Yamaha NS-1000 Monitors Owners & Discussion Thread

[Tony M]

1 hour ago, Telecine said:

 

Actually, it will be more likely to clip being underdriven as it will have less reserves of power to deal with dynamic swings.

 

45 minutes ago, andyr said:

 

Now that, indeed @Tony M is a concept which needs some serious thinking about!  

 

 Are you sure about that Telecine?   The power is being limited by the input voltage.

 

Intuitively, I'd expect this to result in reduced dynamics (though this hasn't been apparent to me subjectively) but wouldn't the reduced power be compensated for by the reduced input voltage?

 

I'm not pretending to understand this - just asking questions in the hope of discovering truth and light.

 

Of course I agree with andy, but I also need to do some serious research.  The thinking bit (with insufficient knowledge) is making my head hurt. 

[Telecine]

Pretty sure Tony:

 

"The most common, and avoidable, form of amplifier clipping occurs when an audio amplifier is driven beyond its ability to generate sufficient voltage or current to reproduce the original signal to your speakers."

 

If your amp cannot generate sufficient voltage or current to reproduce the original signal to your speakers, it will clip.

 

You may have inadvertently turned your high power Bryston amp into something lower powered or even underpowered so that it will clip at moderate volumes.

 

In a properly driven, well designed amp, the power transistors usually have reserve current and power available ensuring that few problems will be encountered. This is to ensure that the output devices work within their Safe Operating Area at all times.

 

What about speaker load?:

 

"Real life loads are neither predictable nor reasonable, with nominal* 8 ohm loads perhaps plunging to 3 ohms or less at some frequencies, and soaring to 50 ohms or more at loudspeaker driver resonance."

 

Your Gales 401A's are a good example of a difficult speaker load.

 

What about dynamic swings in music?:

 

"One of the problems is that music is also unpredictable. Some music has a very low 'crest factor' (the ratio, in dB, between the average and peak power), so relatively high power levels are present on a more or less constant basis. Other music has a high crest factor, with a peak to average ratio of up to 20dB (a power ratio of 100:1)."

 

We tend to like music with a wide dynamic range (high crest factor) as opposed to made for radio/wall of sound compressed recordings (low crest factor). Music with a wide dynamic range will place greater demands on your amplifier.

 

So the combination of unpredictable loads, different musical styles and power demands and different listening preferences (think volume here) can place demands on an amplifier that can cause it to clip, even when properly driven. These are all exacerbated by a situation where the amp is not properly driven to full power and therefore may not have sufficient reserves of current and power available.

Edited November 30, 2020 by Telecine

[mloutfie]

Been experimenting with different height and meterial. Settling with concrete blocks on 320mm not the best looking but they sound great 

[jcadlols]

Not sure if you still have them but I'd love to bring my NS-500Ms around some time to compare the two. 

They're a very similar thing in a lot of ways to the NS-1000M & I understand they sound very similar, with some subtle differences in the mids and the bass. I've heard the NS-500M is a little warmer in the mids, with a little more bass response but I'd hardly call it warm. The clarity in the mids & treble blows me away. 

[Cope]

Hello all. So I'm a recent cult inductee and was wondering if any of you had recommendations for stands for the NS-1000M. Preferably something sturdy (so not a cheap lamp table), currently in production (so not SPS-500s), available in Australia (so not Hamilex or Deer Creek stands, as nice as they look), and involving minimal DIY (as I'm about as handy as an eel).

 

Any help would be much appreciated. Cheers! 

[Al.M]

2 hours ago, twofires said:

Hello all. So I'm a recent cult inductee and was wondering if any of you had recommendations for stands for the NS-1000M. Preferably something sturdy (so not a cheap lamp table), currently in production (so not SPS-500s), available in Australia (so not Hamilex or Deer Creek stands, as nice as they look), and involving minimal DIY (as I'm about as handy as an eel).

 

Any help would be much appreciated. Cheers! 

Look around for anything reasonably sturdy new or used that is about 40cm tall to bring the tweeters level with seated height and woofer above floor for cleaner bass and overall less muddy sound. Mid and tweeter controls set at 10am and 11-12.

 

The stands pictured in the NS500 post above is about right.

On 20/12/2020 at 11:37 AM, jcadlols said:

Not sure if you still have them but I'd love to bring my NS-500Ms around some time to compare the two. 

They're a very similar thing in a lot of ways to the NS-1000M & I understand they sound very similar, with some subtle differences in the mids and the bass. I've heard the NS-500M is a little warmer in the mids, with a little more bass response but I'd hardly call it warm. The clarity in the mids & treble blows me away. 

I’ve had the NS500 and they are quite good but no where as detailed and clean midrange and treble.

[mloutfie]

2 hours ago, twofires said:

Hello all. So I'm a recent cult inductee and was wondering if any of you had recommendations for stands for the NS-1000M. Preferably something sturdy (so not a cheap lamp table), currently in production (so not SPS-500s), available in Australia (so not Hamilex or Deer Creek stands, as nice as they look), and involving minimal DIY (as I'm about as handy as an eel).

 

Any help would be much appreciated. Cheers! 

Atacama stands there is 300mm and 400mm version

[Cope]

1 hour ago, Al.M said:

Look around for anything reasonably sturdy new or used that is about 40cm tall to bring the tweeters level with seated height and woofer above floor for cleaner bass and overall less muddy sound. Mid and tweeter controls set at 10am and 11-12.

 

The stands pictured in the NS500 post above is about right.

 

I was initially considering something simple like a pair of these lamp tables, which are 400x400x400:

 

https://www.templeandwebster.com.au/Belgium-Lamp-Table-LT-000-TA-CENA1127.html?refid=GPAAU447-CENA1127_11543991&device=m&ptid=882004499010&PiID[]=11543991&gclid=Cj0KCQiA34OBBhCcARIsAG32uvO6zUXew4buVOMsnH4scJmJsASgICq7MoXyhE6MxQradvUstHFss80aAr2WEALw_wcB

 

But there's no way for me to know if they'll withstand the weight without taking a leap of faith. The nightmare scenario for me is getting something too flimsy, the speakers crashing to the ground and the woofer magnets dislodging.

 

1 hour ago, mloutfie said:

Atacama stands there is 300mm and 400mm version

 

I did see those - is the 225mm top enough contact area with the speaker to be stable, in your experience? 

[mloutfie]

I use a diy so I haven't use the Atacama but it is one of the one recommended for ns1000m

[Willmax]

5 hours ago, twofires said:

Hello all. So I'm a recent cult inductee and was wondering if any of you had recommendations for stands for the NS-1000M. Preferably something sturdy (so not a cheap lamp table), currently in production (so not SPS-500s), available in Australia (so not Hamilex or Deer Creek stands, as nice as they look), and involving minimal DIY (as I'm about as handy as an eel).

 

Any help would be much appreciated. Cheers! 

Check out the thread below, there are a few options to chose from if  considering DIY.

 

 

[Willmax]

These may still be available for sale, perhaps send the OP an enquiry:

 

 

 

[jcadlols]

I’m considering tig welding some stands using industrial stainless pipe and flanges for my NS-500Ms. I’ll fill them with sand to deaden any resonance (not to mention they’ll be extremely solid). 
 

If there’s interest I’d consider selling sets made to size, even with the possibility of 90° bent stands for wall mounting.

This photo isn’t mine but it’s a general idea of the weld appearance I’d be shooting for & what these industrial pipe flanges look like.
 

I’m still working out material costs (for my own set) and I’ll factor in man hours & come up with pricing if anyone does want a set.

[Al.M]

1 hour ago, twofires said:

But there's no way for me to know if they'll withstand the weight without taking a leap of faith

Their base size is 375 x 326 so those would stick out and not look good, weight is no problem.

 

Just be patient for a used pair of stands or try harder to search for new ones or get creative on how to source them like Gumtree interstate or Thomo in WA in this forum will make a beautiful pair. Old school stands are not made in numbers these days.

[YNWaN]

I use NS-1000M’s. My own have been extensively rebuilt but they still sound excellent without anything done to them:

Edited February 13, 2021 by YNWaN

[mloutfie]

7 hours ago, YNWaN said:

I use NS-1000M’s. My own have been extensively rebuilt but they still sound excellent without anything done to them:

That's one of the best one I've seen. Is the back plate custom made? I've also been looking for the foam wave guide keen to get one if you know where to source one?

[Tony Martello]

I’ve only heard these once, a guy had them in an overcrowded room that you could hardly move around in.
He played them with pride but I can’t remember being overly impressed, in fact I remember the situation being one of those moments when you’re hearing a system that is inferior to your own so you nod politely and act impressed when you’re not.

To hear them being compared to (and exceeding) ATC speakers is a bit of a shock, now I really want to hear them in a properly set up room. 
 

[THOMO]

12 hours ago, Willmax said:

These may still be available for sale, perhaps send the OP an enquiry:

 

Yes I still have one pair of those stands left.They have been stored away in a box.

 

 

[thejt]

2 hours ago, THOMO said:

 

 

I have a pair and can attest to the quality.

[jcadlols]

4 hours ago, Tony Martello said:

I’ve only heard these once, a guy had them in an overcrowded room that you could hardly move around in.
He played them with pride but I can’t remember being overly impressed, in fact I remember the situation being one of those moments when you’re hearing a system that is inferior to your own so you nod politely and act impressed when you’re not.

To hear them being compared to (and exceeding) ATC speakers is a bit of a shock, now I really want to hear them in a properly set up room. 
 

I’ve had a similar situation with some B&W speakers. I think they were 600 somethings (don’t know a lot about B&W). 
 

To be fair to them, they were in a pretty small room, pretty far from ideal listening conditions. I’d definitely be keen to hear them in a better environment.

[jcadlols]

19 hours ago, Al.M said:

Look around for anything reasonably sturdy new or used that is about 40cm tall to bring the tweeters level with seated height and woofer above floor for cleaner bass and overall less muddy sound. Mid and tweeter controls set at 10am and 11-12.

 

The stands pictured in the NS500 post above is about right.

I’ve had the NS500 and they are quite good but no where as detailed and clean midrange and treble.

Did you have the 2 way 500 or the 500M? 
 

I figured the mids may not be as good. I know the tweeter is different but still a beryllium unit so I figured that would be similar. Not really sure how the carbon woofer affects the low end relative to the pulp one in the 1000. I’d describe bass as adequate but they definitely still need a sub or two to assist them for any more modern music. 

[YNWaN]

17 hours ago, mloutfie said:

That's one of the best one I've seen. Is the back plate custom made? I've also been looking for the foam wave guide keen to get one if you know where to source one?

Yes, the back plate is custom, I designed and made it. I also designed and made the foam diffraction rings. In addition I also did everything in the crossovers and some internal bracing that braces the back of the bass driver. Also the stands (which were subsequently copied) and the Yamaha badges. Since that picture I have also added custom designed super-tweeters. Oh, I did the finish too which is a gloss black laminate. 

[YNWaN]

[YNWaN]

[Cope]

Having spent a bit of time with my NS1000M now, I'm curious - what songs best sum up the speaker for you? 

 

I ask because I'm listening to Nine Inch Nails' 'The Fragile' right now, and I have never heard it bite and punch this hard in the 20+ years I've been listening to it. It's absolutely visceral.

 

I know that's not what most of you listen to, but I thought it might be interesting to get your thoughts.

Edited April 22, 2021 by twofires

[Al.M]

Modern jazz and vocals, acoustic and guitars, flamenco, female vocals, flutes, bongo drums, country, light rock etc.