If you buy after clicking affiliate links on this site we might receive a commission from companies such as eBay, Amazon etc This does not affect the price you pay.
If you buy after clicking affiliate links on this site we might receive a commission from companies such as eBay, Amazon etc This does not affect the price you pay.
Click here to see similar items on eBay, and to buy.
Description
Now Hear This (NHT) was founded to produce low-cost loudspeakers a breed apart from the mass-market variety often found at the lower price points. Co-founder Ken Kantor has a long history in the hi-fi business as a designer at Acoustic Research, NAD, and as a design consultant to some large Japanese manufacturers. NHT’s line ranges from the $180/pair Model Zero to the $1200 Model 100.
At $480/pair, the Model 1.3 is midway in NHT’s product line. Finished in a gloss-black high-pressure laminate, the 1.3 is elegant, even beautiful, and is distinguished by its unusual angled front baffle. This design means that the rear baffle is nonparallel to the driver, thus reducing the amount of internal cabinet energy reflected back toward the woofer. This is said to improve imaging and midrange purity by reducing comb filtering. In addition, the angled baffle puts the listener directly on-axis with the loudspeakers pointing straight ahead. This increases the ratio of direct-to-reflected sound reaching the listener and further improves imaging.
One disadvantage of this method is higher cost. Square boxes are chosen for inexpensive loudspeakers because they can be made by a technique called “V cut and fold.” The enclosure begins as a flat sheet of vinyl-covered MDF that has a right-angled, 45 V-groove cut through to the vinyl, which then acts as a hinge. The box is then folded and glued. Both the Model 1.3’s unusual shape and laminate coating preclude the use of this method. The ” MDF cabinet is coated with a 1/16″ layer of black laminate. NHT’s cabinet factory is a joint venture with NHT, and the two factories are within walking distance of one another
Rather than use off-the-shelf drivers, the 6″ woofer and 1″ soft-dome tweeter are custom-made for NHT. The woofer took 18 months to develop from the ground up, and is manufactured in Asia by KSC. The tweeter is made by Tonegen in Japan, to NHT’s specifications. Tonegen manufactures many drivers for high-end loudspeakers, including, I believe, the EMITs for Infinity. The drivers are mounted symmetrically on the front baffle, vertically in-line. Crossover frequency is 3.1kHz, with second-order slopes and a damping compensation network. Air-core inductors are used, along with some polypropylene capacitors. A single pair of five-way binding posts is mounted in a large cup in the rear panel.In addition to its attractive appearance, the Model 1.3 has excellent fit and finish.
ListeningThe NHT 1.3s were auditioned primarily on Celestion 24″ stands, but did see some time on their own stands (available from NHT for $150/pair). Ken Kantor and I spent an afternoon in my listening room trying to find the best positions for the 1.3s, but I ended up auditioning them in nearly the same place I’d listened to the Tannoy loudspeakers also reviewed in this issue. I had, however, subsequently rearranged my listening room to get the equipment racks to the back of the room and away from the loudspeakers to reduce early reflections. I kept the 1.3s pointing straight ahead, relying on the angled baffle to put me on-axis in accordance with their design. I was able to position them farther apart than the Tannoys without losing center fill, gaining a little wider soundstage.
The Model 1.3s had the very satisfying ability to carry a bass line. There was the subjective impression of LF extension, which, along with the absence of bloat, presented a detailed, articulate bass rendering. The bass seemed quick and agile, giving music a good rhythmic flow. Bass drum was reproduced with a solid feel, along with a fast attack. Drums had a sharp leading edge and were free from fatness. These characteristics added to my impression of the Model 1.3’s speed and agility. In addition, the lower registers were remarkably coloration-free. They did not have the obvious resonances manifested as left-hand piano notes jumping forward, or vocals taking on a chestiness in the lower registers. The bass tended to be a bit overdamped, imparting a leanness to the mid- and upper bass. This was in sharp contrast to the E11’s somewhat over-warm bass. Vocals had a character I would hesitate to call thin, but they lacked a certain amount of body. Similarly, acoustic bass tended to be less round and full. Overall, the bass had excellent extension, was detailed and articulate, and had a generally lean character.Moving on to the soundstage, I found the 1.3s excelled in presenting a convincing illusion of space and depth. The transparent and detailed midrange helped resolve a recording’s spatial information. Instruments were surrounded by a sense of air, spatially and texturally distinct from their neighbors. Imaging was good laterally, with excellent focus and a strong center channel. The Model 1.3s did well on the LEDR test, confirming their imaging abilities. The “Over” test was particularly impressive, with a smooth, unbroken arc thrown between and above the loudspeakers.
The NHT Model 1.3 excels in those areas that are most important musically: tonal neutrality, uncolored and transparent midrange, and well-defined and articulate bass presentation. In these areas, it rivals much more expensive loudspeakers. The midrange is especially clear and detailed, giving instruments and vocals a natural texture and providing an excellent view into the presentation Comes with stands
If you buy after clicking affiliate links on this site we might receive a commission from companies such as eBay, Amazon etc This does not affect the price you pay.
Click here to buy, and to see similar items on eBay
Category: Sound and Vision:Home Audio and HiFi Separates:Speakers and Subwoofers
Location: burton on trent