Surround speaker: n-sats vs Neat Iota

Posted by: angelodipa on 22 September 2018

Hello everyone

I'm about to update my old Ariva with the Neat SX1.

I would like to keep the same timbre and the same aesthetics (type of case and finish) also for the surround as it is all in my living area.

Currently I have the n-Sats.

What do you suggest? Do I keep the n-Sats? or do I update them with the Neat iota (the little ones)?

I would also ask another question: if I take the Iota for surrounds with what could I replace the n-Cent? Neat no longer makes central speakers ...

Thanks in advance...

Posted on: 22 September 2018 by wrc

There’s a SX-C Center speaker which would be a perfect match. Still on the neat web site so presumably still in production.

Posted on: 23 September 2018 by living in lancs yearning for yorks

I had no hesitation in sticking with my nsats nsub and ncent when my nvi recently failed and I replaced with arcam av disc player and amp

Posted on: 23 September 2018 by Judge

For rear surround duty I wouldn’t change, but assuming you are using the SX1 for front, then I see several options, (1) go with 4.1, i.e. do away with the centre speaker and leave it to stereo imaging (this is what I’ve done since reinstating a turntable on the rack with my SX2s and don’t notice frankly), (2) look for the matching SX centre, (3) use a single Neat Iota, or (4) possibly two Iotas side by side (tweeters in or out?) if you can wire them to get an acceptable impeadance for your AV amp!

I would look for front voicing to be similar, but not be too worries about the rears - most AV amps have quite a lot of adjustment for volume, bass and treble, so I’d look to those settings first.

Finally as far as I know Iotas do not come in a wood finish, so unless you have a non-wood finish on your SX1s a finish match isn’t on.