SBLs are similar yes, but the SL2s have a cleaner, more resolving and more expansive top end, and even better coherence top to bottom.
3 Likes
Richard…is there a chance that Naim will return to create speakers in the future? due of spare parts we cannot stay forever with those speakers
Meni, Naim’s speaker making facilities were closed in order to make much needed space for expansion of the electronics manufacturing facilities, which now take that space. So I can’t really see a return to making old drive units as spares for the older speakers as the space and probably a lot of equipment and skill has now gone. Naim built up a stock of spares, but as it has already been at least 12 years since the last SL2 was made, those stocks are now seriously depleted or even exhausted.
Also bear in mind that Naim are now partnered with Focal who specialise in loudspeakers and associated technology.
1 Like
So - shall I put that down as a “maybe” ? 
2 Likes
Hi,
I am a bit surprised that there hasn’t been more done to develop synergies between Naim and Focal. Why not let Focal manufacture a Naim line of speakers building on Naim technology? As I remember speaker cabinets where always outsourced (and something of a challange for Naim) anyway. A speaker line designed to be placed against the front wall, designed to Naim sound ideals and making use of Focals driver technology and their manufacturing capability and capacity would seem a great combination. It would complement the current Focal offering rather well.
Likewise, a Focal headphone amp, designed and manufactured by Naim seems like a no-brainer.
Best regards
Hans
1 Like
Miss Naim’s legacy because I really like how they sound, especially if I could buy a new level as DBL or NBL
@Meni, you might want to explore the SYNTHÈSE HAUTE FIDÉLITÉ speakers, two models that are explictly designed on the principles of classic Naim speakers. No experience with these myself, but check out the website (in French).
1 Like
Thanks for the reference, interesting products.
I thought these looked quite interesting, but as far as I can see they are not widely available outside France and don’t seem to have a UK distributor.
I agree, but Focal launched their in-house (as far as I know) designed DAC/headphone amp, the Arché, a few months ago.
I really wished Focal would make their speakers cheaper, i find them obscenely expensive!
I’ve had a quick glance on a dealer’s website and they don’t seem to be expensive compared to Spendor, PMC etc
Well both points of view are correct, Focal make a very wide range of speakers, from the Chora starting at £500 up to the likes of the Grande Utopia at a cool £169,999.00.
Fair enough. I’ve just amended the filter to highest price first and come up with some 12k speakers. 
Yes, that’s Sopra 2 most likely and plays in the leagues of other speakers costing about the same. Like PMC fact.8, KEF Ref 3, and so on. Similar for Sopra 3 at 17,000 euros - fact.12, B&W 803 D3, KEF Ref 5, and so on are all in his area.
If perfectly placed in a 3.7 metre by 3.8 metre room, all brick walls, hardwood flooring, would the NBL still be bass light? Spaced about 1.5 metre apart.
Do you have the full width of one wall to play with? My last place had them on a 3.8m wall but 1.5m is much closer together than mine were where they sounded best in that room. Use the wall behind to support the bass, 5.5cm has worked in two different rooms for me so far and I have tried more and less, though not that much more. Width wise I have ~2.4m between centres in my current larger room but it wasn’t much less in the smaller one. There was ~23cm to one corner, though the side wall fell away into a bay window after 50cm on that side. You’re looking to make use of room nodes and wall reinforcement to control bass but you can’t resort to Masterset to find them. Leave the spikes off while experimenting or use gliders, the suspended box makes it difficult otherwise.
I think it;s quite brighter in sound especially for high frequency
Hi Yeti. Let me start by saying I’m considering purchasing them so i do not own them yet.
Im afraid I don’t even have the entire wall to play with. But i think i may be able to place them almost 2 metres apart at most. The square room means standing waves cancel out a lot of the low frequencies.Ive had to offset my speakers to counter this. But I remember I failed setting up the SL2 in my room. I have read that even perfectly setup they can sound a tad lean. Especially in the mids. I have the summit olive setup so I completely understand why the NBL suits the classic series (weightier sound)
It’s impossible to be sure without trying but I suspect you might struggle with them.
I had no great hopes myself but they were trade ins at my Naim dealer’s and he was willing to bring them round and spend a few hours setting them up just for a demo. I had 282/hi/250-2 at the time.