NOLA Speakers

I owned Circes for about 4 years and loved everything about them except their looks. They took a long time to place correctly (closer together than other speakers) but they sounded great in my room with a wide range of music. Maybe they are more forgiving than other speakers, but they were always a pleasure to listen to, from early Bix to Nat Cole, to Charlie Parker, to Coltrane. They did sound somewhat boxless, but due to the close placement, the soundstage was not quite as wide as you might be used to. Bass was very solid but not as powerful as you might expect with those big 10 inch woofers. I drove mine with 110 watts per channel of tube power and that was more than enough.

Randy

Greatings All,

I have acquired my dream speakers: a pair of Nola Baby Grands.  Does anyone have the manual for this, or any of the speakers that use the IP-1 Isolation technology?  I think I am missing some parts, but I am not sure.  Does the base ride directly on the bearings without a plate or race?  There are drillouts for what looks like either feet or another isolation mechanism but they are not directly above the platform ball bearings.  Help!  Thanks.

Not sure what you have here.  Looking at the picture on the website, and based on my Micro References, there is a small base that goes on the floor that should have some cutouts in it for ball bearings to be placed; the speaker's base goes on that.  Do you have that separate base?

I just rebuilt the Alon IIs that I got for pennies at an estate sale. They actually are a good speakers considering cost as well as age. My only complaint is the open midrange. Had to deal with the rear reflection. I have heard some of the NOLAs at shows and in these venues they sounded very good. Expensive but think I would audition if were I looking for new speakers. When I took my Alons apart I saw some good ideas being utilized. Carl says the new tweeter makes a great addition to the older Alons. I think they were about $ 800.00 each but dont quote me.

Looking at your post again, to be clear, the speaker itself is supported by the ball bearings that are placed in the cutouts for them in the separate flat base that goes on the floor.  I don't know if the Baby Grands have spikes for that base; my Micro References have a stand mount that does have spikes on the feet of the stand.

 

By the way, great speakers; hope you enjoy yours as much as I enjoy my Micros.