Good idea, and welcome! Get yourself a pair of monitors you really like and keep the NS10's.

If it sounds good on NS10, it sounds better on any decent speaker :)

Have fun! :w:

NS-10's were the industry standard because they were a common denominator: everyone had them and everyone knew what they sounded like, and knew how to mix on them. That didn't change the fact that they sounded like crap and still sound like crap, but experienced NS-10 users learned how to compensate.

If you're just starting out now, you're better off with speakers you really like. You'll still need to reference to other CD's and play your mixes on other systems in other rooms so you can compensate for whatever flaws are in your particular mix set-up (speakers+room). But no need anymore to force yourself into using NS-10's.

Hi! From an NS-1000M user, your NS-10's can be a very good reference, granted they don't hit 11hz, I would use them as reference and watch how the bottom translates on your prefered choice of monitor. It's the bottom to watch out for with the NS-10. Put on your favorite cd's and watch the cone travel on the woofer. If you get a pair with more beef, bounce between the two. The NS-10's really are very smooth lacking the very low bottom. I picked up on this from some mastering engineers, about the low end.
Just a suggestion,
--Rick

Whew! That's a relief to get advice from people that know what they're talking about. Thanks all.

That really explains a lot. I can see now why they were in so many pro studios. Engineers moving around different studios could suss out the setup quickly by referencing the NS 10's.

The bass is definitely the most difficult to get right with them, that's for sure.
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I just found this after posting the above. If I knew enough about electronics I'd get the soldering Iron out and have a go. Anyone tried this fix?

http://www.dillonac… YAMAHA NS-10 MODIFICATIONS

If I remember correctly the NS10s were about the first studio monitors that were portable. Producers bought them because they could stick them in the back of the car and take them to the various studios they worked at. This gave a degree of consistency in the monitoring enviroments between studios. Eventually the studios caught on and bought their own NS10s for the visiting producers. Resulting by the '80s in virtually every professional studio on the planet owning NS10s.

Unfortunately, what is missed out of this equation is that NS10s are and always have been crap! As monitors they are crap because they're not very clean and they are coloured. As reference monitors they are crap because the colouration is different to the colouration found in home speakers or TVs.

NS10s are the best example I've come across of equipment commonly installed in recording studios because they are expected to be there rather than because they are actually good for anything.

I remember seeing an early ad for the Neve Capricorn desk. A beautiful looking desk in a penthouse studio, with NS10s on top! I always thought that was a bit like retro-fitting Skoda wheels to a Ferrari!

Greg

I just want to chime in and say that your on the right track keeping the NS-10's for reference and getting something more 'listenable' to work with as well. Personally, I picked the Tannoy Reveal Actives and plan on eventually getting the accompanying subwoofer as they are a bit shallow on the very low end of the spectrum. -Just a thought to consider.