For me the issue with this thread is that it is becoming ‘What do I think is great’ from Naim, but my reading of ‘pound for pound’ is that VFM is a significant part of the question.
VFM is much like beauty, in the eye of the beholder. I have no doubt that an owner of the Statement amps can make a good argument that they are VFM.
I am going to go more in the direction of a civilian’s view of VFM, not completely as that would rule out ALL of Naim’s gear .
For me I think that the equipment that most epitomised VFM for Naim was the 42/110. This gave a user a true taste of what was available through the Naim pathway. An excellent pairing.
Certainly as a secondhand buy, the NAC42/NAP110 is the epitome of classic Naim and still surprisingly capable considering how old it’s now over 40 years old.
On the same day, I listened to the NAC 52 into an NAP 90 with Mordaunt short MS10s and a 6-pack active Isobarik system with a 32-5 (with 72 boards inside) and a HICAP. Both systems had the same source (LP12/Ekos/Troika). I much preferred the system with the NAC52 and the more modest power amplification and speakers. The music just flowed so much better. The bigger, more expensive system sounded constricted and strained by comparison.
Of course, I would have liked to have heard what the NAC52 could do in the bigger system, but for practical reasons, that wasn’t possible.
I owned the Olive 62/Hi-Cap/140 from 1990 to 2004 and really I don’t think the sound has been much bettered by more expensive naim kit I have subsequently owned.
I still own a Nait 2 CB and that is very good as well, and yes, probably better value than the above mentioned 3 box system. A true stunner within its class
Fabulous product and design - I think there is scope for brining this back … with some optimized dr circuitry … this would be exciting…and would sell like hot cakes…
Would it really sell like hot cakes? Or just a few to some old people on a Forum who have fond memories of something they owned or wanted in their youth?
I think I agree here HH. I’m not sure if a new Nait shoebox amplifier (just an amplifier) would sell that well. Yes, there would be a lot of initial interest and some sales but at what price? (sterling). Rega seem to have this market at present.
I have recently ordered a new shoebox Nytech integrated amp at £2500. Quite a lot for a simple amplifier. An Atom looks so much sexier and does so much more. But SQ is all that matters to me. I’ll find out how it compares to the Nait2 by the end of the month when it is delivered but it appeals more to me as I don’t like all my eggs in one basket.
This is an interesting question. Naim has the Atom which in some ways sits in this space in the market now for factor wise. Would it make sense to offer a shoebox-sized box with some long the lines of the Atom amp circuitry without the digital bits, replacing it with a MM/MC stage? If Naim did this, then they would probably have to release a shoebox-sized streamer to match. Resulting in a 2 box system which then would likely end up competing for the same market segment as the Star or Nova. Would this add something to Naim’s range or not, I suppose is the pertinent question here?
There is a market for small compact good sounding amps … look at ps audio sprout as an example…the classic naim gear is big…and wide…not everybody wants that…
I don’t disagree, the small Naits are lovely, and I have my tuner to keep the link with the Olive range. But Naim change and boxes with big slabs of plastic seem, sadly, to be the way they are going.
A fair few watch manufacturers making, I assume, good sales from modern takes on old designs. I’m not sure it directly translates to stereo gear, as you can only have so many amps… right? X)
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