Kit choice… X-Static, NX-Otica or NX-Treme?

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Read 1380 times.

ReflectionWaves

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 4
Kit choice… X-Static, NX-Otica or NX-Treme?
« on: 17 Jan 2022, 07:37 pm »
Hey, first post here. Been looking at the GR Research site and watching Danny’s videos for about a year. I’ve been into building DIY for about a year as well. Ready to move up in quality and complexity as well.

I’m hoping Danny or someone GR would be able to answer a couple of questions I have:

1. I’m considering the X-Static’s, NX-Otica’s and the NX-Treme’s. Use is both home theater and music. 1st room size is 20x15, ceiling 9’. I have a second room that is the same size, ceiling 11’, but has an open back to the kitchen. So yeah… I might build two kits, I dunno. Any advice on the best kit for my situation and what the difference in quality and dynamics are as you go up? Any typical commercial speaker “cost value” to compare them to?
2. As an alternative discussion, I’ve considered, in addition to this kit for another room, building a DIY speaker similar to the old B&W 801 matrix with the single huge woofer. I was looking for something similar from GR but it looks like the bass is distributed to multiple drivers for efficiency and other reasons I don’t yet understand. Is this type of speaker kit just not viable in the market due to size/shape/ trend or is the modern engineering of the other kits just that superior?

Thanks in advance to Danny or anyone else who’d like to share experiences and knowledge as I pick a kit.

RW

Vince in TX

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 368
Re: Kit choice… X-Static, NX-Otica or NX-Treme?
« Reply #1 on: 17 Jan 2022, 10:59 pm »
Welcome!   I'm running X-Statics (with full upgrades on the Crossovers), X-Voce (also upgraded), and A/V-1RS surrounds in my home theater.   The X-Statics are phenomenal when combined with the Servo Sub 4 kits.   The system is starting to get fully broken in now and just keeps getting better.   I am using Odyssey Kismet amplifiers on the front channel attached to the pre-outs on a Marantz SR8015.

My room dimensions are similar.





ReflectionWaves

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 4
Re: Kit choice… X-Static, NX-Otica or NX-Treme?
« Reply #2 on: 17 Jan 2022, 11:48 pm »
Awesome, Vince! Did you choose that kit because of budget, aesthetics, room size?

tull skull

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 299
  • I can't send hare in search of anything!
Re: Kit choice… X-Static, NX-Otica or NX-Treme?
« Reply #3 on: 17 Jan 2022, 11:52 pm »
Beautiful room Vince. Can you comment on the fans? Is it a Texas thing?

subsonic1050

Re: Kit choice… X-Static, NX-Otica or NX-Treme?
« Reply #4 on: 18 Jan 2022, 12:31 am »
I have built X-Statik's and NX-tremes. The xstatiks are fantastic but the difference between them is massive. The xtremes are simply in another league- actually several leagues above. I think the statiks are great for HT. If you will be listening to music in addition to HT and have the money and feel confident building them go with the oticas or xtremes.

Danny Richie

Re: Kit choice… X-Static, NX-Otica or NX-Treme?
« Reply #5 on: 18 Jan 2022, 02:58 pm »
I have built X-Statik's and NX-tremes. The xstatiks are fantastic but the difference between them is massive. The xtremes are simply in another league- actually several leagues above. I think the statiks are great for HT. If you will be listening to music in addition to HT and have the money and feel confident building them go with the oticas or xtremes.

He is correct.

Chops

Re: Kit choice… X-Static, NX-Otica or NX-Treme?
« Reply #6 on: 18 Jan 2022, 04:08 pm »
He is correct.

Except for the statement that the X-Statik's are great for movies...

Although this is true, it's also true that the X-Statik's are equally great for music as well. 

As for which kit or kits to buy, I say buy whichever ones you can afford.

ReflectionWaves

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 4
Re: Kit choice… X-Static, NX-Otica or NX-Treme?
« Reply #7 on: 18 Jan 2022, 04:16 pm »
Sounds like it’s the Otica or the Xtreme.

How large is difference between these?

Tyson

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 11090
  • Audio - It's all a big fake.
Re: Kit choice… X-Static, NX-Otica or NX-Treme?
« Reply #8 on: 18 Jan 2022, 04:51 pm »
Sounds like it’s the Otica or the Xtreme.

How large is difference between these?

Personally I like the NX-Otica better.  Others will feel differently than me.  These 2 speakers are very similar sounding speakers overall (since it's the same core design).  The NX-Treme has a bigger sound, more dynamic ease and punch and just sounds like an incredible, giant ass speaker that does everything superlatively.  The NX-Otica on the other hand, still sounds like a big, open speaker that does everything superlatively as well.  But somewhat less grunt, scale and less punch in the mid-bass.  But the one thing it does better than the NX-treme is imaging and soundstage.  The way the sound floats free of the NX-Otica is just magical.
« Last Edit: 18 Jan 2022, 08:28 pm by Tyson »

Vince in TX

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 368
Re: Kit choice… X-Static, NX-Otica or NX-Treme?
« Reply #9 on: 18 Jan 2022, 08:26 pm »
Beautiful room Vince. Can you comment on the fans? Is it a Texas thing?

LOL!   No, not a Texas thing.   It's an HVAC thing.   There is no ceiling fan in that room, and when the heat/humidity kicks up to ridiculous levels living in the Houston, TX area, it can get sticky in that room real quick when you start adding bodies.   I move those fans around as needed to maintain comfort levels (and at low setting, they move air pretty good and are quieter than the projector).   Even 73 degrees static temperature in the room can feel too warm when you add the equipment's heat dissipation (amplifiers, projector, etc.).   Fixing this is still a work in progress (possible hush box for projector, possibly closing off or venting the equipment cubby, etc.).

Vince in TX

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 368
Re: Kit choice… X-Static, NX-Otica or NX-Treme?
« Reply #10 on: 18 Jan 2022, 08:31 pm »
Awesome, Vince! Did you choose that kit because of budget, aesthetics, room size?

My choice was easy.   I found an amazing deal in the secondary market on my X-Statics with the X-Voce, fully upgraded with Skiiing Ninja crossovers.

Believe me, I have my eyes on that NX-Otica for future consideration, but so far this current setup is pretty darn good.   If you're ever in the Houston area, send me a note and come take a listen.   At some point, I need to take a road trip to Dallas and listen to Danny's setups so I have some objective comparisons.   Right now I'm simply basing the quality off my old Klipsch setup, which can't hold a candle to the GR Research loudspeakers.