New Naim & Focal what?

there will be plenty of dealer road shows in january as i understand so we can see/ hear what the hype is about

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I think many people would agree with you.

I may be a minority. To me, music is an emotional experience and that is something where hearing isn’t the only sense in use during a session. The room I’m in, how that makes me feel, together with the gear and what it feels like to use as all, to me, parts of a whole that make up the listening session.

I know some people take the opposite to extremes and have dedicated sparse looking almost studio-like rooms. I feel the need to create a sort of overall experience based around a comfortable room (visually as well as physically) and the hi-fi can be neutral but not brutal or ugly. Ideally it would give me the warm and fuzzies to interact with. When all my senses are at ease, I’m most receptive to enjoying music.

That said, there may be some cries of “hypocrite” in a few months when I finally finish the move and post a system pic for this year. Mrs. FZ (not me) opted for something pretty extreme on the industrial utilitarian scale for the living room (a lot of dark grey and black walls). How homely I can make that feel and therefore, how much the look of the hifi will matter is currently an open question. :scream:

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I am looking forward to the new developments what ever they might be, more than that I don’t think I will ever be minded to sell my 252/300DR

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I guess you could still wait a bit, yours are still better

You’re not immune to marketing if you’re on this forum - the raison d’être of this site is to market Naim. It works brilliantly, so full kudos to Naim.

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To provide a counter view - the existing classic range looks very dated to me. Wouldn’t put me off a purchase, but doesn’t draw me in like some other brands.

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May I ask, what other brands do you refere to?

Ah - well, I have never understood the spartan/industrial look of a room. I like it nice and comfortable, with interesting things in - at least, for the sitting room. My HiFi room is, perhaps, a little spartan - a couple of book cases, the hifi equipment furniture (American walnut solid wood construction), settee and that’s about it apart from some clutter. But then, I usually listen with the lights out, so the room’s looks are not particularly important.

Does it need to be new? There are offers for the 500 sets for 1/2 to even 1/3 of new prices sometimes. With all the price rises in the last years the 500 series became quite unreachable.

It is quite exciting to see where all this is going. I will await the final reveal tomorrow to comment on the design, as everything we have seen so far may or may not be what it is supposed to be.

As for the current classic line, it is probably one of the most timeless designs i have ever seen in any hi-fi component. It may be quite boring and uninteresting to many, but the newer uniti style design strives to look very modern which at the same time makes them look dated much more quickly.

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Sure - as examples, I personally like the look of the newer systems from Naim (unit series), Auralic and Linn. Beauty is of course in the eye of the beholder.

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One thing is for sure - this announcement of an announcement has created a very busy thread (so presumably a lot of interest). I keep seeing a notification that someone - sometimes 2 or 3 - people are replying. I have never seen that before on any thread.

I will happily mix new with old. I did so back in the past with CB and Olive.
Whether I will soon buy anything or not, depends on what is released tomorrow.

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Hopefully they don’t become just furniture only

I don’t mind what I’ve seen as preliminary looks of the new models, in fact I think I might like them. But to make me consider part with my cash vs what I have, the new streamers would need to cost around what NDX2 is at present and significantly outperform it - say near or at ND555 level? Not sure that’s in the books … well, may be unless it would come as a not entirely predicted hit like the Atom HE was?

I think that the triptych design was/is superb. It is elegant, simple, balanced and facilitates the grouping of controls/displays in a pleasing fashion. and it looks tactile.

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Sure, I am going to evaluate. The previous owner of my DSM has just made me an offer after Linns latest price hikes on Organik - the DSM/3 is almost half a million Swedish bucks now. And the 272/300 was the most likeable system I’ve owned, we’ll see what shows up tomorrow or when it happens.

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Yep, I agree with that, but then I’ve never been a fan of the green livery.

OK , there I’ve said it and realise I now have to accept permanent banishment from the forum.

Roger

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Burn the Heretic!

:rofl: