SL2 positioning (and crossover) query

Hurrah, at last. Mine are about 9 or 9.5 cm from the wall, with a couple of degrees of toe-in. The key thing I found was getting the setup absolutely perfect, so that the speaker rocks on its suspension and the tweeter stays still. Richard posted some simple instructions on the Forum. 

As far as I am aware, you can use the SL2 crossovers on the SBLs quite happily. 

You must put a picture on the system pics thread once they are all sorted out. Here's to you having many happy hours of enjoyment from them. 

I followed the instructions on here to the letter and the suspension definitely 'works'. They wobble quite a bit when I walk across the floorboards anyway!

I'll bed them in before fiddling with toe in etc, although I rarely tweak things much. Just enjoy the music that pours out. They really are 'SBL plus' aren't they.

Thanks for your infectious enthusiasm; partly responsible for me buying these unheard.

Bruce

congratulations -- you have joined an elite club of SL2 users... 

I need to re-torque mine when i have screwed up enough courage!

enjoy...

ken

What I really like about my SL2s is that I have not moved them an inch since Alastair and Andy from Signals set them up nearly 10 years ago now. They have seen quite a few upgrades, but for me, as close to the wall as possible, firing straight down the room is optimal.

Others I have heard also fired straight so I'd caution on toe-in but YMMV.

I hope they bring you many years of enjoyment, you have always struck me as being on the right side of the hifi - music spectrum and your love of music is evident form your posts in the music room.

SJB

Bruce

I have also just purchase a lovely pair of SL2's which the previous owner used in an active system.

Moderated Post: Ronerider, I have edited your post - please read forum rules.  Thank you.

MIne were quite happy at 10/11 cm from rear wall with a couple of mm of toe in.

They worked very fine with Nait XS/HC DR, obviously better with 282/250 but even bass wise, they really opened out with the 552 arrival.     

A few weeks ago they were dismantled to be collected by the new owner who eventually renounced and temporarly replaced by nSat,

I can't believe the bass performace with the latter at the end of my present system. The last time i used them i only had CDX2/555 and XS

Regards

Roberto

Mine are 14 cm from the rear wall, no toe in. I tried several positions closer to the wall but then the bass didn't sound quite right. The walls are concrete so that is probably the reason they have to be so far away.

Regarding the crossovers: My SL2 crossovers are on permanent loan to a friend who's been using them with his SBLs for some time now. So apparently they work with SBLs and, according to the friend, sound better than his SBL crossovers too.

Bruce... glad you are loving your new acquisition. The SL2s really are superb speakers... the most musical I have ever owned. I'm always amazed they didn't sell in greater numbers, but of course they do have to be set up well and carefully positioned. Mine are 20cm away from the back (brick) wall and toed in a little. It's important to tighten the allen bolts up every so often, but they really need little maintenance other than that. I was always surprised that people said they 'didn't do bass' but that has not been my experience. They just don't do bloaty bass, which is fine by me. And the further up the amplification scale you go (I currently run them actively on two 500 amps and 552 pre) the better the bass becomes. Super lumina interconnects and speaker leads have also added to the superb bass reproduction. They didn't take too long to run in, either, and just got better and better over a period of about six months.

rsch posted:

I can't believe the bass performace with the latter at the end of my present system. The last time i used them i only had CDX2/555 and XS

 

 

Only meaning, in Naimese, a €16,000 source?

N

Mike Kent posted:

...It's important to tighten the allen bolts up every so often, but they really need little maintenance other than that. I was always surprised that people said they 'didn't do bass' but that has not been my experience. They just don't do bloaty bass, which is fine by me. And the further up the amplification scale you go (I currently run them actively on two 500 amps and 552 pre) the better the bass becomes. Super lumina interconnects and speaker leads have also added to the superb bass reproduction. They didn't take too long to run in, either, and just got better and better over a period of about six months.

Mike -- looks like our systems are almost identical, except i dont have SL speaker leads.

as a matter of interest specifically what allen bolts are you referring to here? the ones holding the tweeter suspension unit? i'm a bit mechanically challenged :-)

enjoy

ken

As for the new speakers they really are excellent. My slight reservation about bass has been resolved by getting the spikes properly through the carpet and levelled up! I suspect the drivers have also loosened up. It is now exactly as I like it, detailed and full without bashing you in the chest.

Bruce

I'd second everything HH posted. IN addition, it is not in my experience always essential to get them as close to the wall as possible to optimise bass performance, don't be shy to  experiment by taking them out a few inches. Also, and this tends to be almost universally underrated, try placing them further apart than intuition might prompt. This can not only have a dramatic effective on the soundstage without creating a hole in the middle, but can also substantially improve bass performance (depending on room etc.).

Enjoy!