advertisement


advice about Neat Elite SE

tof

tof

pfm Member
Hello,
A beautiful and musical new year to all!
I have the opportunity to put my hands on a pair of Neat Elite SE, but I have to decide on the purchase before listening to them.
FYI I use to have Heybrook HB2, Linn Kabers, Linn kans, Naim SBLs, ATC SCM12 and now I have a pair of James Ergo-IXs (in my opinion, the best of the list)
Since my son "borrowed" my Ergo-IXs, I am using ATC SCM12s, which are quite good but less lively than the Ergo-IXs, and slightly "aggressive" at high levels.
I have in mind to build a 2nd pair of Ergo's but I am wondering whether the Neats could be an interesting (and lazier) alternative ;-) ...
What is the opinion of Neat Elite SE owners and ex-owners? any input appreciated
thanks
JC
 
Happy New Year, I had Neat Elite SE for a couple of years with my Farlowe era amplifiers, they sounded great, quite fast but not shouty, good with all types of music. I then moved on to Neat Momentum 3i which were as good but more acceptable at home! Then i moved onto Neat Ultimatum MFS which were fantastic speakers but just too much for our shared space. I always found the Neats to be great speakers with my Exposure amplifiers and have heard they work really well with Naim as well. The other bonus is that Bob at Neat is a genuinely nice guy with a real passion for what he does and always happy to offer advice. I have since moved on to Shahinian speakers which work better in our home environment but i still remember the Neats fondly. Hope this helps?
 
I’ve had a pair of Neat Elite SEs for a dozen years or so. Always liked them, but they’d mostly been in the second system, just because their shallow cabinet depth worked well on a particular fireplace plinth. Recently, they’ve had a resurgence at my place; a better Naim set up (nice used 202/200), and an innovative base stand gave them brand new life in my den. The SEs sit on a glass plate, which sits on carbon fibre spacers, on a hardwood T-shaped base, with spikes and protectors on the wood floor. This raises the bottom port of the speaker cabinet about 3-4 inches off the (otherwise) resonant wood floor.

The SEs sing like never before; vocals seem rounder, the bass is tighter, the high frequencies as sweet and clear as ever. Just learned how important proper set up is for these guys; they’ve become great all-rounders. They do strings - acoustic or electric - with particular beauty and resolution. A tremendous value if you find a nice used pair. Well, they would have to be used, last produced in 2008…Also sounded good with Rega Elicit-R, Arcam FMJ A38.

Happy hunting!
 
Madscientist and Panderos, many thanks for sharing your experience with the Elite SE s
May I ask for their minimum recommended distance to the rear wall?
And anybody having heard both Elite SE and one of the speakers I have owned (SBL, Kabers, SCM12, E-IXs) who may express their relative performance ?
 
Neat used to suggest starting at approx. 30cm from the rear wall and 60cm from side walls and experimenting from there. There is a small rear port to consider.

I only ever heard these once at a local dealership when the area sales rep had brought both Elite and Petite, along with a lovely sounding LFD integrated in.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tof
I had Neat elite SE for over 10 years and they were great on the end of a Nait 5i

Very enjoyable speakers although quite in your face - sounded great for the cost I thought (second hand about £500ish) and when I moved them on for Tannoy Eatons last year the new owner was pleased too.

mine were quite close to the wall approx 20cm which was fine if not loud…if you prefer louder volume you would need to pull them out to avoid a bit of bass boom.

All in all a fab speaker I’d say and if available at a good price go for it as they are quality stuff
 
I had mine out about 30 cm from the wall; closer than I placed many standmounters with larger rear ports. Can’t say I did serious testing with closer placement. As mentioned, I was more concerned with potential for interaction between the bottom port and the floor; got that sorted.

To Seagullsnacker’s point; I don’t find them particularly in your face on the end of my NAP202/NAC200; but they are certainly voiced to sound very alive with Naim - perhaps that means the same thing to some. I found them nicely balanced, but certainly vivid. The chap that sold them to me is something of a Naim/Neat specialist - he didn’t feel a Nait 5i would have enough grunt to control them. But I never tried myself; my Nait 5i came and went before I had the Elites.
 
Called up the Elites for active duty; I had been running in a new pair of Totem Signature Ones.

The Elites are about 8 feet from each ear, and close to 8 feet apart. Listened to some progressive jazz - from 1971 - Beaver and Krause, ‘Gandharva’ featuring Gerry Mulligan’s sax in the marvelous deconsecrated Grace Cathedral. Man! I think that music reconsecrated the space! Then over to Van Morrison’s ‘Moondance’ with its upbeat jazzy elements and Van’s tapestry of instruments, his rough but musical vocals. Thing is, these Elites really do it all; the bass is robust, the spatial effects profound, the percussion snappy and precise, the vocals with the music within that raw edginess of Van’s voice; the bite of sax and electric guitar when called upon. And yet the highs as sweet as can be when played that way.

Why did I buy any other speakers after these? A combination of ignorance and general restlessness. Ignorance, because they never sounded this good, before the Naim NDX2 with NAC 202 and NAP 200, and yes, the custom bases under the speakers…
 
tof said:
Hi Panderos,
how would you compare the Elite SE to your Totem Signature Ones ?
Click to expand...

It’s a good question Tof, but I need more time going back and forth. Going by manufacturer’s advice, the Totems need more run-in time; as much as another 100 hours. The Elites were fully run in long ago. At this point - the Elites are more resolving of fine detail in the high frequencies, as with harp strings, and the bass weight seems comparable, but more articulate with the Elites - easier to distinguish the notes of lower register bass strings, and separate those from even deeper synthesizer or pipe organ effects. Percussive thwack seems crisper, and the rumble of a kettle drum maintains its unique signature. Detail such as a brush on cymbal or high hat is cleaner and less smeared or slushy. Some of these distinctions noted with early music, such as with Rolf Lislevand / Kapsberger Music Ensemble; Santiago de Murcia, Codex #4, but also with the progressive-in-1971 jazz of Beaver and Krause Gandharva, referenced above.

But again, these are early impressions, and perhaps subtle distinctions - they may alter with a little time. And the Elites may have a certain advantage with my Naim kit, since there is a conventional wisdom that Neat speakers were voiced with Naim and Exposure amongst other electronics. The Totem Sigs are still a compelling and rewarding listen, likely with potential not fully realized…and they are by no means disgraced as things stand.

And all of this of course in one particular smallish room, with about an 8 foot listening distance.
 
Great review! thanks very much for your feedback and keep on enjoying your speakers!
 
53514331334_0c6694330f_b.jpg


I bought a pair of Neat Elite SX in December 2023. Driven by a 35W Onix OA22 integrated amp, the Elite speakers sound fantastic. Bass is deep, vocal is very clear and channel separation is very good. I am well impressed with these speakers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top