Boomy speakers, A Solution?

Posted by: syd on 09 April 2003

Hi All

Theres been quite a few threads recently on taming boomy bass on speakers specificly Naim speakers. Here's my solution for Linn Isobariks. It sounds strange but definately get them as close to the rear wall as humanly possible. Mine are within 1", just enough room to get fingers in to attach the XLR plug. If I move them a little bit further out the bass seems to be quantitively the same but the midband becomes recessed leading to a overpowering bass and hence boom. I don't know if this just applies to my Briks but it also applied to my Saras. So if you've got a pair of speakers voiced for rear wall siting try them as close as possible and see what happens. I'd like to hear from other Linn/Naim speaker owners if they've noticed this. It may only apply in my sistem in my room of course but it is very apparent.

Yours in Music

Syd

Posted on: 09 April 2003 by Mick P

Syd

Isobariks are strange things, mine sounded much better when I pulled them out 6" from the wall.

I have them either side of a fire place, so that may well be the reason. I think you just have to experiment.

Appearance wise they look much better up against the wall, but in my room, they seemed flat sounding in comparison.

Regards

Mick

Posted on: 09 April 2003 by Geoff P

I have Totem Mani 2's which are also isobarik.

Interestingly these seem to be happy "free standing". After experimenting I ended up with them 50 cms out from the wall at their backs and 30 cms in from side walls firing down the long axis of a rectangle about 5.3 meters by 3.4 meters.

However my listening position was also critical. I ended up about 3 meters away from the speakers. Moving my listening position back to the rear wall about 4.8 meters away put me in "Boom" territory.

One question this rear wall thing? Excuse my lack of knowledge but are we saying the speakers go BEHIND you so the sound tsage is behind your head?

I got the feeling this is a NAIM speaker thing? is this correct?

GEOFFP

Posted on: 10 April 2003 by Mick P

Mark

I upgraded from a Olive 250 to a pair of chrome bumper 135's which I had serviced by Naim.

I bought the chrome bumpers because they have a warmer sound than the newer Olive models.

I moverd the Briks out from the wall after buying the 135's.

Your experience and mine seems to bear out that using leaner power amps means that the Briks need moving closer to the wall.

Also my walls are brick...what are yours made of.

I also found that Mana stands made no difference to postioning the Briks but they did improve the sound significantly in the same position.

Also...what sort of difference did the NAP 500 make to the Briks. Mine are passive BTW.

Regards

Mick

Posted on: 10 April 2003 by RichardHallman

Geoff:

quote:
One question this rear wall thing? Excuse my lack of knowledge but are we saying the speakers go BEHIND you so the sound stage is behind your head?

No, it just means the wall behind the speakers - not the one behind the listener.