Audio T -Recomended for best UK naim retailer

I'd agree that Audio T in Portmouth are excellent. They've lent me loads of stuff to try and all my current system was supplied by them, other than the speakers, which came from Cymbiosis (who are excellent too), and a Powerline that same from Tom Tom (who are also excellent). In the recent past I've bought some bits, which are now sold, from the equally excellent Signals. My swanky Ethernet cables all came from the excellent Futureshop, who are a brilliant supplier of all things wirey.

I think it's great to celebrate our helpful dealers, and don't see this thread as free advertising at all. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

I'd agree that Audio T in Portmouth are excellent. They've lent me loads of stuff to try and all my current system was supplied by them, other than the speakers, which came from Cymbiosis (who are excellent too), and a Powerline that same from Tom Tom (who are also excellent). In the recent past I've bought some bits, which are now sold, from the equally excellent Signals. My swanky Ethernet cables all came from the excellent Futureshop, who are a brilliant supplier of all things wirey.

I think it's great to celebrate our helpful dealers, and don't see this thread as free advertising at all. 

Amen to that!

Afraid have mixed feeling on my local Audio-T. Found the one in Bristil excellent, but collected my linn from my local branch after it was serviced only to find the counterweight still fitted to the Ekos. The upsetting thing was that on complaining only response I got was that it had been sent to another branch for the service who's mistake it was rather than theirs. 

my current dealer travels over 200 miles from the south east to the north west, to look after my kit, and does this without issue. He also has an incredible set of ears, and the system also sounds better when he leaves

I have always found Audio-T in Clonakilty excellent, but have also heard some very good things about Audio-T in Skibbereen. It was a great pity when the store in Glengarriff had to close down though.

SJB

Sloop John B posted:

I have always found Audio-T in Clonakilty excellent, but have also heard some very good things about Audio-T in Skibbereen. It was a great pity when the store in Glengarriff had to close down though.

I heard the Glengarriff business was being taken over by the Linn dealer in Ballylickey    ...........  

Just tried to post a couple of unusual village names in the North of England but it has been intercepted by the forum police for analysis. Will be interesting to see if it makes it through the investigation! Bit heavy-handed, only trying to have some innocent fun. Just hope village names are not censored!

OK, I get Ballylickey, but as an American I'm otherwise lost as to what's up with the other village names. Colloquial language oddities, I guess. The US has their share of odd town names, perhaps only funny to Americans: Hooker, Oklahoma; Blue Ball, Pennsylvania; Intercourse, Pennsylvania; Assawoman, Virginia; Beaverlick, Kentucky; fives states with towns named Climax and there's even a US national park in Kentucky named Big Bone Lick. None of these towns have Naim dealers. Language barriers aside, can we all get a universal juvenile laugh out of Peru's Titicaca?

I heard on the grapevine that the Audio T dealer in Giggleswick has moved to Wigglesworth.

CariocaJeff posted:

.....but collected my linn from my local branch after it was serviced only to find the counterweight still fitted to the Ekos.   ........

I'd have been somewhat dischuffed at that one too.

Chris

Jon at Audio-T Oxford introduced me to Naim. Excellent service.

SB posted:

Jon at Audio-T Oxford introduced me to Naim. Excellent service.

+1 - Jon & Dom .........    

joerand posted:

OK, I get Ballylickey, but as an American I'm otherwise lost as to what's up with the other village names. Colloquial language oddities, I guess.

This is Irish jest'ickery Joe,  don't feel bad about it as its probably lost on most Brits as well.   Ireland has only a few proper hi-fi dealers - none are Naim - & they are only found around the main cities.   SJB & I jested over Clonakilty, Skibbereen, Glengarriff & Ballylickey as they are all small way out in the country places,  bally is a common place name & the phrase Ballygonowhere is used to describe  "out in the boondocks" as you guys say.

Another vote here for Signals, who have been never less than superlative over the many years I've been reliant on them for advice, help, rather nice coffee and extreme patience in the face of my occasional flights of sheer stupidity. It's so reassuring to know, whatever befalls, Alastair and Andy will sort it out with minimum fuss. For those who've grown tired of hi-fi shows, I suggest you go along to the next Signals show - you'll never go to a better one.

And a big thumbs up to Simon and the boys at Audio T in Reading.

I too have always received excellent service on the whole from the many dealers I have used over the past three plus decades, notably in the early years, Rayleigh HiFi and Cam Audio (no loner operating) and more recently Basically Sound, HiFi Lounge and Analogue Seduction, all have in there own way been very helpful but I have to say Tony at Basically sound deserves a special mention for really going that extra mile in helping me sort out a problem I had with my TT setup even though I purchased that elsewhere.

nigelb posted:

........... we will all simply vote for our local Naim dealer.

Not me  

If we are talking just Naim I'd probably vote for James and Henry too 

I can recommend without hesitation Audience Bath. The best Naim dealer I have dealt with and probably the best in the country.

Aren't these threads a bit pointless?

Pointless for us who use these dealers but not so pointless for others who are not sure where to go for sound advice (sorry about the pun) and great service. The trouble is everyone is applauding 'their' Naim dealer so it IS starting to become a bit monotonous.

elkman70 posted:

rjstaines posted:

Before moving up here to the cold north of England, I used to visit Audio T, but that was in the days way before I had been introduced to Naim.

But it was a dealer up here in Chester who first played a Naim combination to me and who, eight years ago, started for me a 'journey of audio enlightenment'.

Since then, in return for me contributing handsomely to his retirement fund, he has provided an impeccable service - one that deserves mention in this topic.  His working hours are almost as long as those of Phil Harris -  emails to this dealer are usually answered in double quick time, no matter what hour of day or day of week. 

Needless to say, his knowledge of the Naim product line, the strengths and weaknesses, is encyclopaedic (well almost), and his motivation is one of customer service first,  pension pot second.

I know a few folks on this forum who live around this ancient Roman garrison (Chester) will have guessed already that I speak of Acoustica.  So thanks to Geoff and Pete for your great customer support.

Roger

 

Note to Richard - this review might sound overly gratuitous, but I assure you, the possibilty of me benefitting financially by way of discount or overt payment is absolutely non-existant, as any of their other customers will testify.  You just get straight talking, honest appraisal and non-negotiable pricing from these guys... but you always know exactly where you stand, which is how I prefer to buy audio stuff ! 

+1. Excellent

+2, even if they do have a habit of lending me kit over the Xmas break that I always end up buying.

FWIW,

I've had great experiences re Naim with:

1. Gullifords, Exeter
2. Audio T, Bristol
3. Hifi Lounge
4. Signals
5. Tom Tom
6. Sevenoaks, Holborn