NHT XdS Listening Tests
Auditioning the Xd system is a purely pleasurable exercise
in musical exploration. There are so many sonically compelling musical
strengths inherent to the Xd its hard to tear yourself away from the system
when life’s other commitments require your presence elsewhere. It’s also hard
to know where to start in describing these many, many strengths; if you’ve had
the opportunity to listen to an XdS system, you’ll likely know there are so
many competing for your immediate attention. Ah, such are these sweet
challenges. Onward to the subjective assessment.
First up on deck is the Yellowjackets’ “time squared” CD,
(HUCD 3075). The Yellowjackets have been around for what by now seems like
ages. They’ve always had a sound (jazz fusionists with pronounced old school
sensibilities) that seems especially well showcased by systems possessing
unusually low mechanical/acoustical noise floors. (Read: musical details don’t
get lost beneath the grunge). Sonically speaking, a system with as low a noise floor
as the Xd is analogous to a video projector with a contrast ratio in the 5 or 6
figures – consciously or not it’ll become a standard by which all others are
judged.
Track after track, the Xd system filled the listening space
with a sound stage that was as high as it was wide. Imaging bordered on the
holographic (due in part to the Xd’s tightly controlled impulse response and
immaculate tonal balance), with the various instruments definitively painted
across the sound stage, each clearly defined in their location. The XdS did all
this while at the same time presenting a rather convincing illusion that they
had nothing to do with the music you were hearing; they were invisible; the
music was simply there in the space before you.
Tonally speaking the Xd system at times resembled that of some
of the best electrostatic systems out there, with the added punch of the XdW
thrown into the bargain. With as expansive and sonically clean a sound stage as
that presented by the Xd system, it was easy to get a sense of the space around
the various instruments, further adding to the illusion of being right there.
The Yellowjackets compositions will typically make lively
use of whatever dynamic range any particular playback system can provide. Biamped and
powered by a total of four separate 150W rms (300W, peak) Amplifiers, plus the XdW’s own 500W rms (700W, peak) power
amp the Xd system was able to provide a dynamic range easily capable of supporting the demands of
the playback material, delivered at realistic levels at the listening position.
For example, the sax in “Monks Habit” or “Claire @ 18” was presented at a level
I would expect if it were the band and not the speakers situated 10 feet in
front of the listening position. The bass lines never disappeared, always
clean, always focused. The drum/ percussion tracks were arrayed across the
sound stage so stably the individual instruments never seemed to waver in their
relative position, further enhancing the illusion of 3-dimensional acoustical
reality. Off-axis performance was, given the systems multitude of well-executed
design attributes, outstanding as well.
Next up on deck was the sampler CD included with the Xd
system, titled, appropriately enough, the NHT Xd Sampler, The E.S.E Sessions. The sampler sports 5
tracks of superbly recorded, mixed and mastered material - vocals and
unamplified strings (dobros, slide guitar, bass, nylon-stringed guitar) -and nothing else.
Perfect for a mellow or nearly meditative listening experience. Long before the CD came to an end I’d made a
mental note to look up Blue Coast Records and add more of their fine product to my CD collection.
This CD, right from the first track, “Looking for A Home”
takes the Xd system right to the edge of its musical envelope, involving you in the essence of the
individual performances, never dropping the ball where it comes to the subtle
details that separate music produced from music reproduced. The harmonic
structure of the voices and the delicate interplay of the instruments were
portrayed in a way that leaves one wishing everything in your CD collection
could sound this good.
In the second track “Slow Day” the XdW bass module gets a
work out. In this particular track the melodic acoustic bass line weaves a masterfully
crafted underpinning that shows off just how musically accurate, the XdW, under
the wizened digital guidance of the XdA really, really is. In this case, the
bass line is an equal partner with the vocals and guitar, never intruding but
always supporting the melody. (Think of the bass line in Zeppelin’s “Ramble On”
and you’ve got the idea). In thinking
about it afterwards, I realized I’d been so impressed with the job the XdW bass
module had done in convincing me the illusion was real that all the while I’d
been listening to the track I’d been speculating as to how they’d managed to
capture such a true-to-life rendition of the acoustic bass (far harder to do
than it sounds). Another words, my focus
had been drawn into the session and I had forgotten about the speakers, they’d
done such a good job of disappearing, convincing the ear they had nothing to do
with the music being heard. Excellent!
Track 4 “Darcy Farrow” showed off the systems ability to subjectively
reach for and grab the sharp transients presented by the Dobro (thanks in equal
measure to the tweeter’s design and the electronics driving it) while
maintaining beautifully the harmonic structure of the slide guitar. (A
testament to not only the quality of the individual components but also how
well they integrate). With power to spare the system was well able to
accurately convey the dynamic range of the performance, all at realistic levels. With loud, musically
complex recordings, masking can hide all sorts of failings. With more (so to
speak) sparse recordings - like an acoustic guitar & a lone Dobro – any
such failings will stand out. That, of
course, includes the speakers. One example that immediately comes to mind is
the case where the midrange driver & the tweeter don’t integrate well;
Dobros end up sounding like they’re made of plastic (they definitely aren’t)! The
Xd system had no such problems.
On other material (various recordings of Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue and the first couple of
Van Halen albums) I did bump in to the system’s limits. And all systems – regardless
of the size of the price tag or the amount of competent engineering that went into their
creation – certainly have limits.
I’d read elsewhere that others had encountered a bit of
noisiness with the system. Everything from purported ground-loop hum to
processor “hiss”. I found it did indeed
hiss a bit, but in the case of the system provided for this review you’d have
to be impractically close to either XdS to actually hear the hiss. If you’re in
the habit of wearing your speakers like headphones (many years ago I saw
someone try this at a frat party once), then, sure, you’ll hear it. Otherwise,
even when playing back solo piano material like Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue it wasn’t audible at the listening position. As
well, I had no problems whatsoever with ground loop hum, even though the system
had been connected in a way that theoretically could have set it up for just
such problems.
I’ve also seen questions arise elsewhere considering the
system’s power-handling ability or perhaps more to the point how loud it can
play.
I found that extreme levels (early Van Halen albums,
cranked) you could hear the midranges struggling a bit in their lower registers, but this occurred at
playback levels that were extreme and used only once to see just what the
limits were. Under all other operating conditions tested, the system functioned
flawlessly. Its not all that difficult to imagine just how loud the system can
play when you stop to consider you have a pair of tweeters, each powered by its
own 150W rms amplifier, a pair of midranges, each powered by its own 150W rms
power amp and a bass module sporting a pair of 10” drivers, fed by its own 500W
amp. Of course, if you need a bit more, you can add a second XdW and upgrade
the firmware.
Recent Forum Posts:
I own a Xd 2.2 - the cable is a 2.5 mm = 10 AWG (4 wires each 10G)
MrClean;269167
I heard the 803s in another room and was very underwhelmed. Without saying a word about my impression, the dealer started making excuses for the sound, blaming it on the preamp/amp, which included either Plinius or McCormack (it's been a while). I heard a pair of 800Ds in virtually the same location as the Xds and walked out of the store with the Xds. Money was not the determining factor, as I was replacing over $20K in gear from Genesis and Pass Labs. The money saved was icing on the cake. The weird thing is, many dealers seem to be going out of their way to hide this product - I got a great deal on the demo as the dealer seemed happy to get them out of the store.
Another great attribute that Romanesq brought up is the ease of setup, and the absence of a sweet spot. These things sound very good with little fuss - of course, they would sound even better in an optimized room, but sometimes that isn't practical. When I moved from Houston to LA, my listening environment changed drastically, and the old stuff did not work at all. Not only does the new system sound way better in the room, I have never encountered speakers that don't force you to sit in that one perfect spot to enjoy them. You can get up and walk around the room, and the image pretty much stays intact.
I must come off sounding like a dealer or something - I assure you, I am not. I'm just a very satisfied customer. NHT has developed a great product. When you look at it closely, you can only marvel at the level of thoughtfulness and detail that went into it. Is it perfect? No, but at this price point, it is extraordinary.
Same here.
My system is/was Vienna Acoustics Baby Beethoven speakers , REL R 505 sub, Primare integrated amp (I21) and the Classic SqueezeBox 3. Cables are made by Cobalt for speakers; audioquest for the RCA link between SB3 and the integrated amp. I bought my system in 2005 (except the SB3 which I bought in 2006).
All my music is lossless stored on a computer (more than 700 CDs that now sit in the garage) and played wireless through SB3; this way there is no mechanical noise from the player (like a CD/SACD player would have). Of course the computer that stores the music is in a different room - all those noisy computer fans I can't stand...
The MSRP cost of the VA/Primare/REL system is 3995$ (VA) + 1995$ (REL) + 1495 (I21) + 130$ (10 AWG Cobalt cables) + 8.25% CA taxes = 8.243$
I am as happy as I can be with my system BUT (here I go) I am always reading reviews and listening to (too) many speakers (including some I couldn't afford) at many dealers.
Long story short, I heard about the NHT XDa an active crossover system with DEQX crossovers and Power Physics amplifier(s) in 2006 but it was just a few months after I bought my system so I wasn't very interested. Plus, at that time "digital" amplifier was a bad word, a profanity in the boutique oriented audiophile world and NHT is not quite an exotique brand - they are down to earth guys.
Here we are today in 2009 with the economy in the toilet and NHT slashes prices - XD* Active 2.2 is down to 2999$.
In the meantime I read quite a bit about class D amplifiers and learned they are (or at least could be) actually pretty good. So I order the NHT XD* Active 2.2 in special dark, factory-direct.
Here I am, I got the Beethovens/Primare/REL + the NHT XD* Active 2.2.
I also had to order a preamp and I chose the Parasound Halo P3 – I heard it many times and I like it. That set me back another 850$ (tax included).
*I was thinking - if a don't like the NHT I will sell them on Audiogon (yes I will loose some money but there is no place that let's me audition them). If I like them better than my current setup (I thought that was unlikely) I might keep both. After all, the VA/Primare/REL combination is as good as I can afford.
Or so I thought. The only speakers I like better than my Beethovens and under 15k$ are the Martin Logan Summit X. Now that is way above budget and my wife wouldn't approve either way (don't you bring those UFOs in our house, OK?). Speakers more expensive than that make no sense to me. A lot of doubtful (pseudo) technology go in such esoteric and expensive speakers - my 2c. Also - do not try justifying me k$ cables - it makes me laugh.
See this
http://www.audioholics.com/education/cables/top-ten-signs-an-audio-cable-vendor-is-selling-you-snake-oil [audioholics.com]
on one of my preferred websites.
So, how do 8243$ spent at Magnolia HiFi stack up against 4100$ ( 3247$ is 3k$ + taxes then add 850$ for the Halo P3) spent buying factory direct gear from NHT + the Parasound P3 preamp?
Looks and appearance first:
The VA are some gorgeous lookers - the kind of finish you rarely see. If you look at the binding posts in the back then it'll be clear for you - the Austrians from VA mean quality. And that is not only outside, to be seen; read up on their website about their crossovers... Unless you are willing to spend a lot more I'd say the VA Beethovens are as good as it gets for a mortal's audio system.
The Primare amplifier is also a beautiful amplifier, simple, elegant and classy.
The RELL sub is also very nicely finished - a true black piano high gloss - really nice.
The NHT XDs speakers are very nicely finished - on par with the VA. I even consider the dark red chocolate/black piano high gloss finish better than the VA/RELL. The spikes that come with the stand are in a beautiful metallic gun color (and no, I don't like guns) - nicest spikes I've seen in a long time. Now there are two things I am not really thrilled in the looks of the NHT XDs:
*a) the cable that comes standard is not that cool looking
*b) there is a sticker on the back of the speakers with their serial #. Nicer/better finish and look than the VA yet a piece of sticker on their back!
Now the XDa (XD's amplifier) is not very nice looking - plastic front plate. Nowhere close to the Primare look.
The XDw are very nice looking - better looking than the RELL.
I like listening to baroque (I love organ) music and all king of fast, ear blasting punk/heavy metal. This (strange) combination music I like makes me hard to please when it comes to sound reproduction.
Sound comparison:
The VAs sound very relaxed with good imaging and clear mids while the highs sound silky smooth and mellow. They almost sound like they are meant to play Baroque music (even organ - with the REL subs) and Jazz. There is a sense of calm and precision (made in Vienna/Austria, remember?) in the sound of these speakers that gives you years of enjoyment listening to them.
The bass integration with the RELL is pretty good and the RELL never rattles and never booms - a sealed subwoofer, the only type of sub I like.
I could go on and on about their sound qualities but I'd rather skip to the critique part.
The high bass - low mids sounds a bit lifeless even with the RELL - almost missing a bit of energy/speed. At low levels there is plenty of details but when turned on a bit too loud the speakers distort a bit and the sound is not so relaxed anymore and no, it is not the amp; the knob is around 30 out of 75 when this is noticeable (there is some decent reserve in the amp). During my 4 years with this setup I noticed the piano sounds a bit boxy at times, especially in the low mids. As good as they are these speakers will not rock the house - they just don't play that clear at (acceptably) loud volume.
NHT.
On par with the best I ever listened to then some. I have listened to a lot of gear in the 10-15K$ range and even above - Mahler from VA 13k$, Amati from SF 28K$, Summit and Summit X from ML 10 respective 14 k$, the 801/802 from B&W, old/new Tannoys, etc.
NHT is nothing less. If anything the NHT are better.
The XD system can rock very LOUD and can play jazz very relaxed. With the 2.2 and the filter that sets the system to go down to 20Hz you can listen to organ music and it sounds real. You put the filter for high SPL and you can rock the house and still have plenty of bass down to 25Hz.
The best part - these speakers do not distort at (very) loud volume. One day I asked a friend of mine who is a motocross enthusiast: What kind of cars do you like? The answer came without a blink: The kind of car you can drive at 120Mph and makes you think you're driving 60 Mph, well controlled, balanced cars with sharp steering.
That's how I feel about the NHT Xds - they can rock and sound effortless. They can play organ effortlessly and have all the detail. And this comes from somebody who went to many concerts and operas. Many.
The mids are very fast - I dare to say on par with the best electrostats - don't take my word for it, try them out.
The bass is fast, never boomy and never rattles. The highs are crisp, detailed never too harsh but never mellow.
And the speakers, both bass and monitors are sealed.
Again - unbelievable sound, hard to describe. Precise, effortless and fast.
Instruments like piano and the organ never sounded more life like, ever. Large orchestras, rock bands never sounded so crisp.
After listening to the NHT I decided I have to part with the VA Beethovens/Primare/REL (Audiogon anybody?) - they make no makes no sense to me anymore; they were dwarfed by the NHT XD.
Now, in all fairness below are the things I don't like in the NHT XD active setup:
There is a the setting for the XDa that allows you to start the XDa with a music signal. During quiet passages the amp shuts down - annoying. The easy way I fixed that was to use the external trigger input on the XDa: I plugged wires from my preamp's trigger output to the XDa trigger input. It takes 1 minute and a simple wire to do that. Read your preamp manual to locate the 12V trigger output and send that to the trigger input in the XDa. Ok - this was easy.
Another thing is that whenever XDa starts there is a small sound pop in the tweeters.
1. Digital amp and speakers sold in combination.
2. Installer uses a mic/test tones/Audyssey software from 14-32 points in the room for room calibration.
3. Sweet spot eliminated.
4. "Diminutive" in size only compared to typical floorstanders.
But, on paper, the dARTS seem like the NHT's on steroids:
1. 16 channels x 250 wpc of amplification. Sub(s) with separate power source.
2. Completely customizable: in-wall, on-wall, behind wall. Company says performance is the same.
3. Double the price (but it is 5.1). You can also do 5.2/7.1/7.2 for more money.
Anyone have first hand experience with both?
furrycute;268962
How does this setup compared to the more traditional 2 tower speaker setup?
I've always felt that tower speakers can handle much more volume without straining than bookshelf speakers.
From a volume stand point, it's best to picture the Xd system as a pair of towers with a 1" tweeter, 5" midrange, and a 10" woofer. The mid crosses over at 110hz to the woofer, which is fairly low, but the bass going to it is rolled off at a steep 48db/octave. This means that while they may not play quite as loud as a traditional floorstander with a similar driver complement (think Revel Studio), they will play louder and cleaner than a pair of mini-monitors crossed over to a sub at 80-100hz with a 12 or 24db/octave bass rolloff. Adding a second XdW subwoofer allows the user to upload a filter into the XdA amp/processor that will raise the crossover point between the subs and midrange to 135hz. This allows the system to play a bit louder without straining.
Also keep in mind that when you consider that passive crossovers typically sap 3db of efficiency from a speaker, the 4 150w amps in the Xd system are delivering 600w to each XdS monitor.
