First opinions on Yamaha NS-1000m (and vs. HPM-100)

[tropicalian]

Well, I got them in the mail on thursday. Good packing job, I've heard horror stories of magnets seperating from drivers when shipping speakers UPS, but these arrived in good condition.
I have them hooked up currently to my Pionner SA-8800, sources being technics cd player and 250 gb library of digital music. I think I am breaking international laws with the speaker wire I'm using, I think 20 guage may be a generous estimate! But anyhow...here goes.


Compared to the HPM-100s, these are much less efficient. I can't wait to hook a bigger amp up with them. I can't quite push them as much as I would like to with the 80 watt pioneer. Next step, trying out the Kenwood 150wpc integrated.


NS-1000m bass shy? yes, confirmable. definitely the 'british' or 'east-coast' sound compared to the 'california' bass-ey sound of the HPMs. I have refined the mids and highs back with the NS-1000Ms using there built in controls, very accurate I might add.

The Yamaha NS-1000Ms have a
ridiculously revealing tendency. I've been searching my music library to find recordings that were well recorded, but realize I have a ton of stuff that is insufficient.

Good stuff for the Yamahas?
Medeski Martin & Wood
Ryan Adams - Gold
Radiohead
Kings of Convenience
acoustic guitar...just use your imagination, multiply it by 10, and you may be close to the shivers these give you.


Bad for Yamahas? (at least initially...)
hard rock
hip hop


The Pioneer HPM-100s seem to be the better all around speaker, however, (and a BIG however) the Yamaha's are unlike anything I've heard already. Almost too revealing, but I am not ready to give up on them. Going to try different amps, rewiring internals with thicker silver wire, etc. So revealing I'm not used to it, although this is a craaaaappy room to be demo-ing speakers in but I can't help it, I want to play!
Apologies if this review is a bit off, spelling wise or however, have had a few drinks but all in all enjoying the hell out of my new speakers!!
Will write more later when I have new thoughts or get them to a new room.

 

[B3Nut]

Definitely use a heavier-guage speaker wire, 20 is thin enough to alter system impedance and potentially the frequency response of the speakers. Run some 16 at least or 14.

I'd say the HPM's would be more west-coastish since they are Bart Locanthi designs.

TP

 

[bully]

The HPM's have just a little bit of the West Coast sound, but that is primarily to account for the limitations inherent in the recordings/source sound.
The Yamaha's spare nothing. Even the modern Yahama speakers I use in my HT system (NS-A838's and NS-A638's) share that pure, unadorned sound. At 89dB/w/m they also require a bit more of a push than the HPM's.
I find that my Phase Linear P-530's resemble the NS-1000, but with a bit more efficiency.
I'll say that either one of my Yamaha amps would be a GREAT match with the 1000's in a high-definition system. Would need great sources, though, or it would kill ya.

 

[Kenny]

similar sounding Yamaha sensitivity question

Hey Pete,I have been running some 2-way NS-645 Yammy's, early seventy's I think, with my modest Eico Hf-81 tube amp,on the 4 ohm taps, bout 14 screamin watts a side and you are right,these are EXTREMELY revealling,its kinda growing on me,they seem pretty senistive and are 4 ohm, do you have any idea what the actual sensitivity of this particular model is,they have extremely well built drivers with aluminum baskests on tweeters and woofers, and see through dust caps, would these be the berrylium tweets?I have been using them now that I sold my Klipsch KG-2'S and like them much better for detail so far,heavy little suckers too..thanks Kenny

 

[bully]

Hiya, Kenny, I'm not familiar with that particular model, but Yamaha's models from the late-70's (especially the NS-690, the poor-man's 1000) seem to have been very well made and similarly 'voiced.'
My NS-A838's and NS-A638's are fairly newish, and have cloth-surrounds on the woofers. I have been quite satisfied with them in the HT system, and I played them in a music system before putting them into the HT. I am impressed. I have two pair, but am using an older, single NS-A835 for the center channel right now. I was using the second pair of A838's for the center until I moved last August.
Bass is tight to 40 Hz, and that seems to be a real 40 Hz.

 

[michael w]

NS-1000M's won't get that last octave of bass but they aren't exactly bass shy; the -3dB LF point is 40Hz.

What they do require is precise positioning to get the best bass.

The Yammies prefer to be closer to the wall than most.