where did you see that?
I see they are still in the catalogue so I assume Elna RJH are still available?
SC DR
Loading varied with cartridge.
100Ω with Transfiguration Proteus or SPU Century.
220Ω With SPU Royal N
470Ω With Denon 103 or DV17D3
I’ve tried 470pF and 1nF plugs at various times but I don’t think they affected the motorboating much.
The higher resistance loadings seemed a bit better than the lower ones. Not connecting a ground wire from the arm was most effective.
If the Zodal network is degrading the superline then my preference for a SUT into the stageline N on the Century might be a bit less surprising. I presume they don’t install a jumper to defeat it and it took the nearly three months to install.
Thanks Yeti,
That’s interesting because Capacitance plug stops the noise straight away in my case.
I think we tried disconnecting the earth wire but did not do much. 
So what is your next step? Give up ? 
My first call would be to AVOptions in the US. Chris West has rebuilt several of my Naim pieces thanks to lightning damage. He did his best work on my Superline. It is now better than new thanks to AVOptions and Chris West. Tell him I sent you.
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Welcome to the disposable society. I understand the reasoning for the CD555 (lack of optical drive availability) but not the electronic components. One of the most compelling reasons to invest in Naim gear has just gone gone out the window (talk about throwing the baby out with the bathwater)!
I’m so glad I got my 252/SC/250 serviced and DR’d in 2022 - it should outlast me now!
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Yes. He’s been terrific. He’s the one who recapped my Sueperline last year. I am surprised that even Darren at Class A does not want to touch this. 
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What do you use for a phono?
Chris is the man. My equipment has always come back from him better than new. My 140 is booked next. I don’t know what we’ll do when he retires. Superline rebuild is still listed as available on his site.
Things were simpler when I only ran one deck, arm, cartridge and phonostage. None of the combinations are clear winners, there’s always something to miss but that seems to matter less when I only use one setup for a week or more. I do still have a few things to try out of curiosity but I could easily settle on one of several setups.
Thanks for the replies. If I have understood correctly, the PCB is congested and makes desoldering a challenging process, which can lead to requiring a new PCB, most likely populated with new components.
This must be an original design flaw. Part of a design is the ability to maintain the design. Otherwise, your maintenance strategy is simply one of like-for-like replacement. Clearly, this is not a new issue, but something Naim must be seeing more of since Superlines have hit their service interval.
So, what is Naim’s service advice for Superline now? Run until failure and return to Naim to fix the specific fault?
Superline is an expensive item, loved by many who own it, but as of yesterday, it is obsolete, killed by a design that could not tolerate being maintained.
I started this thread wanting help with making a decision and have turned into Morrissey - “I want the one I can’t have, and it’s driving me mad…”
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Not disposable as Naim have said they will continue to repair.
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A rather unfortunate development so all the best with your dilemma.
Just checked the serial # of my Superline and it is likely one of the early ones, bought ex-dem.
Just to say it sounds a cracking phono stage powered by a ScapDR; honesty don’t know if it has ever been serviced.
Shame but that’s how it is guys.
The next question i would be asking is, mine has stopped working, when it goes back to naim to hopefully fix. Do you just fix it, as in say change the one cap that has gone or change the complete board for a new one?
Also is the fix a set price or depends on whether just a cap get changed or say the complete board.
Knowing the answers to above might bring peace to owners or maybe make it worse, but whatever it is i guess they would like to find out.
But this new info has probably just killed the resale valve as i myself wouldn’t buy one now unless it was extremely cheap, like £200 max.
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Question or perhaps guidance from @Richard.Dane and @NeilS on how best to prolong the life of a Superline powered by a separate PS, most likely a SCap in some form.
IIUC the general advice is to leave OC kit powered on, unless away for an extended period or weather disturbances are forecast. I appreciate it will be only be a guide. What’s best with Superline, given that for some of us, vinyl is not the sole source.
So perhaps to make the response easier, three scenarios.
Used daily - likely leave powered on?
Used 2 or 3 times a week - what then?
Used weekly or less frequently - power off until maybe one hour before?
Appreciate any thoughts, thanks
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I don’t know S-H. I’d have to defer to Naim here, and as a Superline owner myself which is used more than any other source, I’m interested to know…
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Absolutely killed the value. What is an early superline now worth, given that it is past the usual service interval and incapable of being serviced? I appreciate that it might not need a service as quickly a PS or amp might, but it will get to that point in the end and thereafter just keep getting worse.
Bugger all I would have thought. I am very glad indeed I moved mine on. Not impressive.
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That’s possibly part of the problem here. Their service and repair costs are fixed price, in bands. Maybe the service cost was always going to exceed their fixed price for Band 5 (which I think is the band for the Superline). At least with repair there is a chance that the cost would be containable if they’re not forced to desolder and replace all those capacitors.
Anyway, I assume the move to fixed price for repairs a year or so back still applies here, that no special Superline repair rate applies, which was £399 (same as the service cost) in 2022, can’t find a more up to date list.
There was a combined service and repair price, of £679 (again, 2022 pricing) I wonder if Superline owners would be willing to pay that price if it meant Naim would still take the work on?
Edit: £679 probably pales vs the cartridge replacement costs most SLs are paired with, which would likely be incurred more often
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Naim set the price to dealers for a Superline fixed-price service at £399. That assumes this covers all their costs, plus some margin for business and dealer profit.
A phono stage is just another preamp, without the potentiometers, etc. Just a collection of passive electronics and a PCB (yes, I have perhaps oversimplified). Its service requirements (to avoid failure and maintain the original design intent) are similar, if not the same, as a NAC. Which, as we know, has a 12 to 15-year interval.
This means that once a Superline reaches 12 to 15 years, it has degraded to a point that requires service. There are a lot of assumptions in these statements!
So, what is now Naim’s service advice for a £3000/500 series item? It sounds like “run to failure, return it when it does, and we will repair the fault. But we are unable to prevent failure/restore the design by undertaking a service.”
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If £679 is an option then tell me. Let me make a choice/ take the risk. £399 if it goes to plan, £679 if it doesnt.
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The damage arising from the inflexibility of service and repair pricing, and its effect on corporate reputation, could well end up being more than the previous costs of maintaining a flexible approach. I get the feeling most Superline owners would rather have the option to pay an increased cost here. Serviceability would be high up on lots of people’s reasons to buy Naim I suspect
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