Innovation and Know-how

Infinite Curiosity

It takes infinite curiosity to be a Naim Audio engineer. To define, test and redefine each component and material in every product we design, ignoring trends, to find new and better ways to achieve state-of-the-art performance.

40-BIT FLOATING POINT DIGITAL FILTER

The digital filter in the NDS is mathematically precise enough to count 2³² x 2²⁵⁶ seconds (that’s a 5 followed by 86 zeros). In other words, it’s powerful enough to count every second since the universe began many times over with pin-point accuracy. This level of precision is essential in order to keep filter arithmetic noise below – 144dB (the theoretical signal-to-noise ratio of 24bit PCM audio) at all times for the best possible sound quality.

Absolute Power

Nowhere is our determination to follow our own path more evident than in our understanding of high-quality power supplies. Improving the power supply has a clear and tangible impact on sound quality, which we have observed repeatedly. That is why Naim products come with large transformers with isolated windings. Our philosophy is exemplified in our range of separate power supplies that provide smooth, stable, and low-noise power for audio electronics to shine.

Decoupling and Isolation

Minimising mechanical, electromagnetic, and thermal interference between components is vital to Naim Audio's design.

Decoupling sockets to cut off interference from incoming mains power and suspending circuit boards on brass sub-plates to create an isolated environment for critical electronics are two applications of this principle.

A less obvious example is the creation of slight bends in individual resistors by hand, decreasing microphonic interference (microscopic vibrations which degrade sound quality). However, similar techniques are applied at every level of the design and build. And we only introduce techniques if they prove effective and repeatable in listening tests.

Hand-matched Componentry

Matching the characteristics of sound critical components for each channel (left and right speaker) of an amplifier can significantly improve sound quality. Batches of resistors typically come matched to within a 5% margin of error. Through listening tests, we found that if the resistance of the left and right channels is matched to closer than 0.5%, music becomes dramatically more communicative and engaging. Following this discovery, a bespoke production process was conceived to help us match resistors by hand.

The Naim Audio Way

Since our creation in 1973, we've managed to stay ahead of the trends and rely above all on our idea of what makes the best music system in a listening room.

More information

NAIM AUDIO STORY

Our story begins with one man’s passion for music and weaves its way through five decades and a raft of iconic product launches to the present day.

More Information

ABOUT NAIM AUDIO

Every Naim product is conceived, designed, and engineered entirely in service of the sound, revealing a pure experience of music that is as close as possible to its original source.