Nap 180

The Nap180 will have enough drive for the SBL but may run out of steam with 803.But hey, the SBL's are better!

SBL better than 803???... It's perhaps a shame to say that on the Naim, but I's false; BW 803 ARE better....For me, it is a question of money; 803 are more expensive! (But I assume that NBL are much better).
Anyway, people say that 803 are easier to drive than 804. Is that true??



Charles

Get some SBLs, the 102/180 drives them like a bitch, which is just what you want.

"Which is just what you want":
What do you mean??

Charles

Charles,

I don't understand how you can shortlist SBLs and B&Ws. I only heard B&Ws once (forgot which model), in an all-Naim system similar to mine, and they sounded very different to SBLs, pleasant, smooth, nice. Shudder ...

I'm with The Chef on this one.

Thomas

Maybe I am satisfied too easily but my sbls work great with a 180. I never auditioned a 250 because I was never in a position to afford one. However, I can rock my listening chair in my living room (6 by 5 metres plus adjoining dinner room another 4 by 4 metres; quite heavily furnished and carpet, no curtains though). The volume is never above 10 o'clock because it is loud enough. More volume seems to be possible but who wants to argue with the neighbours?

To give you an idea of how loud it is: While listening I do not hear the doorbell pressed like mad by my son and neither do I hear him shouting at me unless he stands right by me (he's two years old, quite a loud age). Yes, maybe I would wish for even more precision during the last movement of a symphony or for a bit more control of deep bass (I am still dreaming of my sbls producing bass that reminds me of a grizzly bear dancing tango). But, what the heck, it sounds awesome with the records I love. It works with large orchestral works, it works with Red Hot Chili Peppers, it works with Big Band Jazz. It works really great with small ensembles, voices etc. In short: I am very happy listener. (3.5/102/Napsc/Hi/180/sbl)

Maybe this post is not very informative in terms of hifi. But: I am fortunate to be beyond this stage of debating every single upgrade. I know better naim-systems can sound better than mine, but right now I have fun, fun, fun. So should you.

IMO you should go for the sbls and not for the 803. I know that in some disciplines the b&w are superior to the sbls. But if you are searching in music for the same thing as I am, you will be happier with sbls in the long run . What is it, that I am looking for? I want musicians to shout at me, notes that attack me, I want to listen to string players who seem to grab and strangle every single tone they play, I want to shed a tear when someone's singing a sad song, I want to sit back in my chair when the brass players blow straight into my face.

The 180+sbls(and the rest too) does just that.

Happiness is a warm 180

Boy, Thorsten, that's one eloquent post about your satisfaction with the 180. Interesting also to see you're listening to about every single kind of music on it.

I can hardly wait till my 102 / 180 (plus the PSU's) are here, in about a week!

Herman

FWIW Jazz bassist Charlie Haden apparently uses a 180 with his SBL's and enjoys an eclectic mix of music with them.

quote:

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Get some SBLs, the 102/180 drives them like a bitch, which is just what you want.

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Garyi, I can just picture you modelling that "Bend over, I'll drive" T-shirt.

Rico - SM/Mullet Audio

I worked on it.

I have the GIMP costume here...

ES11's with more "welly" than SBL's uhmmm I can't say I agree totally or at all.
I've had owned both, perhaps the Sbl's weren't set up properly, but set up and run in the Sbl's won't just have the ES11's for breakfast they would do brunch.
Perhaps explain further?

Salut Manuel,
ça fait une paye que je n'avais plus de tes nouvelles. Je ne te vois plus trop sur Haute -Fidelité...
Tu l'as alors cette fameuse supercap??
Moi , comme tu vois je cherche toujours des enceintes... Des SBL me sont passées sous le nez à un prix défiant toute conccurence, mais il ya a eu plus rapide que moi..
Donc je vais peut être me tourner vers des 803 si j'en trouve en occase.
Je cherche également un Nac52 d'occase sans supercap. Donc ce sera ou les enceintes ou le préamp, selon ce que je trouverai en premier.
Voilà , à +

Charles

ps: n'hésite pas à me parler de cd si tu as découvert des perles.. Moi ces derniers temps, j'ai beaucoup aimé The Notwist. L'album s'appelle Neon Golden et c'est génial...

What only 50,000 W of distortion, must be a really good system .