I see that ‘first Naim questions’ have been asked in the past. Here’s a related one. Many folk must have had aspirational hi-fi systems immediately before their first Naim purchase. I’d got as far as A&R A60 amplifier, Heybrook TT2 turntable and Heybrook HB1 speakers. It was 1986 when a Naim 42-5/140 set me on the journey. And just guess what the Heybrook turntable ended up being replaced with!! love Stevie xx
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Well, I can answer this question twice…
My first pre-Naim system was replaced in 1978 by a NAC12, NAP160 and LP12. It was a Pioneer SA7500 and a Technics direct drive turntable. At the time I had Acoustic Research AR2ax speakers.
My Naim system (by now upgraded to a NAP250 and Stax electrostatic loudspeakers) was stolen in 1987. The NAP250 had struggled to drive the flat panel speakers so I replaced it with a Musical Fidelity system driving Magneplanar MGIIIa flat panels. I had an MVT preamp and a pair of 270 power amps. At the time of replacement in 2015 I had a Linn Basik TT but the main source of music was a Cambridge CD drive and hard disk player. I had bought a MuSo and loved theNaim sound again. I replaced the system with a SuperUniti and Dali Rubicon 6 speakers - one box replacing 6!
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That is very close to my start. Heybrook HB1 speakers and then in 1985 buying a Naim 42N/110 with LP12 equipped with a LVX arm and A&R P77 cart which replaced a Trio amp and revolver turntable with same arm and cartridge. This stayed pretty much constant until 2003, where I went a bit mad with upgrading until end 2005. After that it stayed constant until 2021
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I’m sorry to hear about the theft of your equipment. I was burgled in the early 1990s. Loads of CDs went, but the only hi fi was an Arcam CD transport. The burglar obviously mistook it for a CD player. I often wonder what they thought on finding out that it ‘didn’t work’ xx
Thank you. We must have bought HB1 speakers around the same time. I don’t know what came of yours, but mine ended up (after lend outs) just back in my attic. I noticed recently that after 45 years the original cones had become so fragile that they were disintegrating. But they were lovely speakers in their youth xx
Easy. Linn LP12-Rega R200- DV 10X / A&R A60 / Tangent RS2’s.
My Naim 42-110 was inserted into that system. Linn Kans came next.
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I threw them out because of the same issues you had with disintegration. I kick myself really because I sure replacement drivers are to be had and possibly even crossover. They would have been ideal in my second system.
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The A&R A60 was a lovely thing wasn’t it. I bought another one second hand decades later for nostalgic reasons, but it was near the end of its life at that point. The first Linn speakers I bought were Keilidhs xx
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If you couldn’t afford Naim… 
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My first real system was Quad 33/303.
After zillions of years it started to give problems and I got 32.5/SNAPS/250.
Replaced the preamp with 82/2xHiCap (wanted remote control and was amazed how better it sounded).
Last upgrade was 252/300
All the time using Quad speakers (the original that look like radiators).
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Linn sondek, ittok,oc7 into Ben Duncan Amp01 driving VTL 50w monoblocks…into Rega ELA…nice dynamic system…also Sony ES333 cd player. I used this system with ES14 speakers for a long time…I miss them…and bi wired Warfedale 708’s which I miss even more
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Linn LK1 and LK2, Linn Axis/K9, Linn Kans, Meridian 200/203 for digital. Was nice for sure. I really miss the Meridian and the Kans, although I have had about 4-5 pairs of them over the years.
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Cones or cone surrounds? Foam surrounds, popular in the 1970s and maybe a bit later, tend to do that - and may be replaceable (I did that on a pair of midrange units some years ago). But this is the first time I’ve heard of cones disintegrating, though of course lofts are not kind places, tending to be damp, and often with extremes of temperature - I’d never keep speakers, electronics or records in the loft.
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Nytech CTA252/CXA252 active setup into ARC050 speakers. It made way for NAC42/NAP110 and Linn Kans back in 1982
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I had an all McIntosh system with a Thorens TT. I went to work for a Linn/Naim dealer as record buyer, bookkeeper, etc. They sent me home with a CB Naim Nait to try, and it just smoked my 160 WPC McIntosh separates system. I sold that a week later, bought a LP12 + 42.5/HC/140 + SARAs and never looked back.
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Before my Naim journey started I had a few different incarnations of Cyrus amps and sources - all of which I thought sounded great esp on digital
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When I was 17 in 1980 I bought an Ariston RD80 turntable, Nytech amplifier and a pair of Mission 70 mk2 speakers. It wasn’t long before I bought my first LP12/Basic X/Basic with 42.5/110.
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Well immediately prior to the Naim I had an Onkyo micro system but I think the OP is asking about first real hifi immediately prior on the journey to Naim. I had a Linn Mimik II CD player, Majik amp and Keilidhs on the Kustone plinths. At that time I did not aspire to Naim. In fact I wasn’t even fond of Naim. I aspired to a Linn Aktiv system.
Tastes change. As do fortunes (downward) and I took 13 years off from real hifi before rediscovering a preference for Naim.
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Bryston int 65. Revel m22. Linn classik.
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I think it was the cones themselves. They had become fragile like dry-as-dust paper. I know what you mean about foam speaker covers. The ones on an old pair of Linn Saras (with cannon connectors) shed fragments like rain every time I touched them, until eventually just turned into a mass of bits xx