Is Naim dying?

The Forum has..................

Nah! R&D currently working like mad on their next project...

Naim itself has not lost it's magic. It has advanced as any good company should with new products. Although we haven't had any new 'midrange' products released over the past couple of years, which generate most discussion on this forum, we have had the DR upgrades which did. In the next couple of months we can expect the new speaker cables and the new IC to liven up the forum a bit.

The forum has also lost quite a few of the more experienced and well respected members, but that's what a forum is like. I went through a period where I didn't post much as, like you, I didn't feel stimulated to do so. It seemed like the forum was filled with streaming problem threads, then the Hugo came into my system and I found I had something to discuss.The best thing is to keep in touch with the forum and, in time, there will be something of interest.

I agree Steve, that pretty much sums it up..

Feel it too. Lack of buzz. Personally find the streaming products disappointing and cannot understand why we cannot have a high-end DAC-Pre when the pre-amps are in boxes designed nearly 25 years ago. Also the lack of miniaturisation. Not everyone wants one hundred boxes and their own sub-station. I think there is an old core customer base that they may not wish to upset. We shall see what happens.

Separately, the forum seems at a low ebb. Lost its way. Many good posters gone or rarely seen. Of late this includes Richard and Adam. The music forum is dull - little discussion of music or concerts and mainly one or two anoraks showing off their blues vinyl. Some interesting classical posts from time-to-time. Hi-fi corner has lost its way - I think that is related to the products. Streaming is the same stuff regurgitated endlessly. Also seem to be some shills about which devalues the forum.

Hopefully both the above will change. Still a company with great pedigree. I am still very happy with their older products but am beginning to wonder if this will become a nostalgia thing. The only bright spot in recent hi-fi for me has really been Sonos - it is all about the accessibility of music with them.

I used to think that one day as I neared retirement I would probably change my Naim electronics for some Valve equipment but such is the music that comes off my system I doubt - in fact I'm pretty certain I wont.

Perhaps because Naim has now positioned itself pretty much as the pinnacle of audio engineering and is no longer a cult the Forum may no longer be what it was but the music is better than ever.

I like that Char. 

Miniatured high end DAC. Sounds very much like the HUGO to me.

If the old guard are not here, they are at fault for lowering the quality of the forum. I joined the site early last year and now own 3 streaming products so I am at fault for forcing Naim to sell inferior products to nobodies. The music industry is at fault for curating contemporary rubbish that no one wants to admit liking or go and see (or at least admit to!) Despite the above this forum is still an excellent place to come and discuss music, help others, have a giggle etc. Show me a better HiFi manufacturer forum please. Naim does not look dead from here...

Well, there's always the Jokes Thread, and the Premier League Thread, and.......errr..........

? I own a CD collection, as does my wife, what's to be embarrassed about?

I think hobbyists of any form often descend into this morbid pit of "it's not how it used to be - I don't like the way it's going" and that to me seems to be the tone of the OP.

Get over it (lyric courtesy of the Eagles) - Naim - if you will recall criticised for coming to CD too late - have taken Digital in a very competitive market place by the scruff of the neck.

Good on them.

Wouldn't anyone with an interest in music on this forum be considered an anorak by the general population? I haven't seen much blues vinyl posted or discussed on this forum for a while, just the usual classical music anoraks. 

From the point of view of the forum there is the fact that years ago no Facebook and Twitter and a lot of our on line communication would be on something like a hi-fi forum and that has changed and hence the forum has changed. 

Is naim itself dying? I don't think so I I fancy in the next year or two there will be a new range with the change similar from olive to black. Something tells me the days of myriads of power supplies are coming to an end. Having said that I haven't seen a known name piece of equipment quite captured the imagination like the Hugo has, if Naim don't respond  emphatically  to this there may well be a hint of the start of a decline. 

SJB

You may be right SJB but I think they need to re-assert themselves in the time period you describe.

Personally think Naim might have done a deal with Sonos 5 years ago to license and embed their interface in Naim kit. Doubt Sonos would be interested in this at the scale they're at now. Re a new range, maybe so. It has taken too long though - feels like the streamers have taken up a lot of energy and may now be left behind. Agreed the myriad power supplies will come to an end. Better regulation on-board in the source components too.

Re the Hugo, it is just the same relatively small number of people making a lot of noise. One has surely posted > 1000 times on the subject it seems (and is still doing so). A wonder he doesn't get bored. Would be surprised if it has sold anywhere near as many units as his posts on the subject.

Well said.

No one who has left the Forum is guilty of anything. It is up to the current cohort of contributors to maintain standards and be as fine and even better than those who preceded them.

ATB from George

Mango Monkey, you're on....

Some of the hobbyist value seems gone. The endless tinkering with turntables, SBL's, pulling tape boards in pre-amps - all that stuff and the chat around it. Most of the newer products do not lend themselves to the same level of tinkering for good or bad,

It isn't the same with streaming. There are only so many times £1,000 ethernet cables, why not DSD / high-res oh yes because the masters are not DSD / high res and the scary threat of RFI can be discussed. Although some manage to keep these fascinating topics alive.

Just looked at the streaming forum. First three posts:

1. Chord Ethernet cables
2. Where has the NDX into Hugo thread gone?
3. Shielded or Unshielded Ethernet Cable

Says it all.

I think what is a great about computer audio is the lack of a need to tweak. If the strength of Naim resided in tweakery alone, it would have long since departed stage left.

Naim's strength is in the quality of replay, rather than anything flashy.

ATB from George

Or make interesting and questing posts ...

I feel it has become a co-operation rather than the niche company it once was, for this reason it may of lost it's appeal. Also, it has exploded it's range and size and replacing older products with newer ones with increased frequency, this also can have an effect of bringing out products that feel very samey from the last range to the consumer, something of which it did not do In the past.

Steve

George, i think there is far more tweaking going on in computer audio than there ever was with say CD. You only have to look at the countless discussions on the Streaming Forum to see this. About as tweaky as CD ever got was what your player sat on.

"Is Naim dying?"

No, they are on a summer break.