Originally posted by McSnare:
Btw, I still use NS-10's a lot. IMO a very special speaker in it's response characteristics. I even once designed and built x-overs that replaced the stock unit. The premise being, to keep what is desireable about the speaker, but make it more listenable overall. I sold quite a few of these babies to several top mixers.
Comments?

Tell me what you did to em?

I'm going to buy some spares and baby them. I can't track on them but they make great magnifying glasses when you're getting close.

McSnare,
I would be very interested in the answer to this!
Every engineer I know has a different rave to justify their purchase, But to me I have not found any other speaker that has the real world transfer functionality of a NS10. Every other speaker proposed has the midrange missing & the top end sounding too sweet! Please Guys, If there is an alternative please let me know.
Regards Michael

Michael,
I'll let you and there rest of the pack know if I find a substitute. Don't keep your fingers crossed.

I think the ProAc's are a decent alternative to NS10's at 5 times the price. They actually sound very similar, but have bottom end that you can hear.

It's pretty fucked up that Yamaha stopped making them. The cones on those things don't last but a week if you're being nice to them, so, either everyone will be working on floppy NS10's, or they'll have to bite the bullet and replace them. I've been doing some serious speaker listening lately.

I love NS10's for mixing. But that's irrelevant now.

Mixerman

I really like the Vergence Technology M-00's (was NHT Pro) for that kind of reference.

Can't stand NS10's, personally, they make my ears tired and it takes me some time to come back from them.

The M-00's have a similar lack of bottom, and roll off a bit in the top as well- the mids are forward, although not harshly so. Plus, they're little and powered, so they're easy to carry around. There is a grill over the woofer, however, so you can't watch the woofer crinkle like on the Yamahas....

Definitely worth listening to, if you have ever wanted a tool for the NS10 job without ear fatigue.

I got a pair of Hafler M-5's that retired my NS-10's for now.McSnare, are you still making your custom crossover's for the NS-10?

I'm still in the denial phase. But I'll be interested to read your alternative observations for when the woofer stockpile runs out.

...The crossover mod is (my work) a 1 Ohm 10 watt wirewound non inductive resistor on the positive lead of the tweeter. (4) one inch x 4 inch strips of bounty paper towel glued to the rear side of the woofer cone with elmers white glue....paste it on.

Their is an alternative.

The mighty NS1000M's (unfortunantly the mids are over 1400 bucks now...and you must go to Japan to get them at about 5300.00 per pair).

New versions are not advertised and they are the NS1000XL.

Sorry this is such a prick tease.(well Maybe they are still avalible)

Last I heard for special orders only for Japanese use only.

Try getting those Beryllium beasts here...I heard their was a "hazardous element clause"

I would love to have a new pair of them to go with the Pair I have now. Rick has a pair too.(realdynamix studio) We would be doomed without them I am afraid.

Get something with a real woofer for translation.

Remember all those killer mixes done on 4310/4311/4312 JBL's with 12" woofers near field?? That is the only direction to take and a set of auratones.

Sorry...but to get real...use what is real. I got use to NS10's and I discovered if you watch the woofer cone and make the kick drum move the cone twice as far as the sustained bass line, and sounding good...you are pretty close.

I don't hear anything about JBL's control monitors (new ones) with 12" woofers that seem to be rocking the world as of late. Are they not good translators like the old ones??

Another late night session folks...my Wife will beat my ass....

Monitors that rock are the Meyer HD-1's. They are a lot of cash, but worth every penny.

What about Yamaha's own suggested replacement, the MSP10? I have them and the NS10's and they are much more listenable, clean.. but I'm not the expert you guys are. Paul

I, too, have wondered about Yamahas actual replacement product. Seems like they have been pretty much unthought of. Anyone else have any experience with them?

I'm not a big fan of HD-1s. They do something odd at different volume levels and I never know where my low-end is going to wind up. I returned a pair after one album's worth of basics and went back to NS-4s, 4311s and NS-10s.

I've always had an ultra-high resolution system at home as my main reference point along with various headphones and the occasional "killer" (as opposed to "killing") set of big monitors in a studio where I was working.

Incidentally, somebody posted that the business about NS-10s being discontinued was a hoax. Is this true?

Genelec 1031A's
Been using them for 4/5 Years now... If they are too bright, knock it back with the dip switches on the back of em, that's what they are there for...
:eek:
Personaly, for rock, the 'cut' I found to be required on gtrs, knocked my hearing out on NS10's.
I liked that "toilet paper/NS10" article in Recording Engineer/Producer years back! It was a hoot! Anyone remember it?
As a freelancer & back before Yamaha made a less shrill tweater, session starts in new control rooms were often the playback of a known master or CD to determine the 'one ply' or 'two ply' treatment nessasary. Rare occasions of 'three ply' treatments, were of grave concearn. All that and the mixture of amps suplied by studios had me happy to quit em.
Good riddance.

Jules

Attached files

For me with monitors, there are two kinds of listening speakers. One being your image/depth/tone/size speaker. This is the one that you use to help sounds fit and how they play in relation between production and the song. The other listen speaker is your translator. Let it be ns-10s, auratones, etc. For me it's everything from my car stereo, to an old sony boombox with a really harsh bass boost!

I went with the HR-824s basically because they fit my price range - they image very well, and translate pretty well in my usage so far. I still like to take mixes to anything else I can to play them through, like the restaurant speakers in a bathroom which is the true test - how it sounds when you are taking a leak.

Alot of people like to knock the HR-824s basically because they are a "mackie" product - yet they are a purchase well chosen for me so far.

anyone check out those ADAMs people are starting to sweat over?

Originally posted by Bob Olhsson:
Incidentally, somebody posted that the business about NS-10s being discontinued was a hoax. Is this true?

Hi Bob. No, the hoax rumour is a hoax. Yamaha has announced it on their Japanese web site (should be on the English one as well) and taken out full-page ads in Japanese trade mags. But never underesitmate the capacity of the internet for spreading false information. :p :p :p

I usually ask that the Genelecs be put out in the hallway before I even get to the studio...

While not a replacement for the NS-10's, I've been using some nhtpro A-20's for almost a year now ( in conjunction w/ NS10s). They retain the ability to hear the midrange, and have a completely seperate, dedicated power amp with contour adjustments for the top end and low end.

I've just been checking out the Dynaudio Bm5 and Bm6, and thought either one would be a really good alternative to the NS-10s. You just can't beat the NS-10s for the midrange detail at low volume levels, IMO. Has anyone tried the KRK 6000s as a viable ns10 replacement ?

Cheers,
john

Attached files

I have some Mackies too, and they KICK ASS. Far better/truthful to listen to than Genelecs IMO. I like the combination of the Mackies and NS-10s. I'm glad the NS-10 thing was a hoax.

Still no word on Yamaha own replacement product, huh? Someone needs to try these out, A/B them to the ns-10s by doing full mixes and see whats up. I've never had ns-10s so I wouldn't be a good pig for this one.

Originally posted by McSnare:
I'm glad the NS-10 thing was a hoax.

Hi. Read my post again!!
:D :D :D

Oh, I'm not sure about whether it is on their web site or not, but I did see a full-page ad in "Sound and Recording" Magazine here in Tokyo, a few months ago, saying exactly what you had heard: that they are discontinuing them owing to difficulty in getting the right pulp. Probably you can blame the "save the rain forests" people! (Not hard to argue with that, if that's the case, although I'm just guessing). :p

i use wright WFM-II
i love em
they don't hype anything....you have to work for what you want to hear

they translate beautifully as well

Originally posted by tubedude:
I, too, have wondered about Yamahas actual replacement product. Seems like they have been pretty much unthought of. Anyone else have any experience with them?

I think they're kind of like the Mackies, only not as good.