Naim dealers who offer decent trade-in against new Naim?

Posted by: Top Cat on 15 December 2003

Hi folks.

I've just acquired an 82/HC/250 (a mix of 1998/2000 vintages) and I'd like to go either used olive SC or perhaps new SC (do you call it SC2?), trading my old amplifiers in against the purchase.

I'm looking for dealers who offer decent trade-ins - my prefered dealer (RR in Montrose) doesn't do trade-ins, and there aren't any other Naim dealers in Scotland I'd ideally use (my 'local' dealer having mucked me around right, left and centre in the last year)

So, can anyone offer any suggestions? I'm trying to sell my amps privately, but nobody is biting (probably a lot to do with the time of year as much as the asking price, which is modest and fair).

Thanks,

John

TC '..'
"Sun went down in honey. Moon came up in wine. Stars were spinnin' dizzy, Lord, the band kept us so busy we forgot about the time."
Posted on: 15 December 2003 by Phill82
Are you allowed to recommend dealers on this forum? Last time I tried to do that on another forum it got taken off.
Anyway, Creative Audio do pretty decent trade in prices against the new (SC2) gear. Their website is www.creative-audio.co.uk if you wanted to have a look.
Posted on: 15 December 2003 by Nigel_Rav
Try giving Cymbiosis in Leicester a ring - they offer exceptionally fair prices for trade-ins. Distance from where you live may be an issue of course.
Posted on: 15 December 2003 by Frank Abela
A 1998 Hicap should return between £400 and £450 in a private sale. Therefore a dealer will offer you an amount less than that so he can sell it at that price and still make some profit on it. Add the fact that you want a 2nd hand item and his profit is going down the tubes. He is doing decent turnover, but it's profit that pays the bills.

A decent 2nd hand Supercap will be around £1400. They're thin on the ground of course, since they're the top of the old range. You may like to try Tom Tom Audio who deals in 2nd hand gear almost exclusively. Nice guy too. He offers 12 month guarantees and I believe he sends everything back to Naim for a chekup before he sells it.

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.
Posted on: 15 December 2003 by Top Cat
Hang on, Frank, I'm really thinking new SC rather than secondhand SC - perhaps I gave the wrong impression.

Basically, I've bought my 82 with a HC purely as a stand-in - and my ultimate plan would be to move to a 252/SC but I'm in no rush. However, a new style SC will work with an 82, and will give me something to trade my existing amps against, and in fairness I might find that the 82/SC2/250 is all the amp I ever wanted or needed.

Purely a budgetary thing - a s/h olive SC would make a lot of sense, but as you say they're like hen's teeth and more importantly I have these amps to trade anyway.

I'm really exploring possibilities here, as I am in absolutely no rush whatsoever and quite happy to sit at 82/HC/250 for a good while whilst funds replenish...

John

TC '..'
"Sun went down in honey. Moon came up in wine. Stars were spinnin' dizzy, Lord, the band kept us so busy we forgot about the time."
Posted on: 15 December 2003 by Dev B
John,

Enjoy your new amps. Personally though I would have gone for something like a 52/Supercap/140 (or even a 150) instead of what you have chosen. The 82 is fine, but the 52 is just marvellous IMHO.

Dev
Posted on: 15 December 2003 by Top Cat
Hi Dev,

It was a case of 'opportunity knocking' - and the 52 or 252 is planned for the future anyway, so it's just different ways to get to the same end.

Ta,

John

TC '..'
"Sun went down in honey. Moon came up in wine. Stars were spinnin' dizzy, Lord, the band kept us so busy we forgot about the time."
Posted on: 16 December 2003 by Dobbin
Although clearly miles away from you....i believe infidelity will take in used kit and sell on your behalf (they advertise in the shop and on their web site).

If this is incorrect i'm sure someone will correct me...?
Posted on: 16 December 2003 by Dobbin
i would add that you're supposed to buy something new from them while you are there....i'm sure simon doesn't plan on hanging a trio of golden balls outside the shop some time soon!
Posted on: 17 December 2003 by Top Cat
OK, thanks guys.

I'm getting somewhere, but slowly. What I'm now looking for is more specific: a Naim dealer (not my local one, for reasons stated) who also sells DNM amps, or would take DNM amps in part-ex, so that I can do a trade-in against a Supercap v2 - and thus get shot of my DNM amps which are proving a little tricky to sell privately due both to the time of the year and also the relative obscurity of the brand (despite being excellent amps).

Anyone know any? I'd *rather* sell them privately, but given that I'm probably going to ultimately aim for 252/SC2, I'm prepared to take a lower trade-in just to move them on, and bring that SC2 in to power the 82 whilst I save for the 252 (no rush - my aim would be to get a SC2 sometime early next year, enjoy it with the 82 and then aim to move to the 252 by mid 2005)

John

TC '..'
"Sun went down in honey. Moon came up in wine. Stars were spinnin' dizzy, Lord, the band kept us so busy we forgot about the time."