Using an IXO with Linn Kabers

I don’t think an IXO (designed for two way Naim speakers) will be at all right for your Kabers - it sounds like you’re on the verge of making a mistake here.

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I’d be inclined to look out for a pair of Allaes or Credos to go with the IXO. I would imagine that with a pair of serviced 250s and some properly terminated NAC A5 this would make for a rather riveting system (provided the source & pre-amp are up to snuff).

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Now I know what an IXO looks like - and roughly what it does. Its clearly a 2 way active crossover, not a 3 way. I assume the pots on the back are to adjust the level - and do not alter the crossover frequencies…?

The Linn Kaber is a 3 way speaker, I believe. I would go with @Stephen_Tate advice above. Look for a Naim speaker to match the IXO.

Or… you need to find a 3 way crossover which will work with the Kabers.

Yes, they are level adjustments, the crossover points are fixed.

Same system as a (S)NAXO - as I thought… :expressionless:

Here’s an interior shot too, just cos I was interested!

Actually, I have a plan to start using it again since its currently boxed up.

Nait 5
IXO
Hicap
Nap 140
IBL’s

Nait 5 power amp on IBL mid ranges.
Nap 140 power amp on IBL tweeters.

A very small and possibly very nice system.

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Beware the passive XO in the Kabers…its in two parts (for each speaker).

You absolutely cannot use the IXO with Kabers.

As you have two 250s you can use them for passive biamping, with one feeding the treble and one feeding the mid and bass. There is clear guidance in the Kaber manual.

Six Linn K100 or 3 Naim 250 amps would work with an active Linn crossover of some kind.

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Thanks for that advice @Stephen_Tate . Unfortunately, (or not) I really like the Kabers, and this is a tricky one to get over, so does my wife. So at present, I would rather change boxes than speakers.

BTW, I have had both 250s serviced in the last year and the room is fully wired with the Naim cable purchased with the original system.

The source could do with an upgrade. The new NSC 222 streaming pre-amp is tempting me. Do you, or anyone else, know how well that works with the earlier versions of 250?

Thanks @Richard.Dane thats what I was coming round to thinking as well

I saw an active Linn crossover on eBay recently but I wasn’t sure how well that would work with the other all Naim components.

@HungryHalibut , I thought I was bi-amping but when playing with the IXO, I realised that only one output from the HiCap actually has a signal. So everybody talks about bi-amping but I don’t know how to achieve it, given the way the NAC72 and HiCap are wired to the 250. Any advice would be uesful.

The HICAP powering your NAC72 should provide three stereo outputs (on DIN4s). You connect your power amp(s) to these.

That is how I had it, but only one (No. 1) I think is giving a signal. The others give barely a crackle. Do you think in that case that the HICAP has a fault?

Perhaps the HICAP has developed a fault since I originally wired it for bi-amping. I haven’t checked it for a while.

I would like to thank everyone for the time that you’ve spent on the topic. I has been much appreciated.

All three should provide a stereo pre-out signal from the NAC72. If you’re not getting that then it seems it has a problem.

If you are keeping the Kabers, there is no possible use for the IXO. With passive biamping you connect both 250s to your Hicap, ideally to sockets 2 and 3.