DBLs

What should you look out for and not loo out for

Vimal,

DBL's are one of the very best speakers ever. I used to get to hear my friend's pair pretty often before he moved a couple of months ago. DBL's have effortless scale presence and attack, everything else sounds dynamically compressed. Set up wise they are pretty stright forward - MArtin Payne did his pair and has pictures posted somewhere on the net - maybe Martin can post a link somewhere. How do you plan to drive them?

regards

Dev

Have you ever compared DBL's v NBL's v Briks.

Just curious

Regards

Mick

quote:

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Originally posted by Mick Parry:
Have you ever compared DBL's v NBL's v Briks.

Just curious

Regards

Mick

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Mick,

Yes I have, I have heard the DBL's loads of times (at least on thirty occasions). I have heard the NBL's about seven times (twice when Naim played them in thier Dem room). I listened to Briks too many times also - I had a friend who lived near me who had a pair. In my opinion, in the right circumstances, the DBL is by far the best of the lot and the Briks are the least good (also they are fine speakers), DBL's have a sense of dynamic freedom that you just don't get anywhere - by dynamic freedom I don't mean that they are upfront or anything it is like they are uncompressed in every way. It's a bit like covering your mouth with your hand - crude analogy but you get my drift. SBL's when driven well have a DBL type signature in my view.

regards

Dev

Dev

I tend to trust your judgement, so another question if I may.

Are 135's sufficiently meaty to power DBL's.

Regards

Mick

Mick,

DBLs are a very easy loudspeaker to drive and so 135s will work fine. I echo Dev's sentiments regarding the superiority of the DBLs and would add that the bass is far more extended, tight and deep than any Barik I've heard.

Martin

Dev

BTW Have you added a 47 Labs Miyabi onto your cartridge wish t. IMO It's very 'Koetsu' sounding, very musical and big boned. It also has a nice short 8mm hangover, hence fits an Aro well. Just a thought.

Mick the DBL is a very sensitive speaker, more so than the SBL and in that respect are easier to drive.

Of course later upgrades of active or whatever will no doubt reep benifits, but 135s will be great.

Although Mick, I think your house desrves the far prettier NBLs which I can assure you, you will love and 135s will drive them no problem as well.

quote:

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Originally posted by Dev B:
Vimal,

DBL's are one of the very best speakers ever. I used to get to hear my friend's pair pretty often before he moved a couple of months ago. DBL's have effortless scale presence and attack, everything else sounds dynamically compressed. Set up wise they are pretty stright forward - MArtin Payne did his pair and has pictures posted somewhere on the net - maybe Martin can post a link somewhere. How do you plan to drive them?

regards

Dev

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Dev
If I do go for the DBLs they will definitely be driven active with 135s
Vimal

Vimal,

I've had DBL's for about a year and a half and love them (I had isobariks before). What the DBL brings is as Dev describes. I used a six pack untill recently and now have a 500 which is incredible. I did try them passively with the 135's and they worked well, better than a cold six pack!

They are very sensitive speakers positional wise, worth persivering untill you get them right. The floor to spike interface is also very important, as with all speakers, and Naim chips worked wonders in my situation.

I was one who never imagined changing from isobariks, now I could'ent imagine going back! Buy them and enjoy, highly reccomended!

Sean.

P.S. My room is relatively small for such a big speaker 3.5m x 4.5m approx, but they still work well. A room upgrade is next on the cards I hope.

Sean

So how far apart are they and what is the gap from the wall.

Regards

Mick

Thanks for your response Sean
Room size and shape was one of my concerns.
5.7x4.3 Fireplace to the shorter distance and bay window to one end of the longer length.
I have also had active Briks and they used to be opposite the bay window (flat solid wall)
I was considering the same spot for the DBLs,
but it has been suggested that I try them either side of the F/place
Anyone else out there with any(informed or otherwise) opinions about placement.

Finally how old is your DBLs and did you have any problems with having to repair or replace any parts etc.
All info on DBLs from ay source welcome.
Regards
Vimal

Vimal,

I used a computer program called CARA (see www.cara.de) to position my DBLs. The results have been pretty good, although a powerful PC is required, and considerable perseverence to understand the program.

The speaker needs to be 'described' to CARA, but I can supply a configuration file for DBLs.

cheers, Martin

E-mail:- MartinPayne at Dial.Pipex.com

Martin and Sean,

Can you please tell us a bit more about the change from Briks to DBLs. What were the diffs? Was it all positive, or swings and roundabouts? Do they look bigger or smaller in situ?

Cheers, Jens

Martin
I have just looked through your DBL re-build project thread,and am I glad that this was available.
Can you then tell me if there is anything obvious that I should lookfor in a fully assembled and working unit,and also during dismantling for transport,any of the exposed innards(Bent plates,twisted frames,damaged drivers,missing brass weights,damaged gaskets etc.etc.).
Now transport,did you have any trouble with yours,I believe the crates are available.
Would one unit fit in a Mondeo Estate?

Thanks for the offer of the configuration files,will contact by private e-mail.
Regards
Vimal

Everytime I've heard Isobariks driven by Naim amps (although admittedly not many) they have been quite weedy. Conversely, Linn amps really know how to drive Isobariks.

Therefore the fairer comparison is Bariks/Linn vs. DBLs/Naim.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
Linn Binn Sinner

Vimal,

My room sounds roughly like yours, i.e. I have a bay window on one side. This provides the extra length to avoid it being square. My speakers are across the narrow side, either side of a fireplace and against a solid wall. They were in front of pine cupboards which were bricked up. This did bring added solidity to the sound so a solid wall is preferable.

The main problem I origionally had was surprise, surprise an excess of bass. Firstly, chips were used under the spikes. Not only did they tighten up the bass but opened up everything else as well. The midrange in particular became really silky and smooth, not what I was expecting but a real pleasure. Next came Mana soundbases. These were bought because my floor, where the speakers are, is very uneven, only a few threads left on the DBL's front spikes. They did tighten up the bass even more but made the speakers much harder to listen too. Chips under these and under the speaker spikes cured the problem.

The bass could still be intrusive so I found that putting absorbtion panels between the speakers and the side walls (about 14" apart) helped. This prompted me to make some bass traps (see John Rishs website, find the 'room acoustics' thread on this forumn and follow the lead) which are very simple to make, i.e. an afternoon. These have helped no end, now I actually get MORE bass, fuller midrange and a sweeter treble. Better all round.

My DBL's are four years old and I've had nothing to replace on them. They are streats ahead of isobariks in every way. Only the spacial quality of the isobarik was missed to begin with, they are so much more articulate but still retain some familurality in the sound produced.

Physically they appear much larger than the isos, though my isos were black and the DBL's are walnut. The DBL's, too me, look nicer in my room, black DBL's seem bigger still!

Mick, I'm offshore just now so can't give measurements for the speaker placement.

Andrew, I do believe that it is fair to compare Naim driven Briks to Naim driven DBL's. Every time I've heard Linn amps drive any speakers they have sounded two dimentional and lifeless, even a Naim nait has made a better job of driving several speakers I've heard when compared to a Kairn and a Klout. The 4ohm panel-stand crossover for the isobarik was designed to make the speaker an easier load to drive for the Linn amps (even though the older xover sounded better IMO, I have owned both) so how you can say that the Linn amps are more capeable I don't know.

yours,

Sean.

Martin
Have you experimented with placement,especially the Gap between the speakers.

Sean
Have you tried placing the DBLs in other ways in the room and what were your findings.

Dev
Can you remember the placement of DBLs that you have heard in your time.


The alcoves either side of the fireplace in my room is 57insx15ins and 53x15.
The speaker gap at the moment tweeter to tweeteris 127ins.
I feel if i have the speakers hard against the back wall they are working in isolation.I have been pulling them further forward to improve the sound.
I also feel a gap of 127ins is too much and therfor will never find the sweet spot.
From past experience to really get the speakers to work together and sound right you need full control over the space between them.

If anyone else out there has any input please feel free to do so.
Thanks
Vimal

Vimal,

I have never experimented with placing my speakers either side of the bay window. Mainly due to six pack speaker cables being underneath the floor and a lack of solid wall at the bay window position. I cannot comment on the positioning of your loudspeakers as each room is different, I will however say that the DBLs are very sensitive to positioning (which is a good thing if done right) so it is worth persivering untill you are happy. My speakers are around six/seven inches out from the back wall and toed in, which I don't believe is normal practise but does gove a more focused sound in my room.Once a good base position is found even 1/2" of movement will alter the sound.

Good luck,

Sean.