When did Naim leave Salt Lane/Serial Number Question

I have been looking for a CB 140. Found one whose serial number is below 200, which would indicate it was manufactured in 1982. However, the 140 was not introduced until 1986.

I realize a number of 110s were later converted to 140s, but this one looks as if it was born as a 140. (1) The knob doesn’t have the “marbled” look of early CB products. It still looks very matte grey. (2) The rear appears unaltered, e.g. no messing with the silver badge the name of the product is printed on, and the various labels that say “Southampton Rd.” appear to be original - they are still flush against the rear fascia, indicating they were probably never tampered with.

Can anyone explain this bizarre contradiction? When did Naim leave Salt Lane - in other words, does the presence of an original Southampton Rd. label rule out the possibility this product was originally made in 1982?

1980 I believe.
bit of info here

The official Naim Serial Number list is here:

I would read that as meaning anything below Ser No 006933 was made in 1982 or earlier years.

The official Naim Product History is here:

It says the NAP140 was introduced in 1986 and the 110 was introduced in 1979.

I suggest your 140 is a converted 110.

The possibility of it being a converted 110 was my initial hypothesis too, but all indications from the back are that it was born as a late model 140. The 110 conversions I have seen retained the original fuse holder, model markings (i.e. the badge still says 110), rear cosmetics, etc.

Is it possible that some 110 conversions had the entire rear panel changed out? Would seem unnecessary, but I have seen stranger things I suppose.

I would post a picture to make the discussion easier but that seems improper.

They are all on a ‘sled’ (one piece) and everything will have to removed to change this so I think that is unlikely, but who knows?

Posting pictures of Naim kit is positively encouraged…!!

Potential question for @NeilS - ??

I though a 110 to 140 was just a change of the transformer?

Uprated power supply on a seperate pcb…

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If you Google some internal shots you will see the extra PCB that Darran is talking about at the rear near the transformer.

I’ll take a look. Know what the inside of a 140 looks like, don’t think I’ve seen the insides of a 110.

Hi snarfy,

There were two different sized chassis used for the 110, the smaller one was replaced during a 140 update as the 140PS board wouldn’t fit in the short chassis. However, if this was the case it would have a full 140 rear label & IEC inlet with integrated fuse.
When we still had the original typewriter used for the small aluminium labels, we would type out a new one for “long chassis” updates. So an undisturbed label doesn’t necessarily mean much.
Only way to be sure is to look inside!

Regards
Neil.

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Bear in mind that the early NAP140 used different output devices - Sankens rather than the NA002s used in a later NAP110.

Question to @NeilS - If a NAP110 was given a NAP140 update, I assume it would not have Sankens fitted, but would use the existing output devices. This is how my own NAP110/140 is - NA002s on the amp boards but a new PSU board.

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Correct Richard - the amp boards would have the usual service parts replaced & the original o/p devices would remain.

Regards
Neil.

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@NeilS thank you for the insights!

Aside from the output devices, what else from the original 110 would remain in those cases? The H&F transformer?

Yes, transformer would remain, speaker sockets were usually replaced with the more flush type. Extra earth wires added to the PA signal inputs (capacitor decoupled on the new PS PCB) which lowers the noise floor.
Otherwise, it’s pretty much a power supply stage change - separate reservoir caps for each power supply rail, rather than one pos & one neg shared between the PA boards. Plus extra smoothing on the preamp power supply output.

Regards
Neil.

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