SL2

You need an Allen key for the tweeter arm, a spanner for the spikes and a spirit level to get the bottom box dead level. A torque wrench is needed if the bass driver has worked a bit loose. This, and the bolts in the metal interface plates (top of bottom box and (I think) bottom of top box) should be torqued to 3.6 Nm. Don't touch any of the other bolts. You will also need an Allen key to centre the wooden plate on the front of the top box, so that the tweeter sits central. You may find that this plate has stuck and won't move. In that case, with the top box on the floor and laying on its back, remove the four bolts and pull the plate off - it can be really firmly stuck. I'd avoid granite slabs. Cut slits in the carpet and underlay so that the spikes touch the floor. Get the spikes as short as you can without the metal base touching the pile.

If you live near Portsmouth I'm happy to come and help. 

Top choice of system by the way...

Thanks HH. That's extremely helpful. I am so thrilled to have managed to obtain the SL2s. I have coveted them (in Mapel) as my dream speaker for many years but have never been able to get a pair. I know that the golden rule with speakers is to try before you buy but, in this case, that was not an option so I'm going for it!

The offer of help with set up is very kind. Unfortunately I'm in the South West so quite a way from you. I was wondering whether I might see if there were any experienced SL2 folk around these parts who I could call on if required but let's see how I get on.

Good post from Nigel.  Yes, avoid the slabs.  Cut slits in the carpet - assuming the floor is solid underneath.  Oh, and take your time with the setup and don't be afraid to take a break then start all over again of you're not sure or happy with the result.  It can take a bit of practice but it's very rewarding when it all works out.

If you're in the South West then you could try e-mailing Naim's Jason Gould at the factory and see if he has anyone he can recommend.

Ok thanks Richard; will do. The floor is chipboard beneath the underlay. It's a loft room. Is that ok?

Chipboard is not ideal.  How solid is it?  You may need to slot in some Fraim chips under the underlay otherwise the spikes will sink in to the Chipboard and the performance will go off quickly.  Of course, only do this once you have decided the best position for the speakers.  It can take a bit of time to get their positions along the wall just right.  SL2s are all about driving the room, and the walls, floor and ceiling, should work with the speaker rather than against it.  It means that their positioning is important to the overall performance.

Thanks Richard, I suspect the spikes would go into the chipboard. I have some Atacama floor protectors already. Will they do the job or must it be Fraim chips which appear to cost nearly £20 each!!

Hi S3,

Wonderful... you've done really well to find a pair as they are like gold dust these days. I'm certain you're going to love them. I've had mine for six years now. I use them with an active 500 system connected with Super Lumina and I love them to bits. Set-up is not difficult, just take your time. I also have mine in the loft... which I converted to a music room... and the slopes of the ceiling and irregular walls definitely help. The sound is unbelievably detailed and exciting. I have my SL2s slightly out from the back wall, and very slightly angled inwards. Like you, I also have thick chipboard floors and you will definitely need Fraim Chips. Yes, they are expensive, but you only have to buy 'em once.

Keep us posted and let us know how you get on. They really are quite a remarkable speaker.

Where in the south west are you?

Many congratulations from me too Mr S3, they're superb speakers, a maple pair of which I had the privilege to own for a few years. Mr Halibut's advice is excellent, as is Richard's setup guide. I agree slabs are not a good idea. Just take your time setting them up, much as you might be keen to listen to them, and it'll all go swimmingly. If you encounter any difficulty there are other little things you can do, so please don't be afraid to ask for assistance.

Enjoy, as they say.

Go active... 

Thank you all. Mike, it's great to hear that your SL2s have sung in your loft space with sloping ceilings as that is exactly what I have. 

Drewy - I'm Bristol way.

S3 posted:

Thanks Richard, I suspect the spikes would go into the chipboard. I have some Atacama floor protectors already. Will they do the job or must it be Fraim chips which appear to cost nearly £20 each!!

...other floor protectors are available (but do they sound as good as Fraim chips?).

Once you've set them up, rap the front of the bottom box with your knuckles. The whole speaker should gently oscillate for a little while. This shows that everything is properly set up. The tweeter, being separately attached to the base, will not move. 

The SL2 is an incredible speaker, but setup is key. I had a cherry pair many years ago, with a 552 and 300. The setup I have not doesn't actually sound that much worse, and I'm sure it's because the current maple pair are set up much better. I used Richard's excellent guide, which really does work beautifully. Just set aside a few hours and take your time. The only bit I found hard was attaching the tweeter arms. They have to be tightened up so hard and for a long time I thought it wasn't going to work, but it did of course, just when I thought that the screw threads were going to strip. 

Like Mike, I have mine a little bit out from the wall, about four or five inches, and toed in just a couple of degrees. They will of course sound better with active 500s and so on, but with 'just' a 250DR they still sound pretty damn good. 

S3 posted:

.....  I have some Atacama floor protectors already. Will they do the job or must it be Fraim chips which appear to cost nearly £20 each!!

I mean blimey! I even had Fraim chips on my n-Sats!

Chris

Lovely to read about real 'speakers for a change! And they are very nearly as good as SBLs Nigel! Enjoy those SL2s, and please post updates on their set up and sound.

Enjoy,

Stu

I'm very envious as I have been looking for a pair now for around a year - since I moved house and need speakers to go against the wall. The only pair I have seen for sale were on the fishy site and went immediately before I saw the ad. Did you get them privately or through a dealer? I'm on a list with one dealer but I should probably try some others within a reasonable distance!

Clive

I've ordered the Fraim chips. Best to go for them  I think rather than a cheaper alternative otherwise I'd be constantly wondering if they'd sound better had I bitten the bullet....

Richard Dane posted:

S3 posted:

Thanks Richard, I suspect the spikes would go into the chipboard. I have some Atacama floor protectors already. Will they do the job or must it be Fraim chips which appear to cost nearly £20 each!!

...other floor protectors are available (but do they sound as good as Fraim chips?).

I use 5p pieces under my two Fraim racks and Focal Diablo Utopia speaker stands - total cost = 70p. Sounds fine to me (when the PSU's humming is drowned out by the music, but that's another story..............................).

S3 posted:

I've ordered the Fraim chips. Best to go for them  I think rather than a cheaper alternative otherwise I'd be constantly wondering if they'd sound better had I bitten the bullet....

Try them upside-down.

I use mine with the fraim chips on the carpet. It works very well. The best result I got when turning the front chip up side down (as Tonym mentioned). The back chips are used as intended.

I wish you a lot of fun with this very spezial speakers.

Stefan :-)

Thanks Stefan, as ever plenty of options and opinions which is what makes this forum so fascinating.

All of your encouraging advice and insights into to this most alluring of products will, I'm sure, be invaluable. 

I'll let you know how the set up goes!

Make sure that you have them in what will probably be their final location before setting up.  You will get away with small movements of a few inches or so but larger moves will mean starting from scratch again.

Not something I like to do too often but it is always very satisfying afterwards.

A couple of years ago I sourced some longer tweeter arm bolts from NAIM which made tightening of the assembly much easier. They may still be available.

I hope your grilles are in good shape, if not too perfect there is a thread on the forum somewhere to register interest in possible 3rd party replacements if numbers are sufficient.

Ron

Thanks Ron. I'll enquire about the longer bolts. The grills look ok from the photos but, even if they are, I'd certainly be interested in replacements as they will not last forever. If there is some sort of registration for that I'd be happy to add my name once the SL2s arrive.

I currently use two 1.5m runs of Chord Epic twin to my Kudos X2s. I know it may be considered too short by some but seems to work well in the current set up. With the SL2s I'm going to try to site the rig to the side of the speakers rather than in between them as I know that is likely to be better. That isn't definite as it would involve blocking an eves storage door which will not go down well! If I have to site the rig in between the SL2s will it be ok to use the Epic with them or do I really need to looking at 3.5m of NACA5?

many thanks