Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[thephatboi]

Has anybody tried out the new Yamaha monitors (HS50M , HS80M) yet? They say the new models are "in the tradition of the NS10"  wondering if it is hype (with a white woofer)  of if they are actually useable. The older msp5s are crap. I need a new set of small monitors to compliment my Quested H108s and am hoping the new HS50Ms might be cool. Anybody heard them?  

thanks

[Level]

Me.

I held off on talking about them for a while because of an upcoming review. Let me start by saying this:

The "system" was designed for 2 channel monitoring with the HS80M's or multichannel monitoring using the HS50M's for the front L/R/CF/CR/LR/RR and the HS10W sub. You can use either the HS50M or HS80M with the HS10W sub or a mixture..using the HS50M as LR/RR and HS80M as FL/FR/CF/CR.

Specs are provided here:
     http://www2.yamaha.co.jp/manual/pdf/pa/english/speakers/hs80 m_en.pdf

The HS50M's are very much like NS10's but powered of course and the HS80M's are a "refined version" with flatter powerband response.

Of course, Yamaha wants you to consider them "Exact replacements for" but your ears need to be the judge. I will end this by saying they (50's) are damned close.

My biggest gripe is all the power cables. A passive set-up would be a great option..although the amplifiers are carefully taylored for each speaker. (and adjustable as well)

Overall opinion? A hell of a lot better attempt to "emulate" the NS10's/NS40's response than previous.
edit insert>
At higher levels, the HS50M's by themselves are more "shouty" than the NS10M's. Adherence to the 83dB spec of SMPTE RP200 is justified.

Anything more? That depends on if the review will be published or not. Right now..don't hold your breath.

http://www.yamahaproaudio.com/products/speakers/hs80m/


Image is large, hit the link

http://www.musiciansbuy.com/MMMBCom/images/yamaha_hs80m.jpg

[thephatboi]

Thanks for the info Bill,  I agree, since I have a Bryston powering my Questeds, I would love to see a passive version of the 50s (I have a bryston speaker switch as well) so I could use my amp with them, but your report sounds promising... if you don't mind, let me know if/when/where your review gets published,
regards, S

[Level]

Quote:

if you don't mind, let me know if/when/where your review gets published

Will do..if it happens. I am in pause mode with it.

[compasspnt]

Why do you want them to sound like the 10's?

[Level]

Quote:

Why do you want them to sound like the 10's?

I've been getting some downright painful and bass shy mixes over the last 12 to 18 months. I know you KNOW this Terry..but for the sake of others, the mid rise of the NS10's will identify this pain quickly and mixes simply translate to consumer products consistantly due to this.

Hi-fi "bass heavy" and "mid scooped" monitors simply do not translate consistantly with recordings that have been made (considered fantastic) over the last 50 years.

It is very difficult feat for an 8 inch "woofer" to accurately deliver midrange POWER when crossed over at 2K to 3K. The cones MUST be extreamly light to get up there and speakers like the 824's (and others being used) simply are not delivering the mids and the mixer is boosting them artificially, delivering painful mixes with a majority of loudspeaker types, being used by consumers.

Great mixes sound great on NS10's, no matter what they were mixed on.  

I say this for the thousandth time:

If your mix is painful on ns10's, your mix is painful, period.

[Bill Mueller]

Spoken like a true authority!

Best Regards,
Bill

[compasspnt]

Yes, I was being partially facetious.  I used 10's to mix on for about 11-12 years (although always using another, larger set to cross reference).  Mixes you do on them do translate pretty well.

But after that, they were just too painful to listen to.  The midrange boost just started to bother me.  But one must indeed be careful not to 'over-mid' when using more high fidelity monitors, especially smaller nearfield ones, with not a lot of good bass response.

[Level]

I like the NS10's slightly off axis, with the tweeters on the inside. This cured (for the most part) the obnoxiousness they can display. With the tweeters pointing where my elbows would be, with arms extended, gives the smoothest response IMO.

[bblackwood]

Level wrote on Sat, 19 November 2005 14:24

Quote:  if you don't mind, let me know if/when/where your review gets published Will do..if it happens. I am in pause mode with it.

Who is the review for?

[Level]

Quote:

Who is the review for?

I am not at liberty to say at this date.

Eventually it will be "for" whoever subscribes to a certain publication. Until it is finalized and officiated, mums the word.

[Eric Bridenbaker]

compasspnt wrote on Sat, 19 November 2005 23:49

Yes, I was being partially facetious.  I used 10's to mix on for about 11-12 years (although always using another, larger set to cross reference).  Mixes you do on them do translate pretty well. But after that, they were just too painful to listen to.  The midrange boost just started to bother me.  But one must indeed be careful not to 'over-mid' when using more high fidelity monitors, especially smaller nearfield ones, with not a lot of good bass response.

I remember this becoming an issue years ago when we switched from analog to digital. The digital sound was more fatiguing, and the NS10s seemed to accentuate that effect, especially over long periods. Not that changing the monitors helped all that much, these were the early blackfaced ADATs, but it is true that the 10's translate very well, if the bass is kept in check.

If you have a track that is squawky or wonky in the mids, fixing it using the the NS10's will likely result in something that sounds fine on consumer speakers.

Though I probably would not want to spend continuous hours on them, it's useful to have 'em around, so hoping that these new ones are close.

Also, I do remember seeing that another company had come out with their own recreation of the NS10s, but can't remember who it was..

Best,
Eric

[Jack Schitt]

I'm looking forward to a review as well. $400 a pair for the 50's seems awfully inexpensive though for what the expectations seem to be. I've been fishing for a nice upgrade to my M1's that fit the budget but I am not sure these are it.

[Level]

400 a pair was the steet price of brand new NS10's until they went up on ebay...for more. NS10's were always a 50 dollar woofer, 50 dollar box, 50 dollar tweeter, 50 dollar crossover and this is at retail.

[Jack Schitt]

Level wrote on Mon, 21 November 2005 13:23

400 a pair was the steet price of brand new NS10's until they went up on ebay...for more. NS10's were always a 50 dollar woofer, 50 dollar box, 50 dollar tweeter, 50 dollar crossover and this is at retail.

Really? I knew they weren't top shelf but I didn't realize they were that bargain basement. Either way, not exactly the direction I want to take. I have cheap monitors. I need good ones...