nsmt2's blog

Positive Feedback reviews the Model 100

Submitted by nsmt2 on Fri, 07/07/2017 - 09:02

"... the deepest most powerful ... drum whacks that I have ever heard." " ...the minutest of detail without fatigue."
"...built like the proverbial Abrams tank."

Our thanks to Francisco Duran of Positive Feedback for this thorough and insightful review of the the Model 100. Among his comments:

"...detail and dynamics sounded natural and not overdone for the sake of reproducing good stereo."

"These speakers have the ability to wring out the minutest of detail without fatigue."

"...the M-100 clearly showed me just how deficient my regular speakers handle deep bass on movies."

"Their reproduction of timber and tone is very natural and very realistic. And they are built like the proverbial Abrams tank. Mix that all together and you have one hell of a musical speaker very capable of easily drawing you into whatever you listen to with the greatest of ease."

(Francisco Duran , Positive Feedback, Issue 92, 07-01-2017)

One of the strengths of the Model 100 is that it can be driven extremely well by low powered and inexpensive amplifiers because of its built in active subwoofers and the efficiency of the monitor section. To prove the point Francisco Duran discribes how the NSMT modified Lepai amplifer outclassed all his reference amps driving the Model 100. He says:

"I heard an accurate tonal balance, natural timbres, nice decay of instruments and I could play the system as loud as I wanted with this little amp in the system thanks to the efficiency of the woofer/tweeter section of the M-100. Kicking in the subwoofers was icing on the cake. For sheer irony and bang for the buck, this was the best amp I used with the M-100's. Save yourself some money and invest in some kind of remote for the little Lepai because it doesn't come with one. While you're at it go and tell the emperor he is naked. This little amp can cook and it thoroughly embarrassed the hell out of the amps I have laying around my house."

(Francisco Duran , Positive Feedback, Issue 92, 07-01-2017)

Imagine, audiophile nervana with the Model 100 and the little NSMT Lepai.

You can read the review here.

The NSMT A100 goes up against Marantz and Margules

Submitted by nsmt2 on Fri, 10/06/2017 - 07:07

NSMT A100 amplifiers

A big thank you to Francisco Duran and positive-feedback.com for their review of the A100.

In its toughest comparison so far the $149 A100 went up against Francisco's tricked out $3000 Marantz amplifier and his Margules U280SE tube amp with quad KT-88s and 12AU7s. The result: The $149 A100 did not outperform Francisco's reference amps but Francisco liked the A100 so much he bought it.

Francisco noted that the A100 "sounded clear, clean and detailed with an open soundstage." And that, "Vocals and instruments have a natural tone." He also noted that the A100 tracks dynamics with a tight grip and "The top end sounds polished and clean."

He noted that unlike conventional solid state and especially tube amplifiers amplifiers, the A100 had no heat and that the A100 "performed way above and beyond what is expected in a $149 amplifier.".

See: positive-feedback.com, 09-27-2017 | By Francisco Duran | Issue 93