I guess there will always be someone out there who is prepared to pay these prices? Let’s see how it goes.
Everything is getting so expensive, i guess the disposal income is going to reduce and so all non essential good will suffer
Indeedy. You can charge whatever you like:whether people will purchase it/them at the higher prices is another matter entirely.
I had a big spend (by my standards)on my system in 2020, bought my RCM and Townshend Podiums in 2021, and got my ATC’s on IFC this year. That’s it for me, really, apart from a new chair for my room which is on order.
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All gear can be Used…
Same for me in 2004… mind you getting it all serviced was a big spend for me as well. Then again I’m becoming a stingy old bugger 
Price rises over the past couple of years has stretched the elastic band to snapping point I think the end is nigh
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Mine was an early retirement spend, although I am still doing my 3 days a week.If the ULEZ expansion in London goes ahead, next year, that will be my lot!
Mine too. Then again i was in my early forties in 2004. I think we have to stop somewhere. My main problem is that i could not justify higher than cds3+252+300 simply because i don’t have a sensible place setup to put it really, which i think if most people are honest about it, it will be the same for them. For the price of the 500 kit i would prefer to use the money elsewhere
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Not digging Naim out here, but calculate the (October 2022 )cost of a 552/500/555+2 power supplies, Kudos 808’s (plus stand and interconnects): it is a tidy sum.
No criticism implied of manufacturers and prospective customers and owners, but £100k plus…
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And the US prices will be even more non-competitive than they already are.
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Honestly, were Naim prices ever competitive? To me they have always been high and largely unaffordable for most people.
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As always in life, we make our own choices.
Some will still go with naim and others won’t.
But as said all prices are getting out off hand and can see most hifi manufacturers seeing a down turn in sales, with whats going on in the world and what we are heading into probably.
Firms like rega, that still make affordable gear, that offers great sound, items that are still cheap in the world of hifi are probably in a much happier place going forward right now. But again we wil see won’t we.
But this ever increasing prices we are selling by some manufacturers will certainly be stopping sales, as like i said before, there is no way i would be buying a new 500dr, 552dr or anything 500 at these new prices and then if this makes the secondhand prices higher, then once again things start to get difficult.
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Back in the mid 80’s they were expensive but no hi-end prices. But it was another era. No subscriptions, no expensive racks, no special cables, no switches or routers, no grundarrays or whatever they are called. Possibly a green pen for the CD:s or small coins under the legs of the Lack table.
So, yes we could save on a normal salary and buy. I bought my 32 and a 250 in 1985 I think and went olive with 135s some years later, and those same 135s are still alive here with a Linn Klimax DSM.
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Theoretically the higher prices will eventually translate to higher wages. But won’t be great for guys on fixed income.
well there’s always the secondary market…
Yes Jan. It was much different in those days. I should add to your list, no SMPS, much less RFI, acceptable to use oversized transformers in power supplies…… even so I took a loan to buy my NAC42N and NAP110 back in 1985, because I just finished my student days and started work, which I’m glad to say are now fully serviced and being enjoyed again in a second system after a long period (nearly 20 years) in storage. Even so there were the equipment racks coming out then as well.
In 1990 the NAC52/52PS cost £4250. The average salary then was what £9000 (As best I can find). The 252/Supercap costs £12500 and the average salary 2022 is about £24000. Surprisingly comparable if the 1990 average is accurate. Feels like the relative costs now are similar there’s just a lot more higher end stuff around right now. I think manufacturers like Naim still make the bulk of their money from their more modestly priced products. The rest helps build the Brand into more exotic areas.
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The secondary market shows that new prices overstate the value listeners place on the product lineup. Just saw a Solstice go for $12k and a 552 go for $10k. Many examples like that.
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Unless you are in the market for 52. £3-4k recently. Not bad if you ignore inflation.
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Yes indeed olive and CB gear holds up well.