Modern Kan?
Posted by: Fred11 on 28 January 2018
Dear all Naimes.
I have been testing these lately, the Iota Alpha. My wife love them for their small size, and I love them also for their design, since I like 60-70s furniture. Soundwise they are really great! I feel they match the Naim sound extraordinary. There is loads of prat and a really fast and punchy bass which is easy to follow. They play the tune great and time very well. In a modern match with the Unitis they might be the Nait- Kan-lp12 of the millennium! At the same time they play with good resolution but with a very natural and non-aggressive tone. Guitars are very real and tangible, at the same time easy on the ear, due to the band-tweeter. As a former SBL owner I look forward to owning them, though they have a limit when playing really loud. Every flat earther interested in playing music on a less should really try them.
Fred
Interesting write up, thanks! Big MK I Kan fan here!
THE Marmite speaker but there's nothing else like them, or perhaps now there is!
Regards,
Mark
A very nice looking set, Fred. I liked the Iotas too.
Chris
Love that sideboard Fred! G-plan?
Iota Alphas aren't bad either - cracking speakers. I'm a big fan of the much smaller Iota as well, which I'd like to explore further, perhaps in association with decent subwoofer. Could be an interesting experiment.
Christopher_M posted:A very nice looking set, Fred. I liked the Iotas too.
Chris
Thank you, Christopher!
Fred
Yetizone posted:Love that sideboard Fred! G-plan?
Iota Alphas aren't bad either - cracking speakers. I'm a big fan of the much smaller Iota as well, which I'd like to explore further, perhaps in association with decent subwoofer. Could be an interesting experiment.
Thank you! It is Danish old-School design. I would not use a sub, as it has a beitifully integrated isolating bass underneath! Goes deep for the size!
Gaius: Tangerine posted:Interesting write up, thanks! Big MK I Kan fan here!
THE Marmite speaker but there's nothing else like them, or perhaps now there is!
Regards,
Mark
No problem Gaius!
A must admit I have never lived with the Kan, so I might be bold to state something like this, even though I lived with SBL for five years. Saying it is a new Kan is perhaps a bit like saying about a new band it is the new Stones... But, I stand by my post and my experience with this little beauties; a really tuneful, prat-full and engaging speaker made for Naim!
Fredrik
I've been using a pair of Neat Iota Alpha's with a Unitilite in a second system very good indeed they do need a fair old few hours to run in.
Proac Tablette 10
Much more universal than original Kans
Hi there.
Iotas and Naims All-inn-ones must be a really Neat system!
I do not know the Proacs, but they must also be modern classics.
Fred
Gaius: Tangerine posted:Interesting write up, thanks! Big MK I Kan fan here!
THE Marmite speaker but there's nothing else like them, or perhaps now there is!
Regards,
Mark
Agreed, Im also a big fan of Mk 1 Kans, they still make me smile.
We heard the Iota Alphas and the taller Motive SX1's at Venice Audio over Thanksgiving. They were driven by a Nova and sounded great.
Great looking room Fred. I have not heard the Iota Alphas yet, but will when I get close to a dealer that carries them. I really like the looks of them and have read many good things about them.
Skip posted:We heard the Iota Alphas and the taller Motive SX1's at Venice Audio over Thanksgiving. They were driven by a Nova and sounded great.
Hi Skip.
Hoe Did they compare?
Fred
Mudhoney posted:Great looking room Fred. I have not heard the Iota Alphas yet, but will when I get close to a dealer that carries them. I really like the looks of them and have read many good things about them.
Thank you, Mudhoney!
interesting to hear what you think when you hear them. I really like the look as well!
Fred
NFG posted:Gaius: Tangerine posted:Interesting write up, thanks! Big MK I Kan fan here!
THE Marmite speaker but there's nothing else like them, or perhaps now there is!
Regards,
Mark
Agreed, Im also a big fan of Mk 1 Kans, they still make me smile.
Yup, I have an old pair of Mark’s Kans that I use in my office - always really engaging, although sometimes too much so when I need to concentrate on work...
Richard Dane posted:NFG posted:Gaius: Tangerine posted:Interesting write up, thanks! Big MK I Kan fan here!
THE Marmite speaker but there's nothing else like them, or perhaps now there is!
Regards,
Mark
Agreed, Im also a big fan of Mk 1 Kans, they still make me smile.
Yup, I have an old pair of Mark’s Kans that I use in my office - always really engaging, although sometimes too much so when I need to concentrate on work...
The Kans (probably Mk 2's by then) I heard at Sound Org London in the late '80's were undoubtedly what sold me on the Naim sound - ended up with the definitive LP12 NAC 42.5 and NAP 110 set-up with the Kans. Brilliant. They had serious shortcomings in some areas but their strengths more than compensated - unbeatable on rock recordings.
Skip posted:it was close. We preferred the taller Motive. I would hear the Iota Explorer before buying either if you can.
That really days something since the sx1 is so big. I am testing the Xplorer tomorrow!
Fred
bluedog posted:Richard Dane posted:NFG posted:Gaius: Tangerine posted:Interesting write up, thanks! Big MK I Kan fan here!
THE Marmite speaker but there's nothing else like them, or perhaps now there is!
Regards,
Mark
Agreed, Im also a big fan of Mk 1 Kans, they still make me smile.
Yup, I have an old pair of Mark’s Kans that I use in my office - always really engaging, although sometimes too much so when I need to concentrate on work...
The Kans (probably Mk 2's by then) I heard at Sound Org London in the late '80's were undoubtedly what sold me on the Naim sound - ended up with the definitive LP12 NAC 42.5 and NAP 110 set-up with the Kans. Brilliant. They had serious shortcomings in some areas but their strengths more than compensated - unbeatable on rock recordings.
The Kan IIs were introduced 1991 so maybe the Mk I, I ran mine on a 42/110 combo originally. My 110 was modified by Naim to a 140 & the 42 exchanged for a 62 and olive HiCap. They are great little speakers and friends are astonished by the music they make.
Yes mine shock many people, it's a source of amusement and smugness to me!!
Fred11 posted:Skip posted:it was close. We preferred the taller Motive. I would hear the Iota Explorer before buying either if you can.That really days something since the sx1 is so big. I am testing the Xplorer tomorrow!
Fred
Fred,
A demo of Xplorer? Great stuff - that should be very interesting. I didn't know they were out in the wild with dealers as yet. Please report back with your observations and thoughts, especially if compared to alternatives speakers.
"There's not a cat in hell's chance of those ugly things entering our flat" - a quote from SWMBO.
It's all in the eye I suppose...........
I love the Iotas great sounding speaker. As to the analogy with the Kans the first time I heard the S20s in my lounge I thought a modern day Kaber.
Small near the wall and a ball - Proac Tablette 10.
G
GraemeH posted:Small near the wall and a ball - Proac Tablette 10.
G
Yes a small speaker with great sound and quite pretty to boot [would pass to SWMBO criterium]...... :-)