sl2's in the flesh...

Posted by: ken c on 03 January 2004

couldnt find a suitable thread to hijack, so what the heck, started another one.

yesterday, at infidelity, i saw the sl2's in the flesh for the 1st time (maple finish). they looked very nice to me! that protruding foam does actually look as bad as it does in the phots.

i didnt go there for any kind of demo, but i ended up listening to cds3/282/hicap/250II/sl2 just before i left. even with this lesser pre-amp, what i was hearing was very moving indeed. i was forced to pay attention.

i "felt" the difference more when i got home and played my own system -- same tracks. oh, dear!!! i suspect strongly that the demo just showed the difference between my cdsII and cdsiii, but the SL2's really didnt embarrass themselves. yes, i agree they are grown up sbl's -- and wiser in a lot of depts.

lasting memory is clarity of individual musical strands. musical instruments sounding more authentic. very relaxed but at the same time purposeful.

however, we played a piano piece which got me slightly worried. thought it was listenable -- it sounded somewhat "hard". when i tried to play it on my system at home -- it was drilling my ears out. couldnt play the whole track.

could have also listened to nap300, but didnt have time.

at some proint, i will need to look at the sl2 again...

cds3?? well...

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 03 January 2004 by ken c

PR, many thanks. i just re-read my posting and realised that i meant to say "that protruding foam DOESNT actually look as bad as it does in the phots..." never has a single word etc etc...

as i said, yesterdays encounter was hardly a demo -- i will need to arrange for a proper one when i get to changing my speakers. i am biased towards naim, so i will give them more than a fair chance.

but right now my focus is on amplifiers (pre and power, and perhaps cd players...)

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 03 January 2004 by Don Atkinson

but right now my focus is on amplifiers (pre and power, and perhaps cd players...)

Ken, if you read Mick's recent thread, you will concentrate on the cd part......and if you got a decent price for your cdsii, the cost might be as little as £3k to £4k......

of course, if you are still in love with your cdsii, this might require a bit of infidelity....

Cheers

Don

Posted on: 04 January 2004 by John3

I have SL2s and once had SBLs and have had a home trial of NBLs. Whereas the NBLs are a bigger and better version of the SBLs I found they were essentially of the same character - fast, tight bass but a relatively grainy and small scale sound with a thin mid range. I couldn't get on with the SBLs and found that the NBLs, whilst much better still had weaknesses that I don't like in a speaker. The SL2s however I find to be a totally different sounding speaker - great clarity, no grain and a more rounded balance to the sound particularly in the mid range. They are probably not so fast as the SBLs and the bass is not so tight but overall the balance is more to my liking. I find the constant comparisons of the SBL/SL2 on this forum slightly odd as the sound is so different (let alone the SL2s being double the price!). If all that matters to you is speed and a well controlled bass stick with SBL/NBLs. However if you want something a bit more balanced and rounded in its presentation try the SL2s.

Posted on: 04 January 2004 by ken c

quote:
Originally posted by Don Atkinson:
_but right now my focus is on amplifiers (pre and power, and perhaps cd players...)_

Ken, if you read Mick's recent thread, you will concentrate on the cd part......and if you got a decent price for your cdsii, the cost might be as little as £3k to £4k......

of course, if you are still in love with your cdsii, this might require a bit of _infidelity_....

Cheers

Don

hi don, i actually heard the cds3 for the 1st time last friday, and i suspect much of the good sound i heard was the signature of the 3 shining through.

one thing that struck me str away as i began listening to the cds3/282/250/sl2 system was how note values are now much fuller than before with the olive kit. i now understand why oliv'ers might feel that the new kit is "slower" -- it actually isnt. instrument fidelity is a lot better.

cds3 IS in my radar, provided someone offers to buy my cds2 for a good price (this ISNT an advert). i have also thought about xps2/cds2 combination, but the more i thibk about it, the more i dislike the "half way house".

i am still in love with cds2,... but i am sure we will part amicably

, provided of course, the divorce settlement is OK...

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 04 January 2004 by ken c

tom, many thanks for some useful comments. in a way, i really need to book a proper dem -- this one was "oh, can i hear the cds3 while i am hear, and ohm the sl2's as well" and the dealer happily oblidged.

i am not sure i can separate out the sound i heard and say what was the signature of the cds3 and what was due to the sl2's. the whole thing sounded quite good (apart from a minor reservation with piano) and quite a lot easier to listen to.

i actually hadnt realised that the price of the nbl's was that close to the sl2's. with the current set up in my office, the nbl's wont fit, but if i got rid of the table with the laser printer and the fax machine and office stationery -- and also probably the central heating radiator in front of my desk between the speakers, etc etc...

however, the sl2's will simply slot in.

my dealer also told me that there is a particular set up process that you have to follow with the sl2's. even though now there is no silicon seal to worry about -- in its place, you have to be very careful about the relative location of the tweeter surround with its baffle. when my dealer was illustrating this, the whole thing did look a bit like setting up an lp12.

yes, perhaps borrowing an sl2 and living with it is the best way. meantime, my laser is locked on a 252, in a positive sort of sense if you see what i mean.

there are other aspects of the sound of the new stuff that i would like to comment on -- but i will wait till i have a proper dem...

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 04 January 2004 by ken c

john3:

If all that matters to you is speed and a well controlled bass stick with SBL/NBLs. However if you want something a bit more balanced and rounded in its presentation try the SL2s.

now, this is very interesting. very interesting indeed. see my posting to dan on "speed"...

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 04 January 2004 by NB

Ken,

the sl2's are certainly worth a second audition and certainly worth an extended home demonstration if it can be arranged.

I still think that the sl2's are one of the best speakers around, whether they are worth the extra 4 or so K it will cost you to up-grade is up to yourself!

The CDS3 without any question is worth every penny!

Regards

NB

Posted on: 04 January 2004 by ken c

quote:
Originally posted by Tom Alves:
NB

Did you ever get to listen to the Seventh Veil? Now there's something Ken ought to listen to.

Tom

Actively enjoying it all

because of the geometry of my listening room and use of space therein, i am more or less limited to speakers that work against the wall. this limits my choice substantially. also the fact that i would like to stay active, although this isnt so sacrosanct(sp?). are the seventh veil "free spacer" or wall backers...

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 05 January 2004 by NB

Quote:

NB

Did you ever get to listen to the Seventh Veil? Now there's something Ken ought to listen to.
___________________________________________________________

No I havn't yet, its on my to do list for 2004. My Hi-fi's on the backburner for now. I don't get the chance to listen to it.

Regards

NB

Posted on: 05 January 2004 by NB

Thats right, after all that trouble deciding on a pair of speakers and after investing all that money, it makes a nice peice of furniture!

Bah humbug!

NB