Naim's first designs

If my memory is correct, Julian Vereker’s first amps were made for (or at least used by) London’s Capital Radio, and comprised the NAC12 preamp and NAP160 power amp. They were housed in fairly basic black ‘bolt down’ aluminium cases. Wasn’t there also an early monster power amp called (confusingly) the NAP300? And the improved NAC12S preamp came along shortly afterwards.

Is my memory correct and could some kind soul post photos of these early marvels, please? In my mind, they looked pretty much like kit designs, and I remember being astonished by their looks (and high prices) when I saw them in the window of the original Russ Andrews Hifi shop in Edinburgh as a schoolboy.

I imagine that these amps are highly sought after these days and may sell for silly prices. Some are probably still being used to make lovely music today.

Have a look here Graham -

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Naim Audio - Complete Product History

AFAIK, the letter sometimes used after an NAC designates the Phono boards (originally) fitted.

So a 42N - is a 42 with N boards; a 32S - is a 32 with S boards; and so on.

Be Agreeable

Thank you, James, that is exactly as I remember it, very brutal styling.

Incidentally, is the reference to NAB300 a typo (for NAP300), or was that what it was called?

Pictures of other very early Naim stuff greatly appreciated, please.

On a related topic, there was a lovely ‘coffee table’ style book published about Quad products over 10 years ago. The market would seem right for a similar book about Naim products. Does anyone know of anything similar planned for Naim?

NAB300 is correct, AFAIK.

NAB300

That’s interesting, do you know why it had that abbreviation?

By which I mean that the ‘NAC’ and ‘NAP’ designations stand for ‘Naim Audio Control’ and ‘Naim Audio Power’ respectively. So I can’t think what NAB would mean, unless it was a ‘balanced’ design.

Maybe B for Brute or Big

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@Richard.Dane - ?

Broadcast maybe…? Balanced input, possible…
Bloody Big… :crazy_face:

(In the Thread already linked, there are pictures of several NAB300’s, which show clear obvious physical differences between them.)

No it appears indeed to be 'balanced" (see Richard Dane’s post referenced above).

It actually makes me think that the NBL loudspeaker should have been termed FBL, with the ‘F’ standing for a (usually) pleasurable bedroom activity.

Oh, what fun we’re having!

FBL was the alternative for the DBL. Much larger.

Size isn’t everything, HH. Technique counts for a lot (or so I’ve been told).

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