Incompetence and laziness me and Max B have assemblee our SBL’s with great success even without having all full OEM spare parts
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Naim’s precision acoustic resistance.
(Someone techie here can explain what it is.)
Likewise here, but not everyone enjoys it or is good at it. I marvelled at the SBL’s design when assembling mine, especially my second pair where I made my own gaskets.
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Which is probably the only one i did not like, along with the S400.
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We did ours as well
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Thanks, I understand it but don’t recall seeing the abbreviation PAR and a quick Google didn’t immediately come up with it.
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Essentially it’s a frequency dependent filter interface port between two boxes that controls airflow, improves driver behaviour and damps unwanted resonances.
This thread from the forum archive might be helpful;
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I thought they sounded really great too. In fact the first time that i have heard a pair of Focal speakers that i liked, they did very well being driven by 250, 350. 500 & statement.
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I forgot to mention that, before the arrival of the DMS in 1988, I used Mordaunt-Short speakers for a long time.
Their DSB 208 driver was used by many manufacturers. And I was lucky enough—or fortunate enough—to acquire a pair of Rega RTX (featuring drivers identical to those in the SBL of that era) with their labyrinthine enclosure design.
Not the most accurate, to be sure, but what a beautiful speaker it was!
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I would love Naim to make speakers again but I’m pretty sure it will never happen. Having used SBLs exclusively since 1989 I’ve never found a replacement that has their verve, excitement and expressiveness. I know they can be bettered but not in the areas that I value. Engaging rather than accurate.
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Agreed. Ours are going nowhere. Make SBLs Great Again. 
Martin.
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There’s no need for that, they have always been great.
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NAIM speakers had weaknesses, but on the other hand, they had a charm magic and openness that you don’t get in any other speakers.
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Maybe worth hearing a XuLyde!
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I have seldom heard the “you are there” feeling, which many Naim speakers perform.
They are able to place you at the front scene/stage with nothing between you and the musicians. Quite extra ordinary.
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Interestingly with live performances I don’t normally choose to sit/stand right at the front, preferring somewhere fsr enough back for the sound to be more balanced, as long as I still have a clear open view of the stage, and am close enough to see detail. On the very few occasions when I have been right at the very front it has been because the venue had a level floor and so crowded thst more than about two people back I wouldn’t have a view a TV all..
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At a live event there is no imaging just a spread of sound, 3d soundstage is a studio construct not reality.
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I would disagree. It very much depends on who is performing, the venue and whether the performers are miked and passed through a mixing desk and PA.
I have hearing difficulty and can no longer tolerate large halls. Try St Georges Bristol. Despite the hearing problem I can place individuals with no problem.
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That’s why we prefer to sit up above the stage to left or right in the usual arena arrangement; we can see everything and the sound is hardly muted! It is also why we prefer the more adventurous catwalk options offered by the likes of U2 and Muse.
That depends hugely on the performers, set up and venue. At a classical concert, certainly if you sit somewhere vaguely central from side to side and a reasonable distance back there is very definitely a sound stage, where you can if you wish close your eyes and pick out where different groups of instruments or solo instruments are coming from.
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