See my post above.
B&O are part of Harman who are owned by Samsung. The whole Harman group is loosing money.
Samsung owns Harman, which owns the license to Bang & Olufsen’s car audio systems, but Bang & Olufsen (B&O) is itself an independent listed company, primarily owned by Danish and international investors
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In my little activity, I have pivoted away slowly from my original customers, to areas that are more lucrative. I think this is pretty normal in any activity.
The traditional HiFi arena is hugely overcrowded with products, chasing a set of customers who are literally dying out. HiFi shops are closing where I live. Buying online is one factor, but a diminishing customer base is another. I have an hours drive to find the nearest HiFi vendor.
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Naim are not the only hifi manufacturer who have slowed new product releases. There has been little out of the Chord electronics stable, there was much fanfare about the Quartet M scaler back in early 2024. Nothing seen since. I guess a lot of companies are struggling with lack of money and supply issues.
Where is Naim’s Heartland? Salisbury?
So maybe it’s time to launch a ‘Sprat to catch a Mackerel’ ?
Class A/B amp
Analogue with small digital that can be switched off by choice for the purists.
Modern Naim chassis.
No screen
Minimal r&d, copy what you got.
Priced like a Sprat to catch a Mackerel
Naim SQ
Is the question being asked just because there is a gap in the line up which hopefully will soon be filled, or because there is a fear that the company has lost its way and it focusing on questionable markets (those being Uniti and 300 series, I guess…)?
Assuming a streaming set up:
Entry level - £ 900 to £1,300 - Muso & CI Uniti
Toe in water - £2,300 to £4400 - Atom to Nova
First taste - £5,000 - ND5 XS2 + XS3
GAP (can’t really say the Nova PE fills this gap as a one box solution)
“Mid level” separates - £12,400
300 series with PS - £30,000
500 series with PS - £99,000
Statement with ND555 - £185,000
I hadn’t quite realised how eye-watering the prices are until now. Without a factual understanding of how each of these lines contribute to sales and profit %, it is difficult to draw any conclusions other than to say that there is a pretty big GAP between £5,000 and £12,400 - which would appear to represent a price point for a market occupied by competitors in the mid to high level integrated market and mid level separates…
If I was Naim, I’d be concerned about how competitors (many Chinese) are taking sales in the Toe in Water and First Taste markets and also whether £30,000 up is going to be an acceptable price for good separates.
Heartland - amps - so let’s see a Supernait integrated and a replacement for the XS3. Questionable whether anything would be needed between Supernait and NAP250.
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Well those are just price points. The problem is worse if you split into ranges.
There are some people will climb a ladder from an Atom to a 500 system. But most people are more concerned with product type than merely whether it has the Naim badge.
If you decide you have the space and want separates and your budget is GBP 2500, you aren’t likely to start looking at the Atom. You are likely to simply start with another brand. Naim separates start at the 200 series now with the recent discontinuations of integrated amps.
The Uniti range in itself is well rounded from entry level high quality Atom up to a Nova PE.
The New Clasic range - that is a bit wonky and tilted for people with very deep pockets in a way that Naim hasn’t been before.
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Why?
Because at a price point between £5,000 and 12,400, if the Nova PE is the only option, there is no room for anyone wanting or needing separates. e.g. you have an amp already but need to add a streamer, or vice versa. Plus a query on the quality of the streamer + DAC in the Nova PE versus a streamer in the £5000 to 12,400 category.
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Agree - one of the point I was trying to make.
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I’d say there is some crossover in the type of customer but not a strong crossover.
Probably about 20% of buyers take the view “I don’t care whether it is one box or 4 boxes as long as it can be had for around $10k and has a Naim logo on it.”
And the other 80% of buyers have specifically decided, “I want a $10K system in a single box for simplicity. Will consider a Nova along with other things.” or, “I want a $10K system comprised of separate streamer, preamp, and power amp for flexibility. I will look elsewhere.”
That first 20% type, I fully accept they exist. Though that way of thinking is completely alien to me and I don’t understand it all, though reading the forum I know very well that mindset is out there.
The first Taste are out of production BTW
well exactly… an even bigger gap…
If one doesn’t plan to add a power supply to the NSC222, and the phono stage isn’t required, the Atom HE / NC250 sits squarely in the middle of the gap between Nova and 222/250. So is the gap really as bad as people suggest?
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I’d say so. A 250 is a lot of money for their now entry level power amp. 222 down to Atom HE hardly makes a dent in the grand scheme of things.
Not to mention, a lot of people don’t want a preamp with the volume knob on top. 
It’s an interesting point, as when the Atom HE was released Naim made a point of saying it was designed as a headphone amp and not intended for use as streaming pre-amp with a power amplifier or active speakers. Obviously, like yourself, people are using it successfully as a streaming pre-amp, but it’s not prompted as such within the range - possibly as Naim see the 222 as occupying that space. It seems odd how the Atom HE is positioned/marketed (or not).
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Yes, the marketing could be better. Clearly it was designed to work into an amp or speakers, as it has the twin balanced XLRs, but all the marketing focused on its use with headphones. I hesitate to say too much about it lest people accuse me of over enthusiasm, however it’s a very viable alternative to the 222/250 for £4,000 less.
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The more this thread goes on, the more i’m convinced there is no credible marketing team within naim, France or Salisbury.
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And with a Nait 50 even less again. To avoid two preamp stages and volume controls, I think Naim should market an entry level power amp based on the Nait 50 ‘shoebox’ form and power amplification design, in Atom styling, specifically for the Atom and HE and steal amplification from other manufacturers with streaming preamps. I’d buy 3!
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