What now for 272 owners?

I still see stores with the N272 in stock. I think it’s long ready and Naim is simply waiting for stock to sell out before releasing it. Probably makes sense from a business pov.

I am curious if there will be any new product within the classic series. I doubt it somehow.

Even if a replacement of the 272 is coming i would not want to mix it with the classic series unless i am going to update the rest of the stuff, which is out of question. The new TT beeing a rather niche product, i am looking forward how its design will impact the following products in Naim’s range.

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I’ve moved in the other direction from SN2 to 252/SC and using the SN2 as a power amp until a 250 arrives. The 252/SC is in a different league to the pre-stage of SN2, as much as I love the SN2. The improvement is across everything really and by a large margin. If you want a smaller single stack swapping the 300 for a 250 may be another option to consider, 5 box glory is the new 6!

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Yes, well it’s interesting that the SN3 was launched between the new Uniti’s and the Atom HE and Solstice, retaining the classic look, with the others are in the Uniti styling.

I still think there’s a new 272 coming in the Nova styling and a new matching Focal active speaker range. It seems such a logical thing to do. Maybe the timing is more about lining the ducks up in terms of a transition in styling.

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I agree I think the current Classic aesthetic and ethos is done. I think we’re getting towards the end of an era really where a long upgrade journey is the norm. The trend is for falling box count and simplicity and I don’t see Naim bucking that trend forever despite its former success as a business model.

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That’s a question I really can’t answer I’m afraid. I was using Naim SL2s with the 300 and when the 300 went the speakers went at the same time. The new system was effectively a clean sheet, with new amp and speakers.

The 300DR is a fantastic amplifier and worked wonders with the SL2s. The 300 was a very large improvement over a 250DR and again the 250 is better than a Supernait, and I would not have wanted to use the SN3 on the SL2s as I knew if only miss what the 300 was capable of. As it is, the SN3 is great with my new speakers and the two systems are so different they do not encourage comparisons.

You don’t say what your speakers are, and this will clearly affect your plans. I have to say that the smaller setup works so much better for us: it doesn’t dominate the room and yet it still sounds great. I ended up with a few thousand spare too.

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ATC SCM40s, which with the 300 and now the 252 have an enormous depth & presence at volume.

Not keen on a 250 as I started with that and the 300 was such an improvement, and as @Mike_S says the 252 is a pretty good pre-amp. This is one of those ideas that keeps popping up so for now it’ll have to stay repressed until other things change, the most likely being that we move sometime next year and one of the pre-requisites is a space that can accommodate the current set-up, as a 2 x 3.

Thanks both.

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I feel that upgrading existing gear is part of Naim’s DNA, so even if a new design is coming i think the idea of separating the power supplies will still remain, which still will acount for more boxes than strictly needed. It would be great if these smaller boxes seen in the Solstice launch (2 per Fraim) could be made into a completely modular system with separate electronics with newly designed short interconnects to prevent cable spaghetti.

As for the lineup the 200/202 is kind of obsolete, the new 250/282 shoud be replaced by an integrated and the 252 of the 300/252 combo should be updated :slight_smile:

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Doing nothing is often the best course of action. Or perhaps inaction.

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Isn’t this saying it all really?

That’s my plan for the time-being. I don’t “need” to do anything at the moment.

I made the mistake of getting my hopes up with this announcement though.

I can’t help thinking that the delay is a business decision as people give up waiting and buy the multiple Naim boxes required to make any progress - and that doesn’t sit very well with me.
I might be wrong - I hope so.

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My feeling is pretty much the same. Or something is very broken inside Naim. Talking up the Atom HE … truly, I really liked the HE but it wouldn’t work with my Stax 007’s so I Iost interest.

I’ve been busy finding alternatives as I will be moving and replacing the system soon. And there is some really good stuff out there from the smaller guys who focus on playing music. You will have to spend some time matching components though.

But at least those wanting the ARO back are happy. Personally I just thought that turntable stuff looked lika funeral. My own ‘junk klimax’ lp12 sits happy in an orange plinth currently serving us the Castanets.

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I wonder if the hold up with the 272 replacement is more about the global supply issues most if not all manufacturing companies are facing? It could be that they just can’t get enough of some components to meet the demand that the 272 would certainly have. Naim are a pretty straight forward company and if they had no plans to release a replacement or if it was a long way in the future, I think they would tell us. For many years Naim were very clear they would not be replacing the Aro, then they started deflecting rather than answering is my reflection.

In many ways a 272 replacement beside making owners wanting a replacement happy, it could well appeal to many Uniti owners like me who want to move to a 2 or 3 box system ( in my case reversing a move to a one box system), much in the same ways some decades ago Nait owners moved up the product line range to a 2 or 3 box system.

Obviously there will be a gap until the next product release, maybe it will be what we are hoping for or maybe it will be the one after. Of course today, I could be being overly optimistic.

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……and who said that the 272 replacement, will be able to operate, never mind connect, to a separate power supply unit ?..……

I guess there’s a couple of ways of building a two or three box Naim system of roughly similar quality: 272/250 or 200 and possible PS vs NDX2/SN2 or 3 and possible PS. So Naim might argue the desire for a low box count with the new streaming platform is already catered for in the range. What is not is a one box setup to use with active speakers. I suspect that active speakers may be increasing in popularity and there seems to be some encouragement from the mothership to use the Atom HE in this way. So I wonder, if a 272 replacement does appear, whether it might be rather more radical than a straight update of the 272. This could account for the delay in appearance along with the pandemic. Pure speculation on my part, of course, and probably nonsense.

Roger

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I think it will be more radical, than most forum members are expecting.

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A replacement 272 should ideally be compatible with the recommended upgrades (XPSDR, 555DR, 200DR, 250DR, 300DR), have somewhere to plugin a phono pre and a line out for headphone amps or recording device.

They can redesign as they wish but it should also fit in a Fraim.

Who says that the replacement 272 has to be a replacement. Why not a new streamer/pre-amp in whatever configuration that Naim has decided on.

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Enjoying music was supposed to be what Naim is about…. ?

So the current 272 does allow that ?

What’s the problem?

I use a google chrome cast audio optical output with Ethernet as a streamer… works fine for me

One can always use the digital inputs on the 272

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I suppose “the problem “ (if there is one), is that I don’t want to be adding bits and pieces or using workarounds that are not necessary for the rest of the range.

I’m enjoying the music but I want to explore streaming, and more diverse music, fully and properly.