n-Vi Problems - help please
Posted by: Ray C on 17 November 2009
Can anyone advise us, please, on what quirks it is reasonable to put up with in an n-Vi’s operation? We love its performance (especially now we have added a NAP250 to the system) but our pleasure is quite often spoilt by operational troubles.
We bought the n-Vi in December 2008 and have had constant troubles of some kind ever since. It has been back to NAIM, I think (as the dealer returned it without us getting it back), four times and our dealers have put lots of time and effort into helping us (as have NAIM) but we still have problems which, we suspect, they think are minor quirks we should put up with. We were offered a replacement or total overhaul in the summer and were advised to accept the latter. The main fault of the CD player cutting off the beginning of the first track when PLAY is pressed was then corrected but the n-Vi was soon often, now almost always, cutting off the beginning of every other track when a track number is pressed. Usually re-pressing the button puts it right but sometimes this has to be done several times. I tend to press PLAY, get a burst of the opening of track 1 (which I MUTE) and then the track number which usually then starts at the beginning. On a few occasions this process has apparently triggered some programming operation because after finishing the CD we have found it started replaying it from the beginning.
Occasionally the n-Vi will not play the later track but is locked into track 1 (until the CD finishes playing or we turn the machine off at the back).
Our dealer has asked NAIM and we were told these are “matters of functionality” not faults but we do not know what this means!
Other frustrations are the DISPLAY turning off very quickly (eg after 20secs) before the above operations have been completed.
Also when switching to CD use after SATELLITE or DVD operation the MODE usually remains on the surround sound setting it has automatically moved to for the SATELLITE or TV input. Presumably the only way to change it is to start the CD playing, correct it then start it again. This seems very cumbersome, especially if a later track is wanted and the above procedures are being used. Is something wrong here?
Do other n-Vi users with the built in tuner have FM problems? We get frequent “blips” (perhaps momentary interruptions of reception) and a good deal of hissing or fizzing, not just at dusk when atmospherics might mess up the signal. NAIM suggests the latter are ongoing FM broadcasting problems. We have had a directional aerial installed but it does not improve either of the above faults.
We are hi-fi innocents so hope some of you experts can comment.
Ray
We bought the n-Vi in December 2008 and have had constant troubles of some kind ever since. It has been back to NAIM, I think (as the dealer returned it without us getting it back), four times and our dealers have put lots of time and effort into helping us (as have NAIM) but we still have problems which, we suspect, they think are minor quirks we should put up with. We were offered a replacement or total overhaul in the summer and were advised to accept the latter. The main fault of the CD player cutting off the beginning of the first track when PLAY is pressed was then corrected but the n-Vi was soon often, now almost always, cutting off the beginning of every other track when a track number is pressed. Usually re-pressing the button puts it right but sometimes this has to be done several times. I tend to press PLAY, get a burst of the opening of track 1 (which I MUTE) and then the track number which usually then starts at the beginning. On a few occasions this process has apparently triggered some programming operation because after finishing the CD we have found it started replaying it from the beginning.
Occasionally the n-Vi will not play the later track but is locked into track 1 (until the CD finishes playing or we turn the machine off at the back).
Our dealer has asked NAIM and we were told these are “matters of functionality” not faults but we do not know what this means!
Other frustrations are the DISPLAY turning off very quickly (eg after 20secs) before the above operations have been completed.
Also when switching to CD use after SATELLITE or DVD operation the MODE usually remains on the surround sound setting it has automatically moved to for the SATELLITE or TV input. Presumably the only way to change it is to start the CD playing, correct it then start it again. This seems very cumbersome, especially if a later track is wanted and the above procedures are being used. Is something wrong here?
Do other n-Vi users with the built in tuner have FM problems? We get frequent “blips” (perhaps momentary interruptions of reception) and a good deal of hissing or fizzing, not just at dusk when atmospherics might mess up the signal. NAIM suggests the latter are ongoing FM broadcasting problems. We have had a directional aerial installed but it does not improve either of the above faults.
We are hi-fi innocents so hope some of you experts can comment.
Ray
quote:Originally posted by Ray C:
Our dealer has asked NAIM and we were told these are “matters of functionality” not faults but we do not know what this means!
Is that a piss-take ?!....I would have gone ballistic if given such an answer....No, I don't know what it means either...
£3k+ hey...
Ray - I vaguely remember you posting much earlier in the year (?) when you were considering adding the separate power amp to the n-Vi and you were listing problems then....Reading your above post again, and considering you purchased the machine almost a year ago now and have been plagued ever since, in my opinion you have shown the patience of a saint !
WHO told you British gear is 'prone to functional faults' ?!!...I'm the first to shout that Naim haven't exactly covered themselves in 100% glory with their AV range, with some very checkered products, but to hang that on a British manufacturing hook is going too far I think.....If you were talking about issues such as HDMI handshakes or buggy AV software then even the best of the Japanese seem to occasionally be found wanting in the AV world, but you're not, you are asking for a CD to play blip free or FM radio to not drop out - fairly basic features in a 'one box' playing machine - one would presume....
No, I don't think it's 'British manufacturing' or 'functional faults' that you are suffering from...It's one product, from a particular manufacturer - that lets be honest, hasn't exactly been trouble free since birth - that you paid a lot of money for, a long time ago, and have have been having problems of one sort or another ever since......
Personally, I think it's time you stamped your feet....!
WHO told you British gear is 'prone to functional faults' ?!!...I'm the first to shout that Naim haven't exactly covered themselves in 100% glory with their AV range, with some very checkered products, but to hang that on a British manufacturing hook is going too far I think.....If you were talking about issues such as HDMI handshakes or buggy AV software then even the best of the Japanese seem to occasionally be found wanting in the AV world, but you're not, you are asking for a CD to play blip free or FM radio to not drop out - fairly basic features in a 'one box' playing machine - one would presume....
No, I don't think it's 'British manufacturing' or 'functional faults' that you are suffering from...It's one product, from a particular manufacturer - that lets be honest, hasn't exactly been trouble free since birth - that you paid a lot of money for, a long time ago, and have have been having problems of one sort or another ever since......
Personally, I think it's time you stamped your feet....!
quote:Originally posted by Rick Lieberman:
I think they're trying to just stonewall it until the whole n-Vi adventure blows over.
And not JUST the n-Vi...Seems as though they won't talk or mention the whole AV line, period.
There a still a lot of pissed off guys & girls out there from the DVD5 scaler fiasco...never did turn up, did it. Not to mention the switch unit. I've conversed with a few on a AV forum, and there's a real deep anger on the way they felt they were treated (even banned from here)...for sure they'll never come back to Naim...And that is a real real shame.
It's certainly stopped me and made me think twice about my original plans - and I'm just one person. Not good PR.
It wouldn't be so bad, and far more respectful, if they removed the stuff from the website, made a formal announcement and put their hand up, but seemingly, no.....It all seems DAC and Uniti priority these days, which I've always thought a bit bizarre when you consider the % of page space given to AV products in any popular consumer magazine - must be a massive market out there.....
It's so frustrating, because the stuff is damn good (apart from not being HD and no way to upgrade it now seems ) - when it works!
It's even more frustrating - and ironic - because I keep hoping, wishing and hanging that they are going to pull a rabbit out of a hat and give us the AV products many of us would LOVE to see......
Steve.