Think it wouldn’t go wrong if picking amps that released along side the SBL. Easily a later spec of CB250 (transformer of 500VA) released in 1985 and early Olive 250 produced before 1992 (for H&F transformer)
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I was running my SBL with CDS1, Nac 52 and 2 x Nap 135. The result - wow! My experience is that you will hear every upgrade in the Naim ladder. General for bass precision a 250 or 135. For musicality a 82 or 52 with Supercap. They are both superb but the jump on a 52 is extreme high. The street price for a CDS player is very low (under 1.000 Euro). The investment in 52,SC,NAP135 is around 5 to 6k and don´t forget the NACA5 cable! Hope that helps. Best regards, Alexander
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I wasn’t planning on spending a lot of money on an amplifier since I mostly only listen at room volume, so I don’t know if it’s worth getting a nap 250?
Just keep in mind the hierarchy of importance in the system chain - Source > Pre-amp > power amp. For a speaker like the SBL, getting the source and pre sorted as best you can is critical, hence my comment above where I said that I’d very happily live with a NAP110 driving SBLs if it meant I could really step things up at the source and pre-amp. Re. the latter, there’s no need to go crazy money-wise - a good sounding example of NAC42.5 or NAC62 is probably enough with a NAP110 (although you should hear one on a NAC552 - wow!). Heck, if you aren’t going to be playing at high levels then you might even get away with a NAIT/NAIT 2 if it means a CDS/CDS2/CDS3/NDS/ND555 level source is possible.
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SBLs will work with any naim amplifier and sound sweet,
But of course the more you spend the better the SQ,
Source is key tho
Have you read any threads on here about them?
Can be a bit fiddly with seals etc
But cracking speaker for the money
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Just to throw something out there,
You want to stream,
Could consider a pre-amp streamer and active speakers,
I mainly want to stream, I don’t have many CDs anymore 
Ok, I’d say NDX2 as a minimum then, NDS or ND555 better.
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Ok, it is probably really expensive to run them, then it will probably be Proacs tablet 10 which I also noticed that they are supposed to be good
In the past I’ve run my SBLs with a Nait 1 and been surprised at just how nice that sounds, but the SBLs keep on giving and as others have said you’ll hear every stage as you go up the chain.
Today my SBLs are active with 4x135s, a SNAXO 2-4 and SC but I can’t help thinking a single 250 was probably the sweet spot.
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Ok, I havebuy Nsats with original stands, will try it again, with the last ones 3 years ago there was no bass at all, I’m curious
A nSub might help
My experience in moving up the Naim amplifier range was somewhat counterintuitive.
Upgrading the power amp from an NAP 110 to an olive NAP 250 made everything quieter by lowering the noise floor. I felt as if the extra money had brought greater refinement and control rather than higher volume or a greater “slam”.
I got the higher volume and the greater “slam” when I upgraded the preamp from an NAC72/HICAP to an NAC 52/52PS (later modified to a Supercap).
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No, no Nsubwoofer. I want one without, and I can’t find any. But some say they have bass, so I’m curious.
Not sure what you mean in your posts about ‘volume’.
A more powerful amp is not about ‘higher volume’, it is about more control, grip and to an extent the dynamics; characteristics just as important at low listening levels. It is about driving the speaker better, not louder. The benefits of a better quality power amp are audible at all listening levels in my view.
I’m not great with the adjectives that people use to describe HiFi sounds but the preamp absolutely has an effect on the character and quality of the sound. Nothing to do with volume though. Transparency, detail, definition, ‘musicality’ and yes perhaps ‘slam’ or heft. The 52/Scap is a special combination.
Every bit in the chain matters. Don’t think of a better power amp as only if you want to listen loud though. Definitely bear in mind Richard Danes comments about source/pre as priority.
I have had nSats, and they were in my second system in a large odd shaped space and I did add the nSub but that is by no means essential in a more normal size room and although never bass heavy they were fast and enjoyable. You might experiment with room position especially distance from the wall to get the best from them.
Whilst unlike SBLs in terms of design and construction the sound character is fairly similar in many ways. If you find them bass light I think you might be disappointed with SBLs too, they major on speed and resolution rather than ‘slam’. Properly set up and in a good system they give great quality bass but they will never shake your ribs. It will depend on your musical tastes and preferences.
I have had SBLs and SL2s as well as nSats incidentally.
Bruce
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I mean sense 1 of the Merriam-Webster definition:
the degree of loudness or the intensity of a sound
The first line of my post may have been clumsy but I hope the rest explains what I mean. Power amps are not just about volume.
Bruce
That’s exactly the point I was making, which you amplified (pardon the pun) in the second paragraph of your response.
Basically, I think we’re in broad agreement over the benefits of better amplification.
You are right, but a more powerful amp does allow you to listen louder in cases where a lesser amp would lose control of a speaker at higher volume levels, even if it was perfectly well suited to those speakers at low volume.
Amplification aside, I think, as an owner of a pair of SBLs before, the SBLs are extremely sensitive to the wall materials, and how close you can place them against the wall.
this is my SBL, not good, even it was driven by the NAC52/NAP 500/LP12/Arkiv, as the wall of my house in California was too thin. However, it sounded fantastic in my previous home in London.
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