Hopefully @nicnaim, by now you are feeling the love 
I wasn’t quick enough they sold in one day…
There’s a pair on the well known website now.
For anyone trialling Allaes as to where to place them exactly and not wanting to pierce their carpets, ie. using them without spikes in the first instance, I have found that putting a biro under the front edge just lifts them upright. This way, the tweeter no longer fires into the floor, so to speak, something Richard alluded to earlier with spike adjustment.
I have been using Allaes since they first came on to the market back when (they replaced a pair of Intro’s). I use them with just two Nap 90"s and an IXO (pre is NAC 202, NAPSC, Hicap DR) and they sound great.
I have owned them in two different homes with widely differing rooms. Formerly in a basement flat with concrete floors and now an odd shaped cottage with suspended wood floor.
They are fairly unfussy over positioning and easy to drive. They to my ears present a very “live” presentation and render vocals especially intelligible and emotive.
As Richard describes, make sure they are properly level and also that the top and bottom cabinets are carefully aligned on the “PIP’S”.
Although a Reflex design they are not ported as someone suggested earlier. The two cabinets are separated on the PIPs which provide an air gap all around the cabinet and eliminates the chuffing that can be a problem with ported enclosures. All the time I have owned them to my ears I have never heard any cabinet resonance, colourations or chuffing.
When correctly set up and level on the floor spikes the cabinet is designed to spring slightly, not rigid as is the norm. Gently push the top front of the top cabinet with one finger and the whole should spring slightly back and forth a couple of times.
NAIM, if I recall correctly used to design their speakers to sound best with grilles on and that’s what I find.
The only tweak I have found worthwhile was to put a small slate tile between the spikes and wooden floor with a tiny blob of Blu Tak under each corner of the slab.
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Not sure, but I think setting them up like that would defeat the point of the leaf spring suspension designed into the base?
Which screws are you referring to?
I’m away from home while writing so off the top of my head if I’m recalling correctly;
The chassis of the base is fixed to the cabinet with Allen bolts into rubber grommets in the cabinet, the leaf spring is screwed into the bottom of the cabinet with just small wood screws and each end of the spring Allen screwed to the chassis. This allows for the suspension of the cabinet I described above.
I’m probably not alone in having tinkered with them over the years and as the speakers are no longer in production but obviously still very desirable on the used market it would be great if anyone has any more detailed guidance on set up, torque settings etc for the chassis/suspension.
Cheers
If you think they have been tampered with then probably best to contact Naim for that info as I don’t have it to hand. Normally it shouldn’t require anything from the end user.
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Thanks Richard, I may in the past have checked once in a blue moon that nothing was obviously loose. Their sounding fine so probably are, would be nice to have the information though if Naim have it. I’ll try emailing support.
Of course. This would be a temporary trial arrangement, just to find the right position bass response wise, before fitting spikes and piercing wool carpets. Avoids having eight holes too many.
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Understood 
I’d love to hear active Allaes.
But in a slightly contradictory mode, one great thing about them is that they don’t appear to need too hefty an amp to get them going, as this thread attests. This surprises me a bit because when I first joined the forum the ‘lowest’ system to contain Allaes also featured CDX2, NAC202 and NAP200.
Personally, Allaes have no downsides.
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Active Credos…
I still have my pair of 90.3s and IXO just in case. Oh and my special ‘active’ leads… Now if only I could get hold of a new CD3 player…
Sigh
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Absolutely. Originally I had Intro’s and then my dealer offered me a pair of brand new Allae’s at a reduced price but initially I was sceptical, thinking they would be better suited to higher order amplification than the Ixo and 2 x Nap 90/3 I was using. In fact they work fantastically and have stayed with them.
The combination has held its own and still revealing enough through progressive upgrades of my LP12 to near full SE spec.
Originally the amplifiers were part of an entry level active system that Naim used to promote consisting of CD3.5 Flatcap, Nac 92, Flatcap, Ixo, Nap 90’s and Intros, I also had an LP12 in this system which has been evolving.
When the Nac 92 developed a noisy volume pot, I decided time to replace and by that time my LP12 had evolved to a point where I felt a better pre amp would benefit. So I added a Nac 202, Hicap DR & Napsc.
The active Ixo Nap 90 combo still sounded great with the 202. I had the Ixo and 90’s serviced by Naim and while they were away borrowed a serviced olive Nap250 to keep me going.
I may get scoffed at here but when the Ixo/90’s came back from Naim I found I still preferred the sound over the bigger passive 250. The baby amps in active mode just delivered a faster, (albeit leaner and perhaps with less scale), more involving sound with great timing and musicality, the all important PRaT.
The active Ixo/90/Allae certainly to my ears are greater than the sum of their parts and an absolute bargain considering the few hundred quid for servicing over the cost of a higher order passive amp.
I’m guessing I would need at least a Nac 282, 250 to realise much of an improvement but I would still be reluctant to go passive. Active just seems to make more sense in my view at any level.
Of course If I could afford it I would love to hear the Allaes driven actively by a pair of 250’s or above.
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Dread, We are talking to ourselves here!
C.
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I am still using my original CD3.5 with Flatcap and still sounding good. I did enquire some time ago with Naim about having it serviced, I was advised that if it’s working fine and sounding fine, which it is, then there isn’t much to service and not really necessary.
I bet you could pick one up for peanuts on the flea bay
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Sorry!
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I’ve ran Allaes with several Naim amps over the years ranging from 250DR, CB250, Olive 250, mono 110s, 140, 155, Nait 5 and now UQ2 they sound great on any of the above and shows how capable these speakers are.
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