New Addition To Naim Digital Line-Up

Hi Andrew

Well I think whatever it is; it is going to be something to do with streaming.

No harm in putting in a bid for a new amp though. While we are at it, I’m wondering why I need a preamp with multiple inputs, streaming has taken over here, so one is all I need.

I still have our 12S pre in the cupboard; I wonder how that would sound now. Oh well, its fun to speculate; only a couple of weeks to wait now.

Peter

It has been posted before but why doesn't Naim give a better throughlook in future releases. When I  saved up for my nDac and Linn Majik DS as a new source replacing my CDP naim introduced the NDX. If I knew this before I would have waited for 3 months and could have stayed by an all naim system. This happened before with my 122x. 

I still are very very satisfied by what I have now but when spending quite amounts of money a planning for the upcomming years would be nice (like the automotive industry, they plan and communicated towards 2015). It would be nice ...

Well I guess it’s a commercial decision that only they can make. Agreed it would be nice though.

They have only said that they intend to show the item, who knows how long it may be before it can be purchased – 6 months would seem likely I would think.

Peter

Ah yes, but six months from when?

Does Naim fall outside the industry paradigm with announcements and road maps? I think not. Comparing the HiFi industry to the motor industry is apples and bowling balls. If I quite fancy something more as a concept than a retail reality (like a top level streamer) I wait. As I always have done. If I want or need something now, I buy what's available now. 

Sooner or later naim will put everything they know about streaming into a top flight cost (nearly) no object unit. It's easy and justifiable. I have no idea what's due next but I'd have a fiver on this.

Hi RudiNee -

I think Naim is in a no-win situation with regards to future product announcements.

Think back to how the DAC was pre-announced, and then delayed, and then delayed again and again. Naim was heavily criticised for announcing the product, but not being able to deliver it within a reasonable amount of time.   As a result, I suspect that whatever they do announce in a couple weeks, will be complete and shipping shortly thereafter. 

I do hear what you are saying, and I am sure Naim is fully aware that they may lose sales by not pre-announcing future products.   But apparently they have made the decision that doing so, especially when they are not sure when the product will be ready, is not fair to their customers either.  The NDX came out only 3 months after your ADS decision, but what if they told you that the NDX was coming in 3 months, but instead it turned out to be 9 months due to unforeseen issues?   I bet you would have been even more disappointed!

I think sometimes we forget that Naim is not a huge company, and as such, I would think they would be more susceptible to issues like parts constraints, key people resigning, etc..

All in all, and as much as I would love to know what's around the corner, I think their current strategy is best.

Hook

As it turns out, the automotive industry is also very secretive about new platform or model releases–revisions to existing models, not so much.

Likewise–many in the hi-fi trade have foreknowledge of new products which are slated for release, but keep this to themselves until a public announcement is made. This is responsible behavior, inasmuch as it permits specialist manufacturers to leverage time spent in pre-production refinements against the resources necessary to bring complete products to market.

That said, those of you in the U.K. have access to information via the factory-directed Summer Sounds roadshows that others might not see for a few months–so it's not as if the wool is being pulled over anyone's eyes.

I think you'll be impressed!

@David Denver..........I think you'll be impressed!

Oh, no, you've do it now, never had you down as a tease.........Peter

I just hope it's not just something to whet one's appetite which then takes forever to release (and although I know what it is, I don't know where in the process Naim are). It should only be shown if all they're waiting for is the documentation to be printed. This business of announcing something and then waiting a year for it has got too many potential customers down and puts dealers in an awkward situation when fielding customer queries.

In my view of course!

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.

Think back to how the DAC was pre-announced, and then delayed, and then delayed again and again. Naim was heavily criticised for announcing the product, but not being able to deliver it within a reasonable amount of time.   As a result, I suspect that whatever they do announce in a couple weeks, will be complete and shipping shortly thereafter.

Agree with Hook on this point. I rather know nothing in forehand than being disapointed or worse being presented with a beta version which needs upgrades afterwards.

In the end the most important thing is that I dit down each evening and listen to beautiful music on my beatiful system, drinking a glass of italian wine and just wonderring how beautiful life is

I'm a bit peeved about this announcement as I was all geared up to purchase a unitiserve and qute/uniti to take advantage of naims offer of a free ipad. Now I'm unsure as I currently have a nait 5i and would be happy to keep it if naim were to release a qute or 5 series streamer minus the amp section of the qute.

Don't know what to do now, should I wait or would I be waiting in vain in that the new product is something completely different?

Why not wait until the 17th, the promo runs until end of August. Or if you are worried that you could miss out on available stock, speak to your dealer about stock levels. If low you could always place an order now based on the understanding that should the new product fit your needs better you can cancel your order. Surely in the UK you have the right to return a purchased product within 14 days or so. Not ideal but there you go...

A good few points for me to think about there,thanks guys. I will be visiting my dealer at the weekend,see what they have to say on this.

I'm definitely waiting -- not purchasing right now.  More information is better, and as someone earlier posted the iPad offer will run past the announcement date.

It's easy to fall into the trap of ALWAYS waiting for the 'next best thing' and never having a system. But buying Naim streaming hardware today, when there is a very good chance that new hardware will be arriving shortly (or at least announced), seems the wrong way to go.

I really need a new phone to replace my very slow iPhone 3g, but it would be silly of me to buy a 4 today, right?

NAP140?

Six days to go until the London event.

Any new rumours or leaked information?

Well they say that we should be careful what we wish for…….any new box without wireless built in would be of interest to us.

If your idea Allen proves to be correct (HDS), then that would be of interest; otherwise we are coming around to maybe an HDX. The show should help sort out some answers. So many questions, I hope the guys (and gals if appropriate) are prepared for the onslaught.

That reminds me, better dig out the Satnav; we don’t normally venture that far East!

Peter  

yep, will do.

1 hour to go!

I hope someone at the show has an iPhone and can post on the new addition straight away

There are all sorts of things under development that you won't see until they're ready for release–but I think you're way off-base on your assumption, as n-Stream is a pretty important part of the roadmap for future Naim products.

Problem is–now is never soon enough for someone who doesn't understand the software development (and, more importantly, testing) process. Show me a manufacturer with purportedly unlimited development resources and I'll show you the little man behind the curtain...all my opinion, of course.

There are other well-known server manufacturers whose iPad apps merely function as remote controls for their devices (i.e., no persistent playlist creation). Other manufacturers are just coming to market with their first attempts at an in-house app for control.

Meanwhile, n-Stream drives my family's interaction with the big system downstairs - combine this with use of the Apple Remote app for AppleTV and an Xfinity app for cable television and we haven't picked up an IR remote in some time. If my (nearly) four-year-old son can operate n-Stream to listen to music, then I find it hard to believe that it's that challenging to use.

Again–all my opinion, of course.

No one with an iPhone in Heathrow?!?

According to Twitter it's called the SuperUniti, and it combines an NDX and SuperNAIT in a one box solution.

Not by the looks of it. Nice when new to Naim or upgrading from 5i / XS range but nothing to look forward to, if you're at 202/200 or above. Bit of an anticlimax really - guess we'll just have to wait a while longer then...

And that is exactly what Naim are trying to do, attract new Naim customers with NEW technology products!

Anticlimax for you perhaps but I can assure you our market has been waiting for a long time. Even though we have known about this product for some time now it is anything but an anticlimax.

For the fewer lucky ones who have, as you put it, 202/200 or above, and they are fewer, you will just have to wait a while longer as you say!

Gordon