[Danny Richie]

Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3SGjBL4Ffg&lc=z23vfz3xhrypitufmacdp430v0q45rw3yziqvm4r0bdw03c010c.1582296461507466

I'm not big of using sound clips to tell how a speaker or set of speakers really sound, because you are hearing it all back on a difference system. It is also compressed on Youtube.

However, Ron made some really interesting sound clips comparing the NX Studio Monitors, the NX-Otica, and the NX-Treme.

All use the same driver family and are voiced about the same. However, Ron's mics really picked up the differences between the sealed box NX-Studio and the large open baffle NX-Otica and NX-Treme. Full open baffle speakers clearly have a more open and transparent quality.

Another surprise was the differences that can be heard between the NX-Otica and NX-Treme models. They are basically the same speaker (almost), but in this case the NX-Otica uses the base level crossover that comes with the kit. The NX-Treme uses all of the available crossover upgrades that include Sonicaps in the high pass circuit of the mids, foil inductors, and the Miflex Copper by-pass caps on the tweeter circuit. And in the recording you can clearly hear the differences that those higher end crossover parts are making.

You can even hear some real differences in the sound stage size and spacial cues that are often lost in the recording made like this.

All in all, very interesting...

[Captainhemo]

Time for a full copper cap  netowrk   

jay

[Hobbsmeerkat]

I only had a chance to listen to it via my phone and $30 earbuds, so far, and the Oticas & NX-Tremes had a slightly fuller midrange (and the open subs have some really Impressive bass too)

Im excited to listen again tonight via my DAC/Amp & proper headphones. Which made the RP600M upgrade differences clear as day. So I'm certain that ill better be able to pick apart the differences than i could last night!

[Nick77]

Very interesting, all 3 speakers clearly portrayed slightly different signatures. The NX Extreme had more weight and information, quite impressive! 

Would love to have heard the Super Mini thrown in for kicks to compare. (Ron)

[maty]

NX-Studio crossover graph




NX-Otica crossover graph
from the YouTube video




NX-Treme crossover graph




Clearly NX-Treme has the better crossover graph. By the way, getting those graphics with open baffle should not be easy. Adding more identical woofer drivers will make it easier to get it, I say.

[Hobbsmeerkat]

Would love to have heard the Super Mini thrown in for kicks to compare. (Ron)

It was left out of the tests because it's not a currently available product. 
Tho that might change when the new Neo 10s are finished with quality testing and ready for production. Same with the Line Force, but we'll just have to wait and see when the time comes.
(Cuz i definitely want to hear samples of those too)

[Danny Richie]

Matty, that NX-Otica curve that you fouund was from the first rendition using the custom serenity tweeter. It looks a little different now and crosses a little higher like the NX-Treme.

[Hobbsmeerkat]

Now that I've finally gotten the chance to listen to the comparison a few times over, (with an external DAC/Amp & HD650 Headphones) and listened to the same clips of originals of both Dire Straits and Toto (since I'm most familiar with them) I'm really amazed how close the recordings come to just listening to the studio recordings. Some of the finer details in the guitar are lost, but easily 92% of information is still there. Including spatial cues, depth and direction, which is honestly amazing. (Props to Ron on his equipment & setup)
The bass hits hard but is never boomy, tho maybe a little forward on the NX-Studios, even so the highs remain very clear, and the mids are articulate, and don't get muddied of lost in the bass.

With the Otica and X-Tremes, i feel the MTM arrangements help fill out the mids presence & brings them up to the same level as the bass. The guitar's attack is also more clean and pronounced, and vocals stand out. Id say they're about 95% of the original recording. With the last bit of lost detail being likely lost to YouTube's compression.
The only thing lost in the recording is the vertical depth gained by the larger Oticas and NX-Tremes.

Tho I imagine if I were there, in person, I would likely think differently, and have an even better understanding of what im missing from listening to a recording of speaker playback, and also thru mid-range DAC & headphone combo.

And while I definitely still want the NX-Studios for my personal space, use I'm definitely considering the NX-Oticas for future setups.

Definitely looking forward to seeing more from you and Ron going forward!
Thanks again for sharing!

[electronicsfanatic]

I really would like to hear them posted just as clips no video uncompressed because I feel people got a misrepresentation of what Dannys work can do.  Especially on the Klipsch Rp-600Ms. I know I had Vr3 mods do $800 crossovers on a set of Polk RTi-A9s.  I only got him to do a one off set after hearing the difference in a set of Polk LSiM series.  He took them to a recording studio and had them available uncompressed on his website. 

[maty]

Matty, that NX-Otica curve that you fouund was from the first rendition using the custom serenity tweeter. It looks a little different now and crosses a little higher like the NX-Treme.

Image deleted. Is YouTube NX-Otica graph right?

Now from the YouTube video:

[maty]

And while I definitely still want the NX-Studios for my personal space, use I'm definitely considering the NX-Oticas for future setups...

You can try to modify the dips at 350 Hz and 1.2 kHz with a minimum phase PEQ with high Q and < +/- 3 dB. When you are satisfied -> rePhase and then a convolution filter -> good soft player, as me with my modded KEF Q100.

-> https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/minimum-phase-vs-linear-phase.8762/post-253826

-> https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/minimum-phase-vs-linear-phase.8762/page-7#post-225351

What is a mistake is what most do, measure to equalize the entire band in frequency. And also with linear phase filters. You have to have good loudspeakers first! To listen to very good music recordings.

[Hobbsmeerkat]

I mean I could do those things, but I doubt I'd honestly even notice much difference, as they're already going to be far better quality than most any equipment I currently own. However, it is good to know i have the option to smooth out the dips in the future!

But my comment about the Oticas was about using them for a larger living room in the future, rather than the Studios, which will be used in a smaller bedroom/home-office setting.

[maty]

If you listen to excellent recordings with great dynamic range and with acoustic instrumentation and "natural" voices without autotune you will surely notice the difference.

If you limit yourself to modern commercial music, so badly produced and with low or very low dynamic range (DR) then it will be more difficult. DR < or << 10 dB.

This morning I have made an image copy of the windows partition again, the second one this week. I have finally got the sound I was looking for these years. Although listening is in the near field I have depth and separation of instruments. In short, 3D sound despite the limitations. Great soundstage thanks to the small KEF coaxials.

All thanks to the fact that days ago I accessed fantastic recordings that have helped me to fine tune the settings in Windows and media players much more.

Harmonie Du Soir Ensemble - Modern Time (2020) {24-96} [WAV]
https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/music/6958-playing-listening-post6068847.html

*** https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/playclassics-album-premiere-for-asr-members.11224/post-322001

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/playclassics-trt-v2-0f-update-offer-for-asr-members.11337/post-324981

These classical music recordings must sound spectacular with Danny Richie open baffles!!!

HR, free and without ads!
http://www.playclassics.com/streaming

http://www.playclassics.com/comparisons

- End off topic -

[Hobbsmeerkat]

I think you're reading far too much into what I'm saying, Maty, and I'm not really sure what your your point is by throwing all this information at me.

Right now, i just want to get to "good-enough" which for me means getting the best I can afford, and growing into something better down the line. And while that might not be where you're steering me, its not something im worried about yet.

Besides, it's wildly getting off topic..

[jtwrace]

I think you're reading far too much into what I'm saying, Maty, and I'm not really sure what your your point is by throwing all this information at me.
Besides, it's wildly getting off topic..

That's his thing all over every audio forum.  It's exhausting to go through and actually find useful info on threads. 

[maty]

That optimizing can improve the sound a lot, as long as it begins from a good base, as the NX-Studio seem to be. In the far field everything gets complicated because the room interacts.

Therefore, slightly tweaking the NX-Studio frequency response will probably improve the sound. Without to spend more money!

[Tyson]

You do realize that's a 5 db scale?  MOST graphs you see are 10db so this is actually much smoother response than most speakers out there.  + / - 2db it looks to me. 

You can EQ that if you want but it's kind of pointless IMO.  And using EQ is not a free pass.  I've noticed every time I've used EQ in the past (particularly digital EQ), the sound loses a fair bit of open-ness and vibrancy.  If you MUST use EQ, then it's best to save it for the bass, where the need is usually much greater due to the room.

[maty]

The problem could be 1.2 kHz. Hence the filter must have large Q and very few / few decibels of gain, less than 3 dB, 1.5 dB - 2 dB the first attempt. A soft touch. The change in the phase is tried to minimize with rePhase at the end. The problem comes when the equalization is abused, which is usual. I am talking about music and not films.

With minimum phase PEQ, of course.

In a good coaxial, with excellent dispersion would be more optimal. Anyway, if the frequency response of the NX-Studio were different I would not have been interested in it! It is the first OB I know for a not very large room.

[Badd99]

Danny - is the sound difference between the otica and nx tremes in the clips more so the added 4 woofers or more because of the crossover upgrades? Obviously they both play a roll, but to what %?

How much more would you get out of the crossover with all copper caps and no sonic caps?

[Tyson]

Danny - is the sound difference between the otica and nx tremes in the clips more so the added 4 woofers or more because of the crossover upgrades? Obviously they both play a roll, but to what %?

How much more would you get out of the crossover with all copper caps and no sonic caps?

I've had both in my Super 7s.  IMO, you get 90% of the sound of the all-copper caps by using a Miflex bypass on the Sonicaps.  It's a very, very good sounding combo.  Money is better spent elsewhere.  Sonicaps plus Miflex are a big step up over the stock crossover (maybe 25% improvement in mid/highs).