552 scary investment

joerand posted:

You couldn't be more on par Simon, I titter when folks say they're "investing" in Naim gear. An investment anticipates a financial return. Audio gear only ever depreciates. An expenditure for sure.

Very true my investments paid for my new Naim kit.

Chag... posted:

FWIW I use to consider the purchase of home entertainment as true investment. Home entertainment has a pay-off against the cost of going out to the movie theater, live music and entertainment. It also allows for quick relaxation and possible mind rest or re-energizing for greater quality of life and.. productivity at work.

Chag - 

Hmmm, takes a lot of classical concerts and jazz gigs to recoup your NDS/555DR/T05XS/HC/252/300/D28 all DR/PL/HL CD5XS/nDAC/122x/FC2x/150x/Kan1... 

joerand posted:

You couldn't be more on par Simon, I titter when folks say they're "investing" in Naim gear. An investment anticipates a financial return. Audio gear only ever depreciates. An expenditure for sure.

Don't forget the term "investment" can be about more than just money.  You can invest in audio equipment to enhance your enjoyment of music.

In more recent years I've come to realise that a good system is a complement to live music concerts rather than a replacement. No system can truly replace a live concert and sometimes, when weighing up system cost and budget it's really worthwhile setting aside a certain amount for concerts, ballet, opera etc.. 

That said, a NAC552 is a wonderful pre-amp indeed and even an early secondhand example would, in the right system, and within ones means, be a great purchase.  There's good reason why they don't hang around for long on the secondhand market and I know that UK dealers usually have a handful of customers looking to buy.

Richard Dane posted:

In more recent years I've come to realise that a good system is a complement to live music concerts rather than a replacement. No system can truly replace a live concert and sometimes, when weighing up system cost and budget it's really worthwhile setting aside a certain amount for concerts, ballet, opera etc.. 

That said, a NAC552 is a wonderful pre-amp indeed and even an early secondhand example would, in the right system, and within ones means, be a great purchase.  There's good reason why they don't hang around for long on the secondhand market and I know that UK dealers usually have a handful of customers looking to buy.

Couldn't agree more with you Gentleman:

Richard:

They don't hang around long

Simon:

used, where a lot of the initial depreciation has already occurred and you can then resell should you wish with minimal loss

And Mr Tonym.

Truth be said, my second system is kick but, 

Primare Pre 30>Arcam P1 Mono Blocks>

Vienna Acoustics Baby Grands.

However, as Tonym has pointed out, Naim's Liquidity, is worth its wait in Gold.

""Congratulations Mr Richieroo! As you rightly point out, if at some stage you need the cash you'll be able to sell the 552 with little loss""

Simon, I'm not sure, but I would imagine an automobile depreciates 15-25 percent, the moment you drive it off the lot!

Not to mention the Maintenance & upkeep!

Richieroo, Enjoy your 2 year old certified BMW/552!

And kick out some tunes!

Allante93!

Eloise posted:

Don't forget the term "investment" can be about more than just money.  You can invest in audio equipment to enhance your enjoyment of music.

Exactly right.  Still can't afford to invest in a 552 though 

tonym posted:

Hungryhalibut posted:

Today I've invested in a new toilet brush. £4 from John Lewis.  It won't go up in value of course, in reality it's money down the pan.

That's a silly comparison Mr Halibut. It fair made me bristle.

This is a serious matter and should not be 'brushed' aside with 'toilet' humour. 

Sorry, it was a crap comment and I apologise. 

nigelb posted:

tonym posted:

Hungryhalibut posted:

Today I've invested in a new toilet brush. £4 from John Lewis.  It won't go up in value of course, in reality it's money down the pan.

That's a silly comparison Mr Halibut. It fair made me bristle.

This is a serious matter and should not be 'brushed' aside with 'toilet' humour. 

A £4 toilet brush from John Lewis is just foo.  A bog standard one at £2 from Wilkinson will have just the same effect.

Hopefully Nigel's apology will put a lid on it, or we'll all go clean round the bend.

C.

Only buy it if you are feeling flush.

G

Yes, if you are flush with money, why not spend a penny (or two) on a 552.

Damn, Graeme beat me to the 'flush' thing!

It's not money down the 'pan' but may well come as a 'relief' to be safe in the knowledge that in a way its like making a deposit that hopefully will not come back and bite you in the bum..

Timo posted:

Hmmm, takes a lot of classical concerts and jazz gigs to recoup your... 

You probably have a point Timo although flying over for a concert at Carnegie Hall or a session at the Vanguard is not cheap either.. 

Chag -

Never been to Carnegie Hall but the Vanguard's good. So is the Met Opera. Music at home can never live up to that, even though the drinks are cheaper. 

I don't think we should beat around the bush : a 552 is a serious amount of money, but if you love listening and enjoying music, well it is money well spent.

and there will always be a customer for a pre-loved 552 

analogmusic posted:

oh and hi-fi is not an investment.

A bit late into this discussion. The above statement was going to be my opening remark.  If you harbour any notion that a 552 will be a kind of investment, walk away now. and don't look back.

It is difficult to appreciate the true depth of the 552's capabilities until you hear one. If you are not able to purchase without an audition, don't. If you can hear it first, it will likely sell itself in seconds. And if it doesn't then you'll get to keep some resources that you really can invest - if you want to.

My guiding principle has been more along the lines of best-for-the-available-budget. Aspiration is healthy in normally adjusted people. Then there's attainment. If I have something that I'm happy is the best thing I could get for the money I was willing to spend, it's a good result. The best you can get will always be bested if you look at it in absolute terms. Apart from a very lucky few.

Absolutely, this is not an investment as such ... and will not and is not be so, but like a car .... it ain't lost a shed load on purchase. Ultimately to keep the vein of humour going it would a crap investment! Thanks hh!!!

Well debate on with regard to the definition of an investment but the way I see it is that there are many ways of spending £20k and this is one of the better ways.   A highly engineered British product which will last a lifetime and reproduce fantastic music.  If you can afford what is there not to like?

Hungryhalibut posted:

joerand posted:

You couldn't be more on par Simon, I titter when folks say they're "investing" in Naim gear. An investment anticipates a financial return. Audio gear only ever depreciates. An expenditure for sure.

Unless it's a Nait 2. Was £250, now £700. Or Linn Kan 2 stands.  Were £55, now £150.

I use the word 'invest' quite a lot. It's simply a way of saying 'bought'. Today I've invested in a new toilet brush. £4

I use the word 'invest' when I spend money with the expectation of achieving a profit. I use the word 'bought' as the past participle of a purchase. Investing in a toilet brush? Not in my financial portfolio.

A Nait 2 as an investment? Factor in inflation, service costs and even a marginal (true) investment from 25 years ago would yield greater gains.

The use of 'investment' tends to overdramatize a simple purchase of audio gear, regardless of the level or price. I guess for some folks it's a matter of semantics, but I try to mean what I say.

I think most of us who use the word 'investment' when it come to Hifi, do so in a playful way. Possibly a way of justifying a large expenditure on a hobby/entertainment in our own minds, even a rather unsubtle way of getting the expenditure past the Financial Controller of the house, but surely tongue-in-cheek rather than a serious use of the word.

At risk of taking this further down a linguistic rabbit hole, the pedant in me is forced to note that the OED has multiple definitions of the noun investment. The discussion so far is about 1, but 1.1 seems to be the sense in which the OP used the term. So if you think a 552 could be useful, it seems it can be an investment.

"1mass noun The action or process of investing money for profit.

‘a debate over private investment in road-building’

1. ‘freezers really are a good investment for the elderly’'"

I invest for my family's well being!