Proud owner of some IBL's

Jauhar,

My opinion is exactly that & as they say 'your mileage may vary' but I find that the IBL's sound like baby DBL's & that SBL's sound more like baby NBL's.

I used to own SBL's with a pair of 135's & although good was never as consistent as IBL's in my system. The room dimensions have changed & I am quite prepared to believe that this has a lot to do with what I am hearing. To me the IBL has less yet more tuneful & better pitched bass. This bass is IMO more consistent on the IBL's.

On my SBL's I found that the speakers could sound a bit lacking in bass on certain notes & then very full on others. If you play an electric bass as I do, it is a bit like dead spots on the finger board, they power of the note tends to fall away without the correct amount of sustain.

The top end is as detailed on the IBL but somehow it seems a bit more refined, not forcing the detail that I found the SBL's to do.

I think for me the overriding thing is that the IBL's seem to carry the tune better than the SBL. I found the SBL to be a bit more 'hi-fi' in comparison.

You can tell from my waffle that I am not an equipment reviewer, but I hope I have conveyed the gist of what the differences are.

All of this is of course very personal & subjective, but as someone who has lived with both speakers I guess my opinion might be of interest.

Bob

[This message was edited by bob atherton on FRIDAY 06 October 2000 at 16:27.]

Bob,

Thanks for the quite lengthy description of the IBLs. I think your opinion of the IBL/SBL is one of the most valid here as you have lived with both speakers. However, I have a feeling those SBL nazis would raise the issue of your SBLs were no set-up properly. just a thought

Thanks again.

Jauhar

Alas, I have been looking for a used pair of IBLs in North America for about two years and have yet to find a single pair. I look with envy at the IBLs that come up in Loot every so often. I have even considered importing a pair from the UK; however, that would require buying sight and sound unseen/unheard and significant shipping charges.

Consider yourselves lucky in the UK with the plethora of SH Naim equipment floating about!