JohnNewman:I wonder if there are any plans for a cheaper DAC from Naim. The UNITI has a dac for digital streaming, as well as amplification, DAB and a CD player for 2K. There must be room in the market for a DAC with XS or 5i capabilities
While that's probably possible, I can't see Naim entering the budget arena with a DAC as they're only going to produce a DAC that will upgrade the quality of their own equipment. A DAC for a grand or less is probably unlikely to add much, if anything at all, to their existing range of CD players. IF the Uniti used the same DAC as the CD5i, there would be no place in Naim's range for it.
Also, as with all manufacturers (and their products), there's a price point where their full capabilities kick in, where you can say "that's what (insert manufacturer name) are all about". If some of these manfacturers competed in budget areas, like a £300 ProAc speaker, or a £400 Naim amplifier, they wouldn't be able to compete strongly in these areas, and would only end up with a mediocre product, or one which may not even be competetive.