I found these speakers used for $1100 cnd (thus the value rating of 5 stars) in almost mint condition. I've done quite a bit of reading on them before taking the jump. After getting some to go through all my records and really getting to know the speakers I would have to go ahead and agree with everyone here who has given them rave reviews. For my listening needs I enjoy a well balanced sound with tight bass along with an emphasis on details. If you are looking for the same things, and want your music to shine effortlessly in a concise controlled manner then look no further. I hope you can find a great deal on a used pair, as you wont be disappointed for the sort of value you'll be getting. I can't see you getting much better brand new at the $1000 price range.

As for those who were disappointed by the speakers and complained about them being 'too bright' or 'lacking in bass' I can only assume that they:

1) Didn't set the Ninkas up properly (as was the case during my demo from a dealer who had them without pegs sitting on wooden boxes) or general poor acoustic positioning (see manual).

2) Their amp is not really made to run 4ohms or lacks power.

3) Or just simply they do not appreciate a well balanced sound that is composed and tight without any theatrics or flash - and just allows the music to speak for itself.

When positioned right (with pegs firmly placed on hardwood floor) I have never found them to lack bass or be fatiguing with bright details while listening to everything from electronic, indie/alternative, experimental and classic rock/blues.

Lastly, I would like to say that I am running the speakers at 120wpc bi-wired (not bi-amped) and I feel like the sound is quite adequate and even good enough to rock the entire room at higher volumes. But even when pushed I have the sense the Ninkas are barely breaking a sweat. The possibilities for bi-amping or other bi-wire configurations that would allow for independent powering of the highs/mids and lows really allows you to get more out of an already great speaker down the line with further amplification upgrades.

Image like mad. Equally great for jazz and mellow stuff and if you wanna crank some Gov't Mule. No fatigue. My problem is the power plant I have that's driving my Ninkas is woefully inadequate to them. And, still, they image like mad and thump when asked. Good speaks. I brag on 'em, as yall can tell.

everything

Can sound boring with wrong electronics. Polymer Stands are a must.

These are extremply good speakers and the grow with the electronics you use. I used them long time active with Linn genki/kollektor/2xLK140 and switched to B&W speakers for some time. I was never happy with B&W and after compering a lot of speakers and electronics (B&W Nautilus 804,803, Jm Lab Electra 927 BE, Sonus Faber, Audio Physic, KEF ... on different Electronic from Krell to Audionet) I'm back to the Ninkas in active Mode with a Linn Unidisc SC and 5125 Amp. And they sound incredible!!! The electronics you use with them is very important. And this means also the source you use! There are people, who are running them with a Unidisc 1.1 and Klimax amps and the Ninkas will let you hear the difference. They can sound better than speakers, which are many times more expensive their price range.

Has a very solid yet smooth sound and is not too Bassy and has just the right contrast, goes extremely well with Arcam Alpha 9 as well as Linn stuff. definately does not sound bright and cheap. The Granite bases are a must at an extra £300

They are not cheap, but you only have to listen to them to appreciate this and they are worth every penny. I would own a pair if I could afford to, but enjoyed testdriving them on my Arcam for a friend.

One of the best sounding set of floor standing speakers that I have heard with a lot of solid grounding sound and not as bright as it's cheaper competitors.

good price, exceptional sound!

I have had the Ninkas in my HT for over two years now and can find no fault with them. However, many reviewers have faulted this speaker with having little or no bass. I, on the other hand, have had people over to watch movies and who have looked around the room for the sub woofer because they hear and feel the rumble of the bass, and have all remarked about how clean the bass is. So far everyone has been amazed to find that there is no sub in my system. I have to wonder if the others that are complaining, are just not matching the speakers with the right electronics. I have not once felt that these speakers create listner fatigue. They sound is natural and well balanced across the frequency spectrum. If you need good sound with little cost, compared to many other brands of speakers, you should give the Ninka a long listen.

Very bright. Need to spend a respectable amount of money to get them the right equipments (preferably Linn stuff). And even then, they will not sound much better than less demanding speakers (for the same price) with a much less expansive equipments. Hope your experience with them was better!

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Beauty, refinement, pitch accuracy, detailed, great midrange, affordable. Easy rear panel connection configurations.

Need polymer stands (extra $ but worth it), long break in period, very sensitive to placement, some soundstage limitations.

I have been enjoying the Ninka's for about a year now and listened to many speakers before purchasing them to replace some B&W's. After all these years now in the digital world, I found them to be the only affordable speaker that effectively smooths out the upper midrange and treble of digital sound with out losing (and in fact enhancing) low level detail (LP's sound great too with them by the way). The polymer stands are a must and they did require a long break in period (3-6 months). When matched with the right equipment, these speakers have a beautiful midrange, smooth highs, and though limited, excellent bass. However,I found them to be very sensitive to placement; no more than 8 feet apart, about 3 inches further from the back wall than recommended in the book, and toed in more than I am accustomed (patience - the extra effort and time is well worth it). When properly setup and integrated with a high quality subwoofer these speakers become a great bargain. I found the soundstage good, though not particularly large in terms of height and width, but very good depth and focus. Pitch accurate, refined and a little on the intimate side, which was exactly what I was seeking. Instruments and voices sound very "right" with these speakers. I am using a single amplifier with a CAL Alpha/Delta digital front end.

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None at this price point.

Soundstage and bass.

I have listened the Ninkans in some different rooms with different equipment (mostly Linn but also Rotel). I have heard them both active and passive. They have a pretty decent midrange, which is ok for the price. When used passive they have to weak of a bass for my taste. And for a floor model they don’t play very deep, but going active the bass feels a bit deeper. The treble is pretty decent with a soft easy listening quality. Soundstage has always been pretty bad in all systems I have heard this speaker. The resolution is ok, but not good for the price. All in all I don’t think the speakers do a very good job in this price range. They fail to put the musicians in the listening room in a convincing way, and the music never comes alive like it does with better speakers. And even though the treble it self is on the soft side, the lack of bass can often result in an overall bright and fatigue sound.

Sound and high-quality.

I usually don’t write reviews, however I’m making an exception in this case. I guess the last reviewer emotionally triggered me to do so. I have had my Ninkas for four months now. They aren’t even close to their break in. The Linn Ninkas are an elegant speaker with a classy look and sound. They have, what I would judge, a very musical and exacting sound. After auditioning several speakers in this price range I was moved to purchase them because: A. I particularly love the mid-range sounds on this speaker. Vocals are clear and horns soar! B. The sound is clear and exhibits no muddiness or distortions. C. The esthetics and build are excellent. I like the look of having no foam over the drivers. This especially was important, as I own pets, and the front of my speakers no longer look like they’ve grown hair. D. Rhythm and pitch are as accurate as I’ve ever heard. E. They have the flexible ability to be passively or actively single/bi-wired/tri-wired with a change of the configuration on the back of the speaker. F. Nothing else came close to them in their price range. I purchased the optional polymer bases, and I was glad I did, as they gave the speakers a little tighter bass and lot more weighted stability. I’m particularly happy with the Linn Ninkas; they look great and sound great. I would recommend them to anyone.

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Well made

Poor sound quality

I had the opportunity to trial the Ninka at home through the local Linn dealer. Unfortunately the results were very disappointing. The Ninka tends to present a very 2 dimensional sound stage, and the tonal palette seems to only contain shades of grey, rather than the full range of colour that real music contains. I used the Ninka in a single amp setup, and have been told that they show a marked improvement when tri or bi-amped. This may be so, but in a single amp setup I believe that their potential is severely compromised, possibly because of an excessively complex or poorly designed crossover and drive unit integration. I ended up purchasing the Martin Logan Scenario, which although a little more expensive than the Ninka was remarkably better at presenting a complete musical picture.

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