Neat Iota Xplorer

https://forums.naimaudio.com/topic/modern-sbl

I heard them at the Bristol show. Very boomy but that may just have been the room. At least I hope it was!

I was much more impressed by the Iotas Neat were demonstrating at last years show.

Regards

David

Hi David

that’s interesting - I recently demoed a pair of Iota Aiphas at home for a few weeks and I couldn’t get on with them even in my small room. The tweeter is great and the bass is good for the size and the placement of instruments was also good but the overall sound felt lacking to me as though they were being muffled or choked. I put this down to the small main driver units. I was surprised as they seem to win universal approval and I was also impressed by them at Bristol last year or 2016

Bob

Bob, 

Just reading your profile and the desire to get better bass response. I assume you have tried a n-sub with your N-Sats?

Regards

David

David

I never tried an n-Sub although I searched hard for a gloss black one to complement my n-Sats. I was once offered a mint one for £1000 plus but at the time couldn’t afford it - I still rue not buying it. I see you have SL2s - another iconic speaker that is very hard to find for sale now as owners usually hold on to them

Bob

Fred - thanks for the link - sorry I missed your post before but I have just read your very positive review - did you keep them? I’ve also replied on your other thread

Bob

Shropshire Hills posted:

Has anybody heard these yet and, if so, what do you think? I was unable to get to the Bristol Show this year to hear them and there are hardly any reviews of the speakers  online of them at Bristol or elsewhere. My local Neat dealer doesn’t have a pair in yet either

Bob

Yes, heard them at the Bristol Show, unfortunately somewhat underwhelming.

possibly it may well have been the room, very few exhibitors bother with acoustic panels.

Purely from a cosmetic point of view, they don’t look good on the eye

Shropshire Hills posted:

Fred - thanks for the link - sorry I missed your post before but I have just read your very positive review - did you keep them? I’ve also replied on your other thread

Bob

 

Hi Bob. I kept then and I am very happy. No bass boom here. They do take time to run in. I have lives with Sbl for many years and Ovator 400 for a year and prefer the Iotas. I think they give more insight in to the music, but they also Are easier to the ear. I play records louder than I could with Sbl and also the Ovators. Recomended. Signals audio Are also happy with them.

Fred

wenger2015 posted:

Yes, heard them at the Bristol Show, unfortunately somewhat underwhelming.

possibly it may well have been the room, very few exhibitors bother with acoustic panels.

Purely from a cosmetic point of view, they don’t look good on the eye

Totally agree - the NEAT room is usually a highlight at Bristol but not this year - boomy and ugly so we didn't linger.

Fred - thanks for the update and I’m glad they work so well. How near to the rear wall do you have them and what size of distance apart are they? Do you think precise placement is critical?

They are 22 cm from back wall. They are not as difficult to place as Ovators, I think. My room is about 50 M2, so quite big. Sad they boomed in the Neat room in Bristol. 

Fred

I think they sounded good at Bristol, considering the limitations of the room. Personally I think their aesthetics are considerably better than many others. I could never live with Focal speakers. Each to his own.

AndrewG posted:

I think they sounded good at Bristol, considering the limitations of the room. Personally I think their aesthetics are considerably better than many others. I could never live with Focal speakers. Each to his own.

Agreed on aesthetics. More important to me than most perhaps. I didn’t hear the Neat Xplorers at Bristol, but previous experience of the smaller models in the Iota range was quite positive. As you say, good musical connection rather than a HiFi experience. However, I’d possibly steer the OP towards the original idea if it’s possible to hear them somewhere. Shahinian Arcs 

But then, given I’ve owned nothing but Shahinian’s for the last 25 years it’s possible I’m not unbiased...

I own a pair of Xplorers in all Naim system consisting of NAC-52/52PS/135's/Prefix s/Akutate Lp-12/Krystal. I do not detect any sense of bloom  in the bass.  I do have them about 2.5 ft from the rear wall.  The AMT tweeter is very open, and never harsh.  It did take a while to break them in, but as it stands now I'm very satisfied. 

Having heard these at Signals near Felixstowe a couple of weeks ago, I was really impressed with the Iota Xplorers.
Really impressed.
On the end of the Unity Atom, I found myself thinking "why pay more?" Stunning.

Too bad they are not easy on the eyes. 

Marc0209 posted:

I own a pair of Xplorers in all Naim system consisting of NAC-52/52PS/135's/Prefix s/Akutate Lp-12/Krystal. I do not detect any sense of bloom  in the bass.  I do have them about 2.5 ft from the rear wall.  The AMT tweeter is very open, and never harsh.  It did take a while to break them in, but as it stands now I'm very satisfied. 

I agree, Marc. Incredibly open tweeter and never harsh. I have been playing around with placement for the last couple of months. I found two things; 1. They vary in bass quite much. But it is easy to find an optimal distance from walls. 2. The greatest thing I did was remove the spikes and put rubber feet under them. I did this since I have wooden floor underneath, not carpet. They became a bit wobbly, but sound much, much better than with spikes from top to bottom. They play really full range. Such authority in the bass from such a small speaker. 

About the looks; I love the design, so does the misses. Like classic Scandinavian design they are  minimalistic, simple and beautiful. Blend very well in. But of course a matter of taste. I happen to think focal is like a spaceship in the living room. Really ugly.

Fred

Hi Fred,

As far as the cosmetics go, I go back and forth. I generally agree they are of the minimalist camp. I have a little one running around and top heavy monitors just won't do and large floor standers over power my rather small multi-purpose room.  I find it interesting that you have removed the spikes.  Does this  have the effect of increasing or decreasing the gap between the floor and the speaker(my floors are wood as well)?  How far are you from the rear wall(me around 2.5 ft)?  Do you toe them in at all?  I have me very slightly toes in around 5 degrees sitting  bit further back ten they are wide. Thanks in advance for your replies.

Marc

Hi Marc. 
I was also skeptical to removing the spikes, but I found that this does not alter the distance since you are only removing the tip. I happened to have some round dampening devices which Is audiophile and made for speakers. Damping for speakers is a big theme, but my best hifi-friend who happens to have Tannoy swears by plastic damping rather than Cones in Norwegian homes with wood floor. I have about 20 cm to back wall. The damping is fantastic. Try it out, as it is cheap and never dangerous to try. 

Today I received my recapped pots 8 Nac 82, from a modded 102. OMG! What a fantastic amp. I have never heard my system sound this good! The 82 is fantastic real value for money. 

Fredrik

Hi Fred,

Thanks for the pics.  It appears that they are a solid puck, are they a sorbathane(SP?) type material? Ny idea where I could source something similar?

I will check it out for you!

Use Google translate and order from Norway. They are the the ones with 10-30 kg. 

Regards

Fredrik

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Thank  you!

kaydee6 posted:

Too bad they are not easy on the eyes. 

That's all down to personal taste. I think they look OK.

Yes I like them. Quite discrete. Then again I like the Focal speakers.

I'm just easy to please