Start by smelling the center of the cone (:-)). Make sure it does not smell burnt.
Then, unless you had a few whiskeys or beers (well, it is saturday evening after all) very-very gently press the cone with your fingers around the center, no more than a few millimeters, absolutely no more than 5. Make sure there are no mechanical or other noise signaling mechanical contact. If it is then you are in trouble.
Make sure the phase plug seems like it it in place. It is the protruding thing in the center of the bass driver. It also acts as a cooler and the Mk2 drivers have a very tight airspace in he bass driver and dont like to get to hot.
If you get this far the driver is probably o.k. unless you actually can see damage.
Both the bottom boxes make up a sealed box for the bass/mid and between is the foam/silicon seal. Both the foam and the silicon act as decoupling and need to form an airtight seal or you will lose bass. Actually one can sense this when pushing the cone and then releasing it - when you push it you will compress the air in the box and when you release the compressed air should help restoring it quickly.
Tightening the screws. Just check that you cant screw by hand. If I remember this there is some form of compound behind so you dont want to go “linn-tight” with a screwdriver on them. If it is airtight it should be good for now.
You can find much clearer (and saner) advice if you search the old Naim-forum. My memory is somewhat vague on the SBL:s by now.
I guess i’m lucky, in that since my recent purchase of my SBL’s, i’m relatively happy with my system.
That said (though), like most people i get the occasional off days. When that happens i either
take a complete break from the system or just buy some more music (be it CD, Vinyl or whatever takes my fancy). After a few days rest though, i’m happier to get back to enjoying my music collection, feeling
more relaxed about it.
There is something very odd going on here which simply defies hifi conventions.
I often speak of synergy but the weird set up seems to have it in abundance.
It’s simply musical and enjoyable. Maybe not accurate but drum rolls, bass guitars/bass lines and soundstage are so much better along with instrument timbre.
Soundstage in particular is deeper and wider vertically - all the forwardness has gone.
Saw them on (that well known selling site) about 3 months ago, in Cherry wood almost mint condition.
Chatted to the seller about their special needs(regards the gaskets etc) which he knew all about (thanks to the forum for the heads up ) so i snapped them up, there & then. They turned out to be a perfect match for my Hi-Capped 202 & 200, so well pleased.
As i have a home cinema in the same room, i tried adding my Sunfire D8 into the stereo mix (as a test).
WOW! they’ve improved both the treble & the bass from the SBL’s especially at lower listening levels.
You don’t realise its there until it’s needed. Two for the price of one (i guess).
That’s fascinating as when I replaced the Epos with the SBLs there were many improvements but I lost so much bass. When I added the Epos as rear surround speakers I could simply turn on or off as needed it took things to a different level when viewing video with surround sound. I think we’ve possibly been too snobbish for too long simply advocating 2 speaker stereo - if it sounds good it does!!!
I’ve been listening to the ibls tonight. I now and then swap the sbls and the ibls and the ibls are now in the living room. They are more upright and therefore the stereo image is better. Great joy. The tweeters were recently replace and this helped a good deal.
I keep them here for a while. Oh I’m so tempted to get the ixo out of the storage and run them active…
I agree totally.
If you can’t “re-create” the recorded environment you want in your stereo setup, there’s nothing wrong (in my humble opinion) with going down the 5.1 surround route.
In fact, it can be a lot of fun, especially if it’s a live concert you’re viewing, or listening to.
After all, don’t we all listen to music to enjoy it.?
I like to listen to an old tranny in the kitchen tuned to an oldies station sometimes, & i think the reason i enjoy it so much, is that was how i’d heard some of that stuff first all those years ago.
Nostalgia can be a curse when you’re trying to re-capture the moment & emotion of a song on different
even hi-end equipment to how you heard it the first time.
How many peoples systems can re-create the full dynamics of a live performance in their own homes.
Not many, i’d wager, yet they still enjoy the recordings played back on a synergistic system.
Ha ha ha. I’ve got a friend who’s just the same.
He swaps out speakers & cables like most change a cd. That’s one big rabbit hole that has no bottom to it.
Yes, it’s one of my favorites too. I haven’t seen them live since about 1996 I think at the Cambridge Corn Exchange. I had hoped to see them on the Cruise to the Edge, but that didn’t come together for me in the end. Been a big fan since they first came out when I was a teenage with my first hi-fi system.
`I’d like to hear what others think but I prefer the SBLs to be closer together than is shown in the picture. Personally I think more than 2m dilutes the base from where I like it to be. Bear in mind I’m also suffering from lack of solid wall and solid floor. Where previously sited, the solid wall/floor were present and the bass was better.
I’m sub optimal until I land on a solution but I’m not so far off that I’m desperate just now. I did just check, my SBLs are 25 this year. I’m aware there is a school of thought to change them, but I do like them and may look to a sub for the bass issue. I’ve done customary siting and assembly checks. They do still surprise me with the bass they can do depending on the album and source but with a couple of different sound/frequency apps I can see that mostly the lower register suffers as I have them currently.
I’ve considered downsizing but not because I’m unhappy with the sound of the system. I had a number of box failures after changing three of my components to the DR versions. After each box failed, luckily under warranty, I became disillusioned.
I auditioned some kit at home but it failed to inspire. So I’m in a quandary now where I don’t fully trust the reliability of my current system but can’t find an alternative I could live with.
) so i snapped them up, there & then. They turned out to be a perfect match for my Hi-Capped 202 & 200, so well pleased. 
