Happily I have let SL2s sit comfortably as my system upgraded around them. I did add a n-sub, which at the settings I use provides a subtle backbone.
My room’s topography demands speakers close to a wall.
I well pleased with my system currently but have the SL2s 13 years so have forgotten what they do well and not so well. They just are the sound of music to me.
Is there any point in even trying to better them?
To those who have owned and managed to better them, what did you move on to?
Gosh what a question…i have no answer for you, but for the money you would get for them there are many like me who would just buy as a first or even as second pair of speakers…they are a classic. I did note that the @frenchrooster posted about a french Naim speaker fanatic who makes the Xulyde MD1 and MD3, the website is in french, but he clearly knows his Naim speakers.
Perhaps as some have done on the DBL refurb thread, an overhaul of cabinet foam, drivers etc ?Best of luck SJB, a tough one.
I owned SL2s for a few months and ran them with my 552>300DR. I know they have quite a following here but I couldn’t live with them. I found the tweeter much too forward for my taste. I was glad to sell them on.
I’ve demoed a few floorstanders since but I’m much happier now with my Marten Duke 2 standmounts.
I have SL2s (powered by a couple of 300s active, 552 and nd555). The only things I have heard that I like in comparison are kudos Titans. Heard 606 and 707 active and passive with 2/1 300s (and 552 and nd555) at Acoustica’s kudos event last year and I thought the 606s didn’t sound a lot better than the SL2s but I thought the 707s did. Not my room so not definitive - I haven’t listened to much else as I am not really looking (only had the SL2s a couple of years). Will also have a listen to a single 500 powering the 707s at some point. I think the 808s would look too big in my room. Everyone has a different opinion though - I know of someone who preferred the 606s to 707s with a 500, some say the 505s are a sweet spot
They are pretty tolerant of room positioning but I would be surprised if you could get away with putting them up against the wall like SL2s. In the Kudos demos I’ve heard, they were set up a good distance from the rear wall.
I have SL2s on the end of 552/300DR like you Jon. Pretty much every time I listen to them I finish by saying to myself I can’t imagine anything sounding more compelling. There probably are speakers that give more crash bang wallop, deeper bass etc but I’ve not heard speakers that communicate the music as well as these. Also the fact that Jason still has them in his 552 / 300DR active system with all the options he must have says it all really.
One thing it might be worth considering is changing the tweeters for new Naim matched ones. I did that recently to my 2000 set and it made them sound even better.
Hi sjb.
Any chance of posting a photo of your set up please?
As they per your post seem to really make you enjoy your music, I actually think I would follow gazza’s suggestion and maybe have them revamped with new xovers and maybe also change the paper mid/bass driver, which I would think slowly degrades over time in a domestic environment.
Maybe in your room the top end is not exaggerated, which can lead to the experience Bongoman had with them and to some extent I also had maybe for different reasons. Again if you do not mind their flat presentation sound stage wise or never notice that as a problem, I would hang on to the old penguins.
Finding a replacement could easily be a complete mine field going by the experience I have had with my new listening room and my Fact 12s.
Whatever you decide good luck with it Peter
I have a friend who went from SL2’s to Kudos Titans having tried T88s then 707s finally settling for 505s the bigger speakers proving too overbearing in his room, so you might want to home dem some of the Titan range.
I myself have recently gone from Naim speakers (NBLs in my case) to Kudos Titan 808s which work well close to wall.
If you’re bored and want to play HiFi then why not build a 2nd (or 3rd) system, provided of course you can make some use of another setup elsewhere in the house. Garden shed systems seem to be on the rise too And vintage Naim can be a lot of fun as well.
Finding a speaker you can live with for that many years are rare and starting to experiment can become both expensive and unsatisfactory. My proposal would be to experiment with tweeter upgrade, active drive or (hush hush) upgrade the crossover and try biamping. I have a pair of SL2s where I did all this and ended up using them with new tweeters and running them passive with upgraded crossover (no biamping). Never heard a system with more prat or “jump factor”. Boy they are fast!
Still, right now they are disconnected and replaced with Harbeth 30.2 (a VERY different speaker) for two reasons: wife do not agree with the look and second we listen more to calm jazz, classical etc. Will connect them when the man cave is ready however.
So if you can only have one system I suggest you stick with them and consider “modifying” them.
ATB Peter
Peter