I’m seeing a lot of manufactures, both hi-fi and mid-fi, coming out with a lot of retro styled integrated amps and it’s left me with the impression that the IA is experiencing yet another rebirth of sorts. Like it or not, NAIM fans, the market is - led by younger generations - moving towards simpler solutions, fewer box count, etc.
It gets me thinking about what may be coming next from NAIM.
The SN3 is already a cracking IA with stellar reviews and reputation. The addition of an HCDR elevates it still. What’s does an SN4 look like?
Maybe NAIM will also do a retro “olive” style amp as that seems to be “in” right now.
What does a Statement Supernait look like? Does it have to perform as good as a 252/300DR in one box for 100,000 USD to be a Statement product?
There have been some discussions of integrated amps on the forum in the past couple of years - might be worth a search. This recent thread I think was one such, albeit the thread wasn’t dedicated to that specific subject.
The Statement integrated is an interesting idea given the engineering approach Naim have taken with the S1/P1 amps. The power supply is in the same box as the head unit, albeit separated and isolated and there is a fair amount of real estate to play with in the ‘quiet’ top section. An S1 sized integrated would be nice, but then a 555 level integrated, albeit a conventional sized, two box head and PS, could be a more realistic proposition…
It looks like new digital products are on their way but I do wonder where this will leave the classic, pure analogue amplifier line up, especially with a big Birthday next year in Salisbury
Looking to Gryphon and Vitus and others i think Naim is already late to the changing market. New brands with one box amp solution like Rose and Alluxity. Alluxity is the brainchild of Alexander Vitus Mogensen, the son of the Hans Ole Vitus – the owner/founder of Vitus Audio. The new Alluxity Int One Mk2 gets rave revieuws. Still hoping that Naim will follow fast.
Been asking for years for a 500 level integrated as the market for these is there.
The vitus sia030 is my pic so far, but it’s the heat that generated in class A mode thats stops me going for it, but it does sound very impressive.
What we need is a graham slee accession with extra input for a dac and selectable power amp outputs. One amp for headphones and the other selected after speakers and room size.
Is it just me, but are there a lot of crimped connections in that Alluxity amp? Maybe I’m conditioned from spending hours pouring over pictures of the insides of Naim products, now when I look at almost anything else they all seem a bit untidy and put together in a hurry.
I should have prefaced that by saying I know nothing about electronics, let alone what makes a good joint!
A no compromise 50 Series HyperNait to commemorate Naim’s 50th next year would be a very interesting proposition, especially with some of the noise isolation techniques employed in the latest Classic streamers. Maybe, a limited edition unit, with perhaps with styling cues to bridge the gap between Classic and Statement / Uniti design language, as per the Chrome Bumper Nait2 when the Olives were introduced.