Maybe an NSS 333 without screen is on the way (NDX2 vs ND5XS2) What was the price difference between NDX2 and ND5XS2 when it was hot cake?
In the U.S. I think it was about $3500 vs $7500, give or take a couple hundred, at the time I bought a NDX2 around 2020.
Yes, here it was €3000 vs €7000, which made adding the nDAC to the NDX5-XS2 so attractive.
It’s sort of a shame they never did a streamer transport only, even as a faceless half chassis box. I think that’s the only way I will go moving forward; i.e. separate streaming transport and DAC. My DAC has an ethernet input for UPnP/Roon support so for now I don’t need a streaming transport.
So I had an Atom and Tysons gave me £1200 in P/x against the £1799 ND5XS2. Based on what I’d paid for the Atom it was costing me £600 to upgrade. They then had Black Friday and dropped them to £1499 two weeks after I’d purchased. I informed them of this and they refunded me £300. Result and has performed flawlessly.
I heard the owner on a BBC R4 program. Seemed like a real enthusiast, including actually desiging/manufacturing developing British hi-fi. Got a great deal on a wood-finish Muso 2 from them 5 years ago to go with my new kitchen too.
NDX2 was a little more than twice the price of the ND5XS2 here in New Zealand.
Best retailer I’ve ever dealt with. Wood finish Muso must be a collectors item now surely.
Ok, so the price difference was about the same in the various markets, more than double the ND5-XS2.
It always struck me as a (too) large gap, the difference between the pairing amps XS3 and SN3 was smaller I believe.
They could have done a screenless NDX2 at somewhat less than double the price. But they didn’t obviously.
I think Naim are at a crossroads at the moment. The new classic stuff is nice, but doesn’t give me the feeling I used to get working up the ladder and getting better sound. 18 months ago I traded in my 252/300 system including Superline, NDac, XPS for a simpler setup and I love the sound and I think it has made me a better listener. My second system is Naim NDS into Supernait 1 and does sound good. When the NDS does get to end of life I’m not sure what I would get. The Unitinova isn’t too bad but when I loaned one for a demo 3 years ago I found the remote was a bit hit and miss and kept having problems with the App.
I’ll probably end up with a Linn Majik or similar for the replacement system 2. But would be so open if Naim were to develop and release a shoebox streamer and integrated.
Tim.
Love the idea of a shoe box size streamer ![]()
Plus one, here, for that possibility.
BW
R
We should ask Richard to ask the factory at what level of sales they’ll design and build a N50 matching shoebox streamer for us. Then we crowdfund it amongst ourselves.
Maybe set up a poll to see how many of us are interested.
FWIW, the finance guys at Naim would have included €5.917m of gross revenue in their 3 year business plan for the N50.
Figure margins at 50%, we would need to come up w €3m max. I would assume a steamer would be cheaper and easier to design, test, and build than a full fat amp, pre, headphone, phono all-in-one.
Funny I put a quality streamer in a small foot print and high quality requiring much more development and prototyping time than an amplifier… not least there would need to hardware, software and new EM footprint.
I don’t know but I’d be surprised if Naim do it… I just think a small foot print box will be too challenging for Naim audio standards… we could see a separate streamer and DAC, it would be easier to drive the SQ up.. but I can’t see it…
What, crowdfund a shoebox streamer to partner an amp that had to drop to £999 to sell properly? If you really want to lose money why don’t I send you my BACS details and you can send the amount you want to lose directly to me?
I think it dropped to that level at the end to clear old and ex demo stock… sure it was discounted, but I think you slightly overstate the situation…
Indeed - a bit tongue in cheek. But my point about losing money is well made - I can make my BACS details available to anyone interested ![]()
Naim already have the whole unity series - inc. Atom HE - and the NSS 222. I’m not sure yet another streaming device is top of the list of new products needed….
A decent integrated amp with remote OTOH…..
You’re looking at it all wrong.
You’re not losing money. You’re getting a streamer.
Just PM Richard.