What's the best and the worst Naim ever put out?

I've got to say the 250 is "the" timeless gem. I find it impossible to believe anything else fits the bill.

Bulls-eye product for me is probably the 52. I think it redefined what a preamp did, as well as show how much more music there was on LP and CD.

The worst? Skating on thin ice here, aren't we? ;-) Seriously, I don't think Naim have ever put out a turkey, and I don't think castigating something just because it isn't the best is terribly fair... Gun to my head, I'd probably say the 180. I just never warmed up to it, for all its positive qualities. Though many may be tempted to say the AV1 missed the mark, I suspect no one who actually heard a system with an AV1 would agree...

Best,

Bob

I honestly think that naim have never put out a product that has been really bad. There arn't many company's out there that can have the same said about them. The AV1 may not have been the most popular naim product ever, but just compare it to all the prologic processors out at that time and it starts to smell pretty rosy.

Mario.

Worst:
1) Perhaps the first CDS? I remember auditioning one and ending up switching it off to listen to LPs instead.
2) The Nait 1 was a real compromise. I had one for several years and always knew that it was really just the first step onto the ladder.

Best:
Most of the rest...

Paul Rowlands

I would have to say there probably hasn't been a worst product, all products have their place in the Naim line up and serve their purpose well.

As for the best, well I think you could take your pick between the CDS3,552 and SL2's. All of these have raised the stakes in their relative field and shown what Naim are truely capable of. OUt of the three I would say the CDS3 will probably go down as an all time classic, along with the venerable 250!


Regards


NB

Best/ most timeless must be 250 and SBL's.

Worst, well the AV1 must be one of Naim's most unsuccessful products certainly and somewhat missed the mark and direction of AV products.

If this counts I would say Naim's remote controls are thier worst products, they are quite simply abysmal. Even the best of the bunch, (the double row effort provided with the 82 in the mid 90's) has all buttons the same size with no logical layout. The new narcom's are truely appaling!

Whooaa...this is dangerous isn't it? Even suggesting that Naim have put out a duffer is going to hurt someones feelings somewhere down the line. But always ready to put the boot in - I would say the stars (IME) would have to be the SBL, the NAP110 & 160. The 160 in particular will be regarded in the future as an overlooked classic.
No real duffers IMO, but never personally warmed to the appearance of the budget olive range - 90 & CD3 etc (although I have a CD3.5 myself). And the 62 pre?
Oh...and finally..the CDS3& XPS2 is utter bollox, sounds no better than my sony discman (at least,that's what I'm telling myself until I can afford one ).

'And the 62 pre?'
I used one with a 140 for several years before getting a 72 (which was most noticeably better on its CD input - the 62 was effectively pre-CD) and loved it.

Best - new XPS2 (which transforms all their CD range) and for me the Armageddon/Aro combo.

quote:

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Worst:
1) Perhaps the first CDS? I remember auditioning one and ending up switching it off to listen to LPs instead.

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I would say the opposite.

Best:

Original CDS. The first time I heard a CD player that didn't sound totally crap. I remember as late as some months before this going in to a room at the dealer, some music was playing and I thougth "Ouhh, that needle needs to be replaced". But it was not a vinyl player with a completely worn out stylus, it was some expensive Pioneer CD-player...

In the end I even bought it and lived very happily with it for nearly ten years. It's still around as a CDS2 rebuild.

Of course the 250 must be a strong candidate for best ever.

JohanR

Best: SBLs

Worse: SBLs

Product for which those responsible should be wheeled out and shot: Flash

Matthew

I have to say the remote supplied with my CDX2! Who would put the balance control buttons directly below the volume buttons?
I still use the older remote supplied with my 102 'cos the balance control is right at the bottom.
But this is really minor when you consider I'm dissing a remote 'cos I love the other Naim kit I have...

Great question. For me the 250 is the boy. Back in the early eighties when I first started being able to afford "real" hifi it was my "must have" amp and I eventually managed to get one in 85. Earlier this year when I could no longer contain my latest dose of upgradeitis the new 250 was the one. A simply magnificent product that just keeps delivering the best.

Worst? I'd say the Narcom remote control. Normally I get a feel for a remote quite quickly and can use the main functions without looking. With the Narcom however, after six months I still have to peer at it to distinguish between the keys. As I generally listen in very restrained lighting I've often to stare at it just to decide which end to point!

Chaps

The 250 is the one product that everyone associates with Naim. It was a revolution in its day and still can hold its head high in the current Hifi world. Therefore the 250 must be the greatest Naim product. A genuine classic.

Times and technology move on and I would say that the best product to date is the CDS3. It is simply outstanding bringing CD playing to new heights. Therefore I would nominate this as the best product and no doubt it will be overtaken in a few years time.

The worst must be the AV1.

Regards

Mick

There are definitely some lessons here about remotes aren't there?

Good that Salisbury dropped the Flash (it really was pants), but even the standard ones are not well thought-out and pretty unergonomic (is that a word?). They look like they're just rebadged versions of an OEM product.

Best: 52, SBLs, Aro.

Perhaps not quite so stunnngly successful: 180, Intro/Credo.

Never really got the recognition they deserved: CD2, 72, 140, Nait3.

Tim

The "original" 52 remote controller was one of the less thought out products in my view.
It was made of too many "bits" .....mine is held together with vinyl tape. I also feel that the(remote) "speed" of rotation of the volume control on the 52 is too high, frequently overshooting, especially at low volumes

I guess that the above are all "water underthe bridge" now

Laurie S

Even suggesting that Naim have put out a duffer is going to hurt someones feelings somewhere down the line:

Service Costs = Worse

This really hurts!!!!!!

In my view their service is one of their best products. And yes, the remote control could be nicer...

- Jun

I wonder why Naim makes such lousy remotes considering how well they do their other products. The rest of the line doesn't really require any knowledge in ergonomics, but perhaps the remote control designer could use a lesson in it.

When you consider the expense of the equipment in the first place, would most of us have a problem spending $50-$100 extra per unit if a quality remote was included?

Interesting responces.

So far 250 seems to be the winner and AV1 and Naim remote take the Turkey Award.

I am not the only one that has trouble navigating the Naim remote. Rows and rows of similarly sized buttons ( can't even see which way is up and have to see twice what i'm pushing ) and not sensibly laid out as others. Linn is the same way.

Clearly it was an afterthought.
Luckly my Krell remote works with Naim.
One good thing at least with CDX2 is that it has a wide remote sensor window. It responds even from the side which is a thoughtful thing for those who place the rack on the side.

Two channel companies trying to get into AV market is tough. Very few are successful at it.

If CDS3 remains as a timeless piece, I guess time would be an ultimate critic.

I can see the remote being useful for preamps, but surely with a CD its only the play button you are ever going to need? You have to get up to change the CD anyway, eh? I've never used all this programming play business myself.
Stop, go & volume is all you need. So that is three BIG buttons then please

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Originally posted by prowla:
2) The Nait 1 was a real compromise. I had one for several years and always knew that it was really just the first step onto the ladder.

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Paul,

have to disagree - the NAIT1 is certainly the best VFM from Naim, and is a magical little beast.

cheers, Martin

E-mail:- MartinPayne at Dial.Pipex.com

quote:

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Originally posted by Laurie Saunders:
I also feel that the(remote) "speed" of rotation of the volume control on the 52 is too high, frequently overshooting, especially at low volumes

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Laurie,

if your 52 is one of the very early ones, the speed can be slowed down.

cheers, Martin

E-mail:- MartinPayne at Dial.Pipex.com

Not the worst product, but the NAP 90 was the bastard son that Naim never wanted

Paul.

On the remote side (Narcom), I don't particularly like it for the reasons stated - lots of same shaped buttons. I bought a natty little universal remote SST-768(http://www.harmonyremote.com) at the Olympia show for a little over a hundred quid and it's great - programmable over web - although it claimed to know Naim language it reckons the CD5 has a open/close function (!) and mute puts the CD into pause. These things can be changed, though. And it controls my TV, VCR, AV amp, DVD players etc.

-- woody

The 52 is really the best Naim product that I have experienced. It really brought everything together, and practically killed off my upgrade urges.

I would agree about the remotes being poor, my favourite is also the double row version supplied with my 82 in the mid 90's.

I have an AV1 and like it a lot.

The worst product may be the NAB 300 (not the NAP 300) which substituted quality with power.

Hans

Ny vote goes to the HI CAP, transforms any pre it is attached to. In second place (just) is the 250.

Can't really comment on the worst as I haven't heard anything bad from the company and as to remotes, well I've never owned any Naim kit that needed it so can't comment.

Yours in Music

Syd

As for remotes, mine are in a box - I've got a programmable.

Paul Rowlands