The Next Big Thing

Word on the street in the UK is that Naim are in the process of developing separates with the same look and feel as the 500. This means a NAC52, CDS-II and other to bring the brand on to the new image. I've not heard that there is a project in place to replace the NAC52 with a better preamp - can you get better? Mind you, knowing Naim, they may find a way of improving what it already brilliant.

Nigel

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Word on the street in the UK is that Naim are in the process of developing separates with the same look and feel as the 500.

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Here's hope they won't replace the greenie/black style for the sake of people like me who are in the middle of upgrading.

[sarcasm mode on] Hey, if Naim really want to capture the "me too" end of the market - why not go for a silver finish like everyone else is? Or have their products with different sizes, shapes and styles and logos like E.A.R.? [sarcasm mode off]

Feeling a bit grumpy,

Andrew

Andrew Randle
2B || !2B;
4 ^ = ?;

Paul

If the casing will change then please, Naim, give us advanced warning.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
2B || !2B;
4 ^ = ?;

At the Hammersmith show Roy George talked about a future upgrade for 135s and, IIRC, 250s which used technology from the 500. Presumably that wont involve a case cbange.

Matthew

What I am more interested in is if (or when) Naim is going to introduce a new 500 series preamp. I remember asking on the old forum if the 250/135 was to be replaced with a new amp with a separate supercap power supply. This was flatly denied at the time. However, we now have the 500 which is similar to what I had asked about.

It is possibly true that improving on the 52 may be a much more formidable task but many of us thought 135s to be near perfect as well. Not any more.

Paul

But the "super 52" will, I think, arrive in due time, obviously to match the 500. Only time will tell. As usual, Naim will keep mum. Or will they?

Good listening; the music's still groovin'.

Philip

naimniac for life

Bob.

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I think a new speaker is just around the corner ;-)

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And the new computer tuned super stand that will kick Mana butt! Also look out for the AV2 and a 3 channel AV amp.
John

More Hutter, more Hutter!

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Another point about the new stylings (and referring to the point about a new top end pre-amp), remember that when the casings were last changed, many models only received a cosmetic change - e.g. 135, 250 and 140 power amps were 'the same' inside the covers. Equally I think some of the pre-amps and cross-overs were unchanged.

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Actually, all the preamps at the time (NAC 32-5, NAC 62) had newer PCBs or were replaced entirely (NAC 32-5 to NAC 72); the 52 was the harbinger of things to come (NAC 82/102), with a nearly matching slimline range to follow shortly thereafter. The amplifiers, on the whole, remained the same inside, with the NAP 180 (ultimately) replacing the NAP 160 in the old cosmetic.

Cosmetic upgrades were made available (as both cosmetics used an adhesive-fixed fascia, these could be affixed to the existing front panel); for what it's worth, the NAP 500PS is, ultimately, still manufactured with an extrusion case (albeit slightly shorter front-to-back as the newest fascias bolt on to the front). No official word on whether this will be made available as an aftermarket update, however.

By the way--if Naim is planning any major changes around the corner, they've kept us (the distributors) as in the dark as everyone else (after all, who doesn't want to be surprised?); as I just visited the factory in September, there were no prototypes of any of the above speculations about the place--trust me, I looked!

Dave Dever, NANA

[This message was edited by David Dever, NANA on TUESDAY 20 February 2001 at 11:59.]

Either way the SBLs are a very good speaker that make great music. The only criticism I can think of is that I sometimes hit the bass drivers against their end stops. And they are not DBLs.

I find the concept of a cosmetic 'upgrade' more annoying to be honest. I find the current 52 etc stying perfectly acceptable. I'm none to keen on having the re-sale value of my current set-up dented either.

I wonder what the benefit to Naim of incorporating nicer styling to the 52 etc would be. I don't know of anyone who has not bought 82s, 52s 250s because of its looks. Equally, I don't know of anyone who has bought a 500 for its dashing looks compared to a 135.

Now NBLs vs DBLs is a different matter. Anyone who has considered DBLs must have had a look at the NBL and sighed a little.

I must have idiosyncratic taste because I much prefer the look of SBL and DBL to NBL but maybe it's just me - I actually like the visibly separate cabinets and sloping fronts.

Woodface - congrats on the SBL's - I too bought a pair in the last year or two new. They are great speakers if a bit bass shy in my view. I picked up a couple of hints at Hammersmith that designs which are quite old such as SBL were being reviewed with a view to some changes so I wouldn't be surprised if they launch SBL2. The only thing that would really bug me if they suddenly had a lot more scale and bass than mine which is my principal gripe with them! A friend who plays organ has commented to me that they don't have as much balls as his Bose at around 1/10th the price which is galling.

Trouble is their clarity, bass articulation, speed and attack is exemplary in comparison with everything else I have heard at the price. Many other speakers sound positively muffled in comparison.

Martin - I'm stunned you're able to drive them against their endstops. A friend brought around Koto drummers of Japan on CD which I took to around 12 o'clock on my 102/180 before backing off for fear of damaging them. What are you driving them with? DO they have a thermal cut-out?

Bristol's gonna be good,

Jonathan

When it all goes well they improveme in scale, slam and ability to rock compared to the NBL.

Their disadvantages seem to be that experimenting with positioniong is next to impossible and they are a bugger to pack-up should you move house, decorate or whatever. The NBLs solve all these problems.

I intend to purchase DBLs.

Johnathon I use 52/135s. Some Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Stevie Wonder 'Genius Period' CDs can play havoc with the SBL end stops.

[This message was edited by Martin M on TUESDAY 20 February 2001 at 16:24.]

On the other hand NBLs have sounded fantastic when active - on a par with Isobariks.

Jonathan, I'm still aware of the separation of the NBL boxes particularly when the grills are off. The design almost turns the separate box principle on its head - genius.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
2B || !2B;
4 ^ = ?;

[This message was edited by Andrew Randle on TUESDAY 20 February 2001 at 16:31.]

Andrew,

Just wait till you hear them at Bristol!

Bob.

You need a big room for DBLs otherwise they overwhelm both you and the room. If it weren't for a imminenent toom upgrade I think I'd stick with SBLs, they rarely let me down.

Hotel rooms are notoriously 'rattle-tastic' so I guess they won't sound at their best. However, I thought the DBL system at last year's London show had a fantastic musical grip and coherance about it that made me want to buy them. This in spite of the rooms buzzess,rattles and general sonic incontinance.

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Just wait till you hear them at Bristol!

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Yep, looking forward to it.

Previously at shows, DBLs have sounded like public address systems - my attitude to that was "so what!". No real involvement either.

The best DBL demo for me was at Hammersmith last year. The worst was in an AV demo at the Heathrow show about 4 years ago.

Naim will have 3 demo rooms available at Bristol, I guess there'll be:

1) DBLs (obviously)
2) 5 Series with Credos (almost obviously)
3) SBL or SBL replacement (rumours and conjecture here)

Speaking of rumours, my dealer said that something seems to be going on with the NBLs - maybe he was just wondering why Naim seem reticent to demonstrate them at shows. This leaves me very perplexed, they are IMHO and limited experience the best loudspeakers that Naim have released.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
2B || !2B;
4 ^ = ?;

To quote from the 82 description on the web site:

"All six inputs have separate listen and record facilities, enabling one source to be monitored while another is being recorded, with muting and mono switching available throughout."

I have an 82 too, but have not yet made recordings (Have to get my A77 out of storage someday). I believe that the selected record signal is routed to the output pins on at least a couple of the sockets (tape, VCR, ...?). If you have a 3 head recorder, you can set the record source to phono, and the listen source to the recorder in order to monitor the quality of the recording.

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If my math serves correct b4 the 500 the best way
of a Naim stereo amp was 2x135s, so the escalation in monetary units was a factor of 2.7.

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Actually, circuit-for-circuit, a NAP 500 has the equivalent of four 135s inside--therefore, about a factor of 1.35 would be more accurate (see U.S. retail price list).

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BTW, what are the rows of switches on the lower band of the 82 (and 52) for? ...does anyone make use of them? I have been indoctrinated by StereoPile and Absolutely NotSound that minimalist, but most expensive components, are best for a preamp (and the manufacturer's, importer's and retailer's profits)

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If you hand-wire the inside of a preamp with cobwebs dipped in silver nitrate, it doesn't necessarily justify a ridiculous asking price, does it??

If you (as an end-user) spend extra money on a preamplifier, it ought not to remove convenient features in the name of "simplicity"...in the case of the NAC 52 (and the derived NAC 82), the bottom row selects the source for the "record" path, i.e., the tape outputs on DIN inputs 4/5/6. Some use these to feed a tape deck, others to feed a separate preamplifier or multi-room system.

As this path is fully buffered from the "listen" path (and from the switching circuits), it does not affect performance of the primary channels.

Hope this helps,
Dave Dever, NANA

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there were no prototypes of any of the above speculations about the place--trust me, I looked!

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Because of your posts here I was told that Naim invited an experet to hide all the new prototypes.

Arye

How many people really use the lower bank of switches ? Ditto the Mono and Mute buttons.

I have never, ever found a use for the balance control on any piece of hi-fi I have ever owned. I don’t (currently) need any RIAA equalisation. All I really want is a volume control (preferably remote controlled). Presumably I now don’t need much in the way of power supplies ? Any takers ?