Hi,
Is the NBL from the last year of production - 2004, worth buying today?
And if so, does anyone have any insights, what is the difference between them and the S600?
Thanks in advance
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I have NBLs paired with Nac52 /Supercap DR, 3 Nap 250s. The sound is excellent and better replacement would be close to $20K. If the speakers have not been abused they should last a lifetime. Cloth covers can be replaced as well.
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I think the s600 was a replacement for the SL2? Ive herd the S600 a few times and found them to be an excellent sounding speaker (better by far than the s400) i own sl2 and would be happy to own S600. While I have never heard a seat of NBL, I would be inclined to go S600 as the NBL has an internal sub while is mounted using springs, these can cause issues if they haven’t been locked in while shipping, apparently it is near on impossible to get inside the cabinet to correct the issue. So peace of mind you can’t go wrong with a good pair of s600.
I’m sure I’ll be corrected the I’m wrong. It’s been a while since I read about it but I think it goes something like that.
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There is suspension for the mid high box that needs locking before any but very minor movement, the bass module has a couple of cardboard spacers that need to go in before the bolts but is a but less sensitive, I insert them for large moves and for laying the speaker down. The driver surrounds seem to last, unlike the DBL bass driver’s but tweeters for both have become a problem that will require some ingenuity to solve if NOS ones cannot be found. Choice between DBL and NBL is mostly in the DBL’s favour but for the bass driver needing a new surround every ten years, if you’re unlucky, and the amount of space they occupy but the NBL is an endgame speaker nevertheless. There are no crossovers left so make sure they have them unless planning active.
Thanks’ Yeti,
I think I will give up this “opportunity”…
Don’t pass the opportunity!! NBLs are certainly special as long as they have been moved properly with the supports in place.
They offer scale and detail and IMO for the price they are unbeatable. My pair have been all over Europe and have not suffered at all. I have the proper “coffins” and they are very important. I recommend checking the bass unit bolts torque before putting them up right but apart from that as long as the travel supports are used there should be no problem, even the mid driver nested boxes can be wiggled a bit to correct for any poor fitting.
Finally I am sure that crossovers can be recapped if necessary so go for it!!
FF
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NBL’s are extremely capable loudspeakers. If they’re in good condition, with original boxes and transit bolts etc. it’s arguably hard to beat them without spending tens of thousands of £££
A restored pair of NBLs with active and passive crossovers are being offered by a dealer in the US for over $18K. I am sure they sound fab!
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I ran a pair of NBLs for over 10 years and they were superb even in passive mode. It was not until Kudos Titan 808’s came along that I felt the desire to change them so go for it!
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Exqueese me?
I got mine for 2k and that was I would say peak price. They are however the best speaker on this green earth.
Just saying.
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I ran my NBL’s for 20 years and only recently bought the Kudos Titan 808’s to replace them.
The NBL’s still sound great and to be honest, the 808’s treble is better, the overall sound somewhat better but, I’d happily go back to the NBL’s in a flash if required.
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