[DEP14]

So,

I've had more than a few PM's sent my way asking me what I am selling the SS8's to buy...

Well, LONG term, the hope is SS10's, but that is likely a couple years off.  I actually went to AXPONA Friday and got to hear a lot of speakers.

I've learned a LOT of companies have decided to wow you initially with a crapload of bass, or a ton of treble.  Balanced speakers are tough to find.

I also found it interesting that many of the bigger MFG were running their speakers through HT pre-pro's or had quietly set-up room correction.

There were exactly NONE under 15k (actually 32K to be exact that I liked as much as the SS8's) - crazy exotic stuff being run by insane electronics).

Though, if I were a "rich" kid in college I would find a way to buy some JTR speakers.  Talk about a crazy party speaker, I suspect they could be run at 130db and it wouldn't phase them.

I'll admit to liking bass, so the SS10 could be fun someday.  For now until I have a couple investments mature.. I'll be listening to these bad boys (and they are bad boys, big, ugly, and huge).  I was going to rock out to some circa 1992 Klipsch KG 4.2... until a angel (devil) happened to have these in storage and offered them up if I didn't mind having something big, bad, and ugly in my basement.  I'm pretty sure it was a peace offering on his behalf to gain space back.

That's right, straight outta 1996 (seriously that was the MFG date) I present to you the NHT 3.3.  31 inches deep, 123lbs (which wasn't an easy move for 3 of us seeing as how I am still recovering from hernia surgery) and with quite possibly the LOWEST WAF of any speaker ever produced! (I mean, no way these would be allowed in any other room in my house, and my wife is cool about these things).

I would encourage any and all of you the next time you get questioned about the WAF of your speakers to simply present a picture of these monoliths. 

[TheHills44060]

The NHT 2.9's were on my short list of speakers that I seriously auditioned around 1999-ish so I crossed paths with the 3.3's many times.  Unfortunately the 3.3's were just too large and expensive for me at the time but I always had an eye for them.  I like the cabinet flush grills on the side mounted woofers much much better than the eyesore side grills on the SS8's.  Wish the SS8's design was similar.   

[*Scotty*]

Hey, at least you have a cover over the drivers. They could look like this

Scotty

[SCompRacer]

I've always respected NHT's offerings. I use a pair of their 12" subs to help out the nethers in my 10,000 cubic feet space. Much needed with dubstep and pipe organ.

Some friends and I were at Axpona Friday too. Mary gave me a hard time, Jim got wet and didn't melt, I listened to the Exotica 3's again and decided my SS8's were just fine. Of course this newly acquired used ARC Ref 3 helped some..lol We also had some great seats for Patricia Barber. A friend had tickets, we didn't. We sat outside with the ticket staff about 15 feet away from the door. They had it propped open to listen. We also chatted with Pat as she signed CD's just before the show. Good times.

[Ern Dog]

I see your trusty Radio Shack sound pressure meter there in the picture.  I always keep mine handy too.  The life of an audiophile....

[ctviggen]

[cut]
That's right, straight outta 1996 (seriously that was the MFG date) I present to you the NHT 3.3.  31 inches deep, 123lbs (which wasn't an easy move for 3 of us seeing as how I am still recovering from hernia surgery) and with quite possibly the LOWEST WAF of any speaker ever produced! (I mean, no way these would be allowed in any other room in my house, and my wife is cool about these things).

I would encourage any and all of you the next time you get questioned about the WAF of your speakers to simply present a picture of these monoliths. 

To me, those are nowhere near as "bad" as black VMPS RM40 speakers, which are tall, black, rectangular monoliths.  I also had a bunch of real traps in my room, plus two huge VMPS subs on substands (think a total of 5 feet tall, several feet wide, all black), and an SVS sub.

This is a picture before I got the (8 or 9?) realtraps and the VMPS subs:



Sadly, if I buy another pair of Salks (have HT3s), I'd sell the HT3s to buy the new pair. 

[Frans]

I'll admit to liking bass, so the SS10 could be fun someday. 

Get a decent subwoofer. Problem solved; the SS8 takes care of everything north of 60 Hz. If you take away the heavy lifting from your AVR/Amp your SS8 will get driven better and you shalt have prodigious bass...

[DEP14]

Get a decent subwoofer. Problem solved; the SS8 takes care of everything north of 60 Hz. If you take away the heavy lifting from your AVR/Amp your SS8 will get driven better and you shalt have prodigious bass...

Oh, I had dual subs.

So, don't get me wrong.  I LOVED the SS8's, sale had nothing to do with not liking them.  I did run dual subs with them and it sounded great.  I will say though that I've always been a fan of displacement in a speaker (as I am a meathead at times), and I do think that short of powered woofers built in, that typically a bigger driver is better.  I still prefer the sound of bass coming from a speaker as no matter what I do, getting a blend between subs and mains for music is just not as coherent.

The NHT's actually are a better speaker than I expected, frankly not bad at all.  The bass is tremendous, nice and tight (but I'm giving them 300 or so watts of Classe power).  The mids and highs are good, the highs are a shade bright though.

Where I think that the SS8's absolutely shine and are the best damn speaker I think I've ever heard sub 30k is in the midrange and the highs.  Dynamic, open, great imaging, never harsh etc.  That is what I miss the most so far.  I loved running them with open baffles. 

I'll admit to liking the bass out of this NHT a bit more, but many may not.  It's nice and tight, but boomier and warmer than the Salks.  The salks are more accurate for sure.

So, I'm thinking the SS10's have to be tremendous... or some combination of the Exotica (the bottom end) and the SS8(top end).

But I'm just dreaming now!

[Frans]

Dream on mate! I am running SS12s with an SVS Ultra 13 and I get tons of grief!

[DEP14]

Dream on mate! I am running SS12s with an SVS Ultra 13 and I get tons of grief!

That's a system I want to hear!

Where do you have the sub placed?  I'm limited to corner placement in my current set-up.

[Frans]

Left corner until I eventually get another one.

[SCompRacer]

I see your trusty Radio Shack sound pressure meter there in the picture.  I always keep mine handy too.  The life of an audiophile....

LOL Yeah, that's to see if the music really is too loud......plus I still love analog needle gauges. Digital display is OK, but swinging needles are way kewl.

Powered drivers or not, I'd bet my life (it ain't worth much anyway...lol) Exotica 3's would not give me 20Hz +-3dB in my 10,000 cubic feet main level. Some rooms speakers alone won't play as low as their +- 3dB low frequency. You may get a hint is all.  Of course one must consult a musical instrument chart to see what lowest frequency they need in their room for music alone, and do a room sweep to see what is going on. I play the low stuff about 15%-20% of the time. My SS8's are two channel only and need help in the 25-35Hz range.

Dream on mate! I am running SS12s with an SVS Ultra 13 and I get tons of grief!

Yeah, grief aside, how does it feel? lol Best placement for my 12" subs is bewteen speakers and near to back wall. That way the lengths of low bass frequencies arrives at the listening position. It's pretty kewl to walk the room and hear the bass just null out and disappear in some places.