Obnoxious Naim Bashing
Posted by: Willito on 12 February 2003
Recently there was a thread on what people don't like about the Naim sound. I have just listened to an impassioned rant on these lines.
Curiousity about Avalon speakers prompted me to phone their UK distributor. Initial pleasentries quickly dissolved once the electronics were discussed. Naim, I was duly informed, was part of an archaic collusion with the likes of Linn and Epos to create a closed sound ring. Lacking a natural bandwidth, Naim was solely suitable for amplified music, and would reveal its shortcomings with any jazz or classical music. Indeed, said shortcomings were said to force Naim and their likes to rely on tricks like having to place speakers against the wall. Evidence of this was said to go as far back as the Isobariks of 70s. The words of Julian Vereker were invoked as proof that this was neither a subjective view, nor an accidental consequence.
Counselling and advice was offered to me to help me break out this closed circle, and open myself up to a more mainstream reference sound.
Fine, opinions are opinions, and I certainly understand how they will differ. Indeed, to a certain extent I enjoyed just how magnificently contrary the view was to what my ears tell me. But, What I found grating, however, was the bored arrogance with which this message was delivered. With contrived Euro pettit-bourgeois manners, all subjectivity in the appraisal of sound was dismissed, and a psuedo-science imposed instead. Knowing condescension: "Well you may enjoy the sound, but . . ."
It got my blood pumping better than a cup of strong coffee!
Curiousity about Avalon speakers prompted me to phone their UK distributor. Initial pleasentries quickly dissolved once the electronics were discussed. Naim, I was duly informed, was part of an archaic collusion with the likes of Linn and Epos to create a closed sound ring. Lacking a natural bandwidth, Naim was solely suitable for amplified music, and would reveal its shortcomings with any jazz or classical music. Indeed, said shortcomings were said to force Naim and their likes to rely on tricks like having to place speakers against the wall. Evidence of this was said to go as far back as the Isobariks of 70s. The words of Julian Vereker were invoked as proof that this was neither a subjective view, nor an accidental consequence.
Counselling and advice was offered to me to help me break out this closed circle, and open myself up to a more mainstream reference sound.
Fine, opinions are opinions, and I certainly understand how they will differ. Indeed, to a certain extent I enjoyed just how magnificently contrary the view was to what my ears tell me. But, What I found grating, however, was the bored arrogance with which this message was delivered. With contrived Euro pettit-bourgeois manners, all subjectivity in the appraisal of sound was dismissed, and a psuedo-science imposed instead. Knowing condescension: "Well you may enjoy the sound, but . . ."
It got my blood pumping better than a cup of strong coffee!