NS-1000m vs. NS-500m

Good discussion going here. Picked up a nice pair of 1000M's last summer and have auditioned them with some of my different receivers and amps. Solid state and tube.

Usually they are hooked up to a Mac 110z pre and 2125 amp. Get the best of both worlds; tube sound with solid state power. That said they sound fantastic driven by my 800C, hardly a powerhouse or my Scott LK-72B again same power tubes 7591A.
Now powered by my Sherwood S5000 with 7189 power tubes the combo is OK but the Sherwood is sublime with my other speakers.

Recently restored a big Marantz 2330 and have it hooked up to the 1000's at the moment and it's is nothing short of amazing most of the time. A crap recording will sound like crap like Sam says but this is what they were designed to do. The Marantz is very clean and crisp with gobs of power and it really wakes up the bass and those big mids. Easy to get lost in the music and I find myself listening for subtle sounds in the background you maybe did not hear before.

On a side note I have replaced the cheap stock connectors with good binding posts and at the same time replaced the thin stock wire from the terminals to the crossover with good 14ga speaker wire. This made a big difference in the bass both in quanity and quality. Easy update to undertake and the stock terminals do not get damaged so they could be put back if one chose to.
 
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I had the Marantz turned down... and then I put on the dials and loudness! Played some Santana in Stereo... melt me! then some Stevie Ray Vaughn, a little Zepp and some Fleetwood... Oh my gosh!
 
I had the Marantz turned down... and then I put on the dials and loudness! Played some Santana in Stereo... melt me! then some Stevie Ray Vaughn, a little Zepp and some Fleetwood... Oh my gosh!
Bought my first set of NS-1000's in 1980 at a BX in W.Germany. Never had any reason to buy anything or try anything else since. Later I was gifted a set of NS-1000M's and a set of NS-690's from family members.
 
I have not had them driven much past half way with my 2220b. And then only briefly. My room is short, probably less than 20ft deep but 40 wide. They are placed on the deep part. I understand clipping, and I am careful. I'd like a more powerful Marantz amp, but for now, what I have will do. Looked up some tubes last night OMG expensive stuff

What would you pair the NS-1000m's with more wpc and a reasonable price? LOL
 
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too bad, but I imagine you at least you got to hear it with those speakers :)
I've done 2 or 3 C-1's. Yes I had ample time to play.Yes they are truly fantastic sounding pre-amps.Chocked full of potential problems. ie. TO-5 VFET's ...
 
I've done 2 or 3 C-1's. Yes I had ample time to play.Yes they are truly fantastic sounding pre-amps.Chocked full of potential problems. ie. TO-5 VFET's ...
I know, I am hooked. I have three of my own.
as masochistic as it sounds, I actually really enjoy working on them :)
..almost as much as I enjoy listening to one.
 
Good discussion going here. Picked up a nice pair of 1000M's last summer and have auditioned them with some of my different receivers and amps. Solid state and tube.

Usually they are hooked up to a Mac 110z pre and 2125 amp. Get the best of both worlds; tube sound with solid state power. That said they sound fantastic driven by my 800C, hardly a powerhouse or my Scott LK-72B again same power tubes 7591A.
Now powered by my Sherwood S5000 with 7189 power tubes the combo is OK but the Sherwood is sublime with my other speakers.

Recently restored a big Marantz 2330 and have it hooked up to the 1000's at the moment and it's is nothing short of amazing most of the time. A crap recording will sound like crap like Sam says but this is what they were designed to do. The Marantz is very clean and crisp with gobs of power and it really wakes up the bass and those big mids. Easy to get lost in the music and I find myself listening for subtle sounds in the background you maybe did not hear before.

On a side note I have replaced the cheap stock connectors with good binding posts and at the same time replaced the thin stock wire from the terminals to the crossover with good 14ga speaker wire. This made a big difference in the bass both in quanity and quality. Easy update to undertake and the stock terminals do not get damaged so they could be put back if one chose to.

I've played NS-1000M with tubes. Nothing short of magical with McIntosh MC60. Even the LK72B puts on a great show. Yeah, the speaker binders hold back the show. Interesting mod with the internal wire. (I've brought up this point in the numerous speaker wire threads and it always gets dismissed by the cable cabal of industry advocates and retailers. Yes, they are here). I'm going to give it a try. With a poor cosmetic cabinet, I drilled a port and the bass output went up tremendously. Balance suffered but could be somewhat restored with more mid and high gain. I wish I had kept that beater to experiment some more.
 
I started with NS70T, to NS500M to NS690 (still have em), to NS1000XW (still have em).

if i went back in time and started again. I'd pair the solid sate with the 690 (i have a CA1000) and Valves with 1000Xw (i have custom EL34 in push pull 35w) and spend 10 x the energy i have spent on speakers and amps and sort out the room.

I like the bottom end of the NS500, but the mid detail lacked - for me. Keep in mind, just like speakers, everyone ears are very different. Then add personal taste. Some folks will find NS500m bass accurate and pleasant and others will say - wheres the bass.

If some one loves the NS500m and they listen to metallica all day, they might love them. If the listen to Lincoln Mayorga, they might prefer something with more focus on mid/high freq. Its all relative. Then if you room setup is crap, it wont matter what you bought.

Have your spent much time evaluating or setting up your room?
 
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I still use the 500m's and 670's...I'll have to hear some 1000's to see if I like them more than the 500m's for the extra money I'd need to spend...I'm currently running the 500m's with a CA-1010 which is a really nice combo:biggrin:
 
I started with NS70T, to NS500M to NS690 (still have em), to NS1000XW (still have em).

if i went back in time and started again. I'd pair the solid sate with the 690 (i have a CA1000) and Valves with 1000Xw (i have custom EL34 in push pull 35w) and spend 10 x the energy i have spent on speakers and amps and sort out the room.

I like the bottom end of the NS500, but the mid detail lacked - for me. Keep in mind, just like speakers, everyone ears are very different. Then add personal taste. Some folks will find NS500m bass accurate and pleasant and others will say - wheres the bass.

If some one loves the NS500m and they listen to metallica all day, they might love them. If the listen to Lincoln Mayorga, they might prefer something with more focus on mid/high freq. Its all relative. Then if you room setup is crap, it wont matter what you bought.

Have your spent much time evaluating or setting up your room?

Your NS-500M is spot on. IMO, it is down to the different mid and tweeter dome metals. If the 500M was all Ti like in the 200M, it would be more coherent and a better speaker.
 
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