SBL vs Intro

Posted by: Bas V on 27 April 2001

Hi!

I have just received an offer for a pair of SBL's. Serial number 105xxx for 1000 Euro! I think that's a very good price. Now I have a pair of Intro's, which suit my room pretty good. The sound can be too harsh sometimes, but I think the blame here is on my CDI not standing on a good rack.
So, do you think I should go for the SBL's? There's no way I can listen or see them before I buy...
Rest of the system: 102+napsc+HiCap+180.

Thanks!

Gr. Bas

Posted on: 27 April 2001 by Alco
hi there, Bas

Wow! you lucky fella! 1000,- euro for a pair of SBL's,that a very nice price!
it is a little risky buying things unseen and unheard but I think Naimoholics treat their stuff like they would treat their own kids,so...

(I would) go for it!

Good luck,

greetings,
Alco.

Posted on: 27 April 2001 by Tony L
quote:
Now I have a pair of Intro's, which suit my room pretty good. The sound can be too harsh sometimes, but I think the blame here is on my CDI not standing on a good rack.

So, do you think I should go for the SBL's?

Yes. Whilst the Intro is IMHO certainly a decent speaker, it does to my ears sound a bit off at the frequency extremes. From what I have heard the Intro is a good all-rounder, and I certainly understand why many people like it, but it is definitely not for me.

The SBL has a far better and more defined top end, and the bass performance is simply in a different league (well I was bound to say that, reflex ports and me just don't mix!). I think the SBL is simply in a different league. I am sure if you set them up right they will organise the top end of your CDI far better.

You will need a gasket set from Naim to set them up when you get them home (I am assuming it’s a private sale). Do a search here, there is set up info around.

Over the years both the bass units and the cabinets of the SBL have been upgraded, the new ones are better. From my perspective they are not that much better, of the three best SBL systems I have so far heard, two were current spec, and the other was completely original 1980s spec, so I would not worry too much if the price is right (I have no idea how much 1000 Euro is, we don't accept them in Liverpool!).

Tony.

Posted on: 27 April 2001 by Tony L
quote:
In the May edition of Hi-Fi Choice (I think - the one Paul 'Naim-o-phile' Messanger writes for) there is an interview with a chap called Marshall - the man who started Epos and designed the ES14. In reading the interview and the chaps comments, he seemed to agree with absolutely everything you have ever said you liked about 'speaker design in your posts.

Interesting. I would be very interested to read that, I will spend some time in the local WH Smiths reading library tomorrow (I am often prepared to 'run in' magazines for their future customers).

So, has Robin Marshall abandoned the reflex port then? Actually even though I am not a port fan by any means, I really do like all the Epos speakers I have heard (11, 12, and 14).

Tony.

Posted on: 27 April 2001 by Martin Payne
quote:
the man who started Epos and designed the ES14. In reading the interview and the chaps comments, he seemed to agree with absolutely everything you have ever said you liked about 'speaker design in your posts.
He is starting another company (not, obviously, called Marshall) and reading between the line he may well be about to produce a small, unvented, maximal timing etc 'speaker.


Yes, BUT...

This is the guy who designed the ES14, an abomination to my ears. What does this have to do with Tony's priorities??? frown

Now, the ES11, that's a different story... smile

Martin

Posted on: 30 April 2001 by Chris Metcalfe
...is surely the more relevant comparison.

How would people who heard the speaker-formerly-known-as-Vivo compare it to SBLs in similar systems?

Only ask because I need to decide PDQ whether to buy SBLs or hang on for the 'Vivo'.

Posted on: 01 May 2001 by Martin M
Without going into too much detail, I thought a latest spec SBLs were much better (musically and sonically) than the Vivos.
Posted on: 01 May 2001 by Dev B
A friend of mine ran these for a long time and I have had quite a lot of exposure ot these speakers. In the right room and with the right electronics they can sound marvellous (but isn't that true of any speaker!).

I recall a dem in the 'concert' room in Studio 99 (the room they used to dem their DBL's in) they were sounding absolutely musically marvellous with a CDi/72/HiCap/140. I mean absolutely marvellous.

I believe Epos demonstrated a pair of 14's at a show with a special Naim NAXO with 52, 4 x 135's a show and they also sounded really really good. My audio memory is a bit faded on that one as it was about the same time I heard Mana for the first time - but I was really blown away.

I wasn't really into Hifi at the time as I had some 2000 records and some Japanese lo-fi, but the sounds that I heard encouraged me to pop round to a dealer and promply buy a Nait3, LP12 and Kans. The rest, as they say is history.

I have also owned a pair of ES11's and drove them quite comfortably until I had a 250, and they certainly were not disgraced when I upgraded to SBL's.

I think the anti-port argument propagated here is a bit strong, becasue it's the design and implementation of ports that's they key thing - the only problem is that in many speakers (budget and high end) the port is implemented badly and when the going gets tough (i.e with music with lots of low frequency action) all sense of tunefulness and accuracy is lost.

Having said all of that speakers that I have liked with ports have been the Epos 11's and 14's, various Sonus Fabers, some ATC's and some of the Wilsons (twice in the US with ML electronics).

Dev.