Naim Audio system owners - What speakers are you using with Naim?

Speaking from experience, Boulder- Focal is a better combination than Naim-Focal. I've had UK dealers visit with a van load of speakers thinking they can easily best my Focal Stella Utopias after hearing the Naim-Focal combination demonstrated by the parent company, and after hearing what they sound like here driven by a Boulder 2060 those putative replacement speakers didn't even make it out of the van
The reputation of Focal speakers has really suffered in the UK from being paired with Naim Statement amps. They sound too bright together

Naim never ceased trading so “going under” doesn’t quite ring true but it was rather disappointing to see them merged as a junior partner with Focal. It was done in order to fund development of their streamers. Focal then being sold to venture capitalists was also rather worrying but that was a few years ago now and they’re still thriving. 
They could have suffered a similar fate to Thiel, that was a sad end.

In my bedroom system I have a Naim Uniti Star driving a pair of Zu Audio Dirty Weekend floor standers with Cardas Parsec Speaker cables. Power managed by Shunyata Venom PS8, Defender and Venom HC Power Cable. Streaming Roon. Great little system. Plenty of power from the Uniti Star driving the super sensitive/efficient Zu DW Speakers. I am very happy with this setup. 

Kudos, Neat, Dynaudio, Proac ,Rega would be were I would start. Speakers are difficult because your room is really the master of them. I have used Naim for over 30 years and have used all of the above at one time or another to great effect. Usually, Dynaudio may be the exception, a speaker with a benign load of 6-8 ohms seem to work best with Naim imo. Good luck...speakers can be a long road.

 @mr_m It may have been the wine !

seriously the newer NAIM gear is very neutral, musical and well engineered. I have so far run Thiel’s, Vandersteen, Totem, Klipsch on them to happy results.

Dynaudio too. 

To me Focal's - Dynaudio and Kudos have great synergy with Naim.

@joeinid  

PMC & Focal speakers will have best synergy with Naim electronics. 
Ever since Focal acquired Naim, Focal has been voicing and tuning their speakers using Naim electronics. B&W will pair well with Naim too. 

Naim also makes awesome musical sounding streamer/DAC. I'm sure you are aware that you will have to use DIN connections to connect between Naim components in order to achieve best sound. Don't use RCA connections. That's why you will have to go all the way Naim, starting from their streamer/DAC, preamp & power amp and make use of their DIN connections to connect between them. No other hifi manufacturers make use of DIN connections as far as I know Naim is probably the only manufacturer that does that. DIN is pretty much like Naim's version of XLR balanced analog connection. However the Naim Statement NAC S1 preamp & Statement NAP S1 monoblock amps provide DIN, XLR balanced & RCA connections. 

Naim amps power output ratings have always been conservatively rated and while their power output ratings (wattage) are usually low but their power and current delivery are very robust and are capable and have no problem of driving difficult speaker loads and are stable down to low impedance loads. 
Current delivery that matters and is more important than the power output ratings (wattage). And I will guarantee you that say a power output ratings of 100 wpc @ 8 ohms off Naim amp will be very different than the same power output ratings of the same 100 wpc @ 8 ohms off an AV receiver or some cheap integrated amps or some cheap power amps. 

Thank you for taking the time to post yeti, great information. I’ve never heard Thiel but have seen great write ups. Sad the owner passed away a while ago.

My main system is full Naim 500 series with passive Naim NBLs, I used to have a 282/250 on them before that with either a Hicap or Supercap powering the pre. Before the NBLs the 250 was running into Thiel CS1.6s. When I bought the Thiels the dealer demoed them with Accuphase and they really couldn't produce any excitement from the likes of Tool and even with Scriabin there was a haze around the piano. I nearly didn't try them at home but I'd run out of all other options locally so gave them a go. With a 282/250 up them they took on a somewhat livelier character and earned their place. As my source was upgraded it started feeding a bit more low bass into the system which was exciting a room mode, not helped by the ports on the Thiels, the NBLs were taken in part ex by my local Naim dealer and I didn't think they'd work in my 4m X 3.8m room but we found a spot where they work a treat, I doubt I'd get many full range speakers to work in that space. I still have the Thiels and 282/Hi/250 in a second home and there I have 6m X 7m for them to breathe in but bass is there a bit light. When I set that second system up my wife said she'd missed that sound and there is something about the thiels, though the NBLs have them on rock. I'd love to try some 3.7s with the 500 series in that room against the NBLs and might get the chance when I retire next year, if I can find a pair.

Caphill,

Wow! Thank you so much. What an awesome system.

I personally have a Supernait2 with HiCap-dr. I absolutely love it. I hope to move up the line, maybe a NAP250 or 300.

One friend is considering a full 500 system with his B&W 800D3. I’m pushing for Naim. I realize that some B&W’s can dip down to a 1.1 ohm load which can be difficult for a lot of amps.

Another friend and I were talking about what speakers pair well with Naim. I posted here for another perspective. I’m also a Naim forum member and will be curious what recommendations they give.

 Thank you.

In my main reference setup I’m using the Magico M6 paired with the Naim Statement NAP S1 monoblock amps & Naim Statement NAC S1 linestage analog preamp. They sounded fabulous together.

In my bedroom setup I have the Naim Uniti Nova paired with a pair of PMC standmount speakers. Match made in heaven. Prior to the PMC, I had the Naim Uniti Nova paired with the B&W 805 D3 standmount and the Sonus Faber Olympica l standmount speakers and they sounded fantastic together too. Out of these 3 different sets of speakers paired with the Naim Uniti Nova, the PMC have the best synergy with the Uniti Nova, then followed by the B&W 805 D3, then lastly the Sonus Faber Olympica l standmount. 

In general, Naim electronics will pair well with PMC, Harbeth, Spendor, Magico, B&W among others. What kind of Naim electronics do you have? I’m a big fan of Naim.

FYI, Naim has its own community forum and I suggest you join the Naim forum at Naim.co.uk.

Thank you George. Very interesting background information. I do know that there seems to be some natural combinations for amp and speaker choices. I didn’t know about that one. 

Thank you mr_m, I bet that’s a great combo as well. Probably thinking Supernait2/3 and above depending on final speakers chosen.

Back in the old days I believe Linn/Naim Ivor Tifenbrun and Julian Veriker were in cahoots.
If you had Linn Isobaric speakers (an over damped design Q.3) you used the Naim 250 that had poor damping factor 8 for memory, both compliment each other to sound just right in the bass.

But if you dared to put a big Krell on the Isobrarics the bass was way to tight and missing in action, who would have thought a Krell that can’t do bass???.
This was how Linn/Naim cornered the market in Australia in the 80-90’s and they sold stacks of the combos, because no other speaker or no other amp sounded right with either of them. Don’t think it’s the same today, they don’t seem to love each other so much.

Cheers George

A friend of mine uses Vandersteen Treo CT's with Naim Uniti-Atom. Match made in heaven. IMHO. You can use higher powered Naims besides the Uniti-Atom which is 40 WPC. But the little Atom will power the Vandersteens to quite respectable levels. The thing is, Naim can really make them sing.