A friend used a 250DR with his AN-E and loved the result. Unfortuneately I was unable to get over to listen before he sold the 250DR!
He bought a pair of 211 based power amps that he thinks are amazing. Although he didn’t want to sell the 250DR he needed to release some capital and his other power amps are not as readily sellable as Naim.
Good conundrum. I had SBLs with 52/135s Sondek etc. I now have three Naim towers (yeah I know):
135s into B&W 800 signatures
135s into B&W 803D3s
250 into Linn Isobarik DMS with tweeters replaced about 10 years ago.
All sound a bit different, and all preferable to the SBLs in my own view.
B&W have quite a forward sound but with more midrange and bass than the SBLs. The Isobariks are even more like the SBL sound yet preferable to me. They also go against the wall.
I think see what Loud and Clear have in, if you’re after secondhand. I got the big B&Ws there and they are magnificent.
Still love the isobariks though. The new B&Ws are v smooth but not really much better.
Isobariks if you can get them are great…
I had my tweeters replaced by Naim via “Infidelity” in Hampton Wick(Surrey) in Dec 2017 at a cost of £450 as one lf mine had died, so still available then.
I’ve recently (2 weeks ago) bought a pair of SL2s. My room is definitely not ideal - about 5*8m in size, with polished wooden floors (and it’s the upper floor of a 2 story house). Being New Zealand, it’s a wooden house (not brick or concrete) The right speaker backs onto a structural gib (plasterboard) backing, and the left onto floor to ceiling double glazed windows.
I’ve not had much to compare them with, but they sound really good. The bass isn’t as prominent as I would like, but it’s very quick, and deep. And I’ve found multiple times over the past couple of weeks where I’ve been listening and the instruments or vocals sound “right there” (as if I’m hearing them live, albeit quieter than a concert would be).
I’m running them passive (with a 250DR), so thus far they haven’t felt like they need massive amplification (although it would no doubt help)
Thanks jono, This a nice information.
The SL2 looks like un update worth looking at.
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