Speaker Asylum General speaker questions for audio and home theater.

Register / Login

---

[ Follow Ups ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ Speaker Asylum ]

---

[ Alert Moderator ]

---

Here's my take as a dealer....

Posted by John Ashman (D) on March 16, 2007 at 08:19:23

In Reply to: NHT Evolution T6 Speakers, Stereophile Class A posted by Avocat on March 15, 2007 at 18:54:04:

The T6s are "high Class B" speakers.

Here's why. 90% of Class A speakers are speakers that have great strengths and great flaws at huge prices. 95% can't even get down to anywhere close to 20Hz at -3dB and will get their *asses* handed to them in the bass department by the T6s. IOW, 90-95% of "Class A" speakers objectively don't belong in Class A and probably less than 50% do on a subjective level.

Now, if you talk about Class A as a performance level rather than a fraternity club, T6s don't quite have Class A resolution, imaging, soundstaging, which I think are somewhat prerequisite for entry into Class A. However, they *do* have Class A bass quality/capability (they are measurably deeper/more accurate than just about *any* other Class A speaker). They also probably qualify on dynamics and they certainly do on accuracy. There is also an NHT sanctioned 20Hz mod that is available for $50 installed by NHT.

So, yes, they're a bargain, but aren't going to compete with the best $10K and $20K speakers in many areas and will in others. They are also somewhat manhandled a bit by NHT's on $6000 Xd system which has the bass/dynamics/accuracy, but also has Class A level imaging, resolution, soundstaging. Of course, they can be set via software to 26Hz or 20Hz response, so the fact that they are in "Class A restricted LF" is just ridiculous when there's a huge speaker in full Class A that barely hits 50Hz. The T6 probably made Class A, probably uniquely, because they *measure* so darn good. Most Class A speaker measure poorly, but still manage to sound good in many areas.

If I were to compare the T6 to a car, it would probably be an Audi S6 (if it got hit with an ugly stick), which is to say, not quite an RS6 or a Lamborghini, but well beyond competent, especially as an HT speaker. The Xd though, is more like a Lambo Murcielego and has all that kind of power with more precision and agility.

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Kimber Kable

---

[ Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2025, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]

---

[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]

---