SL2

I'm talking rubbish. Sorry was in the supermarket when I replied. It's 14.5cm from each side wall to the edge of each speaker. Jason was happy that this positioning was optimum in the space available.

S3 posted:

Hi Michael,

On the seated mounting position Jason's view was that the arm should be seated as far down in the mounts as possible. Any tweeter height adjustments that are required should be made by way of raising slightly the teeeter above the top of the arm so that you see a slight (say 2mm) gap at the top (per my and others pictures). This is how they are set at the factory.

 

Many thanks for that - I'm sure that having it here on the record will help others in the future.

S3 posted:

Thanks Tony. Going active is certainly an option longer term; for now I'm just loving what the SL2s can do.

For the first time I found myself - at 1am - saying "ok one more track then you must go to bed".... about ten times!

One of the most fascinating things I leaned from Jason is that only 350 pairs were manufactured.

DBLs  - 149

SBLs - nearer 1000 I think he said which makes sense given their longer production run.

i must admit that i am somewhat surprised that only 350 pairs were made!! my guess was something like 600 or so pairs.

But i guess that makes ownership of this iconic speaker a truly elite experience!

This makes this product somewhat 'niche' -- which to me suggests that, with hindsight, perhaps it should have been marketed differently. For such low volume specialist product  -- i believe the price was probably too low.

The way it was demonstrated to potential punters was also in my view wrong. Relying on dealer to correctly setup these speakers for dems was prbably not the right approach as the SL2s demanded a substantial initial investment in time, effort and care -- although this becomes less onerous with time.

i almost think that this speaker should have been supported by dedicated specialist installers from Naim Audio, or at least specialist dealers selected and vetted by Naim Audio, with attendant costs of course. Anyone willing to invest in such a special speaker would of course have to share this cost.

assuming that the parts were still available -- i believe the SL2s could have lived quite a bit longer with a stronger installation and support umbrella. Just my 2c worth...

enjoy

ken

You have a point Ken, but probably a valid one for most of the Ibbles, and certainly SBL and DBLs. I am one of those that love the original Naim 'speakers and mourn our loss to these amazing designs. It's also a shame that it's increasingly hard to service and maintain them. Naim are so good at maintaining old amps, shame 'speaker parts are in such short supply even if the reasons are understandable.

This has been a heartening thread for all owners of these iconic designs I am sure. Shame the buying public didn't get them, they might have still been around. Only 350 SL2s....

Stu

Shame many of the dealers didn't get them either - or work out how to get the best out of them...

i am also surprised that only c.1000 SBLs were sold -- the number i had in mind was somewhere around 5000. i wuold guess its hard to make money at such small volumes - which suggest that these were 'specialist' speakers -- akin to sports cars -- requiring very specific attention to detail. Definitely NOT mass market products -- and hence my point about marketing/deployment, etc

I wonder how many Linn isobariks were sold?

enjoy

ken

I wonder how many DBLs, SBL, SL2s have been written off and scrapped, and how many remain serviceable....?

naim_nymph posted:

I wonder how many DBLs, SBL, SL2s have been written off and scrapped, and how many remain serviceable....?

my guess is that it would be a very small percentage?

enjoy...

ken

naim_nymph posted:

I wonder how many DBLs, SBL, SL2s have been written off and scrapped, and how many remain serviceable....?

A good question! We've no way of knowing of course, but my feeling is, very few actually written off. This doesn't include those DBLs which have been deliberately attacked with a large axe when a partner suddenly arrives home early & discovers them in the lounge before prior softening-up has taken place.

It wouldn't surprise me if out of all the SBLs made: 50% no long exist anymore. Lots of tatty looking ones around especially on flea-bay auction sites, and for years selling for just a few hundred quid, Going by how some look it would seem many are sadly neglected, and most people who buy them do so for the bargain potential rather than to invest any expense into proper servicing. 

I expect 99% of the SL2s are still around, they are still relatively new, and worth far more pre-owned than SBLs. Some SL2s seem to have become adopted as a 'trophy' speaker' [ such-as used on the end of a Nait ] perhaps because they are desirable and may gain more classic value in time...

Is the going pre-owed market price for Dibbles worth more now than the price when they sold brand new?  

And yet, no mention of the glorious IBLs?

C.

naim_nymph posted:

Is the going pre-owed market price for Dibbles worth more now than the price when they sold brand new?  

Sadly not - you can pick up a pair for three grand or so. Folk are nervous of DBLs.

Christopher_M posted:

And yet, no mention of the glorious IBLs?

C.

hmmm... i wonder how many are out there. i once owned a pair and have fond memories... traded them in for SBLs...

enjoy...

ken

Likewise, Ken.

C.

Good decisions!  

This is a message for Clive (CBD). There is a pair of cherry SL2s for sale in Rotherham. Just saw the advert on the "HiFi for sale" website In case you've not spotted it - I know you have been looking for a while...

S3 posted:

This is a message for Clive (CBD). There is a pair of cherry SL2s for sale in Rotherham. Just saw the advert on the "HiFi for sale" website In case you've not spotted it - I know you have been looking for a while...

Many thanks - I hadn't spotted that and have contacted the seller. Price seems a bit on the high side though - do you agree?
BW
Clive

Erm, might be the same ones, but there was a cherry pair over on the Fishy place, from one of the trade sellers. ...... he of a flowery nonclemature.

dave marshall posted:

Erm, might be the same ones, but there was a cherry pair over on the Fishy place, from one of the trade sellers. ...... he of a flowery nonclemature.

Yes, thanks, Dave - he of the stream of second-hand Naim? I thought I was going to buy those a couple of weeks ago but his deal with someone in Italy fell through so it didn't happen.

Clive

Great Clive. Hope you can sort a deal. I think the price looks ok. Worth haggling a bit if you can of course. 

Cdb posted:

dave marshall posted:

Erm, might be the same ones, but there was a cherry pair over on the Fishy place, from one of the trade sellers. ...... he of a flowery nonclemature.

Yes, thanks, Dave - he of the stream of second-hand Naim? I thought I was going to buy those a couple of weeks ago but his deal with someone in Italy fell through so it didn't happen.

Clive

That's the very chap ......... good luck. 

tonym posted:

naim_nymph posted:

I wonder how many DBLs, SBL, SL2s have been written off and scrapped, and how many remain serviceable....?

A good question! We've no way of knowing of course, but my feeling is, very few actually written off. This doesn't include those DBLs which have been deliberately attacked with a large axe when a partner suddenly arrives home early & discovers them in the lounge before prior softening-up has taken place.

Sadly that would be the case at my gaff! I showed a photo of yours to my other half, and the reaction was unprintable on this family friendly forum! It seems as though all Naim speakers belong to the Marmite club  (I'm talking of appearance here, not sound). When I originally looked for speakers to pair with my SuprUniti I took Helen along with me, and her reaction to Ovator 400s, whilst not as extreme, was pretty negative! Some battles you just know are going to be unwinnable.

When I got mine about 18 months ago, in maple and a very late model, from a Naim dealer, I paid £2,100. Of course, prices rise and fall depending on the market and for £2,500 you would still be getting a bloody good pair of speakers. 

What was  the final production year? - oddly, according to the product history page it looks as if they are still in production!

And any advice on what ageing issues to consider on an early pair? I wonder about the grills...

Thanks, Clive 

I think 2009 was the last production year Clive.

Mine are a 2002 pair and are in superb condition. If they have been looked after well (no damage to the cabinets etc) then there is not really anything to worry about as the components are pretty bomb proof.

Good news on the grills as I understand Tom Tom are going to produce replacements using the original designs so I'd expect them to be of excellent quality if their SBL grills are anything to go by. So no worries there.

How is it going with that Cherry pair?