The Naim New Classic range - Part 1

But its a shame that the ‘universal’ power supply costs three times as much as a Hi-Cap. The entry price to external supplies for a pre-amp will be £5700 rather than about £1700!

Bit it won’t be fewer boxes, just fewer types of boxes. Now if Naim had made the NPX300 be able to power a streamer and a pre-amp simultaneously that would be a proper box reduction.

I understand that, I’m responding to the claims that better SQ requires separate boxes for isolation.

That’s pretty much been the basis of any Naim portfolio all along, namely that improvements in performance can only come from putting space and enclosures between power source and electronics being powered.
What hasn’t happened yet is a scaled down version of what was done with Statement where the power source and electronics are in one box, a vertical New Classic 500 Series perhaps.
There are other likely HiCap like options awaiting to emerge also one could speculate.
I’m sure post Munich (High End) we’ll all have even more boxes to debate and lack funds to afford anyway.

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I owned a NDX2 and Supernait 3 and replaced it with a 222/250 in early March. Frankly, there is no comparison.

My previous system was a ND555/555/552/300DR and although the new classic isn’t quite at that level, it is MUCH closer than even I was expecting (and I’ve been in the industry for nearly forty years, most of which was at Linn and more recently, Dynaudio). In fact, there are elements of the system performance that are actually better.

I’ve been following this thread with much amusement over the past few months and simply cannot understand some of the negativity regarding pricing that seems to come up from time to time.

In terms of pure musicality, this new classic is exceptional. Both in absolute performance and in value for money.

I bought the 300 supply last week and then used my system, including Fraim, at the Signals show this weekend with our Confidence 30’s.

I REALLY don’t want to hear the 300 series when that’s eventually launched. If the 200 system is this good, the 300 level system is going to be something very special indeed.

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If it’s the same system as the one referred to in the post below, then by at least one other account it was sounding pretty decent:

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You did a very special set up in that room……with nice music and anecdotes…appreciated.

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It was… thank you for noticing that…

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That’s very kind, Gazza.

It’s not really work though, is it? :blush:

I got to hear a lot of new music as well… One of the nice things about events like the Signals Show is that all the visitors are on a ‘day out’ and, rather than having a carefully curated playlist and play it ‘safe’, it’s far more interesting for everyone if you have a system you are totally confident in and to be able to play anything anyone asked for.

There was some really nice suggestions and I have a few more albums on my ‘must buy’ list.

We may be in the industry, but we get every bit as excited about making a good sound or hearing some really good music as our customers.

It was a really enjoyable couple of days… :blush:

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Bear in mind that you don’t need to buy the power supply. It’s entirely optional.

I did not ask for this to be played……as the music flow was so good. But well worth a listen at £3.99 on Qobuz sublime.

The Neil Young live album was very real, there in-the person👍

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Ah, I met you on the Friday and I must say to me your room sounded the best at the show and at a fraction of the price of some other systems exhibited. Your enthusiasm for the new Naim 200 system was rather infectious.

The ease with which the new 250 drove those rather large Dynaudio Confidence 30s was very impressive.

Do you still have the Confidence 50s at home?

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That’s true, but when I attended a 222/250 demo, I found that the addition of the NPX300 made a massive improvement in the sound.

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Yep, me too, unfortunately. But at least you can start with a 222/250 and you won’t notice anything missing, until you add the 300, of course.

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In which case, £5,700 would be a bargain. I’m not sure a Hicap ever made a ‘massive’ improvement to anything.

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Thanks, Gazza.

I’m in Denmark this coming week and my system is still at Signals, I’m picking it up next Saturday. I’ll certainly give this a listen when it’s back, home.

The Neil Young, Live at Massey Hall is a really great concert. I tend to put in on and listen to the whole thing - it’s such a nice recording it’s almost as if you can go back in time and be there…

His little asides as he introduces each song tends to add to the atmosphere… particularly when introducing ’The Needle and the Damage Done’. You really do get to think about all the musicians and songwriters we never got to hear because of heroin or alcohol addiction…

You also get to see that he can be a grumpy so-and-so… He berated a photographer for taking photos during the songs, as he says, ‘out of time’ which was putting him off. Fair though… in an intimate venue, it is quite disruptive.

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I didn’t answer the other question, I’m slightly reluctant to keep adding stuff to a Naim forum, but yes.

I think I’ll pop back to ‘lurking’. I just wanted to add something to the new classic thread now I’ve had some time with it.

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It did. It was a miraculous improvement in my SuperNait 1. The SN1 is a bit rough, but with a HiCap it gets much more refined. Very similar to the SN2 actually.

Nigel, please don’t ask Livingstone re. Dynaudio speakers as forum rules will not allow him to respond. Thanks.

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Apologies to you and @Livingston.

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