NHT Bookshelf Speaker - Manual

NHT, since its inception, has held to the belief that what makes a speaker high-end is real,
but what makes it expensive is not. No matter what model is right for you, be assured
it was designed with one goal... to recreate in your home the performance the artist
intended, without editorializing. After all, it is the music that matters. Enjoy.
acoustic suspension
now hear this...
NHT bookshelf speakers are acoustic suspension
designs that use nature’s perfect spring force…
air… to control the cone motion instead of a heavy,
unpredictable mechanical suspension. It takes a
little more development time and amplifier power
to do an acoustic suspension design justice, but the
greatly decreased distortion, deeper bass response,
and increased detail are well worth it.
form follows function
While the Classic series of products are certainly beautiful,
their shape is all about the business of making great sound.
The graceful cabinets place every driver into a consistent,
predictable acoustical environment. For example, variable
radius edges on the cabinet sides randomize diffraction
from the midrange and tweeter drivers, aiding the
speakers’ dispersion of midrange and high frequency sounds,
while careful placement of the Four’s built-in subwoofer
guarantees tremendous deep bass response in almost any
room.
Our cabinets are made with MDF, a board manufactured
primarily of wood residues from the production of lumber
and plywood with a low percentage of virgin tree wood.
We finish them with 7 coats of hand-finished polyurethane
applied in a “solid particle” method that’s safe for the
environment. This finish is then sealed with 2 coats of
automotive grade clear-coat to protect the finish for years.
By avoiding exotic wood veneers, and using materials such
as MDF in the construction of our cabinets, we’re not
sacrificing scarce natural resources to make acoustically
sound, furniture grade cabinets.
smarter parts
By using two low distortion drivers mounted
close together on a single plate, we are able to
produce a speaker with a larger listening area,
lower distortion, and higher power handling than
previous 2-way designs.
All of the 5.25” and 6.5” woofers in the Classic
line feature frames made from BMC (Bulk Molding
Compound). Usually a designer has to choose
between inexpensive, mechanically sound materials
such as ABS plastic and stamped steel, or expensive
materials such as cast aluminum or magnesium
that are ideal acoustically and mechanically. BMC
gives us the best of both worlds: a cost effective
material that is immensely stiff, and easily shaped
into acoustically ideal shapes.
A subwoofer is the most difficult speaker in your
system to find a home for. Subwoofers are often
placed where they look best in the room, not
where they sound best. Placement in a corner
can make the bass boom while moving it away
from the walls can rob your system of the deepest
bass. With NHT’s exclusive Boundary EQ control
placement and performance can finally coexist.
a better center
While small, 2-way three-driver center speakers
are very popular, this design is really more about
creating a low profile speaker than one that’s
suited for center channel use. A traditional
center’s frequency response changes hugely
as the listener moves away from the cabinet’s
center. This dramatic dip in the critical midrange
is clearly visible in Figure 2. NHT’s 3-way design,
detailed in Figure 3 below, eliminates this huge
dip, ensuring that every seat in your home
theater is the best seat in the house.
Fig 1. The advantage of acoustic suspension
design is clearly demonstrated in the “impulse
response” test where a speaker is sent a
momentary pulse and then observing the
resulting “ringing”.
bass without boundaries
conservatively dressed
Chris Byrne, Co-Founder
Fig 2. Notice how the midrange is cut sharply as
the listener moves farther off-axis.
Fig 3. NHT’s three way design maintains smooth
response over a much wider listening area.