|
|
Post by antonio on Jul 22, 2019 13:17:48 GMT
Sorry I should have said which models, they are all their Titan series 808, 707 and the floor stander 505. Thinking about it we did hear one of their Cardea models at Cymbiosis, think it was the Super 20A, more listenable but still not to my liking.
|
|
|
|
Post by macca on Jul 22, 2019 17:04:44 GMT
The thing with hearing speakers at shows is you're generally not familiar with the amplifier. And if they are using vinyl as a source all bets are off as there are a million things that could have gone wrong there.
|
|
|
|
Post by dsjr on Jul 23, 2019 9:18:02 GMT
I'm familiar with Chord Electronics away from shows (and the once ubiquitous Wilson Benesch screamers they often used them with). Happy to state much of the 'dryness' is/was in the amp.
Doing a little bit of work at home this week and picking up the stuff, we had a chat about the Falcon LS3/5A's and the Harbeth P3ESR. Following on from my post with the links to comments about room size and positioning, the one thing that came up this morning is that the Falcon-issue 3/5A is far better toned when used within spitting distance of a back wall, where the P3ESR, like all that bloomin' range, needs space around them to sing properly. These little Falcons are finding many friends in the UK *and they're selling,* customers delighted with what they're hearing from them. If these speakers make their owner want to play loads of music, then job done really.
This dealer has just traded in a pair of fully updated SBL's, which I know will sound better in this room. I just blinkin' can't!!!!! Replacement foams from eBay £60 and from Naim, unless I misheard it - £200 FFS... - Bit like a Porsche car, as some parts are VW sourced and from VW, a quarter of the price as Porsche charge despite being absolutely identical I believe.
|
|
|
|
Post by antonio on Jul 23, 2019 13:56:42 GMT
You and those Falcon's Dave, and you say they are selling well, reminds me of the funny, two bats chatting, one says to the other, "do you realise the bat is the only species that lives the right way up, everybody else lives up side down".  |
|
Bigman80
Grandmaster
The HiFi Bear/Audioaddicts/Bigbottle Owner
Posts: 16,407
|
Post by Bigman80 on Jul 23, 2019 14:43:48 GMT
Re: SBLs do you mean the Gaskets? Naim always did rip you off but that was at £85, if they are £200 it’s robbery. They used to charge money for those small aluminium tabs the bass unit spikes rust on, too.
I’ve fully refurbed. A few pairs of SBL and I had a large amount of the same stuff they used for gaskets, I wish I’d kept the supplier link, as I don’t have any now. I made multiple gasket sets for friends. I’d be surprised if the whole kit exceeds a tenner.
|
|
|
|
Post by dsjr on Jul 23, 2019 16:24:00 GMT
Gasket sets are readily available still at whatever price they are. I thought I heard wrong this morning but look at this -
tomtomaudioshop.com/sbl-loudspeaker-grill-set-63-p.aspcompared to this - www.ebay.co.uk/itm/223499428657The latter set or very similar from eBay, I saw today and they're superbly done! Now, I appreciate a dealer needs to invest money in stock, give dems and countless cups of tea or coffee and spend time comparing and humping speakers in and out of dem rooms and so on, but nearly TWO HUNDRED QUID for Naim-supplied SBL foam grilles is totally off the scale obscene imo. The ebay chap at £55 is making money out of them ffs! THIS aspect is what puts me off Naim today and it's a shame as their current gear IS better than it used to be, solidly built and properly finished externally too. |
|
|
|
Post by macca on Jul 23, 2019 17:07:07 GMT
Never heard the SBL or the other one. But I get the impression - even from people who own and like them - that they are one-trick ponies.
|
|
|
|
Post by macca on Jul 23, 2019 17:07:32 GMT
IBL, that's the other one I think.
|
|
|
|
Post by karma67 on Jul 23, 2019 17:11:09 GMT
Never heard the SBL or the other one. But I get the impression - even from people who own and like them - that they are one-trick ponies. the sbl's i heard at a friends were awful,no bass what so ever (like my corals lol) and thats with a new gasket kit fitted.he got rid of them sharpish! |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2019 17:11:13 GMT
Never heard the SBL or the other one. But I get the impression - even from people who own and like them - that they are one-trick ponies. I've heard the SBL's a few times. My mate was with me on one occasion, he's a Naim fan, but even he said "my gawd!"! To my ears, they just don't get anything right. |
|
Bigman80
Grandmaster
The HiFi Bear/Audioaddicts/Bigbottle Owner
Posts: 16,407
|
Post by Bigman80 on Jul 23, 2019 17:15:28 GMT
I’ve always loved what they do. If your system produces bass, the SBLs will show it in spades. They sound great with linn, naim and exposure amps, but they are a very different but equally persuasive speaker with valves. One of my all time favourite speakers
|
|
|
|
Post by dsjr on Jul 23, 2019 17:57:55 GMT
IBL's were expensive Kans (floor standing) with a touch more bass (compared directly). Linn changed to the Kan 2 which had a totally different (flatter) balance and severe mid colouration as a result i remember, so for diehards who never forgave Linn for their amp and so on, the IBL was a continuation of before.
The SBL was a very expensive cabinet structure with originally an apparently very cheap M-S made main driver which Naim modified, the usual Scan tweeter and a load of hype and bullshit imo. Usually rather jangly and shrill, I did hear them in a smaller room in mk1 form sounding totally opposite. Later on, I felt the mk2 bass-mid driver totally transformed them for the better, *especially* if they were used outside of a naim system? In either form, going active clarified the entire sound, but the Scan tweeter then showed how dated it was becoming, especially if a neutral source was used. Knocking its pre-set level back a notch usually fixed it though and it's obviously personal taste. Naim did test every pair and the plots were just as you'd imagine - rising output to upper mids as per the close to wall balance, then a slight drop at crossover with the tweeter recovering and shallow peaking at 9khz or so.
One notable combination was mk2 SBL's with the top FMJ pre and power combination, the power amp very like the large meridian 557 I remember. We never sold any away from Naim though, as the brand fans refused to accept any other amps for them - sad really..
|
|
|
|
Post by macca on Jul 23, 2019 18:32:16 GMT
How did we get onto Linn speakers on a Radford thread?
Radfords are amongst the best of the best - everyone should try and get a listen to one. Old or new. I was astonished the first time I heard one. I heard it right after a Leak Stereo 20 which was pleasant, good even, but about what you'd expect from a vintage valve amp. Then the STA15 went in, and it was just so 'right' it wasn't funny.
I was also astonished when I saw how reasonably priced the Radford Revival one is. I thought they would be five to ten grand. You've got firms asking ten times as much for something that is not as good. Dave DSJR you really should revisit one with fresh ears (and more modern speakers and source) if you get the chance.
|
|
|
|
Post by dsjr on Jul 23, 2019 19:42:59 GMT
I've already re-wound forty five years to get my preferred home amps. Not sure I'd want to rewind further and having owned one, the looks don't turn me on any more. If I want a warm glow, I'll get my permanent loan Croft updated Quad II's out and bask for a bit (they're seriously lovely into ES14's if little else).
|
|
|
|
Post by macca on Jul 23, 2019 20:17:10 GMT
I'm not bothered about the looks either. It's better than the pack by enough that the looks don't even come into it for me. It could be the blingiest of blings or a plain metal box, couldn't care less. I like (what I think) is good looking kit. But in my main system sound quality comes first for me.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 12, 2019 21:34:31 GMT
STA25 MkIII's are lovely things! They, and Krell KSA50 are two of my fave amps of all time. I've done complete rebuilds on both and of course well you want to be sure they're just right don't cha... so kept both here for a good "testing" of a couple of weeks in both cases. Both truly lived up both to their reputation and my expectations.
They even measure superbly well and I measured the one I rebuilt at 0.03% THD. Similar to the Krell!
|
|
Bigman80
Grandmaster
The HiFi Bear/Audioaddicts/Bigbottle Owner
Posts: 16,407
|
Post by Bigman80 on Oct 13, 2019 5:36:25 GMT
STA25 MkIII's are lovely things! They, and Krell KSA50 are two of my fave amps of all time. I've done complete rebuilds on both and of course well you want to be sure they're just right don't cha... so kept both here for a good "testing" of a couple of weeks in both cases. Both truly lived up both to their reputation and my expectations. They even measure superbly well and I measured the one I rebuilt at 0.03% THD. Similar to the Krell! I loved my KSA 50 to bits. Not ever had the chance to hear a Radford. The price new seems okay considering what you’re getting. |
|
