Have you noticed the emerging Focal Naim America juggernaut? Ever since these two brands joined forces a few years ago, they’ve chosen a path of world domination, taking in such brands as Thorens, Musical Fidelity, SPL, IsoAcoustics and more. When I walked into the Focal Naim America room at AXPONA 2022, I suddenly thought I was at the Munich Show again–one big room, several systems, everything under the sun in one location.
It says a lot about Focal Naim America that they can run a big, busy room like this with such precision. Each system–Focal Utopia Maestros with Naim Reference amps in a $400K system, a home theater demo with Focal Chora, a chance encounter with both the Bentley version of the Naim Mu-So and the Thorens TD-124 DD–it was all timed with precision to avoid a typical big-show cacophony. I heard nothing but music, delivered with typical European refinement and taste, one system at a time.
On a personal level, I’m excited that Focal Naim America has become such a powerful force in the high-end audio industry. I was a “Naim guy” through much of the 1990s and 2000s, and they’ve definitely returned to form with products such as the Naim SuperNAIT3 integrated, which I just reviewed a few months ago. I’ve also determined that the Focal Clear MG headphones are my favorite pair of cans ever, and I’m even using the $249 IsoAcoustics zaZen II platform underneath my source components, with fabulous results.
The Focal Naim America room at AXPONA 2022 was an exciting experience–I know the staff of PTA is getting to review a number of their products in the coming months. (If this sounds like hyperbole, ask Grover Neville how he felt about those Focal Kanta No. 2s he reviewed.) I think we’re on the verge of a new Golden Era for Focal Naim America, and I’m happy to be here to witness it.
If you would like to hear even more coverage from AXPONA 2022, check out our recap report and highlights from our audiophile-oriented show The Occasional Podcast. You can stream the episode direct from the embed below, or from your favorite podcast platform including iTunes, Android, Google, Deezer, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more.
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