Have recently purchased NHT 3.3 from an audiogoner


Have recently purchased NHT 3.3 from an audiogoner (or is it audiogonite). Auditioned these 8 years or so ago, always remember how great they sounded in a Chicago audio store playing Dark Side of The Moon. I now feel fortunate to own a pair set up in a 2-channel (mostly) and 5.1 system with NHT AC2’s and NHT 1.5 rears and NHT sub 2. For the first week drove them with Adcom’s gfa 5500 2x200watt @ 8 ohms using AQ c4 biwired speaker cables and Monster interconnects through a Yamaha rxv 2200 ht receiver 5x100watts as a preamp. My source components are Yamaha carousel (awwwful) cd player and a 25-year-old TT from Scott. Not bad results especially considering the front end stuff. But this system needs help!!! Mid’s were just ok but not very defined (muddy) and the vocals seemed recessed. Bass was very nice and the highs not as bad as the mid’s. Just for kicks I
Bi-amped them with the Adcom for the uppers and two front channels from the 100-watt htr for the bass. This helped the upper region a lot but the bass was now terrible with drastic problems with the gain of the two different amps. Using the sub to help the lower regions this has the best results so far. I would like to get the amplification up to par before I work on the front-end stuff. I don’t think even at 200watts of my Adcom amp for the mid’s and tweets has opened up that region as much as it should have or could have. I’m considering the Adcom 565 mono blocks 300watts @ 8 ohms and the Adcom 5500 for the bass. I don’t have 2 main outputs on my htr and am not sure of the results of using a Y connector. Should I consider an altogether different amp and not try to bi amp???? I have read a post of a NHT 3a sub amp but could not find any info on it. My guess is it’s a class D amp and not sure that it’s for me or the 3.3’s. I'm thinking of $1000.00 to $1500.00 for upgrading the amp/amps. I enjoy listening to R & B, R and R and little jazz. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks T. J.

tjtrout20

Showing 1 response by roy2001

Congratulations that your dream become true. NHT 3.3 is fantastic speakers. I bought a pair when NHT discontinued them and love them. At beginning, I paired them with a Denon 4800 due to limited budget and they sound pretty good. But apparently something is missing. Then, just like you, I bought an Aragon 8008 power amp and use Denon 4800 as preamp, but no gain except the hum due to lack of ground in AC plug of Denon receiver. Now I have built whole system. Here is the list:

Transport: Theta Data II
DAC: Theta Pro Basic II
Pre: Audio Research LS15
Amp: Aragon 8008 MkII

All monster cable and I am thinking about DIY cables including XLR. Right now I am using only RCA.

It sounds way better than before. NHT is a little bit bright to some audiophile. Seems the tube preamp cured that problem a lot. Vocal is not lean at all. Mid-range is also more transparent, no forward at all. The bass is much more rich and extend even lower with the transport.

For your setup, I feel you put pretty much effort on power amp, but not the source and preamp. The rule is garbage in garbage out. Considering the price tag of new 3.3, Yamaha receiver is apparently not a good match, and Adcom is not the same level too. Biamp will only add more input power unless you have crossover right after preamp.

So I would suggest you consider your budget, buy some used equipement and let them feed your 3.3 instead of receiver.

BTW, the designer of 3.3, Ken, said NHT was using Aragon to test their 3.3, I guess it is 8008ST.