Yamaha NS1000
Motto: ”Back in the days when paper cones were de rigueur (though a handful of British engineers were playing with plastic cones) and designers were starting down the path to trade off reduced coloration against the need for more and more driving volts from the amp, Yamaha introduced the NS1000. It was sensitive, it used a high-tech midrange dome using vapor-deposited beryllium on an aluminum substrate, and it (ahem) kicked major booty! The Yamaha’s major use of technology made many contemporary European and American speaker-makers look more like box-stuffers. I haven’t heard an NS1000 in 20 years, and often wonder how it would measure up in today’s more refined market.” John Atkinson, November 2002 (No. 91), in “40 years of Stereophile: The Hot 100 Products”. The original Stereophile review appeared in Winter 1975 (Vol.3 No.11).
My first encounter with Yamaha NS1000 was circa 1975 in the basement of a local HiFi Shop, Watford, Herts. At the time my system was governed by the abilities - or lack of them - of a Garrard SP25 MKIV into a JVC S11G into Dynatron Speakers. That first experience could have gone unnoticed unless my curiosity had not shook me in realizing that such a performance was possible. After the experience nothing could ever be the same again! My current pair of “the worlds best monitor” I bought from Bristol, on a very memorable day.
The pleasures of owning a mint pair of Yamaha NS1000Ms has to begin with the definition of the standard of equipment required to enjoy what the ‘Yams’ have to offer. As studio reference monitors the Yams will only reveal the shortcomings of ancillary equipment – meaning that we are talking defi nitive high-end here. My initial solution with Yamaha NS1000Ms was as follows: Garrard 401/SME3009 S2 Imp/Shure V15mkIII and Shanling CD-T80 as a source, and the Yams driven by the defi nitive valve combi - the Quad QC24/II-40. A set up unphased by the demands of my Yams. Soon I felt that my otherwise trusty Shanling CD -T80 could not exploit the potential of these true Monitors. So a giant quantitative leap took place to secure one of HiFi’s all time greats - the Musical Fidelity Tri Vista SACD (with Van den Hul D102 MkIII interconnects) - one of only 500 made.
Placement of the Yams is equally important as the accompanying gear. My pair is mounted upon low speaker stands, which have 6” concrete beds upon which the Yams sit protected by leather strips. Each speaker is identifi ed clearly as L/H or R/H but this places the offset treble and mid inconveniently nearest the wall, although placed circa 1 metre out from the back wall.
Techniques
Beryllium is an element of the Periodical Table. It is timeless, and like the Yamaha NS1000Ms, it refuses to compromise its purity. The Beryllium domed midrange (3,5“) and tweeter (1”) of the NS1000Ms, both with big magnets, are key to its longevity and uniqueness amongst speakers. Supplemented by a massive 12” paper fibre woofer, again with a huge magnet, in the sealed cabinets together with a sophisticated crossover, the ‘Yams’ defy the maxims of planar or horn technology.
They are a testament to an ultimate technological triumph over perceived wisdom and define a benchmark to which other components in a system have to live up to. Yamaha NS1000Ms always test what is presented to them with impunity. They remain an enigma because nothing else comes close even today!
Although these speakers are relatively efficient, it is the bass speakers power demands that ultimately control the total integration of this speaker’s ability to construct a 3D soundstage. The Tri Vista digs deep into CD and SACD recordings, with authority, and coupled to the valve grunt of the Quads, highlights the path ahead. Ideally, however, I would have liked to use the matching Tri Vista A300 Integrated / PSU amplifi cation, or alternatively the Musical Fidelity F19 Switchable Class A/B Power amp, or perhaps the Musical Fidelity KW500 Int/PSU. But whilst waiting I re-introduced the Musical Fidelity F22 Pre amp (Belkin Analog Pure interconnects) - once used to drive my pair of 180wpc class A Denon POA 4400A monoblocks - driving the solid state, 300wpc current dumping Quad 909 Monos (Kimber 8TC speaker cable, and mains suppression via Masterplug mains conditioning), especially developed themselves to drive the power hungry Quad 2905 electrostatics.
Surely, this is a departure from my Klipschorn philosophy of high efficiency loudspeakers coupled with low output amplification. The Yamahas demand a lot of current, so massive - by domestic standards anyway - power is required. Readers who want to explore power to dbls. ratios, and the related argument, should check out the Musical Fidelity website -
So what is the sound of the NS1000Ms?
Why does this speaker persist in its dominance within the psyche of audiophiles? In David Prices’ April Hi Fi World -review of the new Yamaha Soavo1, it is an inevitable conclusion that although the new Yam does things very well for the price, comparison with the older monitors still defines a benchmark in a no compromise design. David Price has always maintained his fi erce loyalty to the unique characteristics of the NS1000Ms, and they still remain his reference against all others (www.hi-fi world.co.uk/olde-world) long after journalists like Ken Kessler have abandoned their Quad ESL57s, and Apogee Scintillas for the new Quad 2905s! It is in the frequency extremes that the Yams still set the pace - literally the lightening transient attack allied to musical seemlessness with the right equipment of the extended treble, and the quality, weight and rhythmic timing of the bass allowing these studio monitors window on all other components and performers. The real studio at home!
Wikipedia on Beryllium Beryllium is the chemical element that has the symbol Be, and atomic number 4. A bivalent element, elemental beryllium is a steel grey, strong, lightweight yet brittle, alkaline earth metal. It is primarily used as a hardening agent in alloys (most notably beryllium copper. It has the highest melting points of the light metals. The moduls of elasticity of beryllium is approximately 1/3 greater than that of steel. It has excellent thermal conductivity, is nonmagnetic and resists attack by concentrated nitric acid. It is highly permeable to X-rays, and neutrons are liberated when it is hit by alpha particles, as from radium or polonium (about 30 neutrons/ million alpha particles). At standard temperature and pressures beryllium resists oxidation when exposed to air (although its ability to scratch glass is probably due to the formation of a thin layer of the oxide).
The Yamaha NS1000Ms is A STUDIO MONITOR! It conveys the layout of a particular studio in a recording session in 3 Dimensions – width; depth, in front and behind the speaker plane; and height. I would argue that it goes even further into a 4th Dimension of emotional involvement through sheer stunning performance! All the comments in this article are based upon the CD/PCM performance of the Musical Fidelity Tri Vista SACD - to give something nearer most readers probable systems. But I can assure you that with SACD(DSD), and Analogue Vinyl the effect is beyond words - such is the pleasure!
The Yams’ are a measuring tool. One is aware of the distance of the performer from the microphones. Drums in all their varieties are expressed in the way that one appreciates their volume, their skin tension, and the strike of the stick or drift of a brush. Guitar strings can be gauged either as steel or gut, the plectrums hardness or fingers upon said instrument - the attack of a note or chord and its decay layered within the ever-developing context of the song. Listen to the resonance of a piano - real or an electric approximation probably modeled by Yamaha through these very same monitors – and you enter into the recording, engage in the performance responding to the craft of the sound engineer. The listener’s emotions are fed straight off the mixing desk. How close do you want to be?
For me the NS1000Ms define why Hi-Fi is a journey of continual discovery, rewarding experimentation to advance ones enjoyment to another level until there’s no doubt that nothing is missing on the disk. With Yamaha NS1000Ms it is easy to tailor the sound by component change, measuring the effects for better or worse, but beware – that can become highly expensive.
I am now considering £20K worth of Musical Fidelity KWP/PSU/KW MONOS/PSU to honour the Yams abilities! Could I achieve the same with say the Klipshorns, and the Quad QC24/II- 40s? Well, sort of. But let me put it like this: with the Klipschorns I can truly appreciate the ‘stadium’ or ambient venue, and there is cohesiveness to the sound. The Yams, however, dissect into the mix, and the remix takes place in the listener’s head - you are closer, closest! What do you think you want? Until you hear the Yamahas you may never know!
Well, that is basically my story with Yamaha NS1000Ms monitors. Today as I look at what are rather unassuming medium sized polished black boxes - the black piano fi nish is something to cherish but comes at a price as it shows every mark - I forget they are there as the music forms all around me. If you want even more then remove the underrated grill clothes - not the metal mesh protecting the drivers. Then all is metal techno, and you may need to use the mid and treble sound shapers setting them to -3db, and start to worry about whether the mid is too forward.
When buying a pair, make sure they are numerically matched, and are marked L/H and R/H, and only pay circa £1500 (2250 euros) if you are supplied with grills, the speakers come in their own boxes, and have mint unb- lemished cabinets. Listen before you buy - no fizzy or tizzy sounds should be heard. Remember that the probable reason why you have found a mint pair for sale is that the sellers equipment is not up to the job of showing what the Yams can do, and that you will have to re evaluate your ancillary equipment unless you have prepared the way. Unbelievable as it is to me now I once questioned what all the fuss was about; but that was in my “low power is purer” days before my introduction to the wonders of Musical Fidelity Engineering! Also remember that Yams’ are extremely heavy - deadweights – and will find out any weak back but could double as a keep fit regime.
Did I forget to mention the appalling speaker terminals on the back of the Yams? The spring clip affairs, which seem to prohibit heavy cables? If you are careful you can insert bullet plugs such as Mitchel Engineering Golds, which I use on mine to connect up. But you will not be able to remove them - but why would you! You will never sell them on...
One final remark. For critical listening I used classical, rock, jazz, and electronica, as my musical preferences range extremely wide, again pointing to the fact that I believe any system should be neutral to convey music irrespective of type. Music specific systems are in my view a compromise and as such not acceptable. The Yamaha NS1000Ms can take in any music, and outburst it in a fabulous manner. ■