@110dB - Have there been any updates on the new counterweight production? Thank for your reply 
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Last meaningful update - from April -
That’s a lot of days ago… 
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Approval from “the board” to make a $10 part😌
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A shortage of … JFDI…?
Doing The Right Thing - in this case would be to just make 500 off - seems to be very difficult… 
At this point, many Solstice owners may have reached end of life status for the supplied cartridge. Having an opportunity to try an alternative cartridge seems like a reasonable request. I cannot understand why Naim would be dragging their feet on this simple request. It’s all very disappointing …
Support your market Naim-do the right thing.
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Bet it turns into a $100 part. 
The counterweight and other issues with the Solstice are a shame because it’s a fine sounding deck with in the ARO2 an arm that should, by rights, accommodate the best of cartridges. Would this situation have arisen during PS’s tenure? I think not!
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How many are concerned ? 500 solstice built, maybe 400 sold, and most uses it as a stock kit.
So maybe 50 persons in the world ?
Why not buy another heavier or lighter counterweight from another brands? Wouldn’t they fit ?
I bet $300. Twenty years ago I paid either $125 or $150, can’t remember which, for an original ARO heavy counterweight.
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Cohen1263
Exactly. The Solstice is so fantastic in so many ways…great sound, great value for money, an improved Aro…that it failed in such an obvious way with regard to cartridge compatibility is just shocking to me.
I love Naim, i think they have been masterful in developing the company and its products over all these decades, but this situation just leaves me scratching my head. And i don’t think it would have happened under previous leadership.
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I wonder if a call to Clearaudio might bring joy.
Maybe a standard fitting in their world.
Certainly not a retro fit part elsewhere.
I think the majority of Solstice owners who comes to end-of-life on the OEM cartridge and want a replacement will wish they had an alternate CW, and it’s proprietary, so 3rd party doesn’t seem to be an option.
Naim should do the right thing by making 500 and sending them out to every customer free of charge. This whole thing leaves me SMH. My tonearm came with three counterweights for the exact reason of allowing flexibility in choice of cartridges.
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I’ll bet Clearaudio is going to refer customers back to Naim on anything Solstice related. It’s not their product, and Solstice customers are not their problem.
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Unfortunately, the rear stub of the Aro2 has a ball bearing component which mates with the machined groove inside the counter weight. This configuration makes fitting an aftermarket weight near impossible. Another design aspect which Naim included which complicates matters for owners.
@Skeptikal - I would gladly pay the $100 for an alternative counter weight.
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If Naim decide not to proceed with the alternative counter weight i would hope they would release the details of their work on the alternative such that others could get it done?
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Absolutely, and I recall writing the same some months ago. It can’t be hard to make a few counterweights and the fact Naim have been fannying around for so long is frankly pathetic.
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It’s a raw deal that one invests in a special product only to find it’s useless when the stylus wears out.
I’d be raging. 
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I don’t think Naim actually machine such items.
Bit like Linn don’t do any woodwork. 
If it’s a like for like replacement cartridge then it won’t be “useless” Skep.
Any alternative counterweight to stock with have to be fabricated with the same knurled centre to work with the spring bearing. The thing is just badly conceived
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I wouldn’t count on indefinite availability for the OEM cartridge. I’ll bet a dollar to a donut Naim contracted for a specific number of the cartridges, they have all of them and Clearaudio isn’t making them otherwise.
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