The dealers and recent customers will not be happy…….a cliff edge that was not seen and given a heads up?
When people have 0 info the web just seems to demand bullshit.
Worse than a discontinued item.
Claus
Naim will need to be clear quite quickly on their plans and timelines for an SN3 replacement or potential buyers will pivot to the obvious alternatives (Rega Aethos etc)
Why? Will the SN3 suddenly stop working or sound poor?
Sat here listening to my ND5XS2 SN1/HC SCM19 and still loving it. My SN3 / SCM11 also has pride of place in the next room. Can’t wait to see what else is on the horizon. They all boogie
Work it out……
Did you buy your HiFi as ‘an investment’ or to listen to music.
This is simply untrue. ![]()
They absolutely can repair them. It’s routine servicing that has been ended - for sound reasons which have been fully explained.
But they no longer do work to prevent failure and mitigate performance degredation. These items are now run to failure.
Interestingly my SN3 recently had a trip to Montreal for repair turned out to have a faulty relay on the left channel. Naim replaced/repaired and there was no charge (despite the item being almost 5 years old). I was very impressed with that, although I obviously would have preferred not to have had the fault in the first place.
I used to have a Cd5si but I didn’t keep that for too long and just switched to streaming (and using an SSD) as that one also had a fault that had to be repaired under warranty and I was concerned about replacement for the mechanisms. While again, I was happy with the repair, it would have been preferable not to have the fault in the first place.
While the SN3 was away, I did start to idly look at replacement options and I have to say I was looking away from Naim. Living in Canada, Naim products come with a hefty mark up in prices over what is charged in the UK. There is lots of competition at those prices, which let’s be honest, are premium prices.
At the end of the day, I think Naim’s option to retain their existing stock of affected components for possible repairs is more commendable than manufacturing product that then can’t be supported.
That is not entirely the case. The NDS and Superline are end-of-interval/preventative servicing. Naim are still be able to repair them should the need arise.
Yes, but perhaps gets in the way of a drama!!!
No they won’t, but certainly part of buying Naim was the long term commitment from the company to the product and indeed the second hand value because of this.
If Naim no longer offer a differentiator with regard to this then they become the same as the rest and premiums, both on the initial purchase and indeed the second hand (or in naim speak “pre loved”) becomes worthless.
I’ve got a SN3, have owned it since it came out and it’s great, but this, and a combination of other issues with commitment and quality to products means Naim are just the same as others now, and that’s a shame.
All other SN’s had a succession in place, planned, this occurred, big difference.
Still sounds great and I hope that continues.
I may have missed it, but the announcement is that a model is no longer being continued. Pretty sure that has happened before.
Have they announced no more support for SN3? If so, can someone share?
Point taken and I absolutely get that many people buy Naim for the long-term viability and support and are prepared to pay a premium for this, but given that Naim are apparently safeguarding parts for future servicing/repairs to an extent, should that not provide some mitigation?
As I recall, SN1 had a SN2 announced , SN2 was replaced by a SN3 , difference is the there is no Sn4 before SN3 is no more, it’s pretty simple.
One points to a company in control of its succession and product planning , the other one that can’t supply.
It’s fine, no tears, just facts, but that combined with an inability to release software that doesn’t compromise sound quality when that’s why you pay a premium for sound quality gives concern.
Or not.
Will I invest more money in Naim going forward ?
No, not likely, but do I hope my SN3 keeps running forever, yes, absolutely, I love it.
It does, to an extent. It’s not Naim bashing, just that the lack of succession planning means that is a clear difference with the past with the SN.
I can see the SN3 possibly being replaced by a new integrated (people have seemingly endlessly requested one!). But the Core is more of a question. To me it was a missed opportunity - it promised so much, and when first announced I saw it as a Naim product for me - but people’s experiences suggested it was not as good as it could have been, made worse by its quirky approach to file saving. It could have been a Melco or Innuos beater, but it seemed not, and it seems never to have gained popularity, so maybe best just end it. But there is the question: if it does end, will it be replaced by a Melco/Innuos beater, or just disappear???
It’ll be the latter I would predict given the tide
Maybe that’s correct. Maybe not. But all seems guesswork and v much leaning towards the negative.
I’ve just had a SN1 serviced. No bother. I suspect naim are keen to keep supporting products where they can and understand the value it adds to their brand.
But again that’s guesswork.