[mkriggs]

Howdy y’all,

On the hunt for that final holy grail speaker.  Would like this to be the last purchase, but famous last words 

Have a budget of about $30k … for folks that have heard or own NX Treme, can I do better given my budget?

Also, what would you say is minimum room size to take full advantage of all these speakers have to offer?

Finally, are the speakers even available right now?  I have read some drivers may not be available?

Thanks all!

MK

[Tyson]

If you like the sound of OB speakers, then yes, the NX-Treme with at least 3 OB subs per side are the best out right now.

[mkrawcz]

There are probably a couple $200k speakers that are in the ballpark. Other then that, nothing beats them that is available right now.

[mlundy57]

Yes, the NX-Tremes, especially with all top of the line components in the crossovers, and a pair of 3-6 driver OB subs are end game speakers.

I'd say the minimum room size would be 16'x18'x8' with 18'x20'x9' being better. I'm not sure what the dimensions of Danny's listening room are at home or what they were at the last Lone Star Audio Fest. Maybe he will chime in with specifics.

For depth, you need at least 3' from the front wall to the baffle of the subs, another foot or two from the front of the subs to the rear of the NX-Tremes, then however far you want to sit away from them (I like 8'-12' for OB speakers), and finally, however much room you want behind the listening position to the back wall. The deeper the room, the more space you can have behind the listening position which reduces undesirable back wall reflections. If you can get 3'-6' or more behind the listening position you can put bass traps in the corner and diffusion in the center like on the front wall. If you don't have much room behind the listening position, like my situation, plenty of absorption on the back wall reduces undesirable reflections.

For width, you want the speakers spaced a little closer together than you are sitting away from them, then add however much room you space the inside of the sub from the outside of the NX-Treme plus the width of the sub. Since the subs are OB, they can be placed fairly close to the wall. With this approach, the distance the listening position is from the speakers determines the minimum width of the room.

More space is better. The farther you can pull the speakers and subs into the room in both depth and width and the taller the ceiling, the larger the soundstage will be in all three dimensions.

Mike

[Tyson]

Mike is exactly right - you need a large room for the NX-Tremes.  If you have a smaller room than what he outlines, you can still go for the NX-Otica which will give you the same performance, but scaled down to fit a smaller space.

[jn316]

If you like the sound of OB speakers, then yes, the NX-Treme with at least 3 OB subs per side are the best out right now.

Hey, Tyson.
I thought you might have thrown a Spatial Audio offering in there. Looks like Ron is liking them a little better than the NX's and it will be interesting to see his coming review of the X4 in relation to the NX's.
I like both companies, as I know you do, so I just thought your answer was interesting. I'm guessing you and Ron both consider them to be more like 1a and 1b as far as your favorites go, instead of 1st and 2nd, as they are both elite. If the Line Forces were in production, then the decision might be a little easier.
Gary

[Tyson]

The X3 is a very good speaker, in my top 5 for sure.  But if I had a larger space, I'd do the NX speakers. 

I'd gravitate toward the NX speakers because I often listen to large scale orchestral music along with artists that use very high level deep bass.  As great as the X3's are, they simply are no match for double (or triple) servo OB subs like the NX series has.

Speaking for myself, I guess I'm not really cost constrained, but I am space constrained.  And like I said, the X3 is a really excellent speaker.  Clayton really, really knows what he is doing.

[Hobbsmeerkat]

I got to hear the X4s when Clayton Shaw stopped by to hear them on Danny's system.

Tonally speaking, they are scarily close to one another.

IMO, the NX-tremes win in the sense of vertical scale and sense of effortlessness especially in the mids and bass. They also have better imaging, especially in the horizontal off-axis thanks to the narrow baffle.

I would say that the X4s are a little more detailed up top in the tweeters range, which plays down to about 750 Hz.
Overall, I would say they are closer to the NX-Oticas due to their similar sense of scale, but with depper bass extension, especially without the

I am curious to see how the X4s measure compared to the NX towers but I imagine we'll see soon enough.

[mkrawcz]

They also have better imaging, especially in the horizontal off-axis thanks to the narrow baffle.

This is why I've been hesitant to get a pair of x4s. The center vocal image on my NX-Oticas is the most realistic I have heard from any speaker.

[Hobbsmeerkat]

This is why I've been hesitant to get a pair of x4s. The center vocal image on my NX-Oticas is the most realistic I have heard from any speaker.

If you're sitting in the sweet spot on-axis they're very close to one another. Ss soon as you're not there, its not as precise, but playing with tow-in may allow for better imaging for those not right in the middle. I suspect it's due to the wider baffle & deeper waveguide, while the NX's narrower baffle allows for better imaging over a wider distance.

[mkriggs]

Great feedback all, thank you so much

Never heard of Spatial before until this thread!  Took a look and definitely intrigued.  Will have to add them to my short list also.

And what are everyone’s thoughts on Tekton?  This is another speaker line that has my interest.  Not open baffle, but seem to be very highly rated and huge value.

https://tektondesign.com/

Pure Audio Project open baffle design also looks interesting.  Thoughts?

https://www.pureaudioproject.com/quintet15-wall-of-sound-open-baffle-speakers-for-large-rooms/#top


Seems also I should consider NX-Otica.  Might be better fit for my room, definitely looks like the Xtremes need some room to breathe.

Thanks

[Tyson]

Great feedback all, thank you so much

Never heard of Spatial before until this thread!  Took a look and definitely intrigued.  Will have to add them to my short list also.

And what are everyone’s thoughts on Tekton?  This is another speaker line that has my interest.  Not open baffle, but seem to be very highly rated and huge value.

https://tektondesign.com/

Pure Audio Project open baffle design also looks interesting.  Thoughts?

https://www.pureaudioproject.com/quintet15-wall-of-sound-open-baffle-speakers-for-large-rooms/#top


Seems also I should consider NX-Otica.  Might be better fit for my room, definitely looks like the Xtremes need some room to breathe.

Thanks

The Pure Audio Project has been excellent every time I've heard it.  The Tekton speakers have not.

[mlundy57]

I’d suggest spending a little of your budget on a trip to Danny’s to listen to the Nx-Tremes and  X-Oticas for yourself before making a decision. No amount of other people’s opinions can take the place of first hand experience.

[mkriggs]

I’d suggest spending a little of your budget on a trip to Danny’s to listen to the Nx-Tremes and  X-Oticas for yourself before making a decision. No amount of other people’s opinions can take the place of first hand experience.

Fully agreed.  Point of my discussion here is only to help create a “short list”.  I don’t have the time or patience to audition 100 speakers 😉

[mlundy57]

Fully agreed.  Point of my discussion here is only to help create a “short list”.  I don’t have the time or patience to audition 100 speakers 😉

Well then, both the NX-Otica and NX-Treme belong at the top of that short list to audition. I’ve heard the NX-Tremes a few times and have a paired down version of the NX-Otica with dual driver OB subs. I've had these for a number of years now and have showed them at them at the least three Lone Star Audio Fests before COVID. At the least show in 2019 Danny also has the NX-Tremes.

Check out the show coverage by Part-time Audiophile for descriptions.

NX-Tremes - https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2019/06/04/gr-research-dodd-audio-lone-star-audio-fest-2019/

NX-Otica monitors with dual OB subs - https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2019/06/05/uilleam-audio-lone-star-audio-fest-2019/

The NX-Oticas are between the two. Like the NX-Tremes, the 'Oticas are tower speakers that are combined with OB servo sub towers. Both the NX-Tremes w/OBs sub and NX-Oticas w/OB subs are four cabinet systems. At 12'x14'x8' my room is too small to fit a four cabinet OB system. The intent of the smaller two cabinet version was to get as close to the performance of the NX-Otica / triple OB subs as possible in a small room.

[mkriggs]

Well then, both the NX-Otica and NX-Treme belong at the top of that short list to audition. I’ve heard the NX-Tremes a few times and have a paired down version of the NX-Otica with dual driver OB subs. I've had these for a number of years now and have showed them at them at the least three Lone Star Audio Fests before COVID. At the least show in 2019 Danny also has the NX-Tremes.

Check out the show coverage by Part-time Audiophile for descriptions.

NX-Tremes - https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2019/06/04/gr-research-dodd-audio-lone-star-audio-fest-2019/

NX-Otica monitors with dual OB subs - https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2019/06/05/uilleam-audio-lone-star-audio-fest-2019/

The NX-Oticas are between the two. Like the NX-Tremes, the 'Oticas are tower speakers that are combined with OB servo sub towers. Both the NX-Tremes w/OBs sub and NX-Oticas w/OB subs are four cabinet systems. At 12'x14'x8' my room is too small to fit a four cabinet OB system. The intent of the smaller two cabinet version was to get as close to the performance of the NX-Otica / triple OB subs as possible in a small room.

Thank you sir, very helpful.  NX Otica may be the better choice for my room, now I just have to figure out a way to audition 🤪

Any NX Otica or Xtreme owners in the northwest?  (I am in western Montana)