Leaving the Forum

Peter, sad to see you go. I have been one of those who have enjoyed your postings which usually have given some other angles to the topics of discussion. I understand your reasons to leave but I hope that someday you can rejoin. In the mean time all the best and good luck.

- Mika

Agreed. Everyone's opinion is valid and a view from a ex user can lend a bit of perspective and an alternative view to the norm. 

I don't know what your circumstances are but music can be enjoyed on plenty of systems and these 'interesting' times are throwing up some bargain used pieces from all makes, at the moment.

Peter

I'd like to wish you the very best and hope things work out for you. I went through a radical downsize (never quite got rid of the system though) and left the Forum for a period to avoid temptation. In my view you are doing the right thing, and remember it's only a stereo, and you still have your music, which is the important thing.

Peter, sorry to see you go. I do hope you come back.

It is frustrating, I agree. I feel like a pauper sometimes getting excited about old used Naim speakers, like my Credos. I mean they are excellent, but they aren't SL2s or Ovators. As I've said before I had unrestricted access to my friend's stereo shop (Naim/Linn dealer) but I always looked forward to coming home and listening to my humble system. Hearing talk about 555 series etc. is interesting but it's a fantasy world for me. The only consolation is that higher end Naim technology filters down, and eventually if I wait long enough I can afford it used.

Listening to music is key, and there were periods in my life where my stereo consisted of a JVC ghetto blaster or a Walkman or just an ipod.

So good luck! Maybe you'll be back. I enjoyed your comments!

Dave

There are cheaper alternatives, don't frustate.

I could mention quite a lot suggestions to good sound within a given budget, sure others could too.

Many thanks to you all for your kindness and words of wisdom. Much appreciated.

Best to all,

Peter

All the best for the future, Guy 

Sorry to hear your news Peter. I confess though I was starting to wonder if your postings were placing an uncomfortable psychological burden on you, as I think they would on me if I were in your position, so I think your decision is for the best. 

Here's hoping a CD5i, nait5i (or similar) and Sats aren't too far into the future, and not forgetting the music from the Denon or otherwise.

Best,

Chris

Bit of a sad story Peter,

I wish you all the best and hope things will turn out fine in the end!

Perhaps the purchase of some s/h 5i-2, Olive or CB entry level gear could be an affordable (and still sonically highly addictive) option for a comeback in the near future.

best regards,

Alco

Thanks again. In a way it's like a hi-fi "second childhood" for me, as I'm back very broadly speaking to a level I was at around thirty years ago! I thoroughly enjoyed music then, so no reason I can't now. We are all obviously music lovers here, and if truth be told we could probably all still enjoy music on a £50 micro-system if circumstances meant we had no choice. Better that than no music at all. From my experience up and down the Naim ladder I now know that whilst I can easily appreciate what the more costly pieces bring to the party, an entry-level Naim set-up is all I really need to be perfectly happy. By the time I can invest in serious hi-fi again I expect Naim will have some exciting new bits and pieces to choose from. Who knows, they may even venture into the true budget market, something they haven't approached since the original Nait 1, which was almost a real budget amp.

Best wishes to all and whatever happens enjoy the music!

Peter

Hi Peter,

I agree with many of the sentiments already expressed. I myself actually took something of a sabbatical from the forum for a couple of years. This place can seem to positively encourage trying the next rung in the Naim ladder. This is fine if it's achieveable, when it's not it can on occasion lead to some dissatisfaction.  I had no spare cash, so wanted to avoid temptation and decided to have a break from the forum and enjoy the system I had rather than read about the multitude of ways I could improve upon it!

Your views are always interesting, therefore it is a shame that you are going. I can totally understand your reasons however, so I wish you all the best.

Stuart

This part of the forum has little to do with loving music - box counting and willy waving perhaps...

Music can certainly be enjoyed with other equipment.

Peter,

a system I tend to listen to a lot consists of a Hitachi 5500 tuner, A&R A60 amplifier, Arcam Alpha 5 CD player and a pair of Diesis Solitaire speakers.  The total cost for this lot (all bought second-hand) came in well under £100, and not much more than a night at the pub after buying a couple of rounds for friends.  Decent hifi doesn't come much cheaper than this, but the thing is, it's really enjoyable to listen to.  Sure, I could upgrade certain parts but there's no guarantee that it would increase my enjoyment.

Nobody here on this forum gets judged on their equipment (ok, good to see you're paying attention - no giggling at the back). There is no grading system applied to the membership depending upon how much you have spent with Naim.  You don't even have to be a Naim customer to post here.  But it's likely that once you do start participating then the desire to have some Naim would come naturally.  No pressure, it's just that Naim's a bit like that.  Once you listen and you get it, you want to be a part of it.

To desire better is an inbuilt human trait and for some it's worth sacrifice to achieve, for others it's just a choice.  Most all of us have to prioritise our spending one way or another.  There are members here who have climbed the ladder almost to the top and then had to sell up when they've found the financial balance uncomfortable.  Some have found comfort lower down the range and derive just as much enjoyment from their system - indeed, maybe more without the worry that they may have spent too much.  There are others who have reached the top, are quite comfortable with the expenditure and yet wish to go even further.  And others who might have a system just like the one I mention above, who love music and get a real kick out of such a system for so little money.  They're all welcome here and all hopefully have much to contribute.

Dear Peter,

I understand perfectly how circumstances entirely beyond one's control can reduce one's financial status in a way that in the short run can be simply terrifying on the level of where to live - let alone anything else. I grew up as a farmer's son with all that entails - leaving school at the first chance, and and as eldest son taking on the business without question. I left school at sixteen, and my father went bankrupt when I nearly twenty, Myself having run the farm single handed with part time labour when needed for three years and at that without pay.

I attempted to drag myself out of the mire of unskilled manual labour [though at least minimally paid] at the age of thirty eight, gain A-levels in Maths, Physics and Electronics, and entered Coventry Uni to read Civil Engineering. But I was wildly optimistic about the finances, and ran out of money [not out on the pee every night I can assure you] and by the February of the first year had no money left. For the second time in my life I was homeless, but was able to sleep on a couch in the parents house of a good friend. So dreams is dreams and you need lots of money to carry them out! Of course I picked myself up and carried on working in unskilled labouring for which at least I am qualified. I owned my best Naim set before embarking on higher education and lost it as a result ...

But I have finally got a real Naim piece - Nait 5 italic - again. And great it is. Of course it required that I got crashed into on the bike to ever have enough spare money to get the Nait and my by now beloved Quad ESL 57 speakers after only a week.

Sometime life goes that way. I am undiserving of the replay set I have, but it came my way by a sort bad/good luck. Cycle crash insurance money ...

You never know what is round the corner.

For myself, I detected your restlessness in your posts without quite knowing the reason for it, but always thought you posts worth the read, and often a smile of recognition was mine when I read your words.

Whilst I will not go against your wish to stop posting and even reading, please don't resign your membership.

You will return in my view. Not to ogle the ultra expensive kit in all likelyhood, but to see who is posting what, and even to let us all know that you, like me, could afford a second hand Nait 5i!

Go well dear Peter, and KBO. [Keep Bu**ering On, in WS Churchill's rather wonderful phrase]. Be honest, be fair, work hard, and things will certainly improve. Look at all the lazy bar-stewards who get it on a plate. Keep plugging away and your return will come - in every sense.

ATB from George

Thanks again everyone, and thanks Richard for your wise and comforting words. It really is good to know that people here understand my predicament and everyone's words of support really do make me feel much better about things. I do enjoy contributing here, and now and again perhaps us "old soldiers" can pass on something useful to those who are less experienced with Naim. Conversely, I have also learned a lot from others here, and sometimes "newcomers" can bring a different perspective with them that can force us all to re-examine things that perhaps we have taken for granted. So this forum is a wonderful place both in social and educational terms. I think that I do need a break, perhaps to regain a bit of perspective myself - sometimes it feels a bit like watching people playing a game that I can't join in with because they've all got something I haven't!  But yes I will definitely come back regardless of whether or not I can eventually manage to afford some Naim kit.

Best wishes,

Peter

Dear George,

Many thanks for your kind words. I have always thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts ,and it is not exaggerating to say that they have often inspired me. Yes life is full of ups and downs, and my wife and I pretty much lost everything except our home (which, thank God, we are lucky enough to own outright) a few years back due to a disastrous business venture. How many times I wish I could turn the clock back! We both gave up well-paid and (relatively) secure careers as Biomedical Scientists with the National Blood Service to persue our dream of having our own business, which turned into a nightmare. Looking back it was the most foolish move I have ever made - I must have been at the bottle!!  I'm sure, as you say,that things will eventually improve and I will definitely be back, Naim system or not! Best wishes to you for the future, and I am so glad that you have found a nice home and have a superlative set to enjoy your music on.

All the very best,

Peter

Cheers Gary - take care.

Best,

Peter

Peter

Take the break, if that's what you feel is best for you.

But you don't really need to leave your friends. Just give the hifi corner and home theatre a miss and only participate in the Music Room and Padded Cell.

Anyway, I hope your fortunes pick up and that you might feel inclined to pop back here form time to time without feeling melancholy.

Best wishes

Don

Peter

Sorry you're leaving, but hopefully your absence will only be temporary. Continue to enjoy your music whatever you use to play it; and with good fortune, you'll be back again giving us all the benefit of your views and experience. As many have said already, best wishes and good luck.

Pete

Sorry to hear about your loss Peter, but you do have your home. At the end of the day, my wife and Yorkies and my cozy home are everything. By the way, I was just painting in the garage and listening to an Eric Clapton concert I keep on my iPhone, and played through the Apple iPod stereo speaker. Kind of boomy, but I noted how I just worked and enjoyed the music, and it was still very enjoyable if not at the level of my CDX2/Nait etc.

Take care!

Dave

Reflect and reconsider - but give it some time.

I respect all the reasons you give, but you do have something to offer IMO - even if I see you may get frustrated at times!

DB.

Many thanks to you all my friends.

Best wishes and take care,

Peter