It certainly been built up! But I really do not see the point of it, as for the press building things up it is always good to listen first

Hype sells kit

I'm always suspicious when different (so-called) reviews of a product all start with virtually the same wording, for instance...

Huffington Post - Naim is probably not a name that you'll immediately recognise, not unless a) you're very rich or b) you have a serious love of all things hi-fi.

Digital Spy - Naim might not be a company you have heard before. Chances are, if you aren't into high-end audio, they are a bit of a misnomer.

Wired - Unless you’re an audiophile, you’ve probably never heard of Naim.

Digital Spy's use of the word "misnomer" doesn't even make sense, to me at least.  It sounds very much like, "I've never heard one, but Naim have sent me some bumph and I've now got to re-write it in my own words."  I may be totally wrong of course, but...

The Bose and other items come to mind

The ad says it's good
Close enough for most

"Avoid turning up the volume too high, as the sound starts to thicken"

LOL!

To be fair Mike Bose & B & O are firmly aimed at at the more style conscience aesthetic orientated buyer who primary concern is to match one's contemporary interior and they are masters of high class spin which works well for their particular business model cannot deny this fact.

Also to be fair this is a greater proportion of the populous than the audiophile buying public who represent a very minority of the audio equipment buying public hence why you can find them in John Lewis et al

The way the buying public purchase audio (in any form) is changing so far the bulk of the muso has been sold to dire hard naimies who wish to keep the faith alive and purchase one for second system (boom box duties) put the conservatory or bedroom.

The concept idea was good, but a couple of years too late and out gunned by other more keenly priced products remember over 90% of the audio device buying public are not precious about various brands like in the late 80's and 90's they will buy what suits their lifestyle not on how good it's sounds or whether the GF will flail their back with a 24vdc cat 'o nine tails as the new purchase doesn't match the Laura Ashley interior make over.

What next?

Possibly a lady's pleasure tool that plays flight of Valkyries at the critical moment before orgasmic release then performs a self cleaning operation to 'wash that man right out of my life'

These days for the mainstream companies marketing is the key tool for sales ironically not the products, just ask a McDonalds franchise owner

The lowest common denominator will always buy what they're told to. It's why complete incompetents get elected to government!

As Bill Hicks used to say... "are you in marketing? Kill yourself!" Do the world a favour...

I think, as with Bose, you can look at it and then you can consider the price. Whichever way you assess it, it appears to be packaged up mutton.

It had a one-note bass. I played some Bach through it and couldn't sing the cello line.  Rather like a Bose, really.

At the price and size I would not blame it for that, had the advertising not set a different expectation.