How long have you been in the fold?

Bought a Nait 3 after graduation and starting work (replacing a Pioneer A400), driving some wee speakers by Ruark, with a Rotal RCD971 - which was a very fine device indeed for the cash. That was about 8 years ago. Then bought an RCD991 which was awesome, changed me speakers for Vienna Acoustics Haydns, converted me Nait to a 92, and bought the then new NAP150. Then FlatCap2. Then flogged the lot and went over to the dark side...!

EW

NAP 160 around 1979.

About 10 years.

Started with NAP90/NAC92, went up to bi-amped NAP90 (felt the need to acquire more boxes). Got a CD3.5 and then a Flatcap then stayed static for about 8 years.

Then made big jumps to CDX2, 252/SCap, 300 starting two years ago.

Been totally 'faithful' the whole time (apart from a brief 'lost weekend' with a Chord DAC64 which I demo'd but didn't buy).

Rich.

s/h Nait in 1987 (?original model) then 72/140 for 5 years or so. Never strayed in terms of amplification but had Meridian CDP for 10 years. I did not like the original Naim CDP's.

Active from 1999 with Credo then SBL.

Bruce

12S/120 in 1978, which replaced some wooden sleeved Marantz.

Never strayed from the path since.

quote:

Originally posted by bazz:
12S/120 in 1978, which replaced some wooden sleeved Marantz.

Never strayed from the path since.

I think you'll be hard to beat with 1978. I was a starving student in Gower Street then and could only look through the hi-fi shop windows in Tottenham Court Road.

quote:

I think you'll be hard to beat with 1978

Nah, must be others before that. I still remember the initial impact very clearly though. Neither I nor my hi fi friends could believe that such nondescript little black boxes could produce such sound.

Also acquired an LP12/Grace G707/Supex SD900 around the same time which produced a similar effect.

Just over a year

quote:

Nah, must be others before that.

You're right. I bought my first system in 1976 in Salt Lane (see my profile)

And I bet there are shed loads of members here who bought stuff well before then.

Cheers

Don

Since before the NAIT needed a numerical suffix.

Joined the fold in 1985, looking for an amp to partner my Michell Focus TT. Took several up 'n'coming amps for home dem ( audiolabs 8000 , creek , NAD ) but the Nait was the one I couldn't turn off. Now thinking of Chrome bumper upgrade (62/140 ? ) I just love the older Naim kit as it still sounds great and is amazing value for money.

1985 S/H 12S/160. An accidental entry as buying an LP12 instead of a Revolver left us short of the money for a new Cyrus amp and pre.Never regreted that piece of luck.
I only sold the 160 a few years ago(that may have been an error).

Howard

Nac102+Nap90 in 1995 ish....

then, thousands of pounds later....

42.5/110 in 1982 (along with LP12/ITTOK/KARMA and original KANS)have kept the faith ever since ,progressing along to my current setup CD3.5/HC,82/HC,135'S and Mission 752F - still have all my original kit (except Karma) in almost daily use.Hope to have some spare cash in the new year for some changes - CDX2/52/SC possibly.Just like to add a thanks for the advice regarding a recent ORIS watch purchase.Very happy with the outcome - Thanks again
Ian

1986 with a Nait.

Finances then got in the way until 2002 when I made the mistake of wandering into Uncle Peter's hi-fi emporium. Then the hounds were unleased!

Guy

A Nait 2 (to replace my trusty old NAD 3020) in 1988. Have never used any other amplification apart from Naim from that date. Now run a 62-160-Hi Cap set up, vey satisfactorily.

Almost bought a Geddon in 2003 but decided on Lingo 2 instead, because I wanted 45rpm. Will probably buy a Naim CDP and tuner at some point, maybe speakers (but not the Aro, I prefer the Ekos).

K

Rockingdoc; I bought a very similar first system from you in 1992

LP12 with 72/140

But it was joining this forum that opened new possibilities............



regards
Richard S

Only two years for me. Two years has moved me from a CD5/200/202 to a CDX2/200/202/HICAP/NAPSC. That's it for a while as I am loving the sound as is. No intentions of straying from the path either.

Regards

Spock

1990(ish) for me when my local Linn/Naim dealer dropped Naim and sold all their demo gear off cheap. Picked up a near half-price deal on 62/140 to replace a Cyrus (1 or 2, can't recall which) and an Aro to replace the Basik+ tonearm on my LP12. Oh, and the inevitable NACA5 of course)

15 years on, I still have those three items but they've been joined more recently by a Hi-Cap; a CD3.5/FC (which in turn was replaced with a CDS/CDPS) and a NAT03 (which was replaced by a NAT02).

Yeah, I'm a sheep, a Naim-slut, whatever - I'm very happy with it all

S.

Chaps

I cannot remember the exact year but I first came across Naim by accident around the early nineties.

I have always run two hifi syatems, one in the lounge and one in the dining room. My main system in the lounge was a Pioneer A400 with Castle Chester speakers and to be fair, it did sound reasonably good.

One day the dining room system (Sansui) started smoking and caught fire so I had to dispose of it.

I intended to buy a new system but glanced at a copy of the local Loot equivalent and saw a Naim 32.5 / 140 / Linn Saras for sale. Much to my surprise it was literally being sold by a chap who lived within walking distance. I had never come across Naim before this but it did have a reputation of being a well made but expensive system and Mrs Mick and I decided to have a listen.

The system was connected to a Rocksan TT and the sound was the like we had never heard before. I did a deal (£400.00 for the lot excluding the TT) and since then I have never looked back. It replaced the A400 and was light years ahead. I bought more CDs in the following month than I did in the previous year.

This forum did generate upgraditus and all I will say about that is thanks chaps for spurring me on.

I don't contribute much to the forums nowadays because I have said everthing before and fora needs new blood rather than old has beens repeating themselves but it is good to read that Naim still has the magic that other marques lack.

Regards

Mick

I started in 1990 with a 2nd hand Nait 1 and LP12 and Heybrook HB2s - the Nait is currently hibernating (pending activation in a 2nd system once I find an appropriate source - currently Sony Walkman Pro), the LP12 going strong as evidenced by this morning's Schubert session and sadly the Heybrook's have gone the way of all flesh.

Huw

quote:

The system was connected to a Rocksan TT and the sound was the like we had never heard before. I did a deal (£400.00 for the lot excluding the TT) and since then I have never looked back.

Good heavens, Mick, you could have had a Roksan TT as well! How could you miss out on such a fantastic deck??

Bought my first bit of Naim kit in 1994. It was a Nait 3, with moving magnet phono stage boards built in. It was the jewel of my system for the next 8 years.

Then I upgraded it to a 112/150, and my old Philips CD player (which is even older and still here!) to a CD5/FC2.

Two years later I discovered this forum.

The upgrades have been a little more rapid since then...for some reason...

Cheers,

Jon

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:

[...].

One day the dining room system (Sansui) started smoking and caught fire so I had to dispose of it.

[...].

Regards

Mick

Dear Mick,

I enjoy a laugh with best best, but I had images of the old Sansui smoking its pipe in bed and setting fire to the mattress! Sorry, but the image in my imagination caused to to spill my coffee, I was laughing so much. I once had a Bush Tele that started to smoke. Naturally I got rid of it it pretty smartish too!

That has set me up for the weekend! Thanks from Fredrik

PS: To answer the question, 1999, when a CD3 and Nait3 walked all over something British, costing just abit more, at a dem. Before that I always thought of Naim as being the 'audio equivalent' of Bentley - splendid but too good for me! I had never even made the effort to find out the price let alone listen through any!

I first heard a friend's Linn/Naim system in the late 1970s. I can't remember exactly what it was but it included an LP12, a 250 and some special BBC speakers [not LS3/5As - big ones].

My first Naim amp was a NAIT1 (bought in 1986). My last (so far) was a 102/140 (sold in 2004).

My current system is a Marantz CD5400 with Bose Quiet Comfort2 headphones. One day, I'll get a proper hi-fi again (I hope)...

I'm very recent. Mid 2004 with a CDX2, then in late 2004 a CDS3. Just got a s/h 252 to go with it.
Mark