NEBO Blog

[YNWaN]

Good for organ music but not exactly the last word in bass timing....

[Arkless Electronics]

Good for organ music but not exactly the last word in bass timing....

I'd pretty much agree with that.... In fact IMHO not exactly the last word in any area..

How about KEF Reference 4's? A stonking speaker one rarely hears anything about.... bigger than TLS80 though (height wise). If I had the space they would be high on my own list!

Good write up in the blog Steve

[Macca]

Bass timing on IMFs is not as bad as you might think. Granted it is not class leading but it is not so bad it's a deal-breaker.

[Arkless Electronics]

I've just been unimpressed with all IMF speakers I've heard.... extended deep bass yes but every other parameter I would mark as average or average-
YMMV

[Macca]

Final verdict on mine will have to wait until I've re-capped them, but as is the bass is a lot less ponderous than I had been led to believe by what I have read. I suppose it will depend on the room and their position in the room. Give them plenty of space fore and aft and it is not an issue.

[DSJR]

I've just been unimpressed with all IMF speakers I've heard.... extended deep bass yes but every other parameter I would mark as average or average-
YMMV

You needed to be there Jez, with a Crown IC-150/D-150 amp, master grade source (CD these days) and some big IMF's doing full justice to the Hendon Brass band playing 'Stars And Stripes Forever.' Nothing 'ordinary' about that sound I can assure you and incredibly realistic, but you have to accept that most domestic grade amps just won't be able to control the bass properly. A few years later when we had our Linn and Naim 'chips' inserted where the sun don't shine, the last few of the IMF Pro Monitor 3 Improved came our way to sell through and they sounded exactly as you describe with a vinyl source - bloated, boomy with pressure waves in your ears and 'meh' laid back mids. Knowing what I know now, it was the fruitbox source and bolt-up Naim amp just not matching the speaker requirements.

TSL50's were the dinky ones and were probably the easiest to drive I think. The plastic surround mid driver in macca's pair is identical to the one in my old Compact mk1's and it's incredibly clear and even tempered.

[Arkless Electronics]

Those are crap amps. I have two DC300's myself so I know. And a mate of mine who had RSPM for years used a DC300 himself to drive them. Very tight bass (nothing to do with damping factor) but nothing else to commend those amps. We can at least agree on Linn and Naim amps.... I don't like either and in fact Linn amps have been some of the worst I have ever heard! Think of the worst case of "grey" , "leaden", "flat", "grainy" solid state sound and you have the early Linn amps....

[Macca]

I've got a Linn LK100 - it's a bit noisy compared to the XTZ (might need the caps doing) but otherwise it is competent.

[Arkless Electronics]

We'll have to agree to differ on that one... probably better than LK280 though! I've yet to hear a Linn amp I regard as even competent.

[Macca]

Your not the first double E I've heard say that.