Yamaha NS 1000m

Hi,

Go and explore

http://www.merlinmusic.com/main.htm

I would equate them to the very top speakers from JM for example, for a quarter of the price.

The ones I have are the latest MXE version with outboard, dual ops BAM.

Rich

 

I'd second the recommendation. Within their limitations ( they are at their best at medium levels IME) they can take on all comers at pretty much any price when it comes to small floorstanding loudspeakers. I always thought of them as stats in a box, with better dynamics than panels. Nice speaker.

 

Hi SM
How much are they and where can i audition them in the Uk Thanks for your advice and from Rich
John

 

I have recently changed from a pair of NS-1000M to a pair of Merlins, still getting to know them really.
So, a simplistic assessment:
The Yamahas are excellent in many respects and can still give many modern designs a sonic seeing to.
However, as Rich says, the Merlins are just much better in almost every way. Really very good.
Looky here for UK distribution.

 

I really wouldnt go via the UK distributor.

They really don't seem to understand the product and charge a fortune for something available for a lot less across the pond.

I'm never forget how bad RPM were able to make the VSM sound one year at Heathrow - unbelievable.

 

Interesting.
I didn't get mine through that channel so have no personal experience.
UK/US price differential is nothing new though and certainly not an RPM exclusive!
Amazing that Merlin would tolerate poor representation.

 

Unfortunately I may well be selling my MXE's soon...don't fancy an upgrade do you Nick?

Selling to fund my indulgence in TAD speakers and Kondo cables. All packaging and around 6mths old in Ruby colour.

Will stick on german ebay I think. The new price in Germany is a stonking 16000 euros...maybe I might get a buyer with that kind of perceived differential!

I was thinking of at least 6000 euros. Bargain at that really.

 

Don't tempt me...

 

I know private individuals who have had more pairs of speakers off Bobby than the supposed distributor - I don't think Bobby is that bothered really. He's constantly got an unreasonable wait time anyway so I guess he doesn't really need the business.

If I had to move away from big TAD/JBL high efficiency loudspeakers, the Merlins would be my first choice I suspect - with a nice Berning ZH270 powering them.

 

I guess if demand is already ahead of supply, there's less incentive for him to put the UK house in order. As long as the RPM thing doesn't actually damage the product's reputation.

I'd love to try a Berning amp but am scared what the result might be. I'm deliberately using a solid state amp right now (Brinkmann) as the whole family use the system, often for less than critical listening. One day, when I have a dedicated listening room, valves will be involved again...

 

so, ns2000 vs merlins, no comparison?

 

NS1000's respond very well to mods-IMHO

I made extensive mods to my NS1000m's. I have posted the following on PFM.

"Following a request from another poster I am posting details of the mods that I did to a pair of NS1000's. I actually sold them about 15 years ago so this was quite sometime ago!

My speakers were 1000M's, but I think my suggestions would work the same for all 1000's. They are nearly all reversible, unless you cut the original x/over board

I decided to modify the x/overs after reading about the benefits of bi/tri-wiring speakers (each drive unit draws a common voltage, but a bandwidth limited current.)

I also decided that I wanted to put the x/overs as near to the amp as I could, because I had noticed the benefits of shortening speaker cables and wanted to see what the benefit of shortening them to a foot would do (I think the length of the cable post x/over is less important because I believe the amp “sees†the speaker at the x/over.)

I started by asking Yamaha for the circuit diagram of the x/over. And saw that it was easy to cut the boards to separate each part of the x/over, which share common input and grounds, and enable tri-wiring.

Removing the crossover is easy-undoing the screws at the back and cutting the speaker wiring.

I used the x/over housing as a template and cut a piece of very thick block board to cover the hole. I passed the new cables through here, but it would have been better to have fitted speaker binding posts.

After cutting the PCB to separate each section of the x/over, and checking that no current could flow between them I replaced the internal wiring which is nothing special. This involves removing all the drive units and the level controls. This needs care, to avoid chipping the finish. Especially with the bass units which need their weight supporting as you remove them.

You need to remember to feed the wiring from the level controls to the mid and treble units through the hole left by the level controller before soldering on to it. I re-used the original gaskets, but have used draft excluder in the past!

I removed pieces slowly and made sure I was sure which wire went were before I started, but still managed to wire a tweeter out of phase. Leaving a bit of the cable at each point can help and then replacing each in turn, labelling the ends to aid identification.

So with the tri-wired x/overs near the amp I gave it a blast and discovered a huge increase in clarity. The effect was like upgrading to a much more powerful amp. The sound was more open, dynamic and totally better in all ways.

I eventually replaced the x/overs, which must now be well over 20 years old. On the advice of Les W I used the best air cored large gauge inductors I could afford and good polypropylene caps, bypassed with smaller values bringing the total value to the same as the original electrolytics. I soldered the components together and boxed them up.

I tried removing the level controls and found they had a marginal impact and were much too useful in rebalancing the speaker, I increased the mid and top controls by about 30%, which would have been harder to do on the x/over board, by measuring the resistance of the inductors and buying them with this in mind or adding resistors to the mid and top sections of the x/over.

I finally removed the fibre wool from the whole cabinet, but left the felt wadding on the insides. This gave the bass even greater depth and I never wanted to put it in again

In the time I owned them I changed the wiring several times, hearing worthwhile improvements and would love to hear a pair on the end of a silver multi core cable loop with some neutral gear.

I remember reading somewhere that the mids are intentionally wired out of phase, but I am sure I wired mine in phase.

I would recommend anyone who feels capable and patient enough, to have a go. Even keeping the original x/over and using your existing speaker cable is a significant upgrade and very cheap. But they really sing with good components."

 

NS1000M Crossover upgrade

Hi,
I am about to embark on bi-amping of my NS1000M crossovers. I was all set until I realized that the crossover circuit that I have is for NS1000X! Can you say whether the X and M models had the same crossover. I have searched for an M-specific crossover and so far have had no luck.
I am planning to direct couple the bass speaker with a Crown X2 amp of around 500 watts. For the mid range and treble I plan to keep the passive crossover as is, but use the roll off of the active crossover to allow removal of that part of the passive into the mid-range. At the moment it looks like I shall need to insert a decoupling cap ahead of the mid-range to protect it from clicks and pops. The mid and high will be driven from a Pass Aleph amp.... and after that we shall see.

Thanks for the help and for your forum contributions

george

 

If memory serves me correct, the drive cones of the Yamaha NS1000's are made of Beryllium...??? Are you aware that contamination or contact with Beryllium or its oxides can cause paralysis and death within six hours...??? You need to be bloody careful. I was an industrial chemist for twenty seven years.

 

berylium dust ...is I think what you meant to say

berylium in a big lump is not able to get into normal peoples lungs or ingested and therefore normally not an issue ...

if your working the metal then very stringent precautions need to be taken as suggested

 

Beryllium and its oxides can be absorbed through the skin. You do not have to breathe it or swallow it.

 

George I hope you see this - your post re NS1000s was many months ago (Feb 09).

You stated you planned to direct couple the bass driver with a Crown X2. Did you mean wiring the woofer directly to the input terminals, bypassing the lowpass filter of the crossover.
I'm very curious and really keen to hear your experience.
I have some mods to the 1000 its possible you'd be interested in also.
My email is [email protected]

Regards
John