Yamaha NS-A635A Speakers- Any Good?

[Arthur Smith]

I just got a mint pair of these at Savers, $14/pair. Yes, the woofer surrounds are perfect, in tact.

Are these good sounding speakers? Was the price "right"?

 

[swechsler]

Not really very good, IMO. Some of the earlier models had cloth surrounds on the woofers. Might make an interesting speaker to experiment with, or to use as garage speakers or rear speakers in a surround system.

 

[Arthur Smith]

Not really very good, IMO. Some of the earlier models had cloth surrounds on the woofers. Might make an interesting speaker to experiment with, or to use as garage speakers or rear speakers in a surround system.

As mentioned earlier, the surrounds are in tact.

I did read somewhere about stuffing them with acoustic foam for better low end. I might try that.

 

[HTRDoug]

I had a set,measured the woofers parameters,turns out they would prefer to be in a 1.5 Cu/ft ported enclosure. I put them into some slot ported subwoofer enclosures with a semi proper crossover(trial and error basic 6db) to a sansui tweeter set I had,really sounded good,much warmer. the sansui tweeters gave them more uhh,right there! Needed the enclosures for my subs so took them apart,will duplicate some day. Just for a easy test pop the terminal block out of the back and see if you like the sound,hillbilly ported. If you do maybe just line the walls of the enclosures with damping material and install any old port into the box and sit back and enjoy.

 

[Arthur Smith]

Have been listening to these over the weekend. They are nearfields, and as a result, positioning is critical. I did stuff them with eggcrate foam, even before I started listening to them. the surrounds are cloth. I think they are the most accurate, amazing speakers I have heard. When you are positioned properly for listening, you are in an acoustic "zone" that you do not want to leave. They are killer for jazz.

 

[danj]

I've never owned a pair but I've heard several and, honestly, was not impressed . I didn't like the honking midrange.

 

[Arthur Smith]

I've never owned a pair but I've heard several and, honestly, was not impressed . I didn't like the honking midrange.

Hence, for jazz vocals, superb. I guess a lot of it has to do with what music you listen to. They are not for everybody, nor are they the only loudspeakers I own- I have many.

 

[Arthur Smith]

I had these originally slightly above ear level. Last night, I brought them down to ear level. Call me odd, but I thought they sounded better slightly above ear level, for sound staging and separation. Am I mad?

 

[mstrane21]

If you like them you like them. That's really all that matters. I had a pair of these for a short while but ended up donating them for whatever reason. I liked them. Enjoy!

 

[Arthur Smith]

If you like them you like them. That's really all that matters. I had a pair of these for a short while but ended up donating them for whatever reason. I liked them. Enjoy!

I do like them! Did you see what I wrote about placement? Any suggestions?

 

[swechsler]

Call me odd, but I thought they sounded better slightly above ear level, for sound staging and separation. Am I mad?

Not necessarily, having them slightly off-axis might have tamed some harshness of the tweeters. It's been years since I heard a pair of these (they've gone through several generations, some with different model numbers, some not) so I can't really give explicit details of what I didn't like, other than the highs didn't impress me.

 

[sum of sand]

They who have spent years and much of em in the golden ages have remarked
NS yes
NS-A stay away


I have a pair of the same up in the attic
Probably paid half that
Never listed to them as i had similar and known better as well as just much better
Gifting speakers for me


Most speakers sound ok or even pretty good
Imo

But the better/best clearly stand out

 

[Arthur Smith]

"Stay Away" is somewhat vague. Because of the sound quality? Build? Reliability? Price?

 

[leesonic]

If they are real cheap, maybe as garage speakers, but you might like the sound. I had a pair once, just basic caps in line with the midrange and tweeters, not a great crossover design. I remember thinking "how the mighty have fallen".

Lee.

 

[Arthur Smith]

If they are real cheap, maybe as garage speakers, but you might like the sound. I had a pair once, just basic caps in line with the midrange and tweeters, not a great crossover design. I remember thinking "how the mighty have fallen".

Lee.

I use them as bedroom speakers. I love the way they image and soundstage. Got much tamer, cleaner bass by stuffing the cabinets with eggcrate foam.

 

[Arthur Smith]

If they are real cheap, maybe as garage speakers, but you might like the sound. I had a pair once, just basic caps in line with the midrange and tweeters, not a great crossover design. I remember thinking "how the mighty have fallen".

Lee.

PS- they were $14/pair.

 

[mstrane21]

You seriously don't have to justify liking them or how much you paid for them. If you like them and are happy with them, that's awesome! Stick with them.

 

[Arthur Smith]

I have never understood the term "garage speakers". Maybe in part because I do not have a garage. But it does come across as somewhat dismissive. Seriously, my complete Technics/Yamaha system has been assembled for a total of $55 and change.

 

[leesonic]

Garage speakers would tend to be cheaper speakers that you would not normally use for "serious listening". But they work well enough in a dusty, sometimes noisy environment, the same as a transistor radio might. I used to have a pair of Cerwin Vega speakers with Fisher woofers and piezo tweeters. Not the greatest speakers, but they did the job.

You may like the sound of these Yamahas. But they aren't designed or built as well as the earlier examples IMHO.

Lee.

 

[Arthur Smith]

Garage speakers would tend to be cheaper speakers that you would not normally use for "serious listening". But they work well enough in a dusty, sometimes noisy environment, the same as a transistor radio might. I used to have a pair of Cerwin Vega speakers with Fisher woofers and piezo tweeters. Not the greatest speakers, but they did the job.

You may like the sound of these Yamahas. But they aren't designed or built as well as the earlier examples IMHO.

Lee.

I understand this. But, how does the cabinet or build robustness impact how they sound? I stuffed them with eggcrate foam, so I have had them opened. And while I agree about how they are built, the magnets, drivers, and cloth surrounds look very well built to me.