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Yamaha NS-1000M's?


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How do these compare to say a $4500 New, modern speaker?

 

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Home-audio/Speakers-and-stands/Floor-speakers/auction-200057381.htm

 

Reason I say $4500 is that if what you want to spend this much for a new pair of speakers, after a few years on them they would be worth about $2200 odd bucks second hand, so this would be a good starting price point for an equivelent new pair.

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The NS1000M was a mixed bag.

 

I wouldn't put them in the $10k class just because they have a Be tweeter and midrange...

 

I'd rather listen to a good modern $4500 speaker.

 

;)

 

 

Some comments from Jonathan Carr, designer for Lyra/Connoisseur.

 

 

 

I had a refurbished 1000M in my listening system just a few months back, and as long as you could (or at least tried to) ignore the woofer (which was consistently lagging behind the midrange and tweeter, and didn't excavate very deeply in any case), the overall sound was not bad at all. At least regarding the midrange and tweeter, there was a nice sense of immediacy to the sound that made listening enjoyable. Soundstaging and imaging were sub-par, but I assume that the 1000X and 2000 were better in this respect). Likely some felt padding applied to the front baffle of the 1000M cabinet would improve matters somewhat. In particular, I suspect that the midrange driver remains to this day excellent by any standards.

 

 

 

The NS1000M appeared to be efficient and a relatively easy load for the power amplifiers.

 

 

 

regards, jonathan carr

 

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nixon76;82344 wrote:
They are 'oldskool' looking
;)

 

I for one really love that "Ol Skool" and "Hi Tech" look the Japanese Speakers had. Combined with their drivers constructed out of "Exotic" materials some of them actually sounded really good. I havent actually heard the NS1000s but some top end speakers from other Japanese Brands like the Onkyo Monitor 2001 and Sony G333ES actually sounded quite good.

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Ernie;82311 wrote:
You don't get anything new with beryllium tweeters for less than $10K. Usher in the first instance and JM Focal Labs in the second...

 

I have bought a couple of sets of JM Labs be driver speakers for less than $10K, Electra 937's and a pair of Electra 1007'sbe stand mounts ( they were only $4K )

 

The 1007's would outperform the NS-1000M's with good electronics anyday, in my opinion, and I used to have a pair of NS-1000M's.

 

I think that even the Utopia standmount is less than $10K, and that REALLY outperforms the NS1000's!

 

 

All in my opinion of course!!

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I actually have listened extensively to all the Utopia range and so far, I most prefer the Diva's. They look best, with a Utopia sub, they have full range reproduction, and they image best of all the floorstanders in my opinion. Their also within grasp of my finances, something the Grandes are not!

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Owen Y;82417 wrote:
But... will any of the JM Labs be a 'vintage classic' in 25yrs time?

 

 

 

;)

 

I dont know, but I am guessing that Grande Utpoias will still be pretty desirable, although maybe for the wrong reasons.

 

Is the original B and W Nautilus going to become a forgotten relic? I think not. Again, its not because their the best sounding speaker ever!

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The Yamahas are a classic speaker (whatever anyone else says) and they turn up on TM occasionally (last time was early 2008 because a mate was interested). Radio NZ used them as studio monitors for years in the 1970s. Broadcasters are generally pretty fussy (or they were then). Ofcourse they didn't have the benefits of computer designed drivers and enclosures but given decent source material they were fairly stunning IMHO

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Owen Y;82417 wrote:
But... will any of the JM Labs be a 'vintage classic' in 25yrs time?

 

There's another (and, to my mind, more likely reason) to beleive that modern speakers won't be regarded as "classics" in the same way as older speakers.

 

And it has nothing to do with quality.

 

These days speakers come out as part of extensive ranges. A speaker manufacturer may have three or four ranges of speakers, each with four to six models in each range.

 

Back in the old days, a manufacturer produced a speaker model, not a range.

 

So it was a lot easier for a speaker model to stand out, to capture public attention and - if any good - to be warmly remembered.

 

Any of the models in a modern speaker range may be competent, or even outstanding in their reproduction. But they probably won't be remembered, as they are just one of many.

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Ross F;82466 wrote:
I'm actually surprised someone hasn't used Buy Now. They'd the socks off most $2K speakers I've heard of recent times and these have apparently been looked after.

 

We'll have to agree to disagree.

 

Had a pair of NS1000 in a showroom I used to work at a few years back. In two words, I'd describe them as crass and bright. A $2k pair of Monitor Audios for example, would wipe the floor with them. Easily.

 

Remember, Yamahas enjoyed popularity as studio monitors for years because they sounded BAD not because the sounded good. The school of thought is that a bad studio monitor makes the engineer work harder. If he can make the mix sound good on a pair of NS10s, it will sound good on ANYTHING...

 

It always amuses me how these speakers are now sought after by audiophiles...

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Gopal, contrary to what I said before I would tend to agree with you with regard to BAD speakers being used for monitoring. I remember visiting the EMI studios, here in Wellington many years ago and being told a similar tale.

 

They had had fairly reasonable Goodmans enclosures as studio monitors but found them "too good" A vinyl recording, had to sound acceptable even when played on the crappiest set imaginable and delivered through 75 mm speakers. So the raw recording had to be tweaked accordingly. Consequently they tossed out the Goodmans and installed cheap and nasty NZ made speakers (this is the 1960s) so they could optimise the "noise"

coming out.

 

Maybe the enthusiasm for these (the reserve may be exceeded yet) is related to high frequency hearing loss in the bidders if these speakers are as bright as you say. It is a long time since I heard a pair

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I agree with Gopal and Ross F, regarding studio monitors sound quality - however, I hate that this is how it is, if they made the recordings sound really great on something higher end, then the manufactures of mini systems and the like would actually need to do some work on making them sound a little better.

 

And as we all know, mass produced stuff is cheaper to make at the same quality level than something that sells maybe 1000 units a year globally.

 

Wharfedale and the new Mission are a prime indication of this - where could you find non mass produced speakers which touch their performance for the bargin bin pricing of them? you cant.

 

................ rant over :P

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  • 5 weeks later...

They've joined the Quad ESL57's in my "reality check" system...

 

With all respect for J Carr, bass timing isn't one of their problems. Maybe caused by his mods! They can be accused of leanness of bass, but NS1000s were most likely designed with a rather steep and high roll-off point (for use up against a wall in small concrete room?).

 

They're very transparent, so amp matching is an issue, as it is on the Quads (unrelated to watts)

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