Matching speakers to Naim

ATC every time, x3!

I have the ATC SCM11 which work incredibly well with Naim electronics. However there are many different loudspeakers that work well with Naim. Russell K, kudos, Neat, PMC and of course Naims own speakers like the SBL, just to name a few. Loudspeaker matching is a personal thing and what sounds good to one person, might not sound good to another. 

Ian.

Proac for me especially the Tablette 10, they just work in my room and a 250dr driving them is the icing on the cake.

I enjoy Dynaudio Focus 260

It's much more important to match the speaker to the room and to your own personal preferences!

Huge posted:

It's much more important to match the speaker to the room and to your own personal preferences!

Beat me to it.

The speakers that work the best are the ones that work the best in the room, in conjunction with whatever system they are hanging from.

We've come across more that don't work than do work in our lounge. It's not brand specific. Some models in a range from one manufacturer work fine while their siblings don't.

Room is ofcourse a very important part in a listening room as main distributor,  good main in the house and then power cables. But I think speakers has to match the electronic before anything else because the room acoustics at most is completed. The enviroment and acoustics don't change every time You buy new speakers and gear. Not at my home...????

The basic for me is speakers and then electronics......and then matching and fine tuning with cables. Especially power main cables gives dramatic results with perfect grounding. Also on Naim products

My question was only based on experiences with speakers and naim gear and what gives the best results in matching like all other brands I have got before

Focal?

Naim - of course

nSats rule.

I've had a laundry list of speakers home with Naim amplification. Brands that worked well with Naim were Proac, Totem, Devore, Linn, and Naim. Brands that didn't work as well were Rega, Larsen, and Linn (a different model). 

After much experimentation, I'm now using Plinius amplification with Ryan speakers. My lesson was that matching speakers to the room was more important than matching speakers to Naim.

I have tried a few but have Dynaudio Focus 160s now. It is a matter of room size and shape plus personal taste. Of course, not all Naim sounds the same either, so it is even more variable than your post implies. For example, I moved from the NAP 200 to 250.2 and the sound signature became more transparent but darker with an impression of more bass extension especially at low listening volumes. Personally, I can find Naim a little too bright if partnered with certain speakers. For example, I had a pair of Epos ES14 for many years (still sat in a cupboard somewhere) and while the mid and bass was fluid and engaging, the metal tweeter could be a little strident at times. 

Huge has it right.  Any number of speakers will work with Naim but in your room?

Yes and that why I don't understand why loudspeakers like the SBLs are not produced anymore. These fit in many of the typical living rooms.

An aspect of Naim amps having such decent current delivery and stability into very low impedance for their modest power ratings is that they work very well with a very broad range of speakers. More so that most other manufacturers in my experience which tend to have a small select few speaker brands they can be successfully paired with.

While there absolutely are speaker pairings that just don't work with Naim, it is fairly rare assuming the Naim amps can drive what you are pairing them with. To that end, it becomes more important whether you like the speaker in question and whether it works in your room.

While there are some clear favourites on the forum, I would not make any assumptions about them being a "natural" partner and more down to the preference of us on the forum.

I partnered my electronics with my speakers instead of the other way. I liked and still like the Dynaudio sound so that was my base. 

I started with a NAD D 7050 for my Emits 20 but didn't like the sound very much. At that moment I never heard of Naim so I was surprised when I visited a dealer who also selled Naim equipment.

My eyes caught the UnitiLite due to its slim and sophisticated looks. I asked the salesperson about the UnitiLite and I got a lovely passionate story about Naim, its history and of course the UnitiLite with all its features. I was already sold but I needed to hear it with my Emits. After a short listening session I brought the UnitiLite home.

1,5 years later I caught the upgrade virus and sold my Emits and bought my current Excite X18. It sounded more lovely than with the Emits but I missed something in the sound which I related to a raw power shortage of the UnitiLite. As I didn't want to leave Naim, I've added a NAP 200DR which resulted in a more powerful sound. I still missed something, something I couldn't give a name.

Could it be that I reached the performance ceiling of the UnitiLite? I wasn't sure but that was my first feeling. So I read a lot about amplifiers, integrated and separates and I wanted to try a different pre-amplifier. As I need a minimum of 1 optical input and streaming capabilities my only Naim option were the NAC-N pre-amplifiers. So yeah, I listened extensively to a NAC-N 272 in front of a NAP 200DR powering my Excite's and wow... that was it, the missing link. 

I am thinking of upgrading the Excites in the future but the sound I now hear from my system, it's addictive.

Sorry for the long read...

Hi Rivolino

I got the same combination, but the old nap200 non DR

Billiant!

No quarter posted:

Focal?

Absolutely.

I use Naim CB with Focal. Two of the best systems I know use Naim (olive) and a 500 system into Focal.

Can be excellent. BUT, if there is anything wrong in what precedes them then they will let you know, whatever your electronics.

M

P.S. To echo Huge above, room acoustics are VERY important.

PMC 25.23s for me with 272/250DR combo....lovely!!

Totems have great presence with Naim.

Heard Totem for years ago i Münich hifishow

It was the element.  i remember it as one of the most involving and dynamic speakers ever heard. Not with Naim

but i think it will be a terrific match for sure

Ditto for Kudos. I have Cardea C20s fornt and C1s rear. The C20s are easy to position as the ports are downward firing (great if you are listening across a narrow room as in my case)

Mike Sullivan posted:

Totems have great presence with Naim.

Agree. Had Hawks and Forests linked to my 272/250DR to great effect!

gsr posted:

Mike Sullivan posted:

Totems have great presence with Naim.

Agree. Had Hawks and Forests linked to my 272/250DR to great effect!

I’ve just upgraded from a UnitiCute2/ NAP100 to a Nova, with the former moving to a media room. Currently running Hawks on the Nove. Could move the Hawks to the media room and upgrade to Forest Signature on the Nova. - I trialled at dealers and it was darn good. What do you reckon?

After a little research ir was the Totem Acoustics Element Earth 

It sounds the hell out of most i have heard in speed and dynamic 

jesus christ ....... it was good 

The non crossover design gives a huge dimension in speed, insight and control 

I think with Naim it would  be a dream combination