NEAT Acoustics. Any users here?

[Progmeister]

I am still on the look out for a pair of speakers and spotted a pair of Momentum SX5i's in a local dealer. Has anyone experienced these speakers and if so what is your impression? Indeed are their many Neat Acoustic users here among subjectivists? I know that they are a UK manufactures based in the North East and the majority of their wares are quite expensive. Does anyone know if they make their drivers in house or buy them in? Your views would be helpful.

[Daniel Quinn]

If they don't make a selling point of driver manufacture , they are bought in. This rule is universal

[Daniel Quinn]

If they don't make a selling point of driver manufacture , they are bought in. This rule is universal.
.
Thier website is silent on this issue

[Geoff.R.G]

If they don't make a selling point of driver manufacture , they are bought in. This rule is universal

A very valid point DQ and of some importance, especially so if they neither acknowledge the fact nor say where their drivers come from.

[karatestu]

They do a lot of isobaric designs don't they ? Or am I confusing them with another ?

I doubt they are a big enough concern to make their own drivers.

[Progmeister]

If they don't make a selling point of driver manufacture , they are bought in. This rule is universal.
.
Thier website is silent on this issue

Yes i noticed that too Daniel. Good point. I have read in a HiFi+ article that they use Peerless bass drivers in some of their up market designs. I am intrigued by the company's design evaluation process which involves listening tests rather than merely measurement. Because of their small capacity like any small business their prices seem a little high to me. Unless it's my stingy Northern reluctance to part with money ha ha. The speakers i am interested in are a pair of Momentum SX5i at a very reasonable price. What is concerning me is that reviews suggest the use of the optional tri-laminate feet kit. When i contacted Neat via their FBP i was advised that the kit would cost £575. These are reputed to significantly enhance the performance of the speaker. I think it boils down to whether or not the speakers are great without them or if i am willing to shell out the ridiculous asking price for the optional feet. I was wondering if there wre many Neat advocated here?

[Lindsayt]

Neat Momentum SX5i's are slimline low efficiency ported speakers.

If you can house them, why not get speakers that are happy to be placed near a wall with bigger woofers / higher efficiency / not ported?

The Momentums are worth a punt if you can get them for under £400, or at a price that you are confident that you could sell them on for a nice profit.

The Neats I've heard so far have not impressed me. The impression that I've gotten is that they are run of the mill slimline ported low efficiency speakers. The Isobaric design isn't a magic potion that transforms them into something wonderful.

[Progmeister]

Neat Momentum 5xi's are slimline low efficiency ported speakers.

If you can house them, why not get speakers that are happy to be placed near a wall with bigger woofers / higher efficiency / not ported?

The Momentums are worth a punt if you can get them for under £400, or at a price that you are confident that you could sell them on for a nice profit.

The Neats I've heard so far have not impressed me. The impression that I've gotten is that they are run of the mill slimline ported low efficiency speakers. The Isobaric design isn't a magic potion that transforms them into something wonderful.

£400

[Lindsayt]

Yes. It's all down to what else you can buy or build for under £1000.

There will be some people that will think "I can buy Neat Momentum SX5i's for £1500. They were £4000 when new. That makes them a bargain."
But it doesn't. All that means is how excessively overpriced they were when new. Along with a dealer's shed load of other low efficiency slimline ported speakers.

[Toontrev]

I owned a pair of Neat speakers for a few years and liked them. Brought them to a bake off where they did quite well. Not the same model, they were the smaller 'Motives'. Moved them on and now use Cube 2's.
Wouldn't go back, but nicely finished and one of the better speakers I've had over the last 40+ years.