Naim are still at it...

[_D_S_J_R_]

I received an email from my local dealer - who used to sell and support NVA when they were available via dealers (The Doc knows who) about the new wonder-wires from Naim. First thought was 'How many thousands are these?' I wasn't wrong - fecking rip-off merchants. Here's one of them -

http://www.nintronics.co.uk/brands/naim ... 0wodyaECjw

And another

http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/naim-super ... GwodPrEG4g

Naim now have a new head or at least a new high-up apparently, who's a bean-counter first and foremost. Two long established senior Naim staff, one of whom is so dyed-in-the-wool I doubt he could work anywhere else, have left, seemingly because of the dramatic increase in dealers to attempt to increase turnover. I'm told that little to none of the separates stereo stuff sells now, at least in the UK and their core business now is the streaming stuff. maybe the above wanky wires will get old-school Naimies to shell out to replace their cheapo RS cable based SNAICS and so on, but I doubt a £1500 Din to Din lead will cost £150 to make (using Naim's previous markups) unless those fancy plugs are really expensive to make. Finish is nice though, but the speaker plugs don't look anything special that you possibly couldn't buy for a very few quid on eBay with someone else's name (sorry) on the plug.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

It is so predictable it is no longer news. How can *anyone* take it seriously.

[Fretless]

The Naim 'name' is now very much used for selling high-quality (?) alternatives to the Sonos wireless speakers, thr Mu-so and the Qube. It is where the mass-market is heading at the moment and that's where the big money is.

[jammy395]

Well Naim Is starting to feel the pinch........
Mixed by the shock that Naim is, always have been, one big rip off company.
Punters may have finally begun to see the light.

Now I ask you.....Would you rather buy a pair of NVA A80 Monos.....Circa £1200
or
A pair of lesser Naim monos......Circa £12000......Yes thats not a mistake.

Go figure....

[Neonknight]

Having lived in a small town for quite a few years, I had to turn to the Internet and factory direct offerings for my audio gear. So I found that I gravitated to small companies that built audio gear as a passion, an extension of who they are as a person and audio geek. The large mainstream companies have more in terms of resources and economies of scale, but it never seemed to translate into knock your socks off products. Then these companies have a predictable life cycle, something similar to what it sounds like Naim is going through. Here companies like Martin Logan and McIntosh can be bought through select Best Buy stores. It seems to be a generational life cycle audio companies go through. Starting small and innovative, creating a niche in a market, getting to be an industry leader, and then having the name milked for max revenue. Time for a new company to enter the cycle of audio life. Although I will admit to liking the diversity created by factory direct offerings from audio companies.

[Fretless]

The Future of Hi-Fi !!!!



And This ...



The perfect accessory for every kitchen !



Come on - somebody must want one ?

[guydarryl]

"Through a deep understanding of material science and after thousands of hours testing in the listening room,........."

be fair, that sort of expertise and man hours doesn't come cheap
particularly when the final product is hand assembled and only likely to sell in very small volume

[Lindsayt]

I agree DSJR. £1800 (or more) is too much for those cables - assuming they're made from copper / silver plated copper?

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Too much it is feckin' hillarious. I make and sell cables I know how much they cost. How can there be people who even contemplate this level of rip-off.

[_D_S_J_R_]

In the past, £1500 meant materials cost of £150, but even this isn't quite right.