ULTIMATUM XL10 Loudspeaker

 

Our first encounter here with the new Neat XL10 was in July 2011 when we were very kindly loaned the prototypes for a week to demonstrate them to one of our overseas clients.

From the very first note it was clear that we were in the presence of a truly landmark loudspeaker design, hooked up to our Naim NAC-552/552PS + Naim NAP-500/500PS and fronted by our Linn Klimax DS/1 nothing quite prepared us for what we were about to hear.

One could get all "Hi-Fi" about this and comment upon deep extended tuneful bass, breathtaking openness and transparency or even holographic imaging and whilst all of this would be true of the new Neat XL10 you would be selling it short, it is the way that in conveys music pure & simple.

Over the week we spent with them, still running in, perhaps the greatest testament to them was the effect it had upon us, one found oneself searching out old favorites, Dire Straits and alike, just to hear them anew. Listening sessions went into the small hours of the night as it was almost impossible to drag yourself away.

Needless to say our overseas client ordered the entire system and at the end of our week with them when Bob (Surgeoner) came to collect them it was extremely tough to let them go and they have been sorely missed ever since.

All I can really add is that in my view Bob Surgeoner in combination with Paul Ryder have pulled off a work of undisputable genius with the Neat XL10 design and I suspect it will rapidly become a reference by which other designs will be judged. If you are in the market for a Loudspeaker £10k + you should definitely listen to the Neat XL10 first or place yourself in danger of acting in haste and repenting at leisure. If you are in the market for a loudspeaker £20k + you should also listen to the Neat XL10 first you could save yourself a fortune!

 

15th September 2011 Top Audio Show, Milan Italy. Twelve years after the launch of the MF9 it is replaced as the Ultimatum flagship by the XL10.

 

The Neat Acoustics Ultimatum XL10 will be available in November at a cost of £15,245.00 for standard finishes and £17,080.00 for premium finishes.

The ULTIMATUM XL10 loudspeaker adheres to all the principles that have ensured the ULTIMATUM series such enduring success. Primary improvements over the MF9 include: refinements to the cabinet; bracing and acoustic damping; a new HF unit and substantial revisions and improvements to the crossover. 

The ultra-rigid birch-plywood enclosure, unique baffle coupling technology, isobaric bass loading and twin EMIT ribbon-type super-tweeters are just some of the other elements of the design that delivers the ULTIMATUM promise of a lifetime of musical enjoyment.

 

The enclosure comprises eight discrete internal cavities each optimised for purpose. 
The bass volumes and mid/bass volumes are larger to suit the tuning while the main HF cavity is small to increase rigidity and to stop back pressure from the mid/bass driver adversely affecting the rear chamber of the tweeter.  the two EMIT super tweeters are similarly isolated. 

The main structure is damped 18mm Birch Plywood sourced from Scandinavian slow-growing forests as this ensures the, most dense, most consistent material. 

The drive unit baffles are constructed from a 45mm thick 'sandwich' of Birch Plywood, Polyethylene and MDF. This provides a rigid nonresonant platform, which is ideal for optimal performance of the drive units.

There are two separate isobaric loaded sub-bass sections, each with its own enclosure volume and tuning. These use the latest version of Neat’s 168mm drive unit, which has been developed and refined over a twenty-year period. The two sub-bass sections are critically tuned independently to maximize room location flexibility. 

The main mid/bass drivers are special versions of this unit, with an aluminium phase plug to aid dispersion and reduce dynamic compression. Again the volumes are of different sizes to reduce any possible resonant character.

A sealed sub-cavity contains the main HF drive unit. This is a modified SEAS XL SONOMEX domed XL unit with additional damping and support. A separate sub-cavity at the top of the enclosure contains two EMIT type super-tweeter drive units. 

The crossover is a minimalist 5-element type (plus damping & attenuating resistors) employing precise tolerance, low-loss air-cored inductors and newly developed polypropylene film & foil capacitors. The speaker exploits predominantly first-order crossover slopes and mechanical roll-offs for a natural, uninhibited performance.

Specifications

HF Unit: 26mm SONOMEX Domed XL

Super HF Units: 2* EMIT 25mm planar/ribbon

Bass / Midrange Units: 2* 168mm NEAT Bass/Mid Unit withAluminium Phase Plug

Bass Units: 4* 168mm NEAT Bass Units

Dimensions (hwd): 150x22x37cm.Footprint (wd): 35x51cm

Enclosure type: Multi-chamber, multi-driver array, incorporating isobaric internal cavity, plus upward firing supertweeters.

Sensitivity: 89db/1 watt.

Recommended amplifier power: 25 – 300 watts.

Impedance: 8 ohms average. Minimum 5 ohms.

Weight: 60Kg.Shipping weight: 140Kg. per pair.

Standard finishes: figured birch, black ash, natural ash, oak, cherry, walnut, rosenut.Premium high-gloss finishes: piano black, piano white, velvet cloud, red velvet cloud

New Naim ND5 XS

 

Naim has announced the addition of a new slimline network player to its XS Series. Managing Director Paul Stephenson introduced the new addition to a select group of journalists at the Top Audio Show in Milan.

 
The ND5 XS network player is a network-connected separates source. It offers UPnP streaming up to 24bit/192kHz resolution over the home network, either from network-attached storage or a hard disk player / server, such as Naim's HDX or UnitiServe models.

 

It has an in-built internet radio tuner and features Naim's Choice: a pre-loaded list of Naim's favourite internet radio stations, including an exclusive 320kbps stream from Radio Paradise.

 

It features a front-panel USB socket for digitally-connected iPod, MP3 players and memory sticks and three S/PDIF inputs for connection to external digital sources, such as a CD player.

 

An optional FM/DAB tuner module is also available. 

 

The ND5 XS follows on from the introduction last year of the NDX and has been engineered to integrate into the Naim range at the same performance level as Naim's other XS Series components.

 

The ND5 XS is performance-upgradeable, currently with the addition of an external XPS or 555 PS power supply and / or Naim DAC.

 

A matching slimline power supply will be available next year. 

 

The NDX will also be updated to stream 24bit/192kHZ audio. The update will be available once ND5 XS has commenced shipping, expected in October.

 

More information about this will be provided in due course.

The New Naim SuperUnity!

 

Well I suppose the best destcription might be what hapens if you cross a Naim SuperNait with a Naim UnityQute.

 

You will get a chance to see this new unit at the Summer Sounds event, check out our other news items for more details on this event.

 

 

 

 

 

This is the newest member of the NaimUnity family, set to become their new reference all-in-one player

 

The design borrows from siblings Naim SuperNait, NDX & nDAC resulting in a seriously audiophile offering claims Naim Audio

 

 

 

Features

 

UPnP enabled to stream audio files from any hard disk server, such as UnityServe or HDX, NAS or laptop/computer via a home network

 

Multi-format Tuner for FM/DAB/Internet Radop

 

vTuner 5* full service Internet Radio

 

Naim Choice allowing access to higher quality iRadio Streams selected by Naim 

 

Front-panel USB port for replay of MP3 player/iPod and USB stored audio

 

Will be Apple authenticated enabling digital output from iPod for ultimate quality iPod control, charging and front panel content display when connected to front-panel USB port via standard iPod digital  connector

 

Six 24bit/192khz-capable S/PDIF Digital inputs, BNC, RCA, 3*Optical and fronty panel optical for external digital sources

 

3.5mm front panel inputthat supports both analogue and digital sources

 

Three analogue inputs (DIN, RCA and 3.5mm front-panel socket

 

Two analogue outputs (DIN and RCA)

 

80w per channel into 8Ohm

 

Multiple intuitive control interfaces: Front panel, remote control handset, and iPhone / iPod Touch app - enabled for system automation, useful for those wishing to use a CD player alongside SuperUnity

 

Internal architecture for high-res audio playback upto 24bit/192khz over the network

 

Ethernet network connectivity for reliability, wireless also available for convenience

 

Plays/Streams WAV, FLAC Apple Lossless/ALAC, AIFF, MP3, Windows Media-formatted content, AAC and Ogg Vorbisfrom any suitable UPnP device or USB-connected storage device, Gapless playback available on all supported file formats

 

Zero S/PDIF Jitter design

 

16 times oversampling of 44.1khz or 48khz signals

 

Naim custom designed Digital Filtering and 16 times oversampling (aka Integer Upsampling)

 

Automatically switches to asynchronous sample rate conversion if input is out of specification

 

Memory buffered digital input

 

Naim custom designed digital volume control

 

Digital out on 75Ohm BNC connector (RCA adapter supplied)

 

Front-panel display with intuitive interface, remote-controlled

 

Front-panel 3.5mm headphone output

 

Front-panel logo touch-sensitive mute function

 

Linear Power supply with 400VA toroidal transformer with five seperate secondary windings

 

Seperate power supplies for control and DSP, DAC, analogue and L + R power amplifier

 

Ground selection switch for optimum performance

 

High quality Burr Brown DAC

 

Naim Classic Series, non-resonant, non-magnetic case

 

OLED display for high contrast

 

Designed and manufactured in the UK

 

 

 

 

Back to the future with Majik Isobarik

 

A new chapter is due to be written in Linn loudspeaker design with the inspired re-invention of a classic design.

 

Featuring a unique isobaric bass system which produces rich, deep bass from a relatively compact cabinet, Majik Isobarik is an ingenious reconstruction of a much-loved loudspeaker.

 

Launched in 1976, the original Isobarik loudspeaker featured twin bass drivers which worked together to improve bass extension, a patented technique which went on to feature in Linn favourites such as Sara and Keltik.

 

The new Majik Isobarik applies knowledge gained from the last 35 years of speaker development at Linn and combines a complete redesign of Isobarik bass technology with the latest advances in high frequency reproduction.

 

Majik Isobarik Technology Majik Isobarik features an 8” ported isobaric bass system which provides significant benefits:

 

 Very deep bass from a relatively compact enclosure. By doubling the driving force (two motors), doubling the moving mass (two cones and two voice coils), and doubling the stiffness of the suspensions we can produce the same deep bass extension using only half of the enclosure volume required by a non-Isobarik design.

 

 A reduction in distortion at bass frequencies. All bass drive units suffer from non-symmetry; the force required to push the cone forward is different to the force required to pull the cone inward. By mounting two bassdrive units in opposite directions (face to face) we can enforce symmetry and ensure a more linear response to the input current.

 

 Omni-directional bass, making positioning of the loudspeakers easier in any space. By mounting the Isobarik system in the underside of the enclosure the Majik Isobarik delivers truly omni-directional bass. This has significant benefits in reducing the deleterious effects of loudspeaker and room interaction.

 

 More bass output for the same electrical input. Firing the bass towards the floor increases the acoustic loading of the bass system allowing more acoustic power output. 2K Driver Array

 

 A more complete soundstage throughout the room for better sound wherever you’re positioned. The 2K driver array improves dispersion by significantly reducing diffraction.

 

Playback Performance Options

 

The Majik Isobarik can be driven:

 

 passively (single-wire, multi-wire and multi-amp)

 Isobarik Aktiv (bass Aktiv, mids and highs passive)

 fully Aktiv (8 channels of amplification plus Aktiv cards)

 

Our Isobarik Aktiv bass packages make it simple and cost-effective for a customer to replace their existing playback system by simply:

 

 adding a Majik 2100 with bass Aktiv cards plus Majik Isobarik(for those who already have a stereo amplifier)

 adding a Majik 4100 with bass Aktiv cards plus Majik Isobarik(for those who may have older amps e.g. LK, and wish to replace them)

 

The above pre-configured packages are available to end-user customers on an ongoing basis and include free bass Aktiv cards,

 

Phil Budd, Acoustic Designer, talks about the challenges of developing Majik Isobarik:

 

Our challenge from the outset was to produce a loudspeaker which retained the refined and articulate character of our current loudspeakers but packed a powerful punch at the low end.The key problem was dramatically improving bass extension without sacrificing performance or aesthetics.We made some key design breakthroughs with the Majik 109 (ported skoop) and Majik 112 centre channel(single bass driver design), but achieving similar improvements in bass extension with a floorstander was a new challenge.

 

Our initial plans were to use an 8” drive unit applied in a conventional way, but as we progressed throughthe development, we found that we could achieve greater results by returning to Isobarik principles.

 

The result is our reinvention of Isobarik: twin drivers placed face to face and down-firing beneath the cabinet for maximum bass extension and performance.

 

We believe Majik Isobarik is a speaker which will appeal to everyone, whatever their taste in music. It maintains the unmistakeable musical character of a Linn loudspeaker but thanks to the Isobarik bass system, it is also one hell of a party speaker

Linn's best just got better

Linn have announced upgrades for their Klimax range, and we now have both the old and new versions of the Klimax DS on demonstration here, affected units are as follows:

Linn Klimax DS

Linn Klimax Chakra 500 Twin

Linn Klimax 500 Solo

 

As an added and not insignificant bonus all products upgraded will have a new 5-year parts & labour gurantee from the date that the unit was upgraded.

Linn Klimax DS

 

There are two options for upgrading your Linn Klimax DS, either a stright forward upgrade costing £2,750.00 Inc VAT @ 20%.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alternatively your Klimax DS can be upgraded and a second unit built from the spare parts which will be known as the Linn Renew DS for £4,250.00 Inc VAT @ 20%, in effect you will have a second DS unit to use elsewhere on your network for just an additional £1,500.00

 

We will be happy to perform either of these upgrades for you, we are authorised to do so here at Ultimate, however if your Linn Klimax DS  has a serial number below 1191000 then it will have to be returned to the Linn Service department in Glasgow.

Linn Klimax Chakra 500 Twin

The upgrade cost is £1,400.00 Inc VAT @ 20% and all units have to be returned to the Linn Service department in Glasgow

Linn Klimax 500 Solo

The upgrade cost is £2,250.00 each Inc VAT @ 20% and all units have to be returned to the Linn Service department in Glasgow

 

Please note that serial numbers equal to or prior to 657850 cannot be upgraded until the summer of 2011