Naim SBLs for Nearfield Listening

I think so, but it might help you get some more replies  if you described what you mean by nearfield.

Sorry, yes 

I have a small room and sit close to the speakers.  Credo's work nicely but I've always like SBLs from many "musical evenings" etc (may well be rose-tinted specs though )

The SBLs I was looking at didn't turn out to be what I wanted so the opportunity to try didn't arise.  Thanks for responding .

Ken - where are you?

John.

IME close up listening to SBLs can be nice if used with a smaller amp with clean leaner bass; 140 or 180.

But the potential of the SBL is far better released with more power, and which requires more soundstage room, and so much better to be further away from the SBLs, than the SBLs are to each other.

In a small room, say less than 11 x 11 feet, SBLs wouldn't be my first choice of speaker, i'd look for a smaller good quality stand-mount.

Debs

Thanks for the response, Debs.

My 140 has now been swapped out for a 250 with clearly much better bass control although the 140 was never seemed lean to me.

Looks like the Credo's will be staying a while longer (I must have had them 15 years now).

I run active SBLs (82, SNAXO, 2 x SC, 2 x 250) in my 4x3 metres study and sit about 3 metres away. They sound superb.

Yes I know it’s overkill, but we’re looking to move house when we retire in 2-3 years time. They would then hopefully be in a “more suitable” room, at which time, if Debs is right, they’ll sound even better!

What’s not to like?

Thanks Suzy. That's very informative;  should a suitable pair of SBLs appear I may be tempted to give it a go.  It could just be a itch I need to scratch. Thanks

????  @ reduced box count

I listen to my SBL of about 2.8 meters. and it's great. There is also a difference between the distance of the two speakers. It is best for me 2.5 meters.

I've always thought of nearfield speakers as desktop-type setups, but I suppose my SBLs qualify in a broader sense. They're 1.8 metres apart and I sit 2.5 metres from them.

They sound great and I've never been tempted by anything else I've heard in the 12 years I've owned them. For context, a pic I posted in the system pics thread, taken from the listening chair.

Thanks for the feedback.  It's all food for thought.... 

2.5m apart and about 2.8m away here and sounding great. Had SBLs since 1989 and expect at least another 20 years out of them! And for context...

stuart.ashen posted:

2.5m apart and about 2.8m away here and sounding great. Had SBLs since 1989 and expect at least another 20 years out of them! And for context...

And a nice “12” on the left. Chris Harben plinth?

Cracking LP (I’ve got one as well). Tube of the Amber Nectar

OTOH the less said about the Christmas photo the better. Antlers??????

Suzy, standard Linn oak plinth but it is very nice. And yes, my dearest is wearing antlers lol.

My room is 11.5ft by 14.5ft and I used Credos for a few years and enjoyed them. Then I changed to SBls and it was quite an improvement.

I site across the room in and the distance between the speaker is only just short of the distance to the listening position. I've always had a little bass boom and the SBLs certainly reduced it having more control. One thing to bear in mind with SBLs is that any purchased now are going to be quite old and I would advise that you factor in replacing the tweeters. I did this fairly recently and it's like getting a new speaker.

mrm posted:

My room is 11.5ft by 14.5ft and I used Credos for a few years and enjoyed them. Then I changed to SBls and it was quite an improvement.

I site across the room in and the distance between the speaker is only just short of the distance to the listening position. I've always had a little bass boom and the SBLs certainly reduced it having more control. One thing to bear in mind with SBLs is that any purchased now are going to be quite old and I would advise that you factor in replacing the tweeters. I did this fairly recently and it's like getting a new speaker.

Very interesting as this is a similar size room and speaker/sitting position to mine.  My Credos have had new tweeters fitted last year making in made vocals so much sweeter so I would do the same with any SBLs.

Guinnless posted:

mrm posted:

My room is 11.5ft by 14.5ft and I used Credos for a few years and enjoyed them. Then I changed to SBls and it was quite an improvement.

I site across the room in and the distance between the speaker is only just short of the distance to the listening position. I've always had a little bass boom and the SBLs certainly reduced it having more control. One thing to bear in mind with SBLs is that any purchased now are going to be quite old and I would advise that you factor in replacing the tweeters. I did this fairly recently and it's like getting a new speaker.

Very interesting as this is a similar size room and speaker/sitting position to mine.  My Credos have had new tweeters fitted last year making in made vocals so much sweeter so I would do the same with any SBLs.

I thought you were thinking of much closer listening - don’t think this classes as ‘nearfield’ in the normal use of the term, as in recording studios, where one might be only 3-5 ft from the speakers (even if the room is large. This is actually just using medium sized floorstanders in what I would describe as a medium sized room (pretty average sized for UK), so I would be surprised if they couldn’t be made to work well with judicious choice of speaker and listening positions.

Yeah it looks like my incorrect use of "nearfield" has caused confusion ????.  I just assumed everybody else had large rooms.????

All the comments are appreciated especially as it looks like SBLs could be a viable option. So thank you to all respondents.

Cheers

Steve

If you have a small room, or small squire shaped room with Sibbles then the NAP 180 is an excellent good choice of amp due to it's lean clean bass, excellent benefits from musical detail but without the potential problems with dreaded room bass reverb : )

Debs

I used an active setup for my SBLs (4x135 and 52). It worked well in a number of different room configurations. Now have 600s driven by the same setup.