These speakers are great. I use them in a full 5.1 channel home theater system, with the NHT 1.5's in the rear and NHT center. Sub is not nht. They do a fantastic job doubling as both the fronts for movies and for music only. Given the price point, there was nothing even close in terms of price that came close in terms of quality/$. No brainer. That said, if $ is not an object the 3.3's have a markedly better and deeper overall sound.

Exceptional Imaging & Neutrality

Good electronics/amplifier is a MUST!

After 2 months of auditioning to Klipsch RF-3, Definitive Technolgy BP 2006TL, Dynaudio 60, Energy Audissey, KEF Q65.2, Monitor Silver 5i, PSB Stratus Bronze, Ruark Prelude Bose Lifestyle Jewel Cubes (yuck!!), and the NHT 2.5i's, it was pretty clear that the NHT's led the pack... at least to my ears. Close seconds were the Silver 5i, Stratus Bronze and Prelude. I went to listen to the Bose speakers in their local showrooms and outlet mall shops... and under their factory installations, the imaging and freq. responses were unusually poor. They should not be considered High Fidelity in the least! To top it, it has a price tag of over $3K. Sheesh!

What can I say that hasn't been said before? :)

The 2.5i's have exceptional imaging and during playbacks of several numbers which I have heard many a time before, I've been hearing spatial cues and clearer distinction between sources (voice, instruments) which I've never heard before. They are simply amazing! I initially heard them in an Austin showroom paired with a Sony 333 ES receiver and the results were terrible and almost convinced me that they were'nt for me! I was lucky to find another place in Dallas where they paired it with a Marantz 7K receiver. I was all set to get the Denon 4800 receiver... but talking to Denon customer service to get some information was such a harrowing experience... and that separates are typically better in performance... and more upgradeable, that I decided against a reveiver. Paired with the excellent advice from the forums of the folks at www.smr-home-theatre.org, I went a step further and got a Marantz MM9K Amp with the Marantz AV 560 Sound Processor. What a combo!! Good amplification and sources make all the difference with these speakers.

I couldn't be happier! :)

Sound, Bass, looks

none

Wow!! Now Hear This is right!!

These speakers, working in synergy with the AudioCenter 1 and the NHT 1.5s in the rear provide a sublime environment for the '5 Channel Stereo' mode of my Marantz SR-7000 receiver. The sound is clear with low lows and great mid and high ranges. The bass is fantastic -- I listen to a lot of reggae/dub and these babies ROCK!! Robbie 'Bass'Speare never sounded better!!

Anybody considering a pair of speakers in the $1000-$2000 should at least give these speakers a listen ..... you won't be disappointed!

Don't knock 5 Channel Stereo till you've tried it with this setup.

Sounds great for DD 5,1 movies too -- the lobby scene in 'The Matrix'---- whew!!


My Gear:
NHT 2.5i - Mains
NHT 1.5 Rear
NHT AudioCenter 1 - Center Channel
Acoustic Research AR-S500 Subwoofer.
Marantz SR-7000 Rceiver (Wooohooo)

Similar Products Used:

Cambridge Soundworks Tower

Sound, Bass, looks

none

Wow!! Now Hear This is right!!

These speakers, working in synergy with the AudioCenter 1 and the NHT 1.5s in the rear provide a sublime environment for the '5 Channel Stereo' mode of my Marantz SR-7000 receiver. The sound is clear with low lows and great mid and high ranges. The bass is fantastic -- I listen to a lot of reggae/dub and these babies ROCK!! Robbie 'Bass'Speare never sounded better!!

Anybody considering a pair of speakers in the $1000-$2000 should at least give these speakers a listen ..... you won't be disappointed!

Don't knock 5 Channel Stereo till you've tried it with this setup.

Sounds great for DD 5,1 movies too -- the lobby scene in 'The Matrix'---- whew!!


My Gear:
NHT 2.5i - Mains
NHT 1.5 Rear
NHT AudioCenter 1 - Center Channel
Acoustic Research AR-S500 Subwoofer.
Marantz SR-7000 Rceiver (Wooohooo)

Similar Products Used:

Cambridge Soundworks Tower

magnificent sound

hard to position with spikes on the bottom, my foot still hurts.

some sweet speakers. bi-ampable. clean & true. really shows what the recording has. strong amps with lots of power/current needed, no wimps allowed. placement is rough, make sure they set level and the same distance from the walls. WATCH YOUR FEET!!

Similar Products Used:

too many

magnificent sound

hard to position with spikes on the bottom, my foot still hurts.

some sweet speakers. bi-ampable. clean & true. really shows what the recording has. strong amps with lots of power/current needed, no wimps allowed. placement is rough, make sure they set level and the same distance from the walls. WATCH YOUR FEET!!

Similar Products Used:

too many

Tight bass with clean clear mids and highs. Great for both music and movies.

For the money, none that I can see or hear.

Bought these speakers after a 14 month search. Must have looked at about 100 different makes and models before coming across these almost by accident. I was looking for 2 pairs of speakers to handle both movies (DVD) and 2/5 channel music.

I heard speakers that could handle music better or movies better, but the NHT's did both very well and they were only slightly lower in overall performance than the others (which were also a lot more expensive).

These are excellent speakers for both home theater and 2/5 channel music. The mids and highs are very clean and clear and the bass is very tight.

There is only drawback with these speakers, and that is, you do need good quality electronics to get the best out of them. At least 100 good watts per channel for solid state amplifiers.

I would highly recommend these speakers to anyone looking for a movie/music speaker system.

Electronics:
2 x pairs NHT 2.5i's (Front and rear)
NHT Audio Centre 2 (Blends very nicely)
M&K MX700 subwoofer
Denon AVC-A1 (5600 in the US)
Denon 1015 Aplha CD player
Toshiba SDK310 DVD

Do yourself a favour. Go and have a listen to them, you won't be disappointed.

Similar Products Used:

Richter Jaguars & various Paradigms.

Great midrange, solid bass. The loudspeakers disappear.

None if you have excellent associated components.

Let me add my voice to the chorus of positive reviews for this loudspeaker. My 2.5i's are three years old; when I bought them, it was supposed to be a short-term purchase while I upgraded the rest of my system. The speakers are still here and I keep upgrading the associated components. I like the 2.5i's that much. Sure, you can get better speakers (I love the NHT 3.3's, Joseph Audio RM 25's and Thiel 2.3's) but you have to spend a lot more. I am pleased with all aspects of the 2.5i's performance: the bass is deep and reasonably tight (though not as tight as the 3.3's), the midrange is wonderful (these are not bright speakers, with good upstream components) and the treble is airy and extended. Soundstaging is good (though it doesn't compare with the Thiel's presentation - not much does), with nice width and depth. A great speaker if you are looking to enjoy music and don't want to break the bank.

Associated components:

Sunfire Signature amp (these speakers sing when they have lots of power), McCormack TLC-1, Pink Triangle Numeral CD player, MIT MH-750 series 2 and MIT Terminator 2 speaker wires, MIT MI-330 interconnects, Basis 1400 turntable with RB-300 arm and Glider cartridge, Exposure 13 phono preamp, MIT Z-Center and Z-Cord II on the amp, preamp, CD player and Z-Center.

Good tweak: Try Tekna Sonic vibration devices with these speakers. I use a C-10 for the midrange/tweeter and a C-12 for the woofer on each speaker. They add a little more clarity.

Similar Products Used:

Mirage, Energy, Thiel, Joseph, other NHT

Detailed Treble, Tight Bass, Nice Apperance.

Too sensitive to placement.

Been using them for 2 years, never regret having them as the first step to audiophile world. The bass quality is incomparable to others floor standing speakers in the same price range; 2.5i is way better than those.
Highly recommended for anyone who're seaching for a pair that affordable and good enough to stay with for couple years, 2.5i is hard to be bored to listen to. Had been listening to others that some are better but still reluctant to leave 2.5i. I guess other owners might feel the same. The conclusion is 2.5i never ceased to amaze me with its exiting sound quality.
System Setup
ACURUS ACT3 + A250 + A100x3
NHT AC1, 2.5i, Super 2, SW2Pi
NAD CD
Marantz Changer
Pioneer DVD
Kimble PBJ, Canare Digiflex, AudioQuest Type 4

Similar Products Used:

ProAc 1 sc

Transparent, Great bass and overall dynamics; Reference for demonstrating differences in a recording; Room friendly, narrow and deep

Requires only the best electronics, tubes are preferable, owners of cheap solid state gear BEWARE! Require plenty of power to strutt there stuff. Large suckout when standing above vertical axis

First and foremost is the fact that these speakers REQUIRE good electronics, otherwise they can and will sound harsh as some of the reviews indicate. This is not a problem with the speaker but in the design parameters set for the speaker which is a product that reveals what is on the recording. And reveal they will! Not just the recording but the crappy electronics and interconnects that will be upstream from them especially at this price point. For this reason system matching is imperative. Now what these speakers will do given the right electronics (I have tried both solid state and tubes) I can say with certainty that given the revealing nature of these speakers and a tendency to at times sound a little bright in the upper frequencies, tube gear is the best match. I am currently using vintage Audio Research D-115 Mk2 amp and SP-8 preamp along with PS Audio Ultralink with a JVC 1050 CD as transport. Also have a SOTA Sapphire turntable with various cartridges and an Premier MMT arm. I have owned the speakers for 2 years and have tried many things they are at the present sounding as good as any system I have heard at anywhere close to the price. They are a great value. What they do soooooo well is let through the quality or lack of of any recording. Close miking, omnidirectional miking you name it the speakers will let you know. But this isn't a reason for a music lover to own these speakers it is the music. And they do make music providing the recording is good enough for them to shine. These speakers will DISAPPEAR and fill the room with music in a way the Vandersteens never could and few speakers anywhere close to can at least full range. The highs will sing, the midrange while not the absolute best midrange I have heard is still excellent. The bass is the first thing that will grab you with this speaker. I have never heard a speaker this size with such well defined deep bass, it is a pleasure to listen. Overall the NHT 2.5i's are one of the best buys in Audio in my estimation and I have listened to a lot of speakers. There are certainly speakers I like out there that are better, but there is not one under 2K that I have heard that has the across the board performance capability of these speakers. Until I can afford my dream speakers (I haven't heard it yet) I will stay with the NHT's they are quite special. 4.5 stars on performance dropping to 2-1 if poor electronics and system matching are not used with this product.

Similar Products Used:

Vandersteen 2C's (10 years)