Thanks for sending, Richard. I think part of my confusion is you had sent me the S600 document previously and thought I needed to get the S400 document. So we’re sure the torque settings are the same for both?
I seem to recall;l it being said so, but if you want to know for sure then an email to Naim would probably get the right answer.
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When the S-400s were in production Naim’s own Suggested Systems featured NAC152XS/NAP155XS for them. Your 202/200DR combo is an excellent amp in my opinion (had them more than once), and I wouldn’t touch it. Its clear, detailed and civilized presentation is perfect for the speakers.
Christopher_M’s suggestion to accurately check the 400s’ position is space is very sensible. I’ve had S-400s and the largely benefit from:
- Adequate distance from rear and side walls,
- Long run-in time.
Just my opinion but also personal experience.
Best
M.
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Living with the s-600 for four years now & having tested every possible positioning in the room, i came with the following conclusions:
- They need at least 50cm from the side wall & 30cm+ from the back wall, to breathe properly (as the manual suggests)
- Toe-in is very tricky. Whenever i tried to toe them in directly to my ears in the listening position, i never found the sweet spot.
They tend to play their best when positioned directly facing the oposite wall, as the manual suggests, but with a minor toe-in (just a tiny little bit). With this minor toe-in, imo the benefits are immediate: bass is clear &fat & you don’t lose a bit of low frequencies. Highs are crystal clear without being annoying. Mids are also gentle & very present.
Hope i helped a bit
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Please correct it to without, or else someone will soon quote Freudian slips… 
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I had them close to a side wall, and the result was that they produced a kind of nasal sound. The balance in the frequency spectrum was off. When I moved them away from the side walls (and there is virtually no side wall at the moment) the balance fleshed out properly and they sound majestic now. Given their position they can’t convey much detail, but that’s mostly because of all the damping and reflections in the living. They do communicate the soul of the music though and have dynamics and power - I find that much more important than hearing lots of details.
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For sure the same speakers can sound very different in different environments & maybe corrections in positioning them is needed.
I always tend to say to everyone when we talk about “how it sounds right” , that right depends at the personal preference of the listener.
I have had S400s for 10 years. My system is NDX/202/200, with some stray power supplies. It really works. I was in the process up jumping to the new NC equipment but sadly this was derailed. Yes a NC222/NC250 is a step up, especially with the PS added, but the NDX/202/200 is a lovely balanced combination. An NDX2 just improves it further. So my advice is just be happy! I am about to re-torque the drivers in the S400s. It really helps.
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Hi Richard. Could I please have a copy of the S400 torque settings as well. Thanks
Hello Richard Dane. I have S400 for 9 years. I’d like to get a copy of S400 torque as well, could I?
Thank you in advance,
Sergey Golovan
Great to have a number of S400s owners chipping in here.
@RexManning @ElMarko @cdboy and welcome to the forum to @sergeyg
In case you haven’t read all of this thread started by @AltaMarshall I have repeated part of my earlier post below. Enthusiasm has to be tapered with real care, since repairs or spares may not be possible.
In my experience once done, unless the unit is moved, with the youngest units now nearly ten years old, there is unlikely to be a necessity to repeat, unless the sound is off.
Some time ago, there was a thread regarding a damaged BMR unit and afaik, there was no follow up post as to how the issue resolved.
Good luck; enjoy the sound!
ps. please share your experience
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I had that set up,(but CDX2/XPS2 rather than NDX) for a few years. Agree nice synergy. The NC triple is way way better, quite extraordinarily so, but also a big investment.
Are the torqued bolts fitted with loctite/threadlocker at the factory? If so, what is causing people to think the bolts need to be re-torqued?
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This issue has been covered a number of times and there is, imho a logical answer, having canvassed opinion from a variety of sources, but perhaps you can suggest why you raise this question? Happy to answer your question if I understand your concerns.
I’ve read this discussion numerous times here but have never seen an explanation for why we need to re-torque our bolts. Is there some reason I can’t ask why it’s necessary to re-torque the BMR bolts? Looking at the diagram there appears to be only one BMR in each cabinet.
First, for S400s there are a number of torque settings. You don’t explain why you are solely focussing on BMR?
Second, if your S400s were new to you - dealer installed, never moved, then re-toque may not be necessary. Otherwise re=torque will undoubtedly be necessary. Settlement will have occurred since manufacture. Hence why dealers and those of us, with multiple units, know the difference it makes - if done correctly.
They sit in a vibrating cabinet, they will loosen up.
I didn’t realize I have to re-torque all the bolts, thought it was just the BMR. My speakers came from a dealer demo. I have no reason to think the bolts have loosened and I don’t think getting moved a few times is cause for concern. I would expect that Naim would use torque settings that are appropriate to not allow them to loosen under normal use. Is that not the case? I torque bolts on my Austrian and German motorcycles that get absolutely punished off road and they never loosen when I install with thread locker. Which is why I asked about thread locker.
Probably still applied to 99 percent of all speakers…
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You’re absolutely correct. Even as a callow youth 50 years ago I was tightening the screws on speaker drivers. 45 years s ago I was changing chipboard screws for high tensile bolts with T-nut seats. The esteemed Mr Tiefenbrun showed me the light way back then. A sentiment also echoed by JV. Just look at the early Isobariks with their fanatical zeal to tightening everything, Locktite and using rigid resin gasket seals. T nuts on the midrange drivers! But not the tweeters IIRC.
In 1977 Spendor advised tightening the bass drivers regularly. My BC1s certainly had an uplift, (and they used high tensile hex bolts with t nut seats.
I can’t recall where I got the advice to not overtighten/undertighten but it was some time in the 80s. I used to go by gut feel, and getting specific advice about torque settings came later, I can’t recall exactly but it might have been in regard to SBLs. One of my clients had a pair and he got them sounding better than I ever did.
Linn were big on not overtorquing the LP12 base plate, and using high tensile 2mm hex bolts for the Asak. I did have a torque wrench for mounting cartridges, (having destroyed a Koetsu Onyx by applying too much “Linn philosophy”, but didnt extrapolate that to speakers. I just got a second Onyx, (it was my own and I didn’t even get to hear it before killing it).
I seem to remember the Corflake Shop guys talking about torque back when they used to torture poor little Kans in their rather OTT stands. I can still hear the little blighters crying for mercy.
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