All,
Yes I know that these speakers are in different leagues but I am interested in a coupld of general things;

1. Will the SL2s be more or less "toppy" than the Alyas (which have a rep for being very forward in their presentation).

2. The SL2s would be situated a couple of feet out from the wall either side of a chimney breast, half of each speaker would have solid brick (the chimney breast) within a foot of the rear of the speaker - will they work?

I may not get the chance for a home dem prior to purchase so any advice eagerly awaited,
Thanks,
Kevin.

Sorry my system is CDX/XPS/52/SC/250/Alyas at present!

quote:

I may not get the chance for a home dem prior to purchase so any advice eagerly awaited,

but .... these speakers cost a lot of money and may not sound ideal in your room despite being fantastic speakers in the right context ... are you sure you want to take that chance?

My advice would be never buy a speaker you cannot try out where you intend to use it! Seriously, the first time I demoed my current speakers they sounded terrible, I think because the room I heard them in at Holburn Hi-Fi was too small. I then heard them again in the Sound Org's Dem room which is somewhat closer in size to my own room and they sounded fantastic, so took them home, and after a few hours of messing around with positioning decided they weren't going back!

quote:

The SL2s would be situated a couple of feet out from the wall either side of a chimney breast,

i am not sure they will work well in that position. they probably need to be closer to the back wall...

enjoy
ken

It might work. To be honest I'd be surprised if they didn't annihilate the lttle Alyas even if they were placed suboptimally. That said, you never know, so the risk is yours!

Asbie,

For the sort of money you would be spending on SL2's you could get far more worthwhile musical improvements by paying attention to the front end, ie. upgrade to CDS3/555PS. Not that there's anything wrong with your system as it is, it's just that I question the allocation of so much money to new speakers when it could provide far greater real improvements if allocated eleswhere. Of course it's your money and your choice, but please do at least give serious consideration to the alternatives.

Peter

quote:

Of course it's your money and your choice, but please do at least give serious consideration to the alternatives.

Yes Peter

Good advice, but if Kevin can't audition then he'll never hear which approach gives the best sound per pound.

Whilst I am happy to say try this or that, I'm not happy for anybody to spend lots of money on my recommendation without listening for themselves, he may not like a sound that I think is wonderful - plus I don't know what the kit will sound like in Kevin's room.

Kevin has got a very nice system and I'd have though Allaes would be ideal, but I can't be sure because it is so room dependent.

ATB Rotf

djftw

quote:

Holburn Hi-Fi

I had a part time job there some time ago.....actually a very, very long time ago. Back in the days when Brian Peaston owned it. Nothing ever sounded that great in the demo room TBH!

Cheers

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:
Good advice, but if Kevin can't audition then he'll never hear which approach gives the best sound per pound.

Whilst I am happy to say try this or that, I'm not happy for anybody to spend lots of money on my recommendation without listening for themselves, he may not like a sound that I think is wonderful - plus I don't know what the kit will sound like in Kevin's room.

Kevin has got a very nice system and I'd have though Allaes would be ideal, but I can't be sure because it is so room dependent.

ATB Rotf

Rotf

Just to reiterate your point, I have an almost identical system to Kevin's (except 135s in lieu of 250) and Allaes didn't work out for me in my room. Yet I know how sublime they can sound.

Gary

Thanks to all for the advice, I know it's a risk on the SL2s, they are at a price point whereby I could sell on and at least get my money back so I might have a flutter.

TBH I am amazed that I have got so far with the Alyas, every time I have a bit of spare cash I seem to spend it on the electronics rather than the speakers which I guess by now should be completely outclassed - they still sound good to me though - not perfect but ALIVE.

My local dealer is offering a pair of Neat Momentum 4i to have a go with your so will also try them.
Cheers,
Kevin.

Rotf and Gary,

I am confused, I thought Kevin had Rega speakers not the Allaes. Anyway I take your point that they may not be ideal in Kevin's room, whatever they are. I had thought that Kevin simply wanted to upgrade rather than to correct a problem. Still, I would say that something like n-Sats and n-Sub would be a far more appropriate choice than SL2's. Good though Kevin's system is, I think it is some way off what wouild be considered ideal for driving SL2's in terms of getting the best sound per pound.

ATB,
Peter

Kevin,

I am in a similar situation in that I have IBL's which I have stuck with through many. many electronics upgrades all the way to my present CDS3/XPS2, 252/Scap2, olive 250. I still feel that there is considerably more to come from them if I had the funds to further upgrade the electronics (which I don't!). If you do have a problem with your speakers, why not consider the n-Sats/n-Sub? I know that some forum members swear by them on the end of some very expensive kit. This would leave you free to perhaps upgrade to CDS3, a massive musical step up from your CDX. Just a thought. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

ATB,
Peter

quote:

Originally posted by pjl:
Rotf and Gary,

I am confused, I thought Kevin had Rega speakers not the Allaes. Anyway I take your point that they may not be ideal in Kevin's room, whatever they are. I had thought that Kevin simply wanted to upgrade rather than to correct a problem. Still, I would say that something like n-Sats and n-Sub would be a far more appropriate choice than SL2's. Good though Kevin's system is, I think it is some way off what wouild be considered ideal for driving SL2's in terms of getting the best sound per pound.

ATB,
Peter

Peter

I was just in a round about way agreeing that he (Kevin) needs to try things in his own room. I had a very bad experience with my Alleas but now use nsats/nsub (so good call).

Peter, if memory serves me you use IBLs? I also have pair of cherrished IBLs with I bought from new back in 1988, so you know I have good tastes in speakers.

Kevin, be warned with a chimney breast to contend with, you certainly need to hear the speakers in your room, that was my problem.

Gary

quote:

Originally posted by Exiled Highlander:
Nothing ever sounded that great in the demo room TBH!

Hi,
Was this back in the day when they use to sell mainly B&O systems? (if i've got the right shop)

I never went in the shop, but i use to marvel at the displays of the B&O gears in the shop window when i was uneducated, and had never discovered the world of naim then.

Chic mean't meant everything to me back in those days.

Kevin,
A home demo of a few loudspeakers is a must methinks, though i have found naim speakers work in most locations with a heavy heart and soul but is worth it in the end.

Steve

Gary,

Yes I do have IBL's. I've considered changing to n-Sats and Sub myself but always seem to plough in the money elsewhere when I can. I've recently bought a Hiline and have a Powerline on order. Basically I love the IBL's but sometimes wonder if n-Sats would be a bit easier to live with. I need to listen obviously. It's all a bit academic now as I can't afford to change/upgrade anything else for a long time (if ever!).

Peter

quote:

Originally posted by pjl:
Gary,

Basically I love the IBL's but sometimes wonder if n-Sats would be a bit easier to live with.
Peter

Peter

The nsub is fabulous, but I keep putting my IBLs back on (with the sub, which is amazing BTW) and thinking why did I bother with the nsats - they look pretier, but thats about it.

Gary

Stephen

quote:

Was this back in the day when they use to sell mainly B&O systems? (if i've got the right shop)

Good grief.....thankfully no! that would have been Bruce Millers on Union St. We were a Linn dealership, along with all the old faithfuls of the day like A&R, Heybrook, Sugden and eventually Oracle and Krell.

You had to go 35 miles down the cost to Montrose to find Naim and the excellent Robert Ritchie's (still a fine Naim retailer by all accounts).

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread!

Jim

Gary,

Thanks for that. It seems the way to go is to add the n-Sub when (if) funds ever permit. I've only ever heard it as part of a cinema 5.1 surround set-up but as you say it seems very good (and people even use it with SL2's). I think that the IBL's use the mid and treble drivers used in the DBL's, so presumably adding the n-Sub gives something broardly approximating DBL's! I can't wait! Now if only I had some spare cash....

ATB,

Peter