Yamaha NS 690, 690II, 690 III, 670, what's the difference?
- Thread starter lordfoo
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Cichocki
Member
Well, I'm not exactly sure of all the differences of the 690 series, but the 670 is very similar. I have the first NS-690s, which are identifiable by the multi-amp input block on the back, and the small mesh screen in the center of the woofer dust cap. I also have the NS-500Ms, which are different from the NS-500 in that they have a titanium-carbide mid, that for all intents and purposes, is nearly indistinguishable from the Be mid of the NS-1000. All three have a Be tweeter.
So, my order would be:
NS-1000 / NS-1000M
NS-500M
NS-500
NS-690/670
-Brian
So, my order would be:
NS-1000 / NS-1000M
NS-500M
NS-500
NS-690/670
-Brian
lordfoo
Active Member
What about the NS10M? The NS200M? How are they related to the NS500M and the NS1000M?
I saw an NS200m in a shop. The NS200M looks like a smaller NS500M. I didn't audtion it though. Does it approximate the quality of the NS690 and the NS1000m both of which i have? I've also seen an NS500m in the same shop. I didnt audition it also and its gone now. But I have a shot at the NS200m.
I saw an NS200m in a shop. The NS200M looks like a smaller NS500M. I didn't audtion it though. Does it approximate the quality of the NS690 and the NS1000m both of which i have? I've also seen an NS500m in the same shop. I didnt audition it also and its gone now. But I have a shot at the NS200m.
krimney
Super Member
what little I know
My 690, which I think are version 1, have a fabric woofer surround. the later series have foam surrounds. i don't recall a mesh screen on my woofers either. My 690 do not have bi-wirebale terminals on the back. They are close in size to my NS-1000M, not quite as heavy . My 690 have a nice stained wood finish and the 1000M are black. The 690 are not mirror imaged, the 1000M are. For the most part the 690 sound very similiar to the 1000M. I have had a set of 10M and I don't think they are in the same league as either the 690, or 670. If you can find a set of 690 for a couple hundred or less I think they are a better bang for the buck speaker than the 1000M, and they look nicer too. that said , my main speakers are 1000M and I can find nothing they lack in. I also have a set of NS-625 which are a two way with 6-8 inch woofer and dome tweeter. Better bass than the 10M with a richer sound and nicer looking cabinet.
My 690, which I think are version 1, have a fabric woofer surround. the later series have foam surrounds. i don't recall a mesh screen on my woofers either. My 690 do not have bi-wirebale terminals on the back. They are close in size to my NS-1000M, not quite as heavy . My 690 have a nice stained wood finish and the 1000M are black. The 690 are not mirror imaged, the 1000M are. For the most part the 690 sound very similiar to the 1000M. I have had a set of 10M and I don't think they are in the same league as either the 690, or 670. If you can find a set of 690 for a couple hundred or less I think they are a better bang for the buck speaker than the 1000M, and they look nicer too. that said , my main speakers are 1000M and I can find nothing they lack in. I also have a set of NS-625 which are a two way with 6-8 inch woofer and dome tweeter. Better bass than the 10M with a richer sound and nicer looking cabinet.
Hi Brian - Any chance you can post a pic of your NS-500Ms. I am not familiar with them and would like to see same, having a set of the NS-1000M and a set of NS-500s.Cichocki said:
Also, could the NS-690 be described as a NS-1000M with soft domes rather than Be? Am sure there is much more to it than that, but not too bad a description based on size.
"Also, could the NS-690 be described as a NS-1000M with soft domes rather than Be? Am sure there is much more to it than that, but not too bad a description based on size."
Thats pretty much how I saw it when I bought my 690's 28 years ago. I A/B'ed them with the 1000's. There was a difference in sound, but not much. The Be tweets and mid range were the difference, but the sound improvement margin Vs the price difference kept me with the 690's.
Thats pretty much how I saw it when I bought my 690's 28 years ago. I A/B'ed them with the 1000's. There was a difference in sound, but not much. The Be tweets and mid range were the difference, but the sound improvement margin Vs the price difference kept me with the 690's.
Rustyns - Many thanks!! :yes:
Couldn't get a few of the individual shots to open (Babelfish translation errors), but most did. The most interesting to me are the high and mid drivers on the NS-2000. The seller of same on eBay (from the UK) has been listing them as being considerably upgraded from the NS-1000 drivers. They didn't look that way to me and this shows them as being the same. If you haven't heard a nice Yamaha Be driver rig you will be amazed at how electrostatically clear and crisp the highs/mids are. Without question the best I've listened to. :thmbsp:
Couldn't get a few of the individual shots to open (Babelfish translation errors), but most did. The most interesting to me are the high and mid drivers on the NS-2000. The seller of same on eBay (from the UK) has been listing them as being considerably upgraded from the NS-1000 drivers. They didn't look that way to me and this shows them as being the same. If you haven't heard a nice Yamaha Be driver rig you will be amazed at how electrostatically clear and crisp the highs/mids are. Without question the best I've listened to. :thmbsp:
Cichocki
Member
B-2,
Sorry I didn't see your previous post. Here are a couple more shots to go along with the picture from the link referenced above. I got these puppies off eBay over the summer for $240! Not a $10 score, but I can't think of a better bookshelf than these for comparable coin. I have these in a triple stack with the NS-690s and a set of HPM-100s, driven by my SX-1980. The 500m's are by far my favorite of the three. Really fantastic sound. Not quite up to my JBL horns or Magnepans, but damn fine nonetheless.
-Brian
Sorry I didn't see your previous post. Here are a couple more shots to go along with the picture from the link referenced above. I got these puppies off eBay over the summer for $240! Not a $10 score, but I can't think of a better bookshelf than these for comparable coin. I have these in a triple stack with the NS-690s and a set of HPM-100s, driven by my SX-1980. The 500m's are by far my favorite of the three. Really fantastic sound. Not quite up to my JBL horns or Magnepans, but damn fine nonetheless.
-Brian
Thanks! Nice looking. Wish I could hear them. That's a lot of music you have there in that stack.
lordfoo
Active Member
Oh.. I did get the NS690. I let go the 670's. Later I decided to get the 670's also and came back for them. The 670's looked like the 690's except the woofers were smaller. They were gone though.
Here's a pic of the 690's in my living room with the yamaha CA1000 I also acquired at almost the same time.
and then here's the 690 beside a KLH Six i got immediately after the 690's.
Here's a pic of the 690's in my living room with the yamaha CA1000 I also acquired at almost the same time.
and then here's the 690 beside a KLH Six i got immediately after the 690's.
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Nice set of NS-690IIs in the Seattle area: http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1145825162
Duffinator
Spin The Black Circle
Does anybody know if replacement surrounds are available for the drivers in the NS-690II's?
Thanks
Thanks
Ask GordonW. He will know.
Crimson King
Active Member
So, what's the biggest difference between NS-690 MK I, II & III?
I would really love to get a pair of those to make my Yamaha vintage setup complete.
I would really love to get a pair of those to make my Yamaha vintage setup complete.
Spectrum77
Super Member
Main physical difference is the woofer design in NS-690 easily recognisable by the lack of ribbing and vented centre cap (JA-3056). Mk I woofer has the cloth surround with Mk II and III sporting the rot-prone foam jobs. This model also had tri-amping capability with the crossover set-up. I've not spent as long with this woofer as JA-3060A in NS-690II but I can't hear a huge difference at moderate volume. However, preference does go to the later model woofers as proven in NS-1000M (quite similar woofer JA-3058A but with cloth surround). No problem with this woofer at high volume for extended periods.
Cab sizes are pretty much identical with the III being slightly taller. NS-690III mirror imaged. NS-690 cabs are ply, II and III particle board.
I can't physically compare Mk III crossovers with Mk II but I believe they are slightly different. Crossover point is the same for all models.
MkIII has different attenuators- Mk I and II almost always need a thorough cleaning.
Hope that helps. In short, you can't go wrong with any of the models.
NS-690II measurements: http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=280589
Cab sizes are pretty much identical with the III being slightly taller. NS-690III mirror imaged. NS-690 cabs are ply, II and III particle board.
I can't physically compare Mk III crossovers with Mk II but I believe they are slightly different. Crossover point is the same for all models.
MkIII has different attenuators- Mk I and II almost always need a thorough cleaning.
Hope that helps. In short, you can't go wrong with any of the models.
NS-690II measurements: http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=280589
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