Olive Serial Numbers > 200000?

My late-ish CDX is 182xxx.

Paul Rowlands

quote:

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Originally posted by Top Cat:
Hi folks.

I checked the s/n of my olive Hicap last night to discover it's actually 2011xx, which is a bit odd. I thought that the olive kit was effectively discontinued in 2002, around 185xxx? I bought the hicap from a dealer who told me it was a 2000-ish model, so why such a high serial number? ...

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Top Cat,
there is something going wrong with your Hicap, this serial number could't really exist
as you have already assumed:
http://www.naim-audio.com/products/serial_numbers.html

I would recommend you asking directly to the Naim Support, please keep us informed.

BTW: Hope your eyes are still in good condition and you doesn't need any glasses? :-)

Regards,
HANNES

Nope, that serial number is for real - it's on the box and on the back of the HiCap.

I *do* know that the hicap came directly from Naim to the dealer who I bought it from, so I'm wondering if it's been a cancelled custom order (as they allegedly still supply olive kit to order) - the fact that all of the HiCap packaging was brand new, and it was minter than a mint thing (with all cables still sealed, etc.) would support this.

I'm not fussed one way or t'other - I'm just curious to find out what the very latest serial numbers are up to...

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."

The serial numbers list only goes up to 2002 - maybe Naim should bring it up to date.

Just taken delivery of my XPS2 which has a number in the 197,000s, so they're not quite there yet - fairly soon, I expect.

quote:

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Originally posted by Top Cat:
Nope, that serial number is for real - it's on the box and on the back of the HiCap.

I *do* know that the hicap came directly from Naim to the dealer ...

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Hmmm, I have never given a kit to Naim service, but I couldn't believe they give
other newer serial numbers to serviced kits, therefore it keeps still a little bit
curious ...

Hannes

The 200000 mark was passed around Xmas last year I believe, there is a thread talking about this. I wonder whether your serial number has even been reached yet!!, certainly not with olive kit.

Maybe Naim reassign serial numbers if an upgrade is made! Though I don't know what a HiCap could hav ebeen upgraded from? (A 140 maybe)

Just spoken with Naim and it was brand new (which accounts for the minter than mintness). So it's a 12/2003 model. Which means that I've scored a new hicap (albeit olive) for 3yo. hicap money.

Happy days...!!!

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."

Lucky you! - Want to sell it to me??

Perhaps, I'd look for five hundred - but I'm not sure if I'm selling it yet - y'see, I'm moving to a 52/SC which I should pick up on Sunday. I also want to move to a Prefix K, and that leaves me with the 52-powered or the hicap-powered options, and I'll choose on the basis of sound quality rather than price; however, if there's not much in it I'll sell the hicap.

I have a possible buyer lined up, so you'd be second in the queue if you were seriously interested - send me a PrivTop if you want to know any more.

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."

Confused of Swindon

As I said, I've just taken delivery of a brand new XPS2 and the serial number is 197xxx. Can someone enlighten me? I sincerely hope the shop in question hasn't sold me their demo unit as a new item.

TC,

I,d be interested to hear how you get on with a prefix K with a standard Helicon. I now have aforementioned cartridge with a prefix S, which all sounds rather good. Robert is doing the prefix upgrade for me as soon as the bits arrive. Are you getting a K model from him?

Hope all goes well.

Sean.

Chris
I bought a Supercap which I know left the factory on December 23rd 2003. It's Serial number was 2002XX.

THat said when I bought my "starting" Naim kit in mid 2002 the serial numbers which I did'nt check until I came to sell it, where very late 2001. It was all above board, everything sealed and when I started using it it behaved as new and took quite a while to "burn in"as you would expect.

I sguess at Naim the day it is completed on the test line is the day it gets it's serial number.
That does not mean itw ill ship to a dealer right away. I don't expect the dealers have new kit lying around, most (if like mine) order it only when they have a sale firmed up.

Then there is the occasional last minute "pull out" occasionally so I would guess as in my case a period of 6 months "on the shelf" before actually reaching my hot sweaty hands is quite possible.

GEOFF

Hi guys,

I wouldn't believe it myself re: the serial number but I did phone Naim this very morning and they confirmed it. What *is* odd is the fact that though I got the HiCap in December, it was definitely earlier than the 23rd.

I'm not complaining, mind you - the numbers never lie (especially when confirmed by Naim).

For Sean:

I spoke to Robert last week and he said he was getting a Prefix in to update - maybe yours? - and of course I will certainly buy my Prefix from him, should I definitely go down that route. The alternative, the Dynavector P75 I think it's called, he also is getting in, so he'll get my cash one way or t'other.

I'm not sure whether I'll get K or S; Robert recommended S over K, on account of my proximity to a large transmitter, but having said that I've had no airborne RFI problems so maybe an updated Prefix K would be fine. Sure would be good to be able to compare, but I suspect the differences are probably fairly subtle.

Cheers,

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."

Sean,

How much is the prefix update? Tell Robert I'll be in next!

See you next week TC.

NBLs singing their socks off;O)

Chris Metcalfe,
By coincidence, I bought my local dealers ex-demo NAC282 on Saturday. I believe that they have had it for several months and the serial number is 197xxx. Of course this does not mean that your XPS2 was an ex-demo model, it could perhaps just have been a stock item.

Pete L.

to all

if you look on the sides of the box for the nightspeed shipping sticker this is dated as when it left the factory
which is always the date i qoute as to when it was purchased ( as we have seen by this thread that purchase dates and serial numbers could be months apart making your kit appear older than it is )

regards neil

Perhaps a mod can help us here with the answer to this question. At what stage in the manufacturing process are S. No.s assigned. Is it after testing and final inspection or before the boards are populated. This may explain the disparities reported here.

Yours in Music

Syd

TC,

I'd be very interested to hear your views on HI-CAP powered Prefix vs 52 powered Prefix when you've had a chance to experiment. I'm currently powering my Stageline S from my 52 but I'm tempted to get a HI-CAP. I know that some people actually prefer the Prefix without a separate HI-CAP, though...

Maybe things have changed, but IIRC serial numbers are assigned by production/work order; if a unit is delayed waiting for parts, it's possible it might leave the factory with a lower serial number, or a higher serial number if, as you said, (re)manufactured as a one-off.

Thanks guys.
Not so much paranoia as an inability to read numbers. The actual serial number is 199794, which was apparently made just before Xmas and shipped by Naim to my dealer 13/1/04.
Thanks to the guy at Naim who checked this.

Having had the XPS2 warming up, I've also borrowed a 282 and the new 250, and am having major traumas about whether these now take priority over a new car, holidays, etc etc.

Lads,

The hold up on me getting my prefix updated is a delay in getting the parts from Naim. They were ordered in December but I'm still waiting. As to the cost, well, I don't know yet. I'm sure Robert will tell me once the work is done.

Sean.

Hi Sean,

The 52/SC is now in place, and things are sounding good*. I don't know whether I'll jump to get the Prefix or wait a few months - I'd like to hear one first - but I'll keep everyone posted.

John

* subject to the fact that I've lost the adapter which allows me to connect my DIN-terminated Aro armleads on my LP12 to the 52, and subject to the fact that my cd player is getting an update mod done right now, so I'm left having to use my cd recorder for auditioning purposes. That said, the DR6000+/52/SC/250 makes the DR6000+/82/HC/250 sound broken

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."

Top Cat..if I read your posting correctly, you have a 52/scap and are going for a k-prefix.....and are not sure whether to power it via the 52, or use a hicap?

I don`t believe, once you try the (seperate)hicap option, that you will want to revert to powering the prefix from the 52

laurie S

Hi Laurie,

You understand me correctly - I just want to make that call for myself, and I have a hicap that I can keep and use to power a Prefix, or I can sell that and more than fund the Prefix entirely and power it from the 52.

Obviously the second option leaves me £500ish better off, so the first option that you recommend will have to be more than slightly better - a _lot_ better will suffice

Meanwhile, the 52 has really impressed me, though it will be a few days before it will have warmed up completely.

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."