No agreed, but then that’s what makes the SN1 worthwhile, in the after support but how long does that continue.
I’m going to stop as I’m not Naim bashing, I’ve got a CDX2.2 and a SN3 and HCDR 2 and owned stuff previously and love it and have always recommended it.
But when I bought them Naim was a different company and would I judge their products with the same reverence now, no, there is a clear difference.
Now Naim are just the same as the rest, possibly way behind on software if that is your thing but it is an increasingly important part of securing new customers.
Yep I have 6 classic boxes too but none are currently in production. It does not matter it does not effect the sound and they are supported for servicing and repair as required.
I guess it is not suprising as I am a buyer of used Naim equipment mostly.
For people who have SN3s it should not be an issue either likewise they can be serviced or repaired. We shall see what happens but I doubt the used value of them will be poorly effected by the announcement and if there is a long gap before a replacement model is available the values may rise. It was a good bit of kit yesterday, still is and will be in the future.
I may be over-reading things but the tenor of the email together with @Richard.Dane’s comment that the SN3 is a good seller is that the decision to cease production was taken because of supply issues and perhaps with reluctance. IMO it does leave a gap in the range at what was a popular rung on the upgrade ladder.
Over the past decade, Naim have of course released many new products. But one thing is consistent: when they have ceased a product category, it has never had a replacent , with the sole exception of the 272 that was replaced by the 222 after a years long gap.
We’ve lost:
500 CD players
Classic CD players
Tuners
Crossovers
slimline preamps
Slimline power amps
Flatcap power supplies
HiCap power supplies
Speakers!!
AV processors
DACs
All of the above product categories never to be seen again.
And we see a shift towards hitting price points with a Naim badge instead with blended Uniti products. The problem being that people don’t shop for hifi at just brand and pricepoint but also product type. If someone wants to spend 7K on a system they might want separates, not a Nova. They might want an NDX and Supernait, not a 222 and 250.
It’s true fhat the Supernait and Core might be replaced like the 272 eventually was. But history isn’t indicating a favourable outcome.
Maybe it is a simple matter of math. A new production facility takes over manufacturing and finds certain units that are not profitable enough to maintain and manufacture. Possibly, the XS2 does all that is required for small stand-mount speakers. We will wait and see.
Warm regards,
Mitch in Regional Oz. Still saving for my ND5XS2 and have the telescope on the market for sale.
Yesno. Others are making brilliant products in categories and price ranges that Naim no longer provide.
If you have it in your mind you want an integrated at the price of the SN3, there is plenty to choose from.
Ultimately, other than for people with OCD that simply must have a Naim badge, the culling of the range further hurts the consumer not at all. We have plenty of options. It only really hurts Naim if they let people wander elsewhere and grow into happy customers of another brand.
Yeah, me too. I had a Linn Unidisk 1.1 with the upgraded PS and they pulled all service on their CD players. A 16k cad piece of kit, thank God I bought it pre-owned but still not cheap. The lasers were famous for dying, so I moved it on. Still a took a big hit tho.
But jeez mon, did it ever sound good. An incredible CDP.
People have Naim gear because of the PraT yes but also because the technology used in construction meant it was a long term investment because of through hole board technology the repair and service plan was ideal.
Now it’s a new generation of surface mount electronics that at best can only be replaced if a fault transpires so support wise it isn’t service it’s modular replacement at best.
So much tech now is dependant on a limited number of components so let’s hope these companies don’t hang themselves by building in obsolescence.
It’s happened before.
Depends. Surface mount manual soldering is certainly a more time consuming and expensive skill. I do a lot of servicing and repairs of old computers and collector item electronics. Most of the soldering I do is surface mount. It certainly adds time to a job but it’s not impossible.
After I’d been doing it for a few years, you’d never know the replacement parts weren’t soldered on by a machine.
I do agree with you though. They probably won’t offer repairs on SMC failures.
