Bricked Up

Here's the rest of this evening's system.

Nice!

Paul

Paul,

looks like they survived the trip OK.

Felt very guilty as you left, that it had got so late and with a journey ahead of you.

Still, at least it wasn't as bad as the all-nighter that ended at 11:00 the next morning.

Have you got them setup for passive operation now? How do they compare to the kabers?

cheers, Martin

It was pleasant driving through the dawn. I got Pogged last night, but that was a back by 3am amateur jaunt.

I've pacified the Isobariks but only had them tinkling late this evening. Getting my fingers burned in the nicest possible way....

Paul

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myself, I would whole heartedly say that at no point did I miss the grainy little squark boxes.

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So far I'm of the opinion that the Kaber system is musically better, but the 'briks have more potential. I think I'll have to go Aktiv. The Isobariks offer access to an area of performance that the Kabers are physically incapable of reaching, most of the rest will probably come with setup.

(My Kabers have never been grainy or squarky...)

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And the footprint is no larger than the Kabers

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Ask the duck.

Paul

Paul/Martin
What is the wood finish? The Briks look a handsome well cared for pair of speakers!
Terry

I think the finish is 'standard' Afrormosia.

The grilles came with the speakers.

FWIW these speakers can go dangerously loud in an enticingly effortless manner. And this is with a single 10 year or more old Linn LK280...

Paul

The fact that Isobariks can go "dangerously loud" with a 10 year old Linn LK280 amp should set alarm bells ringing to every frustrated NAP250 user who's Amp repeatedly cuts out when turned up!
....But I doubt any NAP250 users would agree, unless they have compared head to head....Would they then become Linn LK280 users??? I DID!

I ought to point out that I haven't tried a NAP250 with these speakers in my room, or even heard a NAP250 with Isobariks in the recent past. I think much of the 'shutting down' story is hyperbole.

'Dangerously loud' means more than 100dBA at the listening position.

If anybody would like to do an LK280/NAP250 comparison in this context I'd be very interested! All options are open at the moment from Linn Aktiv (I have acquired a crossover for relative peanuts...) to Naim passive to anything else that doesn't result in too much net cash outflow.

Paul

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I ought to point out that I haven't tried a NAP250 with these speakers in my room, or even heard a NAP250 with Isobariks in the recent past. I think much of the 'shutting down' story is hyperbole.

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Obviously you speak from long experience.

Davewharehouse
You of all people should know that one bottle of "the good stuff" is far more rewarding than a wine box. Or maybe not! Afterall, it's all about choices.

Also, there seems to be a lot of "stories" regarding the Nap 250's ability to drive old obsolete Linn speakers. In some cases it's the application that's at fault.

There is a whole world of loudspeakers out there so....and anyway, isn't it the fact that the obsolete Linn speakers are cheap and are being dumped by previous owners the reason that some of you are indulging in a bit of sport.




Later

Doug(ready with sheild)

Welcome back, Doug - we've not seen enough of you here, of late!

Rico - SM/Mullet Audio

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Obviously you speak from long experience.

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At least 5 years of NAP250/Linn SARA usage. FWIW.

Paul

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and anyway, isn't it the fact that the obsolete Linn speakers are cheap and are being dumped by previous owners the reason that some of you are indulging in a bit of sport.

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And the little dusting of music magic they seem to have been endowed with at birth. If we were all strict rationalists we wouldn't be here.

Paul

This was during the late 1980's, we didn't know any better.

Actually it all sounded pretty good. I'll be resurrecting the SARAs one day when I'm at a loose end, if only for photographic purposes now I have the full set of Linn Classiks.

Paul

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There is a whole world of loudspeakers out there so....and anyway, isn't it the fact
that the obsolete Linn speakers are cheap and are being dumped by previous
owners the reason that some of you are indulging in a bit of sport.

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If companies like Naim continue to bring out increasingly expensive and, (by all reports so far increasingly good) front-end and mid-stream gear, then (assuming basic source-first principles), buying old Linn speakers makes every bit as much sense now as it did when they were new. If one has, say, 10,000 UKP to spend (or even 20 or 30k), a pair of Linn Isobariks at, say, 600 pounds can make excellent sense -- allowing one to focus resources upstream while still having a pair of kick-a** speakers.

80s Linn speakers are "obsolete" in about the same way the Jaguar E-type is. (I'll take the Jag over most new stuff at the same price). Actually they're obsolete in the say that an E-type would be at, say, new honda civic prices.

My Kabers have only ever been active....

I'm quite astonished by the performance of a nominally 80w amp passive. In my environment the amp doesn't run out of steam at very very loud.

Which is nice.

One starts to wonder whether a system that isn't full range or which compresses at reasonably realistic volume levels can be considered 'hifi'?

Is this the beginning of the end?

Paul

Is one bottle of the good stuff better than a winebox?
Well that rather depends on the situation. For me to drink over a good meal then probably yes, but to take along to a student party, the winebox wins!
Bearing in mind that Isobariks drink power like Gazza drinks lager, we can draw our own conclusions!
I also feel that the LK280 produces less of the fizzy HF distortion common with class AB designs, allthough I imagine thrill seekers will prefer the Zing of a 250. Their choice

So. Not for serious listening then?

Later

Doug

Why don't you pop round with a NAP250 and I'll open a respectable claret?

We can have a fry up and an Indian takeaway....

Paul

...especially if driving 'bariks hard
Some fry-ups can be expensive to repair!!

Seriously though, I feel the Linn amp in question being compared to a box of spanish plonk is a bit unfair. It's not always the case of the best product being the most expensive.

P.S. Was anybody aware that Quad(of 33/303 fame)have their own brand of wine. Can't remember what it was like...probably as rich and fruity as their amps!

In fairness though, great sound etc aside, the brik is a really ugly speaker isn't it?

I mean Mick Parry has tried to defend its ugliness, I can't remember the exact wordings, but in the right environs, not too over bearing etc.

But really they are hideous, All these new speakers out there and these hideousnesess (my god Nick, quick)

I can't even find the heart for a grudging respect for such an ugly over bearing cubic peice of ugliness.

Sorry.

I don't see how a Brik can be seen as ugly next to an SBL. I rather like the way the fluting echoes the LP12.

I was talking to the Naim oriented chap at my local Linn/Naim dealer today and he is using similar vintage Isobariks with a NAP500. Since he expressed an intent to move to NAC552 it isn't a resource shortage that keeps the Briks in place.

Paul

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I mean Mick Parry has tried to defend its ugliness, I can't remember the exact wordings, but in the right environs, not too over bearing etc.

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Festooned with croche'd toilet-roll covers, I'm sure 'Briks will blend in to any stately Swindonian Pile.

Rico - SM/Mullet Audio