NHT 3.3 beoyches!
I've just reached agreement to get a pair. We all have that one speaker we always wanted, but never could get for whatever reason, and for me, it's always been this one. Now I'll soon have them, and I can't wait.
Normally, I don't post about every new piece of gear I've bought or sold, but this one is special to me.
Normally, I don't post about every new piece of gear I've bought or sold, but this one is special to me.
Post edited by marker on
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Thanks Zero! I've wanted them since at least '96 or '97. Some people think the NHT Flagships that followed it, first the VT3, then the T6 were better in some ways, but to me, this is THE one.
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IF you get those, shoot me a PM for a nice surprise.
George Grand (of the Jersey Grands) -
PM sent George.
Supposedly, Ken Cantor was a big rock music fan, and these were specifically engineered and built to address harshly recorded/sounding rock CDs.
Bill Busch also had a big hand in them, maybe even more so than KC. KC told BB what he wanted, and BB made it happen. KC left NHT after one of their many buyouts, and BB took over from 2nd in command to 1st, and then designed the VT-3 to address whatever he felt was the 3.3's shortcomings. The VT-3 evolved into the T6. Or so I've been told anyway. -
When i was looking for front speakers a few years back.. it was down to the NHT's and Polks. I'm sure I would have been very happy with the NHT's as well.
congrats on your new speakers. post pics when you can.PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin: -
Ken Kantor is a freakin' genius. He's responsible for the AR-MGC 1 ("Magic One") from the mid 80's. It was largely his idea to put together the bash at Grand Central Station in Oct 1994, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the founding of Acoustic Research. I was lucky enough to get a ticket, met him, Villchur, and Kloss.
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Damn... we're going to have to get together sometime & have a Lsi25/ 3.3 shootout.Gallo Ref 3.1 : Bryston 4b SST : Musical fidelity CD Pre : VPI HW-19
Gallo Ref AV, Frankengallo Ref 3, LC60i : Bryston 9b SST : Meridian 565
Jordan JX92s : MF X-T100 : Xray v8
Backburner:Krell KAV-300i -
^ Actually, I'd love to do that with the RT3000P pair on tubes against the LSi25! Now THAT would be interesting!
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Make sure you post some pics. Congrats, nice find.RTi10
CSi5
RTi28
SVS PB12-ISD2
Denon 2106(pre/pro)
Adcom 5503(200x3)
Audioquest Diamondback ICS
Kimber Kable 8tc biwire(mains and center)
"Don't let your silly dreams fall in between the crack of the bed and the wall."
-J. James -
Thanks Nellis. I should have them by no later than Friday, so needless to say, this week will drag by slow.
I've been contemplating which electronics I will drive them with when it hit me that these babies just beg for bi-amping. They are also supposed to be VERY sensitive to room placement too. I like full range point source speakers for 2 channel music much better than a sub/sat combination, but I also like the flexibility and added bass control you get from a seperate sub. I've been spoiled by the X1 active crossover/A1 amps for the subs on the T6 as it's the best of both worlds.
So, I've just bought myself 2 NOS NHT SA-2 bass amps for a great price, one for each 3.3. This amp was originally designed to power the SW-2 slave (passive) subwoofer from NHT. The SA-2 delivers 120 watts and the two of them together made up the SW-2Pi. The amp has a continuously variable low pass filter on its rear as well as a phase switch, a defeatable "stand by mode" switch (designed to automatically turn unit on when a signal is present and then turn off when no signal is detected for 10 min), an adjustable high pass filter with set frequencies of 50, 75 and 110Hz. The high pass filter is used when using the unit to remove the bass from the signal and passing it on to the main speakers either through the speaker level inputs and outputs or the line level output. Signal input can be achieved either by RCAs via a preamp output or by speaker leads.
The SA-2 with its front mounted volume control, myriad of adjustments on the rear, and flexible hook up, will offer complete control over the bass. The fact that I now have an additional 120 watts for each sub at my disposal is only the frosting on the cake. Bass adjustment and control will be so complete with this amp that I will have much greater flexibility in room placement options. I can place the speakers closer to the rear wall and bring everything back into balance. This is the best feature of the SA-2, it offers a fantastic amount of control allowing you to tailor the bass to your every whim. So tailor it I will. If anyone has ever heard this speaker, it's in room bass performance is incredible. Add in the SA-2, and nothing changes except that you get more feeling of limitless dynamics as this is effectively actively bi-amping them.
SA-2:
http://www.nhthifi.com/products/sa-2.html
3.3:
http://www.nhthifi.com/products/3point3.html -
One of them came in today. For some reason, they got split up by Fed Ex somewhere along the way even though they both started at the same time. The other should be in tomorrow, but it will be the weekend before I get to try them out.
I forgot just how BIG these things are. Two RTi12s stacked one in front of the other are not as big as a single 3.3! -
marker wrote:I forgot just how BIG these things are. Two RTi12s stacked one in front of the other are not as big as a single 3.3!
Huh? Damn, them things is huge!!!! How big is your room? How far will you place them from the back wall?HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50 LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub
"God grooves with tubes." -
Early I was exagerating a little, but very little and not too much at that. If you take away the length the power ports brackets on the backs of the RTi12 stick out and then put one in front of the other, it would really be close! The 3.3 are almost 3 feet in diameter.
The room I will have them in is approx 18.5' wide by 21' long. They are designed to be placed perpendicular flush close to the back wall so that the woofer always "sees" a corner between the rear wall, the floor, and the speaker's cabinet itself for in room boundry reinforcement support for the bass, yet the tweeter and midranges stick far out into they room to image like a set of mini-monitors.
Supposedly, the macro positioning of the speakers in the room is not as important, IOW, they can be set up about anywhere within reason, but the micro placement is critical, that a mere 1/4" can make a difference. That is exactly why I got the NHT SA-2 bass amps. -
They're supposed to be placed against the back wall. The woofers are designed to be placed that way and are loaded for smoothest response using the rear wall as reinforcement.Early B. wrote:Huh? Damn, them things is huge!!!! How big is your room? How far will you place them from the back wall?
