Naim speakers

I think the n-Sats were always associated with the AV side as they came out alongside the n-Vi at the time so didn’t really get the proper attention they deserved. They were always much more capable than this and as you found once on their dedicated stands, they work really well and can show the benefits of some serious amplification. Very attractive little speakers too with their curved cabinets.

2 Likes

Indeed, I’ve often though that the real reason Naim speaker sales dried up is that they never had a range that would have appealed to entry level buyers. For example, can you imagine what would happen if a potential Unitiqute buyer had been pointed at a pair of Ovator 400s, which would have been the cheapest and smallest option at the time. I reckon a revamped and remarketed N-Sat plus a small floorstander would have sold like hot cakes alongside the original Uniti range.

2 Likes

Anything from folk to rock and any in between to be honest

I use Credos with a Uniti Star and find this combination suitable for my music tastes which is mostly chamber music .
I have no interest in modern / popular music and high sound levels .
Regards

1 Like

Thanks for that Richard info read and digested

1 Like

The David Hasselhoff of Naim speakers.

G

1 Like

Or Chris de Burgh.

1 Like

I had Arivas from new - made me very happy for about 14 years.

One great thing about them is that they have 3 drivers: a tweeter and mid near the top, and a bass driver down near the floor.

Now I have SL2s (with NACA5). These give excellent resolution, clarity and insight into music - a much greater sense of the presence of the instruments in the room.

1 Like

I do like the look off the ibl so it’s a case off searching for a set then taking the plunge to see if they suit the room but hey I’m in no rush so can wit till the right pair turn up

The IBL is ruthlessly revealing. I certainly wouldn’t use them with a CD5i and Nait 5i. You really want something like an 82/250 and a very good source. I had some once with a CDS2 and 82/Hicap/250 and they were superb. The Allae is far more forgiving but even here you’d want better electronics ideally. A Nait XS in one of its incarnations should be fine, though the CD5i would remain an issue.

Oh well back to the thinking board then hh

I would echo Nigel’s warning here re. the IBLs. To really hear what makes them special, they should be treated in much the same way as DBLs with regards to source and amplification.

2 Likes

Richard I have done so back to the drawing board, or just stick to the ones I have it’s just a itch to see if I’m missing out on anything since having the amp serviced, but to be honest it’s sounding really good at the moment
Like I say it’s the itch thing

Those ARs are by all accounts not the last word in resolution and the drivers are pretty basic in their standard form. Maybe the best thing to do is to borrow some more modern designs once that sort of thing becomes possible. On the Naim front, something like the Credo or Allae are quite forgiving though the Allae is the only Naim speaker I’ve tried that I couldn’t get to work in my room. I’ve had IBL, SBL, SL2, Allae and nSat over the years. For various reasons I’ve rebuilt my system recently and now have some little ProAc Tablette 10 Signatures and they are lovely. It would be interesting to try something like that against your ARs, which are about 50 times as big and very different. A lot of modern speakers seem overly hifi to me with artificial bass and strident treble and it’s quite a challenge to find something that’s simply enjoyable to listen to.

I see in your profile that you like camping - our Eriba is sitting on the drive under its winter cover and I’m so hoping we can get away when the weather warms up.

Hh the A&R s are very heavily modified, crossover rebuilt to whimslow spec and drivers replaced along with the tweeters in fact the crossover parts cost more than the speakers did in the first place when new, cabinets braced up as well, though finding new socks for them is proving hard or any one who can make new ones for them that’s there only down side to be honest they look shabby
They are no slouch and when took to a dealer once to put against some pmc speakers even the dealer said save your money and keep em he even said that we had done a cracking job on them, in instead I came out with the rega p6 I was impressed with it from my old project

A non-Naim speaker that I thought worked brilliantly with the 5i kit was the Neat Motive 2; that they would work well is no surprise I guess, as they were designed with Naim kit, but really the combination seemed to offer a result far greater than the sum of the parts.

1 Like

In that case you are probably best doing nothing. Often these itches go away if you just ignore them. Why not just buy some more music, after all, that’s what a hifi system is for.

Very true hh it’s why we have hifi, maybe one day I’ll find some new socks or someone who can knock a pair up for me to bring them back to the 20th century

SL2s on the end of a 300 and these are approx 4" from a solid wall.

Allaes on the end a Nait 2 when setup (in storage until February/March) the Allaes are approx 6" from a solid wall.

SL2s and Allaes are excellent speakers and complement Naim amps, both are keepers.

1 Like

Tell me about it!

I’ve had IBLs twice because of such an itch. It took HH kindly inviting me around to his place to hear his set with his top flight olives to make me see the error of my ways. Basically, I was never going to be able to chuck that much wedge at them to make them sing.

Have also owned SBLs (twice, including my current pair), n-Sats and Allaes. I’ve had Arivas in here on dem but couldn’t get on with them in this 5x3m -ish room. This despite having similar kit to yours at the time, and yours was exactly what my dealer had when I first heard them sounding so fantastic in his dem room.

Arivas could be a lot of fun if your room is large. In the right room the Arivas are probably the easiest to set up too.

I don’t know how big your room is but I think Allaes offer you the best chance of success and IIRC @ClayB runs a pair with a Nait5i.

Let us know how it goes…

1 Like