Hi Richard, what part of the setup was hardest to get right? Or conversely, what were the biggest setup mistakes that held people back from hearing their potential.
I have a pair and am wondering what if anything I might be doing wrong!
I had this explained to me wrt the SBL by a former naim engineer involved in their design…however I have forgotten why and I fear that even if I remembered the words I wouldn’t be able to explain it.
The conclusion was that the grilles need to be in place and need to be (in the case of the SBL) precisely the foam that was specified. I’m assuming that the same applies to the SL2.
Hardest to rectify would be a room that just didn’t work with them as that would be impossible to fix. They need a good solid wall behind them and it helps if you have a solid floor too (under carpet or not).
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Indeed that’s the sort of thing I’m remembering that I’ve forgotten!
.sjb
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May I ask if anyone here has, or has links to, photo or video of SL2 setup?
I have had mine set up here twice by my dealer but didn’t pay enough attention and find the FAQ Basic setup instructions anything but basic for my level of acuity in all things manual.
.sjb
I followed Richard’s basic guide to SL2 and was complimented by Jason when he came to fix the shredded bolts on how I set them up. As the dealer also unbolted the plinth. I’m pretty inept at diy. Maybe highlight the steps from Richard’s list that you’re not sure about and maybe we could send photos to highlight what you need to do.
Scroll up for setup.
A gentle push on the box top should see the cabinet rock gently a few times back and forth and the tweeter appear to bob a bit.
I can’t really envisage exactly what it is describing and so am unsure if mine do this or not. Certainly I don’t think mine rock gently a few times but the tweeter does bob.
.sjb
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Look from the side when you do this. The tweeter might well be staying relatively still, with the cabinet doing the bobbing. When I tried it I actually gently pushed the lower box as that seems to achieve the same effect - but it’s rather difficult to ascertain what is moving!
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I donated the photos for Richard’s forum facts guide to SL2 set up when I moved house a couple of years ago.
It’s also worth having a look at the SL2 manual as well, which has some good basic information too.
The way to check this is to give the top of the front of the bottom box a good swift rap with the knuckles. The whole cabinet should oscillate, while the tweeter remains unmoved. The tweeter won’t move because it is bolted to the base, whereas the wooden cabinet is mounted on leaf springs.
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Are they the boxing ones are are there other photos I haven’t seen?
.sjb
Unfortunately, I am unable to upload an example video of @HungryHalibut’s explanation. I’ve tried converting it to a GIF, but it is beyond my technical prowess and patience. 
I can send the video direct to you via email if your happy for me to contact you.
I’d be much obliged. My email is in my profile, with a little obfuscation to evade data crawlers.
.sjb
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Yes iirc.
One of mine rocks rather more than the other when nudged (that is kinetically not sonically). The stiffer of the two seems a bit ‘solid’. Is this a problem/fault?
The tweeter assemblies are fine and free of any contact. What little movement is in the stiffer side it does not move the tweeter. It is just much less obvious than the other side
Wish I’d not checked now!
Bruce
Thanks, I got that video and from it and HHs description I can see the movement, I think I was over parsing the phrase “rock gently”.
From your email you ask the question as to why I might be “doubting my setup”.
My situation is that I will have a local (non Naim) dealer doing some room optimisation for me which will involve moving the SL2s. When looking for the setup information for him I realised that I did not really fully understand some of it. The “gentle rocking” test was a bit I highlighted as it was at the end so I could check it immediately.
Now that has given me a better understanding of the leaf spring mechanism I can almost envisage what needs to be done from the written instructions but I know I would forever doubt myself as I fear I’m as likely to safely land a Boeing 747 as I am to have everything is a SL2 set up optimally. Alastair and Andy from Signals set up my SL2s originally in 2007 and then again in 2017 after a house refurbishment. I’m scared to go near them!
I think I’ll pay full attention when they are being moved and set up the next time to make sure I’m not so compromised by my inadequacies in the future.
.sjb
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Check the tightness of the bolts holding the tweeter arms. These need to be as tight as possible, but be careful that they don’t rise out of the bases as you do so, otherwise tweeter alignment up top will be well off. It sounds here like one may not be quite as tight as the other.
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Thanks. Is there a torque setting?
How does the tweeter arm tightness affect the springs? It is not that the boxes and the tweeter arms are moving together, more that the suspension on one side seems to have less spring than the other.
Bruce
Oddly enough, if the arm is not done up tight enough then the tweeter doesn’t appear to bob as much.
Did you check that the rear spikes were nice and even by watching how the tweeter arm would push one way or the other as you lowered them to the floor? It’s easy to get this bit wrong (especially of the floor is uneven, or you’re trying to get the spikes cleanly through cuts in the carpet) and put a slight torsional twist in the base that will affect the spring.
I think I know what I am doing tomorrow now…
I am not sure if it has always been like this, they haven’t been moved for several years. Definitely uneven floors but I thought carefully installed (by me). We shall see.
The tweeters are nicely centred which suggests to me the arms are straight and not obviously under torsion.
Sound great anyway Bruce