They look perfect there! Quite discreet…
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The bad things about the Naim speakers are that they sound great, look great, and very hard to find.
Another thing that I almost forgot - They need good source and good amplification to sound their best!!!
PS:My biggest regrets are that I sold my linn Kan 2 and the latest edition of the Naim SBL speakers in pristine condition in search of some perfect sound, which is really unattainable in the real world.
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A specialist speaker company might be reluctant to take lessons about building speakers from an electronics company who have made very little profit from their own line of speakers.
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Hello Mr Underhill
Since you had a nice positive result with the IsoAcoustics Gaias, and if you are looking for more, you might try the Townshend Podiums. I found they made a big difference with my speakers, but not the SBL’s. Perhaps someone on the Forum has tried this combination.
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Hi Gary,
Hope all is well at your end.
I will see if I can get hold of a set.
Cheers,
M
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SBL and SL2 owners, have you ever thought that the mid bass was a little light and not as weighty as alternatives?
This was my impression but I will state that I didn’t have them setup correctly. Just looking for others opinions.
I’ve been holding off answering this question, but it’s annoying me. The answer is: nothing apart from the fact that Naim no longer makes them. I love my NBLs. I have a mental short-list (very short) of alternatives I’d listen to if something terrible should befall them, but for now I think they’re perfect and have done ever since I went to the factory to select them.
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I’ve been holding off answering this question, but it’s annoying me. The answer is: nothing apart from the fact that Naim no longer makes them. I love my IBL’s. I have a mental short-list (very short) of alternatives I’d listen to if something terrible should befall them, but for now I think they’re perfect and have done ever since I went to the factory to select them.
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Good answer, Geoff!
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Liking Naim loudspeakers or not, the real question is,
If you want a sealed box design in first instance, well engineered and good looking what alternatives we have on market today?
Magico could be, but the cost …
Otherwise there are tons of old style reflex squared box designs way.
At the moment Focal Sopra series is probably the only alternative within a still reasonable price bracket
Audio Physic, which don’t get a lot of attention here. At least the Classic line - not sure about the other lines. Even though I was set on floor standers (with no rear port), I auditioned these half price demos against a pair of black SBL’s and a few others (Larsen, Neat etc). No contest on looks (at least in our room). A bit bass shy, but not as thin sounding as I found the Naim to be - overall more balanced. Lots of PRAT and they do the magic trick of entirely disappearing. If I could have afforded it and had the room, probably would have gone up the line for a pair of their floor standers (20 or 35’s), but at $1300 (and an $800 trade in for my Rega’s) it was a no-brainer.
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Sorry, but aesthetically wise i still prefer my nSat
It would depend on what you call bass light, my wife is a professional bass player, she says her recordings sound accurate to her playing and to how she felt she should sit in the mix but obviously the full dynamics aren’t there
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No.
Nope.
Even my Nait 2 driving the Allaes has plenty of slam, bass, perfect match.
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It all depends what one considers a reasonable price… what defines reasonable?
(Rhetorical question really, unless anyone wants to identify their own personal concept.)
If one could even find a pair of nSat’s, sure.
None of this madness is reasonable in price! I get embarrassed sometime if friends ask how much the kit costs.
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Hmmm there are a lot of sealed designs on the market at all price points. You just need to know where to look.
But, unless there were technical constraints that necessitated choosing a specific loading type (such as a horn design for a 2w amp), I’d never restrict myself to the loading type. There are just too many exceptions and I don’t at all feel the sonic signatures are consistent. I’ve had sealed (Linn, Ruark), reflex (Qacoustics, Mission, Omega), and transmission lines (Bose, PMC). If I was to group them by sound, there would not be any delineation along loading. I’d say the most uncoloured and neutral by far (very far) were the Omega’s (reflex), followed by the PMC (transmission line), followed by Linn (sealed).
Wish a pair of S-800 would appear at 10% of their new price
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