It’s like someone has peeled the quilt away from being wrapped around the speakers! Not the smoothest of rounded off sound, but, Wow! What an ear opener!
Crack open the Gin. Cheers!
It’s like someone has peeled the quilt away from being wrapped around the speakers! Not the smoothest of rounded off sound, but, Wow! What an ear opener!
Crack open the Gin. Cheers!
Oh dear
I can’t believe how much more extrovert these speakers are! This experience is very much ‘edge of seat ’ and almost on the verge of being relentless, but, whoa! This is it, the fire in my belly!
For instance, here’s a track that is filled with a wall of sound. The n-SATs bring it to the fore, uncompromising in their presentation and full of life, especially on the percussion side of things. Yes they lack real mid-bass body, but those cymbals crash with realism and all in their glory, blended in with a mid-range and forward presentation that grab your attention. Not for the faint hearted i might add. What a release!
SWMBO - much prefers my NEAT Motive SX2 speakers over the n-SATs/SUB. Saying that the Naim speakers sound shouty and unrefined by comparison. I agree, but…the Sats have something the NEAT’s do not. I find Motives too smooth and rounded, although a lot of fun and better for longer extending listening. I think the n-SATS require a better quality treble unit ultimately. Their emotional connection with the music is very real however…
P.S Both sets of speakers are great, i love ‘em both. Two totally different characters. Fun in equal measures. All good fun!
Well, previously you said they were tge best speakers ever, so why did you change?
I’ve had the Motives sitting around not being used. Out of curiosity, i thought i’d hook them back up after three years. What a nice surprise they have been… However, hooking the SATs back up (after a period of time) has made me realise the comparison. As i mentioned above, it’s all in the love of a bit of fun. I have always preferred the SATs/nSUB, and still do.
You should try the 1994 remaster of sebtp. Generally speaking, 1994 > 2007.
Here is a track where the n-SUB combined with SATs show their rather taught muscle. Rhythmic and absolutely sublime. What a sound!
Haven’t we had this before …?
Quick someone, get him his pills!
My point here being - i’m hoping that some things ‘have supposedly moved on,’ but actually they really have not. It has been very amusing. So yes we’ve been here before.
What would move on?
Speaker voicing for the better experience? - every speaker manufacturer claims their stance. If you ask me, Naim knew how to build loudspeakers. More so than the dedicated loudspeaker manufacturers we have today.
Great thread!
Why not have 2 sets of speakers you enjoy? I think it’s great!
…and modern materials. WRT speaker design.
Do you find you prefer listening to different music through each pair of speakers?
Yes i do. I think the Motive SX2s are better all-rounders and suit a wide variety of contemporary music. With SATs/SUB more serious listening is required, as they are a lot more open and upfront within their presentation. The volume control can be much reduced to hear the same volume of music reaching my ears…
Jazz music in particular from n-SATs/SUB can sound more vibrant, natural and raw as in hearing all of the nuances coming from the instruments being played. However, if i play say the track MasterBlaster from Stevie Wonder, this is where the Neat’s really come alive and are probably more enjoyable with this genre of music. All good fun.
I also really like my nsats!
They are so revealing that i sometimes think, that there is something wrong when comparing to 500 main system.
Lovely with nait 50 in my case (nd5xs2/ndac/xps)
Yes i’ve also, for the first time since owning my black piano lacquered n-SATs (3 years now), have started experimenting with their positioning. I felt that i had them just right beforehand, and so have just left them as they were all of this time gone by.
Now, since having the urge to swap in my Motives for a few very fun weeks, and then reintroducing my n-SATs back into my system, i’ve decided to space them further apart a bit more. Wow! I never knew what i really had on the end of my system all of this time! Also (with a heavy heart), have played around with positioning of the nSUB as well! Jeez, the music i’m hearing now i would never have thought possible from my system - the performance gains that can be had just from playing around with positioning is crazy. I’m truly delighted with results.
I’ve finally settled on SAT’s being 1850mm apart from centre of tweeter to tweeter. 90mm from a solid rear wall, facing dead straight with no toe-in. Solid floor & ceiling. Stands & SATs dead level front to back, side to side. All spikes dead taught. Grilles on.