Naim: $000s Mana: $00s...

Looks good. How does it sound?

Vern

Vern,
Sound:
This is one of those times I was completely speechless - same as getting a 52, same as or better than the first ever Naim amp, LP12 etc. My guess is that if you have recently put a lot into the source and pre, (as have most people on this forum) the addition of the Sound Base will allow you to fully appreciate the improvements. I read and was inspired by Ron's post where he put SB3s under his DBLs but was totally unprepared for the effect under my NBLs. I had a boomy bass (from suspended wooden floor) which was not really that disagreeable. Now it's gone, replaced by tight, detailed, deep bass. Musically, everything is more involving, exciting, emotional. Sound-wise brass is more brassy, bass is more rythmic, voices and piano more expressive, percussion faster. I have heard the term "strident" applied to Mana but I can't see it applying here.

I can't believe that I left the SBs boxed up in the Garage for 4 months!
I think if you have NBLs and a decent source, this upgrade should blow your socks off. If you have a 552 and NBLs, adding SB2s has got to be around 10x better than a source or power amp upgrade.

Quite a fiddly pain to set up though. You need a friend and some wine, not just for the lifting, but to maintain a good disposition during the endless back and forwards levelling and tuning!

Jeremy

I had a boomy bass...

Which sums it up really. You had a room related problem that was fixed by sound bases. If you don't have a problem and your speakers are working properly I wouldn't bother with them.
John

Jeremy,

Ive given up alcohol for new year and have re-sited my speakers- Shahinian Arcs on Mana bases. Now have the unenviable task of setting them up again....has anyone discovered a quick and easy way?? Last time was a nightmare...

George

John - sorry, I wasn't clear. I didn't realize I had boomy bass until I installed the Sound Bases. On some records and pressings (eg VM Blowing Your Mind) I could say it is it is still boomy. What if I add another "level"? Maybe it would be even better. But you're right, I don't know if it would be a universal improvement. I didn't WANT it to be better with the Mana SBs, but it is, because I had the time and took the opportunity to try it.

Xigris - New year was a long time ago - drink up Seriously, I found the instructions useless until I had a glass of wine, sorry, I mean discovered the hard way. The important thing is to get the frame "rigid" first - that is equal tension under all 4 spikes. Using floor protectors this can be judged by rotating each floor protector in turn. Then place the board on top and tune it using the up facing spikes. Then go back to the floor spikes and level the board. Then go back to the up facing spikes and retune the board. Finally place the speaker on top and level the speaker using the speakers' down facing spikes.

One problem is, how to then get the speaker position? Best way is to slide both speaker and bases around unti that is achieved. Then, take the speakers off the stands and repeat the whole levelling/tuning process. A pain, but it works.

I have a hard time explaining to friends why this is a hobby and not just a purchase - here's why!

Good luck!

Jeremy

Nice one Jeremy

Ha ha 4 months in the garage. I just acquired another pair of SB1s for my SBLs, which will promote them to Phase 6 !!!
And yes it just gets better and better.
Around 4-5 days settle in is required, during which the bass will tighten up and go deeper, also more detail (what a deal)

Are you using a Mana rack or something else, as I'd be interested in comments on mixing and matching.
My suspended floor is nice and flat with no wobbles, the SBs still do the business.

George: I've always found SBs a doddle, to reset. A few months ago i stripped my Phase 5 stack, every single stage was still in tune, i kept the wood fixed on each phase whilst moving them, and rechecking they were in tune - easy.

naheed. . .

Xigris - I'd been wondering about Mana under Arcs (bearing in mind the unusual philosophies used in Arc design) - does it work well?

Richard-

works a treat for me. Room has a suspended wood floor and no carpets and putting them on soundbases tightened bass up great. Makes them a pain in the neck to move tho.

George

Thanks for that - sounds like I'm in your situation. The moving thing is the one thing that puts me off - one great thing about the Arcs is the WAF of being able to move them easily out out the way when not having a "serious" session. Not a very audiophile perspective, maybe, but there you go....

Naheed,
Mesa (sorry, got that from my 13yr old daughter!) Fraim for electronics and the TT. I once used Mana when the main system used an LP12, using the top Fraim level of the electronics stand was better. The POV which has Mana under the mechanical stuff and Fraim under the electronics could be valid. The speaker result was surprising - perhaps Naim will bring out a speaker Fraim - last time I looked at the Mana website I couldn't find the Sound Bases mentioned at all - mine were special order which is strange as it is by far the best Mana product I have tried (others being the Reference and the power supply/amp stands).

Jeremy