JBL 4425 or Yamaha NS-1000 ? pls vote


JBL 4425 or Yamaha NS-1000 ? pls vote
I know that those are two totally different speakers, but just eager which speaker most people like better.
rademaker
I also had the Yamaha NS1000, late 70s in San Francisco. I really enjoyed
them with Electronica such as Tangerine Dream, Eno, 60s and 70s Rock. I
drove them with, what else, tubes, took out the sometimes hot top end.
Overall, a good speaker.
I think with some of these opinions there may be some confusion on the JBL model numbers - the 4425 is a two-way time-aligned studio monitor with a big "butt-cheek" constant-directivity horn. It has virtually nothing in common sonically with the earlier 43xx/L200/L300 speakers that use the slant-plate style midrange horn, or the 4310/11/L100 that have a cone mid/tweet.

Compared with the earlier slant-plate/cone-tweet designs, I can see how some would prefer the NS-1000 . . . personally, I'm not a fan of any of it. But the 44xx series is another matter - they're smooth and precise, with good imaging and a wide sweet spot. You certainly don't want to be too close (I'd say 6-7 feet minimum), but there's no getting around the fact that the directivity characteristics of the 4425's horn are simply vastly superior to the mid-tweet array of the NS-1000.

The 4425s standing by themselves might sound slightly bass-light in some rooms, as in studios they were frequently soffit-mounted. Bass control and extension is excellent. Keep in mind that in their native application it was not (and is not) frowned upon to use a light application of outboard EQ (in conjunction with the built-in EQ controls) to get them perfect.

But as always with vintage stuff, condition frequently trumps everything else. Most old studio gear was worked VERY hard, and sometimes repairs were performed on a tight budget and short timeframe. On the other hand, you'll also find equipment that is very worn cosmetically, but maintained by engineers that knew what they were doing, and sounds fabulous! Consumer-oriented stuff like the NS-1000s usually leads a very different life . . . and your comfort with the particulars of the sale is likely to be as important as the particular speakers you choose.
I owned Yamaha NS-1000's back in the late 1970's, and there wasn't a JBL loudspeaker on the planet that was as good let alone better. The build and driver quality were simply superb for the time. The Yamies were much more accurate and neutral sounding than comparable JBL's.
The JBL's may well be preferred by some over the NS1000's but I would never characterize the 1000's as "mass market" or their drivers as "cheap". In fact the cost of the beryllium domes was so high that Yamaha eventually stopped producing them for that reason.
Has anyone tried a First Watt J2 paired with some JBL 4425's?
Or for that matter any of the First Watt models with the 4425's? I was curious about the synergy and if they have enough watts?

Thanks
The Yamaha are the best I've heard in more than 45 years of audiophile listening. Some people do not like the high-end or mid-range finding them overly harsh (too bright). I think most people aren't used to the "live" quality of these legends. They still sell over $1K/pair. I like the sound of horns and cymbals-crisp and clear. Focal uses the same bryrillium in their high-end speakers. Too say these NS-1000s are revealing is not to be taken lightly. The electronics can make a real difference in the quality. I would recommend tube amp/preamp combo.
even though the yamaha has cult status, the 4425 is (as mentioned above) one of the great monitors of all time...and gets better all ther time.
The JBL by a longshot. Neutral sounding, clean, and excellent transient response. The Yamaha is an overpriced mass market speaker, Ive owned both. The quality in the drivers of the JBL dont even compare to the low budget drivers in the Yamaha. In my opinion it is definitely the JBL.