great overview. One of the best review series, with genuinely helpful details and comparisons. Next best thing to going to a dealer and auditioning them in person.
Nice review. We have the Neat isobaric SX3i monitors, chose them over many others, finding them to be very musical and very enjoyable. Although a touch fussy with stands.
A very fair and balanced review. I bought these speakers about 3 months ago having home demoed them against Proac Tablette 10 Signatures. With my room and setup, I much preferred the Neats. Great speakers for the money - I got them for £1220, just before their price increase, and the bonus of being British made.
You have picked a splendid array of standmounts for your '21 best of . . . I like what you said about the SX-3, in compare w/ the others. Very competitive, so the choice is yours. If I had the $, the SX3 and a great, high power tube amp, streaming HD, with the addition of the right sub.
Another well put together review, thanks. Though the speakers aren't as aesthetically pleasing as some, ive a feeling I might be beguiled by the depth of soundstage and some of the other characteristics you describe so well. Will look forward to your next one.
So who knew the clever devils at Neat Audio black anodized their inverted dome tweeters to look like silk ones? Guess inverted silk dome tweeters are gone the way of the Dodo after all. Glad to hear you found them pretty smooth and engaging though. Inverted domes, even metal ones seem to create a uniquely deep and immersive sound field, and I look forward to your sound demo of them and the ae500's. Another descriptively excellent review, Terry. Thanks
I agree with your assessment that they really need a sub. I use a pair of the previous Motive 3s (With the titanium tweeter )with a BK Electronics XLS 200DF ( Now superseded by the 300). The Neats and the sub both use a Peerless main driver and they gel fantastically well after spending some time adjusting the phase, level and crossover frequency. I am an ex professional hifi salesman who has tried loads of kit over the years and I cannot imaging getting better sound than this combination from anything else in my small listening room ( Actually a conservatory)
Nice review Terry ! Thanks , me still waiting for the 40th anneversity Comete to land at my place Santos rosewood ! If not i would have bought the Meta Kef has amazing imaging
Comparing the new entry with each of the previous ones, wow this is serious work! Even though at first I thought it was a bit unfair for any speaker to be found lacking in some area compared to the best of the bunch in that specific area, I think it’s all for the good in the long term for us audiophiles. Manufacturers will have some targets for product improvements if they keep an open mind and have some trust in good reviewers like Terry.
Thanks very much, I think its the best advice I can give because these are all good speakers all measuring pretty accurate with no curve balls as of yet - so how do you separate them by highlighting the strengths and what they maybe don't do as well as their peers :)
No need to be guilty re listening to Astrix. I'm checking it out right now on Tidal via Naim NAC-N 272, NAP 250.2 and ATC SCM 40s. Thanks for the idea.
i have the SX1 and they are more than wonderfull.. just crazy how good this company is pushing such good speakers .. to be honest they leave KEF far behind ...
I have the ATC SCM 12 pro's and wouldn't take them off my desktop system for any speaker. I use a little REL TZero sub under my desk. I power it with a 160 Watt Parasound A23+ I got used for only 900 bucks and a Pass Labs HPA-1headphone amp as the preamp that has an active 8db preamp buffer all discrete and a little Gustard X16 dac I will eventually replace with a Bricasti M3, Holo Audio May maybe or Auralic Vega G2.1 or used Mola MolaTambaqui we can't get Chord TT2's in the USA they are all backed up with covid.
Manufactured in UK is a great plus but visually aren't my cup of tea .I have a hunch sorry for being a sort of spoiler that ATC is going to grab the crown in this group test.. Time will tell
I so much like the Dynaudio Evoke 10 and 20 because of their rolled of treble and smooth fun sound. But I don't like their bass, a little too much for me. Which speaker comes close to them, with less bass?
I wonder how the SX3 would perform against the B&W 606 S2. I auditioned the SX3's, and I was extremely impressed by their sound - less so by their price.
George, I have B&W for many years, but for my kitchen I compared B&W CM1, B&W 706 S2 and SX3 today. The SX3 performed very well and sounds very nicely on acoustic music. Especially singer voices come across very well. I compared them both at the dealer and at home, and ..... even after having owned B&W for many years, I bought the SX3.
@@cmessi Hoi meneer of mevrouw C. de Neat SX3 worden aangestuurd door de Naim Uniti Nova. Een beetje te zware versterker misschien, maar de combinatie klinkt prima.
I’ve ordered these, it was very close between these and the Ophidian Mojo 2. The Mojo were bigger sounding and more impressive, but I felt the Neat was better in the long run. Mojo for impressing your mates, Neat for listening long term.
@@mrkitewine7700 Sorry, the Neats. They sound just right in my smallish room. Friends have been very impressed with them too. Neats just don’t seem to get the same coverage as many other brands.
@@gcb1954 yes, they are great and just sounded right, perfect size for what I wanted too, mine are also in the American Walnut. One thing I have noticed is mine don’t have the “N” embossed in the tweeter surround like some of them do. Neither do the ones in this video.
@@mrkitewine7700 Mine don’t have the embossed ‘N’ either. I home demoed mine against the Proac Tablette 10 Signature. It was very close, but for me the Neats just had the edge.
You need to check out Kali audio especially the latest second division of the in-8 v2 a lot of Buzz in the the professional world £300 a pair active monitors 3-way coaxial design 4 inch mid-range driver with a 1-inch soft Dome tweeter and a 8 inch woofer and good controls on the plate amp as well for fine adjustment
I think they're c£300 _each_ and not for a pair. Close-mic'ed sound demo available on Z reviews, posted today. They sound good, but if Terry ever gets time and is interested enough, would be much better to hear them as he would record them - from the listening position.
@@johncallaghan3097 no should be a pair I heard the ceo saying $370 for a pair that was questioned by the interview that was made apparent that is for a pair!
I don't know who buys such speakers, they looks really ugly. The most speakers you review look standard, nothing special, excepted LS50 Meta. I mean the speakers are also a part of your room and your interieur. Why don't you review Elac? They sounds great und look also nice. For example Elac Carina or Elac Solano?
DONT FORGET to check out my SOUND DEMO & COMPARSION for the SX3 vs Acoustic Energy AE500 ruclips.net/video/dFPT2k3z5ig/видео.html
great overview. One of the best review series, with genuinely helpful details and comparisons. Next best thing to going to a dealer and auditioning them in person.
Thanks very much really appreciate it :)
Nice review. We have the Neat isobaric SX3i monitors, chose them over many others, finding them to be very musical and very enjoyable. Although a touch fussy with stands.
A very fair and balanced review. I bought these speakers about 3 months ago having home demoed them against Proac Tablette 10 Signatures. With my room and setup, I much preferred the Neats. Great speakers for the money - I got them for £1220, just before their price increase, and the bonus of being British made.
Ye, the price increase.... With what amp and/or streamer do you pair the Neats? And have you also demoed his larger brother the SX2?
@@cmessi I’m using a NAD C368 with the BluOS module. I didn’t demo the. SX2 as I only wanted bookshelf speakers.
You have picked a splendid array of standmounts for your '21 best of . . . I like what you said about the SX-3, in compare w/ the others. Very competitive, so the choice is yours. If I had the $, the SX3 and a great, high power tube amp, streaming HD, with the addition of the right sub.
Another well put together review, thanks.
Though the speakers aren't as aesthetically pleasing as some, ive a feeling I might be beguiled by the depth of soundstage and some of the other characteristics you describe so well.
Will look forward to your next one.
So who knew the clever devils at Neat Audio black anodized their inverted dome tweeters to look like silk ones?
Guess inverted silk dome tweeters are gone the way of the Dodo after all.
Glad to hear you found them pretty smooth and engaging though. Inverted domes, even metal ones seem to create a uniquely deep and immersive sound field, and I look forward to your sound demo of them and the ae500's.
Another descriptively excellent review, Terry. Thanks
I agree with your assessment that they really need a sub. I use a pair of the previous Motive 3s (With the titanium tweeter )with a BK Electronics XLS 200DF ( Now superseded by the 300). The Neats and the sub both use a Peerless main driver and they gel fantastically well after spending some time adjusting the phase, level and crossover frequency. I am an ex professional hifi salesman who has tried loads of kit over the years and I cannot imaging getting better sound than this combination from anything else in my small listening room ( Actually a conservatory)
Nice review Terry ! Thanks , me still waiting for the 40th anneversity Comete to land at my place Santos rosewood ! If not i would have bought the Meta Kef has amazing imaging
Intriguing,, 😅
Cheers and thanks Terry,, 🍻😎👍
Comparing the new entry with each of the previous ones, wow this is serious work! Even though at first I thought it was a bit unfair for any speaker to be found lacking in some area compared to the best of the bunch in that specific area, I think it’s all for the good in the long term for us audiophiles. Manufacturers will have some targets for product improvements if they keep an open mind and have some trust in good reviewers like Terry.
Thanks very much, I think its the best advice I can give because these are all good speakers all measuring pretty accurate with no curve balls as of yet - so how do you separate them by highlighting the strengths and what they maybe don't do as well as their peers :)
I like SX3 the most among the rest I liked the tweeter and the base was good enough, overall I loved it
No need to be guilty re listening to Astrix. I'm checking it out right now on Tidal via Naim NAC-N 272, NAP 250.2 and ATC SCM 40s. Thanks for the idea.
I hope you can add focal 906 to the list
Was surprised by the little motives as well... When are the Ministra & Extra reviews going to be available...? ;)
i have the SX1 and they are more than wonderfull.. just crazy how good this company is pushing such good speakers .. to be honest they leave KEF far behind ...
With what amp and/or streamer do you pair the Neats?
I have the ATC SCM 12 pro's and wouldn't take them off my desktop system for any speaker. I use a little REL TZero sub under my desk. I power it with a 160 Watt Parasound A23+ I got used for only 900 bucks and a Pass Labs HPA-1headphone amp as the preamp that has an active 8db preamp buffer all discrete and a little Gustard X16 dac I will eventually replace with a Bricasti M3, Holo Audio May maybe or Auralic Vega G2.1 or used Mola MolaTambaqui we can't get Chord TT2's in the USA they are all backed up with covid.
Sounds like a WINNER.
I'm very happy with mine.
Manufactured in UK is a great plus but visually aren't my cup of tea .I have a hunch sorry for being a sort of spoiler that ATC is going to grab the crown in this group test.. Time will tell
great speakers , i have the sx3i that are even better.they work great with vinyl also
I so much like the Dynaudio Evoke 10 and 20 because of their rolled of treble and smooth fun sound. But I don't like their bass, a little too much for me. Which speaker comes close to them, with less bass?
Too much bass maybe move them away from a boundary or use some dsp to manage the bass, if you really like the speaker make it work in your room
I wonder how the SX3 would perform against the B&W 606 S2. I auditioned the SX3's, and I was extremely impressed by their sound - less so by their price.
Totally different speaker design with different priorates - Bowers are thinking dynamics imo and Neat pleasure and sound stage
George, I have B&W for many years, but for my kitchen I compared B&W CM1, B&W 706 S2 and SX3 today. The SX3 performed very well and sounds very nicely on acoustic music. Especially singer voices come across very well. I compared them both at the dealer and at home, and ..... even after having owned B&W for many years, I bought the SX3.
@@gijsschubert7901 Met welke versterker/steamer?
@@cmessi Hoi meneer of mevrouw C. de Neat SX3 worden aangestuurd door de Naim Uniti Nova. Een beetje te zware versterker misschien, maar de combinatie klinkt prima.
I’ve ordered these, it was very close between these and the Ophidian Mojo 2.
The Mojo were bigger sounding and more impressive, but I felt the Neat was better in the long run.
Mojo for impressing your mates, Neat for listening long term.
I bought these 6 months ago in the Natural Oak finish. They’re great also and I have no regrets.
@@gcb1954 was that the Neats or the Ophidians you bought? I’m really enjoying my SX3s they just sound “right”
@@mrkitewine7700 Sorry, the Neats. They sound just right in my smallish room. Friends have been very impressed with them too. Neats just don’t seem to get the same coverage as many other brands.
@@gcb1954 yes, they are great and just sounded right, perfect size for what I wanted too, mine are also in the American Walnut. One thing I have noticed is mine don’t have the “N” embossed in the tweeter surround like some of them do. Neither do the ones in this video.
@@mrkitewine7700 Mine don’t have the embossed ‘N’ either. I home demoed mine against the Proac Tablette 10 Signature. It was very close, but for me the Neats just had the edge.
You need to check out Kali audio especially the latest second division of the in-8 v2 a lot of Buzz in the the professional world £300 a pair active monitors 3-way coaxial design 4 inch mid-range driver with a 1-inch soft Dome tweeter and a 8 inch woofer and good controls on the plate amp as well for fine adjustment
I think they're c£300 _each_ and not for a pair. Close-mic'ed sound demo available on Z reviews, posted today. They sound good, but if Terry ever gets time and is interested enough, would be much better to hear them as he would record them - from the listening position.
@@johncallaghan3097 no should be a pair I heard the ceo saying $370 for a pair that was questioned by the interview that was made apparent that is for a pair!
Any thoughts on these vs Kef R3?
Why nait motive speakers use cheap driver peerless woofers and focal aluminium inverted cone?
Isnt it kill the naim gear
What means 'softer carved out in stoneway'?
Softer edges to the music not harder ones, bit softer sounding not as crisp sounding
@@PursuitPerfectSystem Oh, nice. That is exactly what I need. Sensitive ears. Thank you for the great comparison. Greetings from Holland.
Do you know how to connect to Bluetooth?
@Valiantjeff it’s a passive speaker you can’t there is no digital or Bluetooth with a passive speaker
These come in WALNUT/CHERRY?
They come in other finishes yes, not 100% sure what ones check the website neatacoustics.com/motive-sx3/
I don't know who buys such speakers, they looks really ugly. The most speakers you review look standard, nothing special, excepted LS50 Meta. I mean the speakers are also a part of your room and your interieur. Why don't you review Elac? They sounds great und look also nice. For example Elac Carina or Elac Solano?