Sopra 2

I don't own the Sopras but I've heard them many times. I think they're a fantastic and very revealing speaker and if I'm honest I didn't feel SL cables did anything for them. In [@mention:50422349809511500] system with TQ ultra black cables they sound extremely well balanced. Of course the rest of the system and room all help. 

I've never heard the Sopra 2 but I've heard the 1 and it would be too bright and shiny sounding for me. That said, have you tried playing with positioning? Start with them facing dead straight and just toe in enough to get a stable central image. If you have speakers pointing too much at your head they can sound a bit beamy. Having the Macintosh in the system makes it something of an unknown quantity, but I don't believe they have a reputation for being bright. Let's hope moving the speakers helps. 

How new are the speakers [@mention:26908937791111692]? They may take a little more time to settle down. 

Thanks FF. I agree. Other than this issue I love 'em. I wondered about cable. I tried some Furutech Speakerflux and could hear very little difference, if any. I also tried something copper-only which totally solved the problem - but removed just a bit too much detail, too. However, maybe it is simply a case of cable matching. It was suggested to me that TQ ultra black is a bright sounding cable, but your advice doesn't support that? Room is pretty well treated with GIK panels.. 

I've not heard the Ultra black sounding bright, but it too can be revealing. It may be that it works very well with a full Naim system. If copper only solved the problem have you tried NacA5? If you do want to try a TQ cable the Ultra blue might be worth a demo 

They were ex-demo' and, apparently, very well run in; so i don't think that's it. I definitely have sensitive hearing, having been plagued by brightness issues and tried many things, including swapping out my 252 for a warmer pre etc. to abate them. When I demo'd the Sopras I also listened to models from PMC and Spendor and was impressed only by the D9. But none grabbed and knocked me out like the Sopras. 

Lesson learned - demo' for as long as possible before committing; a great first date is no guarantee of a beautiful relationship. I plan to go back with my amp and listen to the D9 if I can't find a cable solution. Will be trying another pair of copper-only soon and will see if I can find some TQ to test..

Thanks for the advice FF. I tried A5 alongside the SL and latter blew formers socks off. The box change I made pretty much worked for bright edges when I had Spendor SP2/3R2's. But these Sopras are so much more revealing (which is great) I'm rather back at square one. I can probably get hold of some A5 so will add that to the list - and TQ Ultra Blue noted, thank you.  

Hmm - I just read a wigwam review of the Tellurium Blue and, if it's accurate, it could be the ticket. So long as it's not at the expense of too much detail. Thanks Finkfan, I'll track some down and report back. 

My speakers are also very revealing and I use SL cables with a 250 with no brightness issues. I've never been convinced of using cables as tone controls. I know Finkfan is very keen on Sopras and TQ but it could well be that the speakers are the issue. 'Impressive' is how I'd describe the Sopra 1, but I couldn't live with them. You don't want impressive in your sitting room, you want engrossing music. 

It does seem 'unfortunate' to invest £k's in speakers only to need to 'tune' in or out a particular unwanted characteristic, HH. Though possibly it's the cheapest solution. Some people say the Sopras are a bit bright & just as many hear no brightness. As always, it's entirely personal. My most fatal error was to dealer-audition them with a different make of amp, thinking it was the pre amp that made the biggest signature difference. I now know very different and shall take my amp to any future auditions, including that of the D9.   

With a speaker at that price, a good dealer should do a home demo for several weeks. It's the only way to really know. It's very easy to be impressed and regret it later, we've all been there. I bought some Spendor A5s once and they turned out to be a disaster long term. 

..I do agree re: impressive vs engrossing. The Sopras are stunning for the 30% of the time I want to be shaken not stirred; just less good, in my set up, for the 70% of relaxed meditative listening I do. 

It may well be the speakers do not work in the room or with the rest of the system. Unfortunately a lot of cables are used as tone controls. Although I feel the cable range I use to be the most natural to my ears in my setup. All personal opinion of course. When I tried ther SL cables I felt they too acted as a tone control and tuned up the treble. Something I didn't like. They just didn't work in my setup with my ears and weren't what I'm looking for from my system. Again, my personal opinion. 

I think the dealer would have sent me home with them for demo'; it was originally discussed. But, I was so impressed I just did the deal. It never occurred to me that the sound in the longer term might become tiring. Shan't make that mistake again. It helps, moderately,  to know that even you, HH, have fallen foul of similar!

Agreed, too, Finkfan; and natural extension is that every element in and around the system is playing a part in the end sound? I suppose the quest is for one's own perfect synergy.  

..Finkfan, I note we're all three in Somerset and assume you've heard Wenger's system? p'raps I should write to him with an offer of plates of cake in return for a listen to his set-up?!

Yes I've heard it many times. We live 5 mins away from each other.

Sounds like a great idea to me! 

I wouldn't stress about cables the Key is how they sound over a long period.    I was initially bowled over by the Sopra 1 but having them in my lounge persuaded me otherwise.  As HH says far too shiny. 

Regards,

Lindsay

eagle3333 posted:

..Finkfan, I note we're all three in Somerset and assume you've heard Wenger's system? p'raps I should write to him with an offer of plates of cake in return for a listen to his set-up?!

Eagle3333,

Your welcome to come and have a listen, you can bring cakes to go with my fresh ground coffee!!!

Just to say brightness is not a characteristic of Sopra2's,  so it's curious to note your problem.

The Sopras do take along time to run in, as do cables.

As for the Ultra blacks, they are also in no way bright sounding.....???

I would suggest, come and have a listen....

Drop me an email and we can arrange... 

I have had my ex Demo Sopra N2 for about 7 weeks now. I am still pleased with them and have had to be patient while the 300DR beds in along with adding new power cords and interconnects.

I don't find any beaming as I move my head or chair.

During a period of finding the right power cords and interconnects the sound has changed, but I believe the Sopra have just told me what the changed item is doing. I'm still using a demo HiLine which has always been a good step. There was a period after I replaced the kettle cord with a PL to the 282/SuperCap DR when Martha Angerich's Legendary Chopin CD sounded too bright. By the time another PL replaced the 300DR PS's kettle cord that brightness disappeared. The third PL on the nDAC's XPS DR did next to nothing. I'm also trying Isotek Optimum and Elite power cords. The first does an amazing job on my Rega Aria Phono stage with Rega Couple 2 interconnects. The Chord Chorus, Anthem Reference and Signature TA deaden the sound enough to make it tiring and unmusisical. The PL cannot match the Optimum. Today I put the Elite on the XPS DR and it brought back the musicality without the piano being bright. I really want to try the Optimum there as well. Although I have a CDX2.2 I play through the nDAC to reduce interconnects. 

I now want to try more Optimums instead of PLs because they seem to do what Isotek say.

In conclusion I don't think you should worry about the Sopra 2's.

I hope this helps.

P.S. I'm only using 6.5m runs of Chord Odyssey 2 speaker cable with soldered Naim speaker plug on each cable.  

Thanks Filipe; I've got a hydra-style power set-up that made a noticeable difference for the better. So I think that's covered.

Wenger2015 - thanks a lot for the kind offer! I'm shooting (pictures) in Cape Town just now and back early April; but it would be a great opportunity for when I'm home and you have a window. I'll email you just now, as they say here. Happy to bring sufficient cake for three!

If your investment in power cords is not high it would be well worth getting your dealer to loan you some. The Isotek Optimum may prove a revelation to you. Start at the sources or preamp depending on budget. They sound different and better straight away but a few days of 24/7 running a CD at low volume should do.

The volume knob is quite a bit lower now so I must be saving electric!

There is more at https://forums.naimaudio.com/to...32#69567902117469632 

Phil

if I were you I would place the speakers apart between 9ft-8.5ft on the inner side and min 17in to 19in from the back wall with the spikes fully extended with 5-10 degrees of toe to start.....then fine adjust from there

Thanks Greekspec2. They're precisely 9' apart by centre of tweeters; 30" off the back wall; 18" in from side walls. Acoustic panels at first reflections on side walls, all corners and back wall. Spikes were fully extended but I wound them in to get tweeters slightly off the line of my ears (was bit better) Toe in is about 10 degrees - so I can just see inside walls from seating position. I will experiment more with toe-in.

My power cords are out of a hydra from CHC and are very good - as in they made a noticeable improvement to blackness and clarity, previously. I don't think it's a power supply issue.

My feeling is it may be solved by addressing one or a combination of 1) my room 2) the speaker cable 3) the amp or 4) the tweeter - as in it's the wrong speaker for my circumstances (system, room, ears..)  

Wenger2015 has very kindly offered me a demo' of his system and that is the most informative thing I could do. If it's less bright we know it's room and/or cables because my pre' definitely isn't bright and the 250DR should be very little different in this respect to his 300DR. If it's little different, to me, then it's the wrong speaker for me with a Naim amp.  

how far is the tweeter from your ear in the listening position