Tempted by a nicely priced pair of Allaes. Don’t pop up near my area often. Bit too far to audition so I was wondering if an LP12/Ittok/Kore/Armageddon/272/200 would be an adequate front end. Thanks
Sounds ok to me.
I’m sure they’d be a great match, so long as you like their sound. They are the only Naim speaker I’ve tried that didn’t work in my room; I couldn’t stop the bass port from chuffing.
That’s another fear. Heard they are more room fussy than other Naim speakers. May hold off until I can find some for a home demo.
I had a pair that worked great in a similar room that SL2s are in now and definitely no base port chuffing! Solid walls, carpeted, but on a suspended floor.
The base suspension will need adjusting depending on what surface you’re placing them on and I had them about 30cm off the rear wall.
I’d be tempted to try them if they’re at a price you could easily move on if they don’t work out for you.
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It’s the onions! 
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Nothing wrong with the front end and if the price is right I would go for the Allaes.
I’m on my second pair selling the original after 13 years of ownership, great speakers and very underestimated.
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I always found them pretty unfussy about the room. In fact, they were the one Naim speaker that was likely to work in rooms where something like the SL2 wouldn’t work. And in fact I have yet to find a room or situation that I couldn’t get a satisfactory performance from them, although one particular show (Brussels?) did present a challenge and in the end we had them quite far out in the room, which was interesting…
I’m a big fan of Allaes - it’s a reflex design, but a really well designed one. Main thing is to get the fundamentals right with the set up. Make sure the bases are evenly spiked all round (this is critical). The base can flex slightly under the weight of the speakers and so it can deceive you that all is even when in fact it isn’t. A decent length spirit level is essential. The speakers need to be perfectly upright and straight. I know some who like to tilt them back ever so slightly and that’s probably OK (but just ever so slightly - if you set the bottom box up to be perfectly upright, the weight of the top box when you put it on will push the rear spring down slightly and thus give a backward tilt), but the other way is a definite no-no, but you be amazed how many i’ve found set up that way and sounding not right.
Anyway, for the price that Allaes sell for these days I’d say they were a huge bargain.
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Buy them, I had a pair of Ovators S400 which were a terrible speaker, changed them for SBLs, better but don’t think my system was good enough to get them to perform, now have Allaes and they are exceptional and an utter bargain. Great advice from Richard above, they are very easy to set up.
Nick
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Damn, there was a wicked pair on a well known auction site just recently. I wonder who the lucky buyer was?!
Very much so. Mine sing with Valhalla LP12, Ittok LVII, OC9, Stageline and NAC152XS, FCXS and NAP155XS.
Hope it turns out.
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I’ve heard them sounding wonderful, it’s simply that they wouldn’t work in my room, hard against the wall, 25cm out or at any point in between. It was a shame - they are very nice looking speakers and a great bargain these days. But don’t let that put you off, if they are a good price you could sell them on if you don’t like them.
Didn’t work in my room, bass was always thud thud thud… SL2 in same room was magnificent. Have heard them sound good, but no way plug n play for all rooms. A friend tried a pair in his room and similar result to mine, then he swapped in a pair of Linn Isobariks which were fantastic.
From one note bass to even bass was 5mm difference in distance to the wall in my spare room where I have a pair driven by a Rega amp.
I remember Richard saying the suspension to cabinet screws shouldn’t be disturbed but not until too late. I’ve developed a fairly good feel for tightening things over the years and they are somewhere I’d describe as snug, rather than linn tight or “just enough to hold it” tight, (Aro arm pillar) but if there is a torque value associated with the screws than that might be handy.
It is probably worth having this in bold Richard saying the [Allaes’] suspension to cabinet screws shouldn’t be disturbed for the benefit of those forumites that come after us!
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Only if I’ve remembered correctly, not a certainty by any means.
There’s at least two of us on here driving them with ‘just’ a Qute; you’ll be fine!
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it’s amazing speakers. But you have to work to position in your room.
My combo uniti nova and Allae plus chord epic reference is extremely fun to listen and enjoy
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Listening to mine now with NDX, 202/200. Sound is excellent, filling the room with music. Naim used to make fabulous speakers.
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I use them with my Nova, brilliant combination.
Nick