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Naim@higher Volume

I think not...
Like anything its an opinion, your more than welcome to have one. Im not a big fan of Naims S400 and feel some other Naim branded speakers are a bit shouty including my SL2. I like the S600 but never herd DBL or S800, as said Ive never herd the Yamahas so i cant comment. 1974 and still going strong says a lot but yes never herd them so couldn’t say other than don't lick the mids or tweeters in a fit of passion on a cold lonely night. To Focal what i don’t like could be the tweeter, i herd many Focals and find them a bit boring and polite, with my marmite ears they dont seem to light up so subjective just like art.
 
Maybe, but I still don't want a pair. In fact I can't think of any speaker with a metal dome driver that I would want.
I used to think that, but I've made an exception for the truly sublime yet ruthlessly revealing Yamahas.
 
Back to the start of the thread - I’ve always found Naim to be forward and shouty every time I’ve heard them. At any reasonable levels. Hence I’ve never wanted to buy their amps.

Focal speakers (in recent years anyway) are also quite forward with their Beryllium tweeter so they can get tiring to listen to. However they aren’t bad speakers. In fact the Diablos (which I’ve owned) are ruthless and need top quality but not shouty amps. Indeed the late great Derek Jenkins told me that an Ayre/Focal Diablo set up was the best he had heard.

I tried Yamaha NS1000 because I wanted to know what the fuss was about. They were good but not as good as my B&W 804D3 which I also had at the same time. I moved on the Yams

Try hearing NS5000s. They are truly sublime (I heard with with a Musical Fidelity Nu Vista amp)

Naim and Focal just won’t go unless you want your ears to bleed. That said, if our hearing at higher frequencies gets worse as we age, maybe beryllium is the way to go!
 
Back to the start of the thread - I’ve always found Naim to be forward and shouty every time I’ve heard them. At any reasonable levels. Hence I’ve never wanted to buy their amps.

Focal speakers (in recent years anyway) are also quite forward with their Beryllium tweeter so they can get tiring to listen to. However they aren’t bad speakers. In fact the Diablos (which I’ve owned) are ruthless and need top quality but not shouty amps. Indeed the late great Derek Jenkins told me that an Ayre/Focal Diablo set up was the best he had heard.

I tried Yamaha NS1000 because I wanted to know what the fuss was about. They were good but not as good as my B&W 804D3 which I also had at the same time. I moved on the Yams

Try hearing NS5000s. They are truly sublime (I heard with with a Musical Fidelity Nu Vista amp)

Naim and Focal just won’t go unless you want your ears to bleed. That said, if our hearing at higher frequencies gets worse as we age, maybe beryllium is the way to go!
I second this, most of it. We don't all hear the same. However a number of people think that Naim sounds harch. Forward, shouty, etc. Some people think that makes them exciting. If you like that, nothing else will do, with the possible exception of vintage Exposure which has a similar house sound. So choose it, or buy something else. Or tame it with laid back speakers or a soft and fuzzy front end, like the LP12 of the 80s and 90s. Like my 52/135/DBL owning friend of the 90s who couldn't find a CD player he liked but his Naim gear was great on vinyl. Pre Cirkus LP12, obviously. Cirkus was a step backwards.
 
Like anything its an opinion, your more than welcome to have one. Im not a big fan of Naims S400 and feel some other Naim branded speakers are a bit shouty including my SL2. I like the S600 but never herd DBL or S800, as said Ive never herd the Yamahas so i cant comment. 1974 and still going strong says a lot but yes never herd them so couldn’t say other than don't lick the mids or tweeters in a fit of passion on a cold lonely night. To Focal what i don’t like could be the tweeter, i herd many Focals and find them a bit boring and polite, with my marmite ears they dont seem to light up so subjective just like art.
I wouldn't make the claim about Focals.
However, stock, unmodified Yams are a fantastic speaker, and will clearly show whats going on upstream, and do this in a way that communicates space and dynamics particularly well. Very possibly sympathetic mods being further advances. But super clean and communicative as stock.
Whenever I've heard Naim speakers, the sound, well, like speakers. In one memorable case, Lintone Audio, like a transistor radio's speakers.
If you're really writing off all speakers which employ metal domes, it suggests that either you have untypical hearing, or haven't heard very many speakers. Youre writing off, BTW, some acknowledged great - greatest even - speakers, including classic Tannoys, TAD, JBLs, Yamaha, Altec, etc.

Do I think the Yams are the greatest? No, I'd use them myself if I did, but they are in a different league to anything Naim has ever achieved, speaker wise. As have the marques in my list above. They are desirable classics for a reason, just as Naim's speakers are not.
 
I wouldn't make the claim about Focals.
However, stock, unmodified Yams are a fantastic speaker, and will clearly show whats going on upstream, and do this in a way that communicates space and dynamics particularly well. Very possibly sympathetic mods being further advances. But super clean and communicative as stock.
Whenever I've heard Naim speakers, the sound, well, like speakers. In one memorable case, Lintone Audio, like a transistor radio's speakers.
If you're really writing off all speakers which employ metal domes, it suggests that either you have untypical hearing, or haven't heard very many speakers. Youre writing off, BTW, some acknowledged great - greatest even - speakers, including classic Tannoys, TAD, JBLs, Yamaha, Altec, etc.

Do I think the Yams are the greatest? No, I'd use them myself if I did, but they are in a different league to anything Naim has ever achieved, speaker wise. As have the marques in my list above. They are desirable classics for a reason, just as Naim's speakers are not.
I never mention metal domes, think it was Mr Pig. yes I see what you are saying, it’s very interesting to get a decisive opinion. Cheers
 
All of the Naim amps I had/have (Nait 1, NAP 110, 160BD, 250.5) were a bit shouty at high volume and more specifically in the treble area when matched with metal dome tweeters or other than soft fabric tweeters.
Naim = to be matched with proper tweeter.
Neat speakers could be the exception.
The stock 160BD has the sweetest and softest treble of all by the way.
Nevertheless, my "Avondaled" 110 is no longer harsh or shouty at all without losing all the qualities Naim is known for so problem solved for me.
 
FWIW, I have really not experienced a high volume = low control issue with Naim amps at all, but I have heard them highlight room-speaker compatability issues that others forgive.

I even rate Naim CD players - as long as that means the old CDS/ CS2/ CDS3 as good sources, so I don't see them as explaining this result myself.

On the other hand, I have never rated a Stageline or the Focal 2/ Naim combo (never heard them with other amplification).

Perhaps you just prefer the very different presentation of (say) Meridian, which I can certainly understand, and really notice the difference at high volume?
 


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