Hi all. I am rounding up my dream set. I have the Focal Sopra 2 and New Classic NSC222 en NAP250. Great stuff. Recently got the Isoacoustics Gaia 1. Also great.
Now while the Sopra have solid bass extension they are not that deep for their size. And many speakers benefit from a subwoofer.
I am considering the Rel S510. This because my room is not very large and subwoofers are ugly (for my taste). So I estimate the S812 is too much.
Anything else I should consider? Some thoughts on this upgrade?
Wow not deep enough? I don’t own these only heard them a couple of times and I thought they went pretty deep. Likely due to a smaller room
Yup, a pair of S510 is what I have too, also with Sopra N2. Works great in my limited and untreated room, and ugly it’s not (to my taste).
May I ask what power chords, interconnects and speaker cable you are using? And how far from the back and side walls are the Sopras?
REL is a good choice and so is Velodyne, the Velodyne Model that I have has DSP settings so you can optimise between listing to Music or for watching Movies. I have the SPL-R 12 Sub matched with Focal Electra 1038Be speakers (which go down to 33Hz measured at home), the previous model to the Sopra’s, the Sub goes down to 22Hz.
A tip, put in two… I have 1028be with two BK Electronics (right next to the speakers), I started with one but one per speakers is much better! (No more bass but it’s more homogeneous.) The 1028 are given for 35hz but below 50hz there is not much in reality… but the bass is of very good quality.
REL themselves recommend S/812 for small and medium sized rooms with Sopra 2s. You can find that on their website.
Roger
Well, I’d be amazed if you need a sub with the Sopras.
So would I. I’d suggest that what would really benefit the system is an NPX300, which would be a big boost to the 222. Upping the preamp always works wonders.
The rule is that to have an effective subwoofer compared to speakers, the subwoofer speaker surface must be greater than the surface of the Sopra speakers in this example.
Subwoofers do not only improve the bass, they also improve the medium and the treble and the soundstage…
I recommend to swap your NAP 250 for 2x 350’s. I also own the Sopra 2 and 222/300 and with the 2x 350 the bass extension and the dynamics improved significantly.
Adding a subwoofer to the Sopra’s is not necessary. It is the way that they are controlled.
Would be interested to know how much improvement the subwoofer makes for the Sopras. What areas did it improve?
Also would like to know your placement and the settings you found best. Like the crossover point and level.
Thinking about this “upgrade” even though I despise subwoofers.
Do you now have the Sopras or the Dynaudios in your profile?
I was always very skeptical about the idea of adding subwoofers to a regular stereo music system. But I now appreciate what a subwoofer can do to enhance the listening experience. Prior to becoming a “convert” my experience was with subwoofers designed for home theater where the primary function of the subwoofer is to extend the low frequency response to reproduce things like explosions and rumbling noises. This is not really what one wants for a music system. Some people say that when a good subwoofer is well integrated into a music system then the subwoofer can’t be heard. My experience is similar, meaning that the effect is not to “boost” the low frequencies or make them louder but instead to provide more detail and transparency in that region. For example, the kick drum and low toms are more accurately reproduced as are low notes on the bass guitar.
As far as the alternatives to adding a subwoofer into a Naim system are concerned, I am fairly familiar with most of those options in my home system. To me it would be a toss up between upgrading to 350s and adding a couple of subwoofers. My personal preference would be to go with the 350s first since while they go some way to improving detail in the bass they also improve a lot of other things. However, if your focus is on low bass reproduction a subwoofer or two may align better with what you are seeking. I would put the NPX300 after these two potential changes.
Dynaudio currently. This was a second system in a dedicated music TV room in my last house which I recently sold. The new place didn’t have space for a dedicated room.
IMHO subs > 350s if you have ported mains or a big room notch.
Replacing my nap250 for 2x 350 is costly. The set is 14K euro here. The 250 is 7k new. I really wonder if that will improve low end much.
The power supply does indeed sound better but didn’t affect lowend.
I understand Rel recommends the 812 but I fear it will really be too much of a good thing. And also I have limited space and prefer a 10" if possible.
I have an SVS 2000 Pro SB which is 12” with Kanta 2 in a fairly tight space. It is not too imposing and sounds very good. Also may I ask what power chords, interconnects and speaker cable you are using? And how far from the back and side walls are the Sopras?
Believe me, I have owned the NAP250DR, NAP300DR, NC250 and now I have the 350’s. The 350’s and the Sopra’s is a remarable combination. Recommend to ask your dealer for a listening session.
