The Naim New Classic range - Part 1

You can’t - I drive an Merc :stuck_out_tongue:

Is it also possible to connect a SuperNait 3 to the new NAP 250?

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I really need to understand what will be the solution for the naim customer who wants to rely on a line level preamp and enjoy his vinyl collection

:rofl:

Does NSC 222 allow for USB audio input from say a Home Theatre PC?

What is the upgrade path for a Supernait 3/HCDR owner like me?

  1. Buy a previously loved 282/250DR for less, thanks to New Classic.
  2. Sell my SN3/HCDR for pennies on the dollar because it is now “old” and buy a much more expensive New Classic Supernait 4? Plus NPX 300? And the latter will probably cost more than the former? Or will the HCDR be replaced by a shoebox NPX 100 or 200?
  3. Add a NSC 222 to a Supernait 3? Possible? But the HCDR can no longer power a NSC 222?
  4. Add a New Classic NAP 250 to a Supernait 3? Possible or not?
  5. Throw in the towel and switch brands.

The lack of a clear product roadmap - while NAIM sits in this grey area between Classic and New Classic with a jungle full of new and old cables to connect the two generations - will only do loyal customers a disservice. I guess new customers will just jump onto NSC 222/NAP 250 but what if I can only afford a Supernait 3? Now my future upgrade path with NAIM is unclear, so why buy one?

I am sorry but this is a strategy mess. Better to have had a clean break. Out with ALL of the classic series, including the 5si/XS3/Supernait 3 and 500 series, onward with Mu-so, Qb, Uniti, Statement, and then debut New Classic separates AND integrated amps together at CES 2023.

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Surely you realise that a wholesale deletion of the established product range and launch of a completely new one would be commercial suicide?!
No manufacturer of high end products from any field, would ever contemplate such a strategy.

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Which is why the glorious XS range remains! :slight_smile:

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Naim almost managed such a feat back in 2002 when the Olive range was succeeded by the Classic range. Of course, the 5 series was current, and the NAP500 & 552. Olive kit also was being built alongside the Classic kit for a while. And some items arrived sooner than others, some being quite late arriving (252 and 300). It was quite something, but a different time, with far simpler equipment - very little need for complex software, or need for so many licenses and approvals. It would be pretty much impossible to do any such thing now.

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Arent the US prices out of whack? As an ndx2 owner (recent) im wondering if rhe streaming platform and dac of ndx2 will be supplanted by the nsc222.

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… And so the cable discussion starts… :popcorn:

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AFAIK the NDX2 remains in the range.

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There are DIN and RCA input connectors as well as the MM input, and if you’re using the Naim NVC TT phono stage you can power it from the DIN input.

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Out of curiosity, was there any particular reason for Naim to let go the previous NAP naming convention for the NC250, given its power output @4ohm? Technically it should be a NAP350 maybe or more if I am not mistaken. Is 250 maintained just for the sake of its status?

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speaking to a couple of friends and NAIM owners today, I refered to the NSC 222 as the New verison of the Porsche 911 - a classic which has stood the test of time and has been updated over the years, and trying to understand 911 - from 992, 991 gen 1&2 997 Gen 1 & 2 996 is about as complicated as it could be

for me and my system going forward, I have a visit planned to my dealer @Cymbiosis in due course, demo and pause - my classic 252/300DR is a delight that is never going to change, I play 90% vinyl on my LP12 and I have to say my NDX is no poor relation either

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Where i live NZ $15,000 for a Nap 250. Not so sure about that. Looking forward to reading user reviews.

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I will be keeping an eye on the pre loved market.

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So will I, but I am not sure this is going to impact the price of a preloved 500DR. :rofl:

If you had a clean break, then it reduces the number of Classic owners buying the new products. So instead of finding £5700 and doing it in incremental stages over the years, you would need to find £11,400 or 17,100 in one go which for me would be a non-starter. I think it’s a great strategy, and once you look at the Burndy Chart (see the Signals site), it makes perfect sense of what cable is required.

Why, as a company, would you want to reduce your market?

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Yeah, I totally get where you’re coming from with the Porsche analogy. I have promised Mrs Q one, but still have no idea which one :man_facepalming:t4:
As for the New Classic range, it makes perfect sense to me to drop my 202,HCDR,NAPSC for a NSC 222 now, as I was going to add a Streamer this year to my 100% analog system and would probably have gone ND5 XS 2. NSC makes more sense for future Amplifier/Speaker upgrades as well.

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The NAP 250DR being replaced did far more than 250W into 4 ohms too.

From memory it is stated at 80W into 8ohms, which means a theoretical 160W into 4 ohms, but it bench tested in one review I saw at 155W, and 180W into 2 ohm drops. So since naim quote model number at 4 ohms perhaps it was already a NAP310DR :smile:

250 is just an iconic number, in production since the early days.

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