Well some of us are rocking 13 year old UQ2s and they still work as advertised when new. So I’m not overly concerned.
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Same. 15 year old UQ1 here FZ 
Sounds better today than when it was new
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And UQ1s, I think Naim are better than many at keeping old streamers going based on their track record. Not to mention the ND5 XS2 was specifically designed to be better in that regard than the first generation streamers
Anybody here pulling the trigger and ordering before it’s EOL?
I’m on the fence - would replace my 172/155 combo that I adore. The only functional upside is the phono stage in the XS3. And I’m not sure I’d add a TT to that setup.
Only if you fancy a second system. I think you’d be sad to see the 172/155 go even though an XS system would be a big step up.
I currently have three systems in various stages of use: a 200/202, the 172/155, and the UQ1 / UQ2. So something would have to go to accommodate an XS setup
And I would really miss the green screen on the 172 if I ordered an ND5XS2
Keeping the older (and no longer available new) products is one thing, and a credit to Naim in their excellent track record on supporting those products, but they don’t generate any sales revenue from firmware updates!
There’s always been a healthy used and trade in market for Naim kit and those older products remain excellent choices no doubt, but over reliance on longevity and maintenance support is surely something that isn’t healthy for their bottom line. There’s only so much margin on cables and Fraim levels you can rely upon after all.
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Yes, but the support and maintenance is a big part of why people come to the brand.
There’s a lot of value in that long-term.
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I agree and it’s equally important to me as a long term owner of Naim kit, I’m not going anywhere myself. My point is that Naim ownership for decades has been about going on a long term upgrade journey for many, aspiring to 500 Series or Statement and stopping at some point when the funds run dry.
I’d imagine many today looking to begin their own system journey would be satisfied with a one box solution and some nice looking speakers in many cases. The types of products and extensive choice in that category today would seem to reflect that demand.
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I would like to, but there are no green logo XS3’s.
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Oh, was that confirmed? I remember someone asking the question but Richard not knowing what was actually in the factory.
That’s a bummer if true.
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Worth ringing round the dealers, may well find there’s an ex demo “greeny” sat on a shelf with a deal to be done on it 
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According to my dealer, only white logo.
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Yes, but the brands you mention were and are well engineered and built. The stuff coming out of China is a lottery. I am sure there is some good stuff, but my explorations of the Headphone world leave me with some some questions.
I read about one Chinese HP amp from a company that is often recommended on review sites and forums, that when somebody knowledgeable took it apart, found they were using some sort of trickery to hide the effects of cheap components. We are talking about a €1000+ amp.
A Chinese brand seems to be conquering the Headphone market. Indeed its top model at €6000 is a reviewers and forum favourite. But a lot of comments have been made about poor reliability, and cheap components and build over the range. There sales and marketing methods are agressive. Model replacement is fast and furious, and last years model gets discounted heavily.
The headphone sector is one of the few growth areas in HiFi.
Quality UK, US and European gear is still made, at decent prices, but most of it is very “cottage industry”. You have to hunt around. I came across my Heddphone GT2 cans almost by accident. They are superb, but not so well publicised. The story is the same for my SPL Phonitor HP amp. I dug it out from amps recommended on the Hedd web site.
The HiFi coming out of China is like that coming out of Japan in the Seventies. How we sneered. I see Chinese goods dominating the market. At the end of the day not many people care about stuff being built to last.
FWIW, I find the ND5XS2 to be at a much higher level than the 172XS, which I owned for a few years back in the teens. Agreed about the green light problem, however.
Up until this statement I mostly agreed with you. A lot of the Sansui and Akai stuff, not to mention pro gear from Japan of that era was very highly regarded. There were the high end R2R and turntables from Japan from this era and a bit before. Luxman are the oldest hifi manufacturer in the world. They had been around since 1925 and already didn’t have anything to prove in the 70s.
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I’m not opposed to buying S/H. And would do exactly that to get a green light if that’s what it took.
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My dad had a lot of 70’s Japanese gear. I don’t recall much sneering from him or his friends.
You took the words right out of my mouth. A 100 series shoe box would be awesome…..
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That is exactly what I did two months ago. Purchased one from my dealer with a circa ‘23 build date in minty condition for less than half retail. The spoils of being a savvy buyer.