Maybe if all these obsessive-compulsive types stopped wanting to service their gear before it really needs it . . . there would be more parts for people whose gear is actually broken!
(ok yes being a little sarcastic)
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I came to Naim very late in my Audio Life. I had Spectral, Ayre and Linn. All of which gave up supporting products after a period of time Even Rega, who has a lifetime warranty, would no longer support my Saturn CDP Circumstances change and I accept that.
When first auditioning Naim, I was attracted to its SQ, PRAT and overall presentation. it just made music. Other important things were ease of operation, an upgrade path and an âeco-systemâ
If dr canât be serviced, i say if, then to maintain a good performance from the 555 ps, i am thining of converting to non dr with new caps
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Did anyone say DR canât be serviced long term? Sources say the have shortage of capacitors of some sort. I would assume that is rather temporary. On service they are not swapping DR modules. Service is mostly capacitors of different sort. On DR modules there are some tantalum caps which normally is replaced on service.
This is DR.
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Maybe you are right in a certain way. But if we learn in some days or weeks that dr service is finished, then , personnaly i will press myself to sell my Nds and 555 dr quickly. More i will wait, more i will loose .
And donât forget the steps : a lot of products discontinued ( Superline, supercap, hicap dr, xps dr, SN3) , then no service for Superline anymore, for Nds anymore.
Letâs stay positive, but âŚ..
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So non dr have different caps?
This current âcrisisâ is almost about the availability of components from naimâs supply chain.
There are plenty of strategies when it comes to spares availability/obsolescence. To simply stop providing the service is one, but comes with consequences for loyal customers. Equivalent components are certainly up there as a good way to go, ensuring that these equivalent components match when it comes to âfit, form, and function.â However, this process from a different supplier takes R&D resources. Any business will need to weigh up the costs/benefits of performing this function. Naim will already have been around this loop a number of times, especially with CD mechanisms, so they should be well-practiced in what steps to take.
It is ironic that there appears to be a component shortfall in an item designed to be made from discrete components; something youâd think the original design took into consideration.
Actually there have been a number of occasions where Naim have had to do big R&D projects to find suitable replacement components for older and discontinued kit - reservoir caps being the usual issue whenever Naimâs preferred maker at the time has ceased to do business. Caps are a problem because they canât sit on the shelf for too long, so making a lifetime buy is not really a sensible strategy.
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I have heard back from Naim. In short, and as I suspected, itâs just a temporary measure while Naim work on getting DR capacitor supplies back on track.
From Naimâs Tech support department:
At present, this is a temporary parts availability issue, specifically relating to capacitors required during routine servicing of certain DR products. It is not a decision to end support for DR products, nor does it mean that DR-equipped units have become unserviceable.
The current guidance from Naim is that routine servicing of affected DR products is temporarily paused whilst awaiting delivery of the required components. Supply Chain is actively working to resolve the shortage, and an update is expected once parts availability becomes clearer.
For NAP 500 DR owners specifically, itâs worth noting that the head unit has long been treated differently from other products due to its construction. The NAP 500 DR head unit is not routinely serviced and instead receives targeted repairs if required. The separate power supply remains serviceable and should continue to be maintained according to the recommended service interval.
Importantly, there has been no announcement that servicing of DR products has been permanently discontinued. The current pause relates to component availability only. While itâs understandable that owners may be concerned, particularly given wider industry supply chain challenges and the discontinuation of some legacy products, there is currently no indication that Naim intends to abandon support for DR technology.
As always, if a unit develops a fault, targeted repair options remain available where applicable. For routine servicing requests, dealers and customers are advised to check back once further information on parts availability has been communicated.
We appreciate everyoneâs patience while this temporary supply issue is resolved.
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The lead time from many component manufacturers is in excess of six months, so temporary shortages can happen due to demand. Normal service will be resumed soon..
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Thank you for the reply, Richard and Tech Support. My initial enquiry was about the service of my NAP500DR and PS500. This is the first time Iâve sought to have them serviced, but I am surprised by the information about DR head units not being routinely serviced. Is this something that the retail network should be aware of?
Given that the PS500 doesnât contain âconventionalâ DR regulators, does that mean I should proceed to have that serviced in isolation and that this can be done now?
I assume I should direct this question to my Naim retailer.
Yes, I think itâs a discussion best done between your dealer and Naim service. My understanding with the NAP500 head unit is that service is down to assessed need so any unnecessary opening up of the various bits of casework is avoided (helps keep the cost down too I imagine as the labour cost then increases dramatically). The PS contains the big caps which perhaps the most critical things to change.
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Not wishing to make you life more difficult Richard but this seems very wishy washy phraseology.
No announcement, currently no indication it actually sounds very like AI generated prose to me.
I suppose itâs just wishing not to leave hostages to fortune as undoubtedly in a sale situation everything is most likely being looked at by the new owners.
.sjb
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Thank you Darran, Iâll hold back on the SupercapDR for a bit then.
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SJB, I think the intention here from support is more to address and scotch any unhelpful and possibly misleading speculation, as posted earlier on this thread.
Bottom line; itâs a temporary shortage of a specific capacitor (something that likely cannot be bought too far ahead in bulk), so a temporary suspension of servicing for DR is a sensible decision to take, otherwise you just get lots of kit at the factory awaiting service and annoyed customers wondering why itâs taking so long, while Naim await the arrival of new stocks of parts.
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I agree with your assessment. And almost certainly the text will have been â tunedâ in an AI engine prior to hitting send to Richard.
The next question is when do naim seeing this temporary issue being permanently fixed?
No surprise, a supply chain issue over what is likely a 1p item. Naim are likely not to be this suppliers biggest customer and hence are a long way down the suppliers â valued customerâ list. Options do exist, but one supply chain professionals hate to do- pay more. Try not to be a hostage to your suppliers.
Itâs the other way around: AI is trained based on Richardâs impeccable responses.
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As long as AI, thus trained, doesnât replace Richard! 
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What realistically is the right service period for Naim Classic? Thinking ND555 and its DRâed 555PS