New NHT Classic line to replace Super Audio - Page 8

John,

As you have a lot of experience with NHT, Any idea of how the new Classic 3 and C3 or Classic 2 and C2 compare in sound to the 2.5i and AC1

As the Classic 3s are not threaded. Is there a way to wall mount them?

Much more detailed, richer midrange, smoother sound, cleaner treble, bigger soundfield. Big differences. But still that lively sound that was nice about them and, room acoustics willing, the same kind of imaging focus.

From the manual:

My mistake. thanks for the feedback.

Based on my positive previous experience with NHT, I look forward to being a part of the Classic Three U.S. Tour!

John,

I had a chance to briefly hear a pair of Classic Twos. Overall, I was pretty impressed.

Much as you described, I noticed additional midrange detail, an overall smoother sound, great imaging, huge sweetspot and great off axis sound. The twos also had a bigger soundstage than earlier NHTs.

My concern is that the upper midrange and treble seemed brighter and unfocussed than other NHTs I've heard in the past. These speakers I heard were placed on a "Book Shelf" about 2 inches from the wall. They were powered by a Denon 3806. The room did not appear to have any acoustic treatment.

Could this be the issue or has NHT changed their sound? Are the Threes better than the Twos in this respect given the new tweeter?

Will wall mounted Twos or Threes sound noticably brighter in a Home Theater enviroment?

I know my questions may be difficult to speculate about, but I thought I would ask anyway.

Hmmm, I guess I'm hearing it differently. I think that there is more precision and focus than earlier versions. They are warmer than the Music series, but brighter than the SuperAudio series. Are you thinking imaging focus? Or midrange precision and "speed" as they say?

Any word on when the 3's will ship?

Given the two choices, it may be imaging focus? My main thought is that piano and vocals had a great open sound but with some program material seemed to take on a fatter / more forward feel. This seemed slightly beyond what I had heard from NHT's music series.

Don't get me wrong, my overall impression was extremely positive. I am just picking nits. I am also unsure if the room I was in or amplification could have played a role.

I run B&K while the Classic Two set-up ran Denon. It's my experience that Denon is slightly brighter.

Could this have made a difference?

I guess this just reaffirms your thoughts. An in home demo with various program material is essential to making an informed decision.

But back to my previous question...are the Threes brighter than the Twos?

Too my knowledge nobody but a few engineers at NHT have even ever heard this speaker so the answer to your question would be pure speculation or an educated guess.

Being a 3way that retails at 400.00, there is no exuse for it to not be an extremly balanced and blended speaker.

I heard it. I just didn't hear it side by side and so I don't want to get try to get into detail. Unlike most reviewers, I don't have the magical power to remember exactly how a speaker sounded on a different system with different music in a different room weeks/months/years apart. I was happy to hear that they didn't sound bright or forward to me, rather, it sounded very balanced and smooth. In fact, I was expecting to hear some sort of revelation of some sort, but what I heard was almost nothing of note. They just performed and I heard music and I didn't really hear the speaker. So getting into detail about subtleties, for me, will have to wait until I can do A/Bs with the rest of the line up. I suspect that they may be a *bit* brighter than the Two in some rooms, but I think the Two is not bright at all. Brighter than the SB3, but not by much. More of additional clarity and transient response in the upper mids because of the better driver/cabinet combo.

BTW, Need, you need to get out and listen to a lot of $2K/pr and up speakers just to find out how *bad* expensive speakers can be. There are just tons of speakers that are anything but "extremely balanced and blended" and many of those are put up as "reference speakers".

If the Three does what I think it does, it will set something of a new standard for the under $1000/pr class, probably even the under $2500/pr class. I've never seen a bookshelf speaker this well engineered for top to bottom resolution, dispersion, transient behavior before. At any price. That won't necessarily make the speaker "pop" and blow everyone away on its own, but like other great speakers I've heard, they make everything that sits beside them sound colored by comparison. That's what Xds do. Yes, they sound great. But when you take another "great sounding" speaker and set it beside them, the Xd makes them sound obviously flawed. At least, that's what they did to my previous $15K and $21K speakers I had on display. I think the Threes will do this, but for a less expensive grouping of product. Still, if you have $800/pr 3-way speakers that are that well engineered - cabinet/drivers/design - it kind of makes a $8000/pr "bookshelf" 2-way speaker with $7500 worth of cabinet seem kind of silly.

I do not need to look at 2000.00 speakers. The law of diminishing return kicks in for me at very low levels. For example the NHT classic 3 at 400 each is what I would call enough money to get what 95% of want people need, myself included. Maybe not from NHT but 400 is enough money. Towers would be about 800.00 each. Anything more then that, I can not here what it is people are paying for. Maybe it is just my ears?

I have heard expensive speakers and I am just as wowed by more affordable speakers.

If I were to spend alot of money it would be because of other things like cabinet looks, total power handling and db output, and overall size. But sound quality can be had for affordable amounts.

I just want the damn NHT classic 3's to ship so I can start my comparisons.

I just wouldn't generalize so much. Yes, maybe now, the Three and Four are really bringing something akin to exotic performance *down* to your price points, but that hasn't really existed before. NHT is a rebel company. They don't care about exotic wood cabinets. If they did, Xd would probably be a $25,000 product, the Threes would be $2500/pr and the Fours would be $7500/pr - they're that advanced.

About every 5 years, yes, the price of near exotic performance gets lower and I thought the NHT 3.3 (and a few other models from others) brought that down to about $4K about 10 years ago, and then the 2.9/T5 brought it down to $2500. The Four brings it down to $1800 while furthering the performance. But this is not only a new price point for this level of performance, it hasn't even happened yet! And Xd has brought true exotic performance (one might say "better than exotic") down to $6K. But I do think that level of performance is easily worth that $6K to a lot of people. More, in fact. As a self-professed newbie, I think you're expectations are so high that you've missed the last 10-20 years of huge advancements that allow you to expect this level of performance for under $2K.

That being said, yeah, I just want "the damn NHT classic 3s" to ship too.

Anyone else want to hear the NHT Two on the Classic Tour before I shut it down? The Moderation felt it was "marketing". I suppose.......

Yeah I do expect alot for my dollar and I found with a little shopping around you can usually get it. The internet is suppose to make bargain hunting that much easier but I sometimes wonder.

I will definatly try your 3's out when they become available for the world tour. If you can not provide them, then there is a store called THE BIG PICTURE who will carry the 3's as well. I check in with them regularly but they have not received theres yet.

Has anyone posted reviews of the Classic Twos that listened to them on the U.S. tour? Regardless of motivation, we all benefit greatly from product reviews on this forum. I would not have purchased half of my equipment if it wasn't for endorsements and reviews originally found on AVS. I trust the reviews of the people on this Forum way more than the average home theater magazine.

Just talked with NHT today and they expect the Classic 3's container to arrive early February and they plan to ship them out to dealers fairly quickly after that.

I asked about the fours and they said that container hasn't even shipped yet.

vvv,
I was part of the Classic Two tour...until I decided to keep them. I posted my impressions at John's site:

http://forum.adnm.com/viewtopic.php?t=567

I'm listening to them now as I type......I'd recommend them highly!

I'm looking for a hifi quality minimonitor, and the size and looks of the AZ look appealing. I've always liked the NHT family sound way back to the NHT-1's.

old goalie,

Thanks for the review. Very informative.

Alimentall,

Any word or the arrival of the 3's?

Looks like arrival at dealers in about 3 weeks. Wish it were sooner, the natives are getting restless......

Spoke with NHT today, they are saying closer to end of February. BTW, they said the back side of the Three is threaded for wall mounting, just in case you need to.

Gimme!

Well, that's for the main boat shipment, but they are airfreighting in some to meet the immediate need. At least that's what they're telling me. I have forgotten how many I have on order, but it's in the dozens.

BTW, what does everyone think about Classic in "Special Dark" -

Is it brown, like dark chocolate?

Different and kind of cool. I feel like you would have to see them in person and in different light. Does Special Dark cost more?

Ron, it's kinda a weird red/brown combo. I still don't know how to describe it.


VVV, it's the same price, just an option.

John what type of power do you think will be required to take full advantage of the the Classic 3's in a 5.1 configuration? How about 2 channel?

I understand the 3's have a threaded insert for wall mounting.

Any suggestions on which bracket to use? At 17lbs it should probally go into a stud somehow.

The depth on the speaker is 10.3" so with a mount that will put it out atleast 2" more. How will a speaker that is 13" off the wall blend with a flat panel or even a crt that is out 24". Just trying to start a little discussion on the wall mount feature. I really want wall mount speakers but not necassarily " flat screen speakers" or " onwall speakers".

ANy thoughts on how they will sound wall mounted and how they will compare to a flat screen? How far do flat screens stick out form the wall anyways?