New S-400 (SN2 NDX/NDAC XPS2)

Great news Graeme, welcome back we missed you!!

Will be interested to read how things develop in up and coming days/weeks? Any chance of some pics?

Thanks Dustysox. Once I get the Ovators on their shoes and levelled/positioned then I'll do some pukkah pics. They were 'pre-loved' so should be run-in. They certainly sound it.

G

Graeme your findings are exactly what I found, like you I am using SN2. Vocals, bass everything just fell into place which was something my old Kudos X2's struggled with since I moved house.

Initially I had them on granite slabs that dealer loaned me but they did not pass the bosses approval for looks so they were removed and replaced with spike shoes after a couple of days with no noticeable degradation of sound.

Sounds like you are going to have a great Christmas listening to them and an expensive new year... my money says they will be keeper's.

Enjoy Graham

Graham - I decided against the granite slabs I had under the PMC's as, and your partner is right, they spoiled the look. Plus the heavy diecast decoupled plinth makes them obsolete. 

Been playing a few hours now and I couldn't be more delighted I took a rash punt on ebay!...One of these 'best offer' moments where I didn't expect the seller to agree...never say never indeed.

G

As you said, they are "Bloody Marvelous"!

Enjoy them, Graeme. 

Tony

Thanks Tony.

Graeme

Hi Graeme, that's good news indeed. Do try getting hold of some A5: I found it better than the TQB between my 250DR and the SL2s, whereas in contrast the TQB was better when I had the PMCs. Or you can do as I did and get some Super Lumina speaker cables. They have proved to be transformational in my system, and have made an absolutely massive improvement; one that makes them seem very reasonably priced, which is not something I ever thought I'd hear myself saying. 

Cheers HH. I think If I were to change it would be to SL. I'm still hearing that lovely clarity the TQB brought over the NACA5 with the Ovator so will be keeping it until I win the lottery (I'll have to play it first I suppose).

Graeme

That makes sense. Once you've had floppy cable I can see why you don't want the drain rods back again. 

It's odd, isn't it, that the 600s were a disaster yet the smaller, cheaper, and ostensibly worse 400 sound like an instant success. 

Much better balanced loudspeakers to my ears. Fit the room better too - which may have something to do with it of course.  That said I always found the PMC.23 better than the .24.  Bigger isn't always better in loudspeaker-land.

G

Nice move, congratulations! 

Congrats had S400s for a couple years, very accomplished speakers.

Thanks Patu & Dan43.

G

Thanks Christopher_M - Equivalent of 'Fraim Chips' - Steel disks to hold spikes and prevent damage to the polished timber floor.

G

I use Naim Fraim chips under my ATC. They worked best out of the few spike shoes I tried (Linn Skeet were one of them).  

Great news Graeme! What finish were they in? I think if i went for another pair (been on my mind a while) i'd likely go Rosewood or Cherry as opposed to the Zebrano i had before. All the finishes look great to my eyes.

They're Zebrano Gary - A very good match for our dark oak floor.

Still can't believe how much better they work in the room than the S-600 did!

G

Speakers and rooms ehh...... Ya just never know! 

The second i heard the S400's in my room some four to five years ago i knew they just worked where so many others had failed. After three years of sonic bliss i had a mad moment and sold them, only to realise my mistake, and in an effort to make up for it, bought some used S600's. After one week i had to admit to myself it was a mistake and sold them at quite a loss. As ever, with speakers, nothing is a given, and even the same manufacturer and series is no ticket for success. 

Had S400s and gone for a different sound and delivery with Aria 926s. Ultimately I found, or thought, I was getting bored with the S400s (perhaps too honest/true) and wanted a bit more bass punch (and a downsizing effort to release funds for something else not hifi).

Reading some of the S400s comments I realise what good speakers they really were, only time will tell if I find myself bouncing back into them again in the future or go mad and get Sopra No2

Maybe like a lot of hifi kit you need to re-set a little, but that chews up funds unfortunately.

Happy listening though Graemeh, they are great and once you get them you do really start to like them.

Excellent, what a lovely Xmas present Graeme, hope you enjoy.  I've just plugged my dealer's hicap dr into my SN2 and now realise that it is capable of even more than I thought. Have fun.

Interesting Gary - I was an instant 'oh!' moment for me too - everything clicked.

That thing where the speaker 'charges the room' and the bass sounds (& feels) right whilst still being well integrated just happened - effortlessly.

I get more play on the volume control of the SN2 too, which is good - They feel well matched.

Graeme

dayjay posted:

Excellent, what a lovely Xmas present Graeme, hope you enjoy.  I've just plugged my dealer's hicap dr into my SN2 and now realise that it is capable of even more than I thought. Have fun.

Thanks dayjay. 

Re. HiCap DR - I've had an 'on-off' relationship on the SN2. Presently 'off' as I've a feeling (to me) it's more musical without...I may try again with S-400 in place.

G

Congratulations Graeme .. what a wonderful Christmas present, unpacking new speakers with one's son.  It really doesn't get much better does it ?

I had to buy him a Chinese tonight as payback...where's the love I ask you! (I think he secretly enjoyed the 'bonding' John).

I certainly enjoyed it. Amazing how they mature into independent young people after only four months away.

Graeme