MY SYSTEM
SOURCES: Marantz cd63 mk2 ki, Marantz cd6000ose
AMPLIFICATION: Albarry m408s mono blocs with ap3 pre
CABLES: Chord company c-line, Monster interlink 400, QED silver speaker cable, Tacima cs947 mains conditioner
SPEAKERS: Mission 752 freedoms, AKG K550 mk2 headphones
My experience of the newer Naim stuff is limited (ok, non-existent) so I can only comment on the older stuff from Julian Vereker's time. I don't think it's particularly well-engineered at all and sounds dreadful to me. It's hard, abrasive and two dimensional. I once heard a sound at a show that was so bad it was comical - and the amps were Naim.
However, I'm told the newer is quite different.
Based on the older units I've heard I wouldn't touch it with a dead man's todger!
Technics SP10 mk2
Jan Allaerts MC 1 Boron mk1 cart
Miyajima Shilabe cart
Hashimoto HM-X SUT
Siggwan (gimballed not unipivot) Cocobola 12"
Aurorasound Vida LCR Phonostage
The Truth linestage
Dave Slagle Autoformer Volume Controller
Cary 805c SET amps
Audio Note ANe-SPX speakers
Townshend Isolda speaker cables
Cardas Golden Presence interconnects
Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex
Posts: 7,090
I'm Dave.
Latest Naim sounds nothing like the older Naim. It is now more rounder and warmer, some say it is now lacking excitement and attack.
It is good gear but now is far from being the value for money it once was. There is better for far less money.
MY SYSTEM
SOURCES: Marantz cd63 mk2 ki, Marantz cd6000ose
AMPLIFICATION: Albarry m408s mono blocs with ap3 pre
CABLES: Chord company c-line, Monster interlink 400, QED silver speaker cable, Tacima cs947 mains conditioner
SPEAKERS: Mission 752 freedoms, AKG K550 mk2 headphones
Location: Essex-Herts border
Posts: 141
I'm Matt.
Yes, its good. Very good. The new Unit range are excellent at what they do.
However,It's not to my taste, I had Naim for many years & have now gone a different route. I didn't like the never-ending "just add another box" upgrade path.
Is there better VFM elsewhere? Yea, probably.
It's a good strong brand, with some excellent engineering & highly dedicated personnel.
You have to listen to it to work out whether its right for you though.
Just my opinion.
Location: Ferndown, Dorset, UK
Posts: 248
I'm Brook.
Way back when I first got into "proper" hi fi, I moved from a Creek amp to a Naim pre & power & PSU, can't remember the model numbers but I have to say I rather liked it & it wasn't long before I upgraded to the next model up. In fact I did that twice, until I went to a hifi show at a posh hotel in Buxton of all places. I sat in on a demo which had what seemed a whole wall of Naim kit, & I thought it sounded amazing, even now one of the best sounds I have ever heard in a large room, but then again it should have, the retail on that lot must have been 6 figures. It was then that I totally changed direction, because I didn't want to be forever looking at the next "better" amp on the upgrade path. I traded it all in for a Michell Orbe/SME IV/Ortofon Rohmann, Unison Simply 4 valve amp with Simply Phono phono stage & Audio Physic speakers, & I was in love, totally seduced by the glowing tubes, in fact I have never had SS amplification in all the time since.
I do often wonder though why my system sounds so harsh with certain genres! The thing is one Naim user will listen to music where Naims faults or signature sound may not show up so much, personally I listen to a lot of music which was made to sound harsh and raucous, so an amp which carries this sonic signature is I guess too much. All the criticisms made by others here ring true! I've also just upgraded to a more revealing, solid TT, so it really is time to try something else. Having had not much experience with other amps I find it hard to say what makes Naim different, I do remember having an Arcam Alpha 7 which I found lacked punch. The marketing / upgrade side is also a bit nauseating. What I do like is its slightly chamber sound, which seems to accentuate rhythm, which works with some music but not others! I currently use 'olive' half width amps, though with after market boards, plus the power amp has been altered by Avondale, like many Naim users, our systems aren't really Naim!
Location: cheltenham
Posts: 746
I'm matt.
My little Onix OA21 beat the pants off my old, much more expensive Naim 102 pre 180 power.
Compared to other gear, Naim is overpriced. It also has an insidious upgrade system where some very expensive gear is only really competitive when more power supply boxes are added, at huge cost. It does hold its value well, and there do seem to be some Naim classics out there that are well worth consideration, like a well-sorted pair of NAP135s or even some bolt-down gear.
I've always preferred Exposure gear though, in comparison Naim seems to have this 'high contrast', less neutral house sound.
Mana Acoustics Racks / Bright Star IsoNodes Decoupling >> Allo DigiOne Player >> Pedja Rogic's Audial Model S DAC + Pioneer PL-71 turntable / Vista Audio phono-1 mk II / Denon PCL-5 headshell / Reson Reca >> LFD DLS >> LFD PA2M (SE) >> Royd RR3s.