if it does things better and is stable.
I had known about Naim since the very beginning but back then I was into tubes and class A. Naim just seemed too small and quirky to be bothered with.
Fast forward to about 10 years ago…I now owned an entry level Cambridge Audio 640 integrated and was shopping for some speakers.
The dealer set up a pair of Proac Tablettes with a 640. It was obvious that the amp was struggling to drive the little Proacs. He then replaced the Cambridge with a diminutive Nait 5 and the Proacs sprung to life. I’ve owned Naim ever since.
That being said - Naim is what I would call apartment/decor/spouse friendly design. If I was living in a larger house and/or was single I’d probably be looking hard at a tube pre/class A amp setup again. But that’s not about to happen.
I bought my last Naim amp just before the Focal partnership and price increase happened. Today the prices for Naim gear, here in Canada, are outrageous and I could no longer afford anything but entry level. Rega might be an interesting alternative.
Fraim. Many other makers do not account for the difference support makes — do not officially make any recommendations. Some may be engineered so that siting is irrelevant, if that is possible/desirable.
You can put your Naim components anywhere you like, but Fraim is the reference designed-to; even if you opt not use it, you know which direction to go re isolation.
Nick
My relationship with Naim has been a mixed one I’ve loved it and been frustrated with it in equal amounts so at the moment I’m using a Rega TT, Auralic Streamer, Hegel amp and Dynaudio Speakers but I still enjoy the forum very much especially the music based threads.
I started out with an all-Linn system about 20 years ago. When the CD player I had failed and couldn’t be repaired as Linn had withdrawn from the market, I auditioned a CDX2 along with a number of other options at my dealer. The Naim put the rest to shame and I stupidly asked what else Naim did for comparison against my active Linn amp set-up. As a result, I have been enjoying my music on a 200/282 based system for the last 15 years!
Been with them for nearly thirty years, of the kit I bought from new - only one bit has needed going back.
I have a second hand piece that needed going back but I will not blame Naim for that.
I bought a Rega Aethos about this time last year, purchase price £3,000 - I like the sound -but was thinking about streaming, and a Naim ND5XS2 was within a whisker of being ordered last week.
The same dealer who sold me the Aethos mentioned an ex-demo Nova was available at a decent price.
I asked the trade in on the Aethos and they use a reputable third party 2nd hand dealer . The offer came back £1350 , a depreciation of about 55% in one year
Very shaken , a lot of thinking going on. A Nait XS3 and a change of speakers possibly beckons
I have been using Cyrus gear for 14 years and a couple of years ago I thought about trying Naim. After a visit to a couple of dealers, I decided to stay with Cyrus but in the process asked a few questions here. Some of the answers were useful. The Cyrus unofficial forum where I was an active member for many years has closed and you lot seem very active.
You’d get considerably more selling privately, on eBay or Pink Fish.
Some dealers are more flexible than others regarding trade-in, e.g. if they list the trade-ins themselves , rather than sell them to the trade.
It’s worth checking by phone with naim/Rega dealers in Essex, Hertfordshire and Suffolk, in my direct experience (I live in east Surrey, but I have found the extra effort of a few phone calls more than worthwhile - although ultimately wallet-draining 
).
I visited a HiFi shop called Audiorama in 1980. The owner made me hear a Linn / Naim / Spendor system and I was stunned - the ancient classical music LP she was playing was full of clics and pops but I was hearing MUSIC! I immediately knew that I would have a Naim system someday.
It took a while. I got my first CD 3.5 / Nait 3 system in 1995 and I’ve been a Naim owner ever since. I’ve heard other products that sounded as good as Naim, but I have yet to hear one that plays music like Naim. PRaT is part of the reason why I suspect, but it’s more than that.
Claude
I picked up a hi fi magazine in the very early 80s and saw the ‘I’m sorry I didn’t catch your Naim’ advert. I was a teenager at the time who was mad keen on music and hi fi, but with no money, so the Naim brand was lodged in my mind for another time. Fast forward to 1993 and I had a reasonable Arcam / Exposure hi fi, which was stolen in a burglary. When the insurance claim was paid out, I visited my local hi fi store in Northampton - Listen Inn. They let me listen to a basic Olive NAC92/NAP90/CD3 and I was hooked. Very musical, loads of energy etc. I’ve never looked back. I have steadily upgraded over the last 28 years and now have a ND555,552,300. For me, Naim just recreates music…
‘‘La sorcière’’ at Audiorama was very convincing 
She used to skillfully demonstrate the hidden/unknown sound qualities of Spendor S100s with Exposure electronics!
Almost identical story, Arcam stolen in first burglary , replaced with a Nait 3, CD 3 and NAT 03, they were stolen in subsequent burglary. After the first burglary, I put on window locks, they removed the window .
Replaced on like for like, moved , still have CD3 in box and NAT 03 in rack, today may be the day when I return to Naim amplification - my dealer is lending me an ex-demo Nova
Fingers crossed
How terrible, was this a long time ago? I dont hear of HiFi or TV thefts anymore - back in 70-80’s it was quiet common
Love my Nova and I hope you love the one coming to you but didn’t you find that an SN3 wasn’t able to drive your Harbeths properly?
Yes, I still want to simplify the box count- it’s a question of a new ND5XS2 or the Nova , this time I can hear at home .
Hopefully I will be impressed.
Giving thought to moving the Harbeths on and moving sideways to some sort of small speaker, easy to drive , I want very much to return to Naim