Any Naim owners in the Twin Cities area?

Michael,

Can i ask what is classed as the Twin Cities in the us?

Stu

Minneapolis and St Paul, in Minnesota, as far as I recall?

Hi Michael -

Welcome to Minnesota!   I live in Minneapolis, and my email address is in my profile.

There used to be a guy in Chaska (d.b.a. Great Plains Audio & Home Theater) who sold Naim, but no clue if he is still in business.   Unfortunately, none of the brick & mortar audio stores in town carry Naim.

If you are interested in meeting "birds of a feather", you might consider joining the Audio Society of Minnesota.  They meet monthly at the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting.  Just don't let anyone talk you into switching to ARC or Magnepan or Atma-Sphere or Bel Canto! 

Hook

My apologies for being US centric.  Yes, the Twin Cities is in Minnesota and includes 2 cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) of about half a million people separated by the Mississippi river.  I'm originally from here and went to NYC for graduate school.  

I grew up with Quads, Magnepans and Audio Research, as my father was an audio dealer when I was a child.  Hook- do you attend the Minnesota Audio Society? 

Is this the famous Speedo of the 3rd person?  If so, welcome back.

Thanks for that info.

I didnt know having never been to that part of the USA.

Prince or what ever he is calling himself these days?Has some Naim kit.

Stu

Yes, that be ME, but I figured I'd tone it down a bit.  It's been awhile since I've been back and don't want to ruffle too many feathers!

I understand being wiped out after work.  I don't understand why they would have meetings on a weekday?  That's seems so midwestern to me!   lol

I'm going to move this into the PC for now.  Nice to see you back here posting Speedo.

Funny about Minneapolis/St.Paul, it's a city (cities?) that I've flown to probably 20 times or more but never actually visited.  I think it was a hub for one of the airlines I used to fly from London to Phoenix (Northwest, TWA or Braniff??) when I'd go visit my father during the '80s.  I always wondered what it was like but all I ever got to see was the airport...

Hi Richard -

It was Northwest, but sadly, it is all Delta now.   I say that because having the two airlines with the most gates here merge has resulted in fewer options, and higher ticket prices.

If you ever have a 21st stopover, and would like to budget a half-to-full day to see some sites (by which I mean large, independent used vinyl stores of course), then I would gladly be your host and chauffeur. (Note to Speedo -- I'm talking Electric Fetus, Roadrunner, Treehouse, Hymies and Vintage Music Co if 78's are of any interest).  Minneapolis/St Paul really is a great town for vinyl lover's.  At last count there were 21 stores selling records within 20 minutes of where I live.   We also have a monthly vinyl show -- two alternating sites where 30-40 independent sellers rent tables and sell their collections.  (Speedo - last one was last Saturday at the American Legion Hall on Lyndale at Lake Street).   I went a bit nuts, and came home with 30+ records.  Some real gems (Grossman & Renbourn, Richard Thomson Live!, Coltrane Time...a bunch of 80's BN reissues, and so on.).   I try and stick to the under $30 records, though there are a few sellers with much higher end collectibles.   Negotiating a fair price is always fun (everyone deals), and it helps to have an internet-ready device to do a little instantaneous research -- way too easy to fall in love with a title and overpay.  There was a seller asking $175 for "Jazz at The Pawnshop" (Proprius 7778-79), and I watched a guy use his iPhone to get the seller down to $65.  If I didn't already own the HDTracks download...but that would be breaking my $30 rule! 

Also, there are three independent, brick & mortar audio stores in town.  Seems a shame that in a city of over half a million, and a metro area of close to three million, that none of these stores know the first thing about Naim!

Sorry to ramble on like such a homer , but I do love hunting for records! 

Hook

Thanks Hook, you're right it was Northwest, TWA was, I think St.Louis, and Braniff was Dallas Forth Worth.  Went to those plenty of times too but only ever got to visit Dallas.  Never did manage to see JR...

Thank you for the very kind offer.  I can't say I'll be visiting any time soon, but you never know... 

When we got a free flight, from Northwest, we spent a delightful 5 hours in Mineapolis/St Paul airport  awaiting our connection to Florida. It was a few weeks after 9/11 and it was total chaos.

Locals were winging and whining they seemed to forgotten what the new scanners and searches were for.

Hi Speedo,

I lived in the Twin Cities for 6 years and go back there regularly as it's where our company is based. A store that Hook didn't mention is 'Cheapo' down by Lake St. and Hennepin, - tons of new and used vinyl as well as CDs.

By the way, I want the 3rd person Speedo back!

Best regards,

Mark Dunn

OK, Speedo can come back as the 3rd person writer and it is nice to be back.  Speedo took time off the Naim forum for four years to finish his PhD in Engrish (just kidding- psychology) and travel the world for IBM.  It takes a bit more time for Speedo to edit his posts to be gramattically incorrect, but if the Naim forum wants it's resident jackass back, Speedo glad to oblige.

Hook- You be no homer!  Speedo agrees with you about the independent vinyl stores in Minneapolis.  Speedo lived in NYC for fourteen years, but there were actually less stores in Manhattan and they were so grossly overpriced, Speedo would use the time back in Minnesota to purchase lots of cheapo records and ship them back to NYC.  I recall the crazy vinyl sales at Root Cellar on Snelling (RIP) where they would place every $1 record at half price.  Speedo purchased 300 records and shipped back to NYC.  Speedo's vinyl collection is heavily based on the fantastic used vinyl market in Minneapolis-St. Paul.  As for the vinyl show, Speedo down and will send Hook an email to purchase yet more vinyl and anger Speedo wife.

Speedo very good friends with the owner of Audio Perfection; he be knowing him since Speedo childhood days wearing pamper Speedos.  Speedo ask why no Naim; he be thinking they sell Linn and Rega, so need to represent.

He be back, Mark.  He be back.  Speedo now no longer work for IBM and work for MN company, Cargill.  Speedo likes puters and grain.  Where you be working, Mark?

Really- Prince uses Naim?  Naim does Prince classic albums justice.  Speedo was just spinning Dirty Mind- funky tunes indeed.

OMG, you guys have unleashed a 3rd-person, English mangling monster! 

Speedo - has your friend at Audio Perfection forgiven you?   Trying to remember his name -- tall, skinny, beard, glasses....was it Eric?    Been there a few times, but not recently -- it was the first place I ever heard the ARC/Maggie combo -- but, obviously, bought Naim instead.   I know he also carries Linn, but I've never seen an LP12 there?   I guess he simply prefers Rega, Clearaudio, Oracle, etc.? 

Spent much more time at HiFi Sound on Glenwood (just down the street from me) and at the Needle Doctor (am getting my record cleaning stuff there...no longer in Dinkytown....they moved to Excelsior, just west of 100).   I enjoy occasionally chatting with the guys at HiFi Sound, but try not to waste their time since I'm pretty well set for audio gear.

Hook

That be more like it Speedo 

All this talk of Minneapolis makes me think of the movie Fargo, love that scene where the chain-smoking crook feeds his dismembered buddy into the wood chipper.

My niece's boyfriend comes from there, manages somehow to transfer his university studies to Sydney during the northern winter. 

Hi Speedo,

You is back!

I work for a company that manufactures packaging machinery (automatic baggers, palletizers, etc.) that are based just off University Ave in NE Minneapolis. However, I live in Dallas, Texas but often visit Cargill Animal Nutrition plants in Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Louisiana as Cargill uses a lot of our equipment. If you're based at Cargill's head office in Wayzata then you're very lucky as that's a beautiful area (except in January )

Best regards,
Mark Dunn

Cool!  Cargill Animal Nutrition, eh?  Speedo thinks you be extra cool now, Mark.  Extra coolio.  Speedo does work in the Wayzata office and it be beautiful; what with wild animals walking around the corporate HQ.  Speedo never been to Dallas. A bit odd- he be visit lots o other places but not Big D.

January in Minnesota.  Lovely time for speedo to break out his swim trunks

Well, if you're ever heading to Dallas let me know. We have a spare room and there's lots to do, - even in January!

Best regards,

Mark Dunn

Thanks, Mark.  Speedo may take you up on it when he visits Big D.  Give hook and speedo a holler when you make it back to the frozen tundra