I think this might have been covered before but I can't make "Search" work ..... so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Trying to set up my recently purchased SL2's but am finding that the treble is harsh and unacceptably sibilant. I realise that this might settle down as the speakers get used to their new location and my ears/brain gets used to the sound, but the ssssibilance is really there!
I'll try some changes to the soft furnishings etc. today, but wonder if;
a)anyone has had (and fixed) the same problem or
b)anyone has some useful tips on set-up.

System is CDS3, 252,Supercap,135's, NAC5, Naim speaker plugs into SL2's. Speakers around 20cm's from wall toed in by around 10 degrees, well out from the corners (1 metre or so). Firing length ways down a 5 x 4.5 metre room which is constructed of brick/block and plaster with a solid floor. There's a fireplace down one of the long walls with a chimney breast standing around 40cm's into the room.

Any advice other than move house or sell speakers welcome!!

Yanntoe

Yanntoe,

have a chat with Cymbiosis, Peter, he is the expert at setting up speakers. He set up Andy c's SL2's perfectly.

From what I remember of the SL2's they didn't produce sibilance, so make sure you have them set up as best you can.

Regards


NB

Could it be the 135's?
Anyone compared the SL2 with 135's v 300??

Yanntoe

Yanntoe,

Never heard a trace of sibilance with my SL2's.
Maybe you should look elsewhere in the replay chain for the cause of the problem.

52 pre, 250 power.

Cheers Robert

Yanntoe

I've had my SL2s for a month or so and have never noticed a trace of sibilance; in fact I find their treble quality really exceptional. Mine were ex-dem, but I wonder if yours need a lot longer to run in. I use mine firing across a room 15' by 11'6", and located either side of a shallow fireplace, about 5" out from the wall and with no toe-in. The only difference in our systems is that I use a 250.2; have you thought of borrowing one from your dealer to try?

In terms of setup the only thing I found hard is getting them level on the decoupled stands. One thing I found helpful is to level them with the tweeters attached; in this way you can see really easily if you are twisting the stand.

The only other thought is your rack - you don't say what you are using and the sibilance may be a rack effect. I would regard Fraim as virtually essential in a system of this quality.

Regards

Nigel

Thanks guys,

Maybe they do need a bit longer to run in - but it was a bit of a depressing first listen!!!
I reckon that re-levelling them with tweeters attached has helped as has moving them slightly, however, they are still harsher than I'd like.

The rest of the chain should be OK, its all on Fraim, and the 252 is less than a year old.

Do you reckon a 250.2 would be better than the 135's (late models)? Anybody got any experience with the different tonal qualities of the 250.2 or 300 v the 135's? I suspect they might be a little less brutal but as the bank balance has taken a bit of a hit recently (252,CDS3,SL2's) I think I may have already "anticipated my income" to a level likely to cause domestic friction!
However, if the power amp is the next thing to go I'd better start saving before I speak to my excellent and very long suffering dealer!!!! Otherwise that instant gratification gene is likley to take over and before you know it ......

I'll let you know!

Cheers

Yanntoe

Greetings Yanntoe;

SL2's are of course not sibilant by nature, and will need some running-in if they are brand new. That said; warning bells ring with me when a new Naim product is described as 'unlistenable for three weeks'.

Any piece of new Naim kit should blow your socks off, out of the box. What follows is icing on the cake.

Do try a new 250.2 or 300 if you can - the new amps do have a generally more three dimensional sound, and are more sophisticated at the top end. The most likely culprit though, is that old unquantifiable demon - room acoustics.

How are you getting on with damping experiments?

Any chance of a photo?

John.

HI,
I don't get your problem with my sl2's, but I do have a bass problem in my room which means speaker positioning is a trade off between bass weight, and clarity everywhere else.

I have dampened my room down considerably using furnishings and curtains.

i would also say the SL2 is much clearer and farr less bright than the SBL it replaced (in my room anyway).

If yours are not run in, that may be the issue.

regards,

andy c!

Try moving your speakers around. Closer to the backwall may halp to tame the sibilance.

Mark Russell

Hi Yanntoe

Well that is exactly how I found the SL2,s -very bright and aggressive with almost no bass.They were Naim's demo pair so they were well run in.Doug at Naim said that they are very room dependant.

Cheers
Trevor

Quote:-

Maybe they do need a bit longer to run in - but it was a bit of a depressing first listen!!!
I reckon that re-levelling them with tweeters attached has helped as has moving them slightly, however, they are still harsher than I'd like.
_______________________________________________________________

Give them a few months at least, you should never judge a product on first listen. At least give tem chance to settle down and then report back to us.

Regards


NB

Topsymac,

Out of interest where did you hear them ? Who set them up ? Which of our demo pairs were they ? What was the partnering equipment ? Were they run in ? etc etc etc

They are probably no more room dependent than any other loudspeaker, with the proviso that they should be positioned in very close proximity to a rear load bearing wall.

Best Regards,

Paul

I use my SL2's with 135's and, once they were broken in, they exhibited no sibilance.
The break-in period is quite long, but perhaps driving them harder than I did might shorten it some. In my case, it took probably 6 months, or so, for them to really shine.
As mentioned above, they need to be on solid flooring and against a load-bearing rear wall. Also, make sure they are level and the tweeters are centered in their cutouts. Mine are not perfect, but I hope this is not supercritical as long as the edges of the tweeter do not touch the edge of the cutout at any point.
I have experienced other speakers sounding the same as you describe at the onset, too. My Proac 1sc's, for one, and they sound very smooth now, as do the SL2's.
My suggestion would be to hook up your system, let everything settle in nicely for at least a few weeks, then re-evaluate the sound and let us know. The NACA5, if new, will need some time, too.
You should find that everything gradually sounds better and better, with an occasional period when it may sound worse (don't know why) for a short time.
When it is finally right, you shouldn't be able to wipe the smile off your face, or keep your foot from tapping.
I realize a number of people do not believe in break-in of electronic equipment, but I am convinced otherwise.

135's vs 300

After having my 135's in my system for the past 13 years ,I upgraded to a 300 this summer.
(cdx,82,135's vs cdx,52,sc,300)
What I did find was that the new setup shed light on the limitation of my CDX, as well the 300 took me from a front row sonic presentation, say row 5, to that of a more mid hall,
row 25 .Everything is more detailed and ballanced with the the 300 but the WOW factor has receded, its definitely more refined but just not as powerful a presentation to my ears as the 135's gave me.The additional information and detail that I hear from the 52/300 is almost distracting from the musical presentation.As far as the treble quality or siblance, if anything it is perhaps slightly more laid back, but then again the entire sonic presentation seems more laid back to me.
Yes, my new gear is trying to break me of my unrefined ways and remind me to upgrade my front end ,but now I find that I am just not as compelled to listen to my music as much as I used to . Its just not as interesting to me now.Condem me as you may but the "close to the front of the hall"
sound that my 135's spoiled me with for the past 13 years is still ingrained in my memory. Perhaps spending more money on gear or therapy will cure me of my evil ways.
You should dem the 300 in your system and see if it helps you. Call your dealer now!
Good luck,
Jay

Jay;
I'd say that's a fair summation of the difference in presentation between 135's and a 300. I love the sound of my 300 and prefer it to the rather more 'up-front' 135 sound (I've had two sets).

However; your post illustrates that these differences really are a matter of personal choice.

Yanntoe - have your 135's been serviced recently?

Thanks for all the info everyone.

My 135's are 2002 models and although they shouldn't need a service, one tends to be quieter than the other (about "1hour" on the volume dial). I'm trying to find a time to take them down to Salisbury - but can't bear to be without the music!!

I've now moved everything around again, rehung the curtains, added some plants, moved the sofa away form the window (i.e. changed the listening position), rebuilt the Fraim and repositioned the rack onto the other side of the room and re-aligned the speakers to reduce the toe-in.
Having done all that and after a bottle of wine it all sounded better ........ but still too "toppy"!!
Final tweak is going to happen now after which I'm off to Germany for a few days!! (to recover).
I'll let you know whether either my ears or the system have adjusted to each other when I get back!

Cheers

Yanntoe

It sounds like you need a break! If possible, leave the system playing while you are away.

Nigel

You need a rug in your room.

Anyone mentioned curtains?

Regards


NB

NB,



seriously tho, curtains do dampen the room down well, especially in the mids and hig frequencys in my experience. The differance is well demonstratable in my room, where I have a pair of think curtains that when drawn go behind the listening position. The result is not necessarily less treble, just more clarity and separation.

My SL2's fire down the room, towards a set of glass panelled doors that split the living and dining rooms.

regards,

andy c!