Neat looking 
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The view from the garden: 5 decades of hifi gear, from the Trigger’s Broom LP12 of 1984 or 5 to to the Creaktiv rack from last month…
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Purposely done 
Thankfully it doesn’t affect the sound 
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Not in the slightest, nothing a laser level can’t sort out 
I absolutely love mine, anyone that happens to visit usually have a “goosebumps” moment when they pick a few of their favourite tracks to enjoy.
My only regret is having not done it sooner!
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No problem at all! I more or less opted straight for the avantgarde due to budget, but then my dealer offered to sell me an open box pair for the price of the entry level cables and it became pretty much a no-brainer. I didn’t demo the higher level cables, I just figured it was easier not to tempt myself and I try to be strict with budget.
After listening to them for a couple of days though I’m very happy with them. They still seem to sound a little brighter than the phantoms, not in a harsh way, just in a way that gives them the feel of being a little more open and vibrant, which is good for people who like to focus on detail and soundstage size I would say. It’s not so much night and day, they seem to just add a little more of what was already there, but as a bit of a fine tune, they sound great.
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My last purchase was to upgrade my old (35+ years) Gyrodec. I have done a few things over the years to keep it to date without changing the Mk1 looks. However, this time I have come almost up to date without changing the aluminium platter. I bought the rubber-coated springs, Levis Magnetic levitation feet and HR power supply.
The HR power supply makes a big difference but I guess none of us with Naim gear will be surprised that a stable clean power supply makes such a difference. The springs and feet also make a good upgrade but are more subtle.
Sorry about a poor photo and you can’t see the power supply or springs but you can see the “fat feet” of the Levis which are about twice as big as the originals.
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No 
I think the new stuff looks quite good but its a bit over done compared to Classic and 500 series for me. i think it will look dated in a decade
The main thing i dont like is the complete u turn on certain things that have defined Naim over the last 40 odd years.
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My wild guess based on long experience in the manufacturing industry is that the basis for the new design was a requirement to drastically reduce the cost of the enclosure which in the Classic and 500 series had become insanely expensive over time. But as I said, just a wild guess…
Naim is VerVent Audio Group now. I never expected things about Naim to continue 100% after they merged with Focal and then became part of VerVent. I’ll bet bean counters make make or break the technical decisions now.
Personally, I think embracing balanced connections in the NC series is more about high-end audio marketing than anything. Otherwise, why didn’t Naim do it long ago, like when the Classics series was introduced. If I want balanced I/O I’ll just switch over to Boulder. They are every bit as good as Naim and have been doing it longer.
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Thank you again. That’s an excellent deal you got there. I also admire your ability to stick to budget! Food for thought for us for the future.
Because balanced ruins those transients…thats a quote from naim.
I dont blaim Focal, they are also a brilliant company. maybe someone at the top wanted to change the customer base, iv no idea but as a naim owner for a long time i do feel theres nothing new for me. im happy to continue my journey…my 552 will be with me soon
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On the initial New Classic thread, Steve said that balanced was really needed to improve compatibility with other components like active loudspeakers. But the main line level inputs are atill DIN and that’s still preferred.
Yes… it’s through the balance that I am still with naim … it opens up a lot of businesses for naim and other makes in term of pairing …and naim is on the right track with this move 
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Ideally should be done long ago. In practical terms it’s more about cable availability. There’re way more options with rca and xlr vs din.
Yes
You can’t seriously be suggesting that cable ability, or the lack of it, would influence Naim’s decision on what connections they offer. They always supply the required cables in the box, and there are always various Naim or non-Naim alternatives available, ranging from unbranded cheap and nasty ebay stuff right up to exotic, more expensive than the boxes they connect, audiophile things.
True, but the pre out to power amp connections are now balanced XLR only.
As the NC 250 is balanced, it’s normal to have balanced connecting to the pre.
From streamer to pre, following another thread, there seems to be no consensus on which of XLR or DIN sounds the best.
The XLR as other said give more possibilities to other brands connecting.