[sergec]

I'm looking for a first good audio system (on a budget) and I discovered nOrh thanks to the SE9 review on tnt-audio.

I'm very tempted by the SE9 + Pyramid combination but I'd like to see a few review of the pyramid before making a final decision.
Did anyone have the luck to listen to them ?

To this day, all the things I have read on nOrh are quite positive and I like the "philosophy/style" found on the norh website

I would also  appreciate feedback on the support/warranty (which seems good) from nOrh customer living in  "exotic" location.
 I, for one, live in a french overseas department in indian ocean and I don't think I could expect to get any tech support locally
(and I'm not very handy when it comes to DIY   ).

regards -- Serge

[jcoat007]

My impression of nOrh is that a lot of people start there.  I expect lots of flames from this comment   but when funds permits, you start to look and listen to other things and then move on.  I only have a CD-1 which I still have, but I have seen many, many, many people start with nOrh and then move on.  Only an observation.

I am sure the SE-9/Pyramid combo is excellent.  Just don't go and listen to any other systems from there.  Most other systems will cost you more, a lot more.  So any improvement in sound won't be free.  

Beware of upgrade-itis.

[nathanm]

You may have a point there jcoat, but I guess one question I would bring up is:  So What?  I mean, Norh is just another flavor of speaker to choose from out there.  It may not offer 'ultimate reference level fidelity of the gods' but it's unique looking stuff that isn't exorbitantly priced relative to the rest of the marketplace and has a homey, hand-made feel to it.  That right there is enough for me.

For whatever it's worth, I just auditioned the GR-Research Criteron monitors against the Norh 3.0s and to tell you the truth I enjoyed both. And hey, I actually like the Norhs a little better.  Better off-axis response and a midrange more to my liking despite the fact that the Criterion has much better bandwidth, power handling and construction quality.  So for me price does not have nearly the meaning I used to think it had. One pair was $150 and the other at the least $850!  I don't think the price\performance scale is a linear one.  It has many hills and valleys.  I know comparing these two speakers will be anathema to many, but I don't give a fuck about those kinds of silly taboos.  A speaker is a speaker.  Plug it in and listen to the damn thing.  What's this hangup with matching prices? "Oh my god you can't hook THAT amp up to THAT speaker!"  Silly nonsense which I don't care about at all.  I always look at something for what it IS, not necessarily what somebody is charging for it.

Anyway...I just got my pair of Pyramids tonight.  Since they are so new I won't comment on how they sound just yet, but I will say they are unlike anything I've heard before!  This is definitely the red headed step child of speakers here!  Weird stuff.  You've created a real odd duck here Mr. Barnes!  Ha!    They are much bigger than I expected from looking at the photos that's for sure!

[Mathew_M]

I agree that Norh ain't a bad sounding speaker.  Before I sold off my Norh stock I set them up for a listen and was taken aback how good they sound.   The 4.0 ceramics image extremely well for their size and the music they make is pretty enjoyable.  Compared to a speaker like the VMPS ribbons they sound a bit boring and slow but I found them less fatiguing.  Just pair them up with above average (comparatively) gear and you should be content.

[jcoat007]

You may have a point there jcoat, but I guess one question I would bring up is: So What?

As I said, it was just an observation.  I am not knocking nOrh in any way.  I think they bring tremendous value/performance to the market.

[wunderlast]

Norh SE9 plus Pyramids equals very big soundstage, pretty good sound. This would be the ideal HT speaker.

[mbarnes]

Norh SE9 plus Pyramids equals very big soundstage, pretty good sound. This would be the ideal HT speaker.

I think that given that we have been around for five years, it only makes sense that customers have upgraded -- some to other brands and others to our newer products.

What I can say is that none of the customers who have purchased from use feel that we have delivered anything but very good value.

We have not tried to go to the utra expensive end of the audio spectrum so for those people who really want to buy something very expensive, we don't have something to offer.

We try to build the highest value products we can at a given price point.  After four years, we have yet to year of a loudspeaker that offers better value, in terms of sound, look and quality than the 4.0s.  

Hopefully, as we focus harder at creating even better value, there we less and less reason to spend more.

Our new Le Amp II has 180 watts per channel RMS, has .05% THD at 200 Watts into 8 ohms, has a JFET CLASS A gain stage, Bipolar CLASS A/B output stage, no negative feedback and uses DC servos to control DC offset.  Our list price on Le Amp II is $300.00 each.  We will introduce Le Amp II at $195.00 (very limited time). I think we are raising the bar higher and higher how much you have to spend to upgrade.

[nathanm]

I've posted a review of said combination in Critics' Circle but it's not very flattering unfortunately.