Naim votes 'remain' for Classic Series

Yes exactly my point, core is interesting because it is not a lifestyle product and it is in the new design but it is more likely to be used by classic users

Solid Air, yes you are correct that the statement is future Classic boxes will match the current design.

They could indeed introduce the new colour screen to new Classic streamers and any new pre/streamers that might arrive, but I wouldn't think they would increase the height of the boxes to accommodate it as this would cause problems fitting them in standard height Fraim levels and would also reduce air circulation. More likely a smaller colour screen could be introduced. However as the vast majority, if not all of us control our Classic streamers via the app on tablets or phones with very nice graphics, I see no reason for a colour screen on Classic streamers. But I have been wrong many, many times!

Yes, I'm not too bothered by the screen on the streamer either - I'd just as soon not have it. However, I think buyers coming up from the 'new look' products will want a screen, and it would be a bit foolish of Naim not to have one. A slightly smaller one, to keep the cases at roughly the same height as now, makes sense to me too.

It will be as usefull as the uniti color screen, just marketing, feel of modern. 

The whole point about the new range is to transit new Naim customers from muso/muso QB upwards towards the classic separates. The old Uniti range had run its course in that respect.

best

David

Whats happening with the Superuniti then? Have i missed something? They're sure to discontinue that are they not or is it supposed to be better than the new products?

The SU is replaced by the Nova. Maybe the SU is still on the website because the Nova is a few months away. But then again the website still shows a range of three speakers. 

'Electronic Lego': love it! I have said newsletter too: Signals: by appointment to  Valhalla 

Where did 1/2 you guys come from.  Gees.

No screen is better.  I even got a remote just to switch off the button light on my nDAC. Screens are for kids and mid fi, use an app if you are genuinely after optimum performance. Light shows should be left back on the 1980s.

Briz Vegas posted:

Where did 1/2 you guys come from.  Gees.

No screen is better.  I even got a remote just to switch off the button light on my nDAC. Screens are for kids and mid fi, use an app if you are genuinely after optimum performance. Light shows should be left back on the 1980s.

Actually I was waiting for someone to say this. Though I understand those who own components that come with a nice screen may become upset. Can't do much with CD players as the information on the track that is playing needs to be on the screen.

Similarly I prefer no screen. One thing I like about the black Classic Naim is the design and aesthetics of it. Personally I feel the design of the black Classic is timeless. I love the clean lines and uncluttered looks of the amplifiers, especially the front panel. The high build quality and solid feel of the components are something that I like as well (components of other makes look and feel cheap and plastic, and the top casing on certain amps tend to flex when you put pressure on it).

I'm not convinced by the OP's thesis. I reckon that within the next few years the Classic series will be slightly rehoused in something akin to the new Uniti style - particularly with regard to screen ability etc if not the top dial - and probably slimmed down too - as the Uniti range has been (in terms of number of products, that is).

Of course it will still have the multi-box structure - that's how Naim make money!!

It's not my thesis, I was simply quoting from the Signals newsletter. And when I mentioned to my dealer the idea of the classic series being reboxed I was asked 'and why might you think that?' Of course in time things will change, but I sincerely doubt it will be in the next few years. The style of the Unitis is very much that of stand-alone boxes. 

It was more the implication of your thread title old chap.

We shall see.....  

I love my Naim system but I don't see why the look of new kit shouldn't evolve.

Salmon Dave posted:

I love my Naim system but I don't see why the look of new kit shouldn't evolve.

Evolve yes ... but no need for anything revolutionary.  

Kind of like the design of the Land Rover ... 68 years without much change of the basic design - the Naim Classic design has life left in it!

Things change and it is the natural way of things. But it is not a foregone conclusion. Yes the Classic style has been with us for over 15 years now. But on the other hand, the previous Olive and Chrome Bumper stylings had some clear problems (yeah I know there are people who prefer them) which the current Classics just dont. When selling Naim gear, the number of times they failed WAF due to "looking like they were knocked together in a garage" I cannot count.

On top of that, there are loads of manufacturers out there that have basically left their aesthetics as is since the 80's or even earlier. A NAD amp today looks like it did in the 80s, as does McIntosh. Apart from the low end micro systems, Yamaha, Denon and Onkyo's higher end (for them) amps look nearly identical to the ones they made in the 70s. Mainly because they found a simple functional timeless formula. Not very cool looking but not something that will go out of style and offend the room either. Elegant. There have been minor refinements but the core style is the same.

Based on that, I would not care to speculate one way or another what Naim do with Classic styling. It could all change tomorrow or it could change never.

It'll be interesting to see how this develops.

The obvious challenge will be the streamers and pre/streamers. They have to be rack-friendly, but realistically they also have to adopt the new Uniti platform quite quickly - it makes no sense on any level to keep them as they are. Therefore Naim must either adapt the new design to be front facing or keep them in the old casing (but with the new platform). Tough choice. My guess is they'll go for the former, and if they do, the whole non-streaming range will follow as soon as they can achieve it, starting with the Nait and moving up. Of course, that adaptation could be quite minimalist, picking up the new aesthetic but not totally clashing with the old. I also agree that some pruning of the range will occur at the same time, and they won't necessarily be like-for-like.

I really don't get all this idle speculation. For those of us attending the recent visit to the Naim factory it was made very clear to us that there were no plans to change the appearance of the current Classic series. That's it. If we're all abducted by aliens or if the Earth gets hit by a giant meteorite then things might be different of course. The new Uniti range looks super & will be winner for Naim, but it's for a different market and has been designed as such.

I don't understand it either. 'Remain' sounds rather like remain to me - i.e. not change. The new platform does not imply structural changes - you can put a new engine into a car without changing the bodywork. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

I don't understand it either. 'Remain' sounds rather like remain to me - i.e. not change. The new platform does not imply structural changes - you can put a new engine into a car without changing the bodywork. 

or new dashboard  

Hungryhalibut posted:

I don't understand it either. 'Remain' sounds rather like remain to me - i.e. not change. The new platform does not imply structural changes - you can put a new engine into a car without changing the bodywork. 

Ahh but if we vote remain, then we can try to change from within... erm sorry I think I'm in the wrong thread :-)

tonym posted:

I really don't get all this idle speculation.

It's what people do when they cannot deal with uncertainty. In the social world it is the equivalent of increasing the value of Planck's constant by about 10E57. (And yes I know that is a stupidly large number.)

Nick from Suffolk posted:

tonym posted:

I really don't get all this idle speculation.

It's what people do when they cannot deal with uncertainty. In the social world it is the equivalent of increasing the value of Planck's constant by about 10E57. (And yes I know that is a stupidly large number.)

Apart from as Tony has said there is no uncertainty - well not as far as Naim are concerned and what they have shared with those who have visited them recently

S

I for one would be happy without a major re-design.  I've got to my happy place in the Naim lineup, with all up to date models & didn't like the thought of what it would do to the value of all my kit if the whole line gets a redo.  I'm also in the camp that think the classic line looks exactly that, much more classic looking & will likely continue to age much better then the new Uniti range.  I don't mind the look of the Atom, but I'm not sure if it will look so good in say 5 or 10 years down the road (to me a much more contemporary design & from my experience, contemporary typically doesn't age so well).  For example, adding the new heatsinks to the side of the classic amps & pre's would not be a nice change, compared to the nice & clean casework they currently have.

Daren, I think  Naim agree with you too with regard to the Classic series... which perhaps is just as well.

nigelb posted:

Emre posted:

nigelb posted:

Emre posted:

So why did they bother with it in the new line at All? There must be a reason for it, I think it is not about usability but  just modern look

For the classics it is something they can add without chancing the case and look, make the classics little bit less classic and relaunch it without upsetting the old guys like us

Because, I presume, being essentially lifestyle products, MuSo and Uniti need to compete with other, funkier looking lifestyle competitor products. If this is the case then the Uniti range was certainly in need of a fresh design and at the same time move over to the new platform.

I am not arguing one way or the other re a change to the Classic design. I merely commented that having an authoritative statement that the design will not be changing, most on this thread proceeded to speculate how the design will/might change.

Yes I agree maybe exception of core, it is not a lifestyle product

The Core is part of the Uniti range, not the Classic range. Anyway, servers are best kept away from Classic black boxes, on sonic grounds. If the Core is physically separated from Classic boxes there should be no design clash.

In that case the bnc spdif out should have been removed.

Claus