When to service?

Years after production.

Depends on who you ask on how many years. Some say as early as 7 years, other stretch to 12. If you wait too long you will start to hear noises through the speakers as the capacitors age. By that stage though, things are in danger of going open circuit.

Your dealer can provide advice depending on the age of your unit and the type of unit it is.

Merry Christmas, Happy to see things are back to normal.

 Well I don't have it documented, but I think it's 10 years for Amps and 15 years for Pre amps. Of Course, it depends usage, so I would adjust those numbers + or - (2) years. But as always listen to your ears, if you're system appears to be sluggish, and you're in that range, by all means take your gear in to be serviced!

Naim is the only audio company that requires servicing after a decade. Other makes do not set this requirement. Is this due to the capacitor type being used on the amp/pre amp?

kaydee6 posted:

Naim is the only audio company that requires servicing after a decade. Other makes do not set this requirement. Is this due to the capacitor type being used on the amp/pre amp?

Krell also recommend servicing at about 10 year intervals. Many of their Power amps don't have the large capacitors, but other components age as well.

Products from Sony, Panasonic and the like, simply become obsolete and their owners move on to new products or newer versions well before the initial product needs a service.

I agree it's good to have the amp serviced by the maker, the only problem is this works well in the UK but not the rest of the world. Sending in the amp for servicing from the far east is not cheap.

Mike-B posted:

Its only the very large electrolytic caps used in pwr amps & PSU's,  they go out of spec with age.

But its the same for any electrolytic cap, irrespective of make,  Naim advise it a good idea to have them replaced, the other amp manufacturers don't.

The tantalum caps need replacing before the large electrolytics.

Darren Class A (official Naim service centre), told me the main reservoir caps need replacing after 14 years and tantalum after 10 year in an XPS. I was offered a part service with the replacement of tants only.

I remember speaking to Sheila many years ago regarding servicing a NAC62 and a NAP90, I asked her which to service if I only had one done, she said the 62.

From my own experience replacing tants makes a huge improvement to sound quality.

I've had a pair of NAP135s, whose electrolytics needed changing after only 7 years.  I've also had a NAC32.5 which Sheila described as "about to fall off several cliffs at the same time" after 16 years, so I go by 8 years for a power amp or power supply and 12 years for a pre-amp. YMMV.

Merry Musical Christmas, FT

Foot tapper posted:

I've had a pair of NAP135s, whose electrolytics needed changing after only 7 years.  I've also had a NAC32.5 which Sheila described as "about to fall off several cliffs at the same time" after 16 years, so I go by 8 years for a power amp or power supply and 12 years for a pre-amp. YMMV.

Merry Musical Christmas, FT

""Well I don't have it documented, but I think it's 10 years for Amps and 15 years for Pre amps. Of Course, it depends usage, so I would adjust those numbers + or - (2) years. But as always listen to your ears, if you're system appears to be sluggish, and you're in that range, by all means take your gear in to be serviced!""

Same ballpark Foot Tapper!