I admit that I'm mystified at the popularity of these speakers. These speakers lack bass big time. That would be okay, except that the tweeter is far too bright and sounded clearly inferior to the budget-oriented Paradigm Atom that I auditioned next to it when playing Vivaldi. I would blame the receiver (Sherwood), but it was better than the crappy 300-series Yamaha driving the Atoms. Save your money and keep looking--there are much better $400 speakers out there.

I picked up three of these this weekend to start building my home theater system. My belief was that I could find something that sounds very nice and listenable in the $150-$250 per speaker range. I listened to B&W, Boston Acoustics, Paradigm, Infinity and some others that escape my mind at this point. I liked the B&W602s and 601s. The 601s in every setup that I listened to, were very thin on the bass. The 602s were good but in the upper range of my budget. The Boston's and Infinity's were so so. I listened to Paradigm Mini-Monitors and Monitor 3s. I liked the Mini-Monitors better. The Mini-Monitors were very nice when hooked up to about $3000 of electronics. I thought that the bass was a little loose, but this could have been the tube integrated amp driving it. The rest of the audio spectrum was very nice, full and detailed. I next heard the NHT SuperOne speakers. The bass didn't go as low as the Mini-Monitors, but it was more controlled. I don't like loose bass. The mid-range was every bit as good as the Mini-monitors and maybe better. I didn't hear the detail, but I was listening to an $800 receiver versus some very nice tube gear! My conclusion in the listening rooms were that both of these speakers would make me very happy.
So, I purchased the SuperOnes. Why? 1. The dealer knocked down the price to lower than the Mini-Monitor. Using the SuperOne as a center made it even cheaper!

My next test was to hook them up to my music system to compare them to my Thiel 1.5s. The SuperOnes sounded great! The dealer told me that they wouldn't sound as nice, but they are good enough to be in the same league. He was right! They don't go quite as low (Yes, I'm planning to buy a sub). But the only time that I didn't hear a note was a synthesized note that slides very low. The side to side imaging was similar. The depth of the sound stage was not quite as deep. They weren't quite as detailed as the Thiels. While these differences were real, they don't put up a billboard advertising the SuperOnes as cheap. But, they sound excellent! They definitely met my goal. I didn't want to spend a fortune for Home Theater. And I wanted to be able to listen to music on them without gagging.

I am open to suggestions on subs. The dealer wants to sell me the NHT Sub, $800 retail. It seemed to integrate very nicely. Can I get a $500 sub that will work as well?

I'm looking at these speakers, NHT super one, the Paradigm Mini Monitors and Atoms. Anybody Auditioned these Paradigms honestly? I heard the NHT, it sounds good but i think its because of the $3000 electronics that's hooked to it.
Thanx............

I have had the superones for more than two years. I love these speakers, and have loved them from the moment I auditioned them. I even got a good deal on them. Great quality, good response. If you listen to pop or rap you will want to add a sub but otherwise they are wonderful. Great value and performance.

For a comparison of the Paradigm Mini Monitor and the NHT Superones, visit Goodsound, www.goodsound.com.
The Superone is a superb speaker for the price. It can offer uncolored music reproduction. It has been a very enjoyable six months with these speakers.

Limitations
Limited bass depth. Lower treble can be 'plasticky' although it is much less annoying than the ringing of metallic tweeters of other affordable speakers. Very revealing with related electronics and recordings.

Strengths
What it lacks in depth, it compensates in its bass quickness and tightness, without the aparrent mid/upper bass boast common with other speakers in the price range. Midrange is open and neutral. Acoustic instruments and vocals are very natural and vivid. Treble is not harsh or rounded off but can be bright with old recordings and 'pop' mixed CDs. It has a very good soundstaging, wide although not very deep and layered. It has excellent imaging and good dynamics. Classical music and acoustic jazz are well served by the Superones.

This must be on the short list of sub $500 bookshelf speakers to audition.

Related equipments:
NAD 312 integrated amp
NAD 515 CD changer
Audioquest interconnects and cables

I use the NHT Super1s for surround only so i cannot really comment on there dynamic range and mid point for vocals BUT they are excelent at the surround end running 5.1 audio they excell ! I use NHT Super2s for front L/R NHT VS2a for center and NHT SW2pi sub and amp . Running the Super2s i use a Sony 7700 DVD/CD transport to a MSB digital director, MSB Link DAC Pioneer Elite 5.1 reciever and Mondial Acurus 3 channel amp . i am most pleased with NHT for the price range they are way beter than they should be .

I have had the superones for more than a year now. Looking around so many quality speakers in the price range was difficult, however I believe that they are a best buy. I use them for 70% music, mostly jazz and popular, 30 HT and they sound amazing.Clarity in the high's and a soundstage that not even 2000.00 speakers can achieve. My room is 12X15 with open space on both sides using an Onkyo 656 Reciever. Next to them is a 15" isobaric subwoofer with 200w amp.

The botom line, you want something better, prepare to dish out at least
1500 additional bucks!

I just got the speakers and put them in my main seytem, replacing Mordaunt Short Festival II's. When I heard them played on my friend's system, who had a pretty high end setup as far as amp and wires, etc, they sounded great. My setup is Hafler 220 amp, NAD 1020 preamp, and cheapie cables and speaker wire.
Compared to the MS Festival II, the NHT's nound terrible. Very litle imaging, muddy bass. I still have to put them on stands and have not tested them with CD, just tube Fisher radio and vinyl.

I am very disappointed to find out that I'm going to have to substantially upgrade my system to get real sound out of them.

Amps: Classe' CA-100, Muse Model 100, Adcom GFA-535, Sonographe SA-250Preamplification: Mark Levinson No. 380, Krell KPE Standard
Cables: Kimber KS-3033, 8TC, 4TC; AQ Type 4, F-14, Indigo; Wireworld Solstice II
Other speakers: Thiel CS1.5 and .5; NHT SuperZero; Paradigm 5SE; Sonus Faber Concertino; Signet SL280; ProAc Response One SC
Other Accessories: Rightway Audio Suspendors, Studio-tech SP-30, blu-tack

Positive features:
1. Magnetically shielded
2. Now available in white!
3. 5-way binding posts, which accept regular .25" spades
4. Not biwireable, so you can save money on speaker cables

Negative features:
1. None I can think of

This is easily one of the best buys in all of audio. If you get bad sound out of the SuperOnes, don't blame the speaker. If you put ratty equipment in front of the SuperOnes, of course you're going to get cruddy sound. The speakers are only showing off what you're putting upstream. If you put them too close to the walls, they will sound congested and bass-heavy. If your room is large, the SuperOnes might not move enough air. If you stick a big-ass TV in between the speakers, of course you won't get any imaging.

No, the SuperOne doesn't image as tightly as the SF Concertino. No, the SuperOne does not have the bass response of the Totem Model One. No, the SuperOne does not have the resolution of the ProAc Response One SC. No, the SuperOne is not as open-sounding as the B&W N805. But, you'd be suprised at how much quality the SuperOne does offer.

The SuperOne is a well-balanced design. The top octave is a little dark sounding, again, not as open as the B&W N805. Deep bass is missing, but midbass is strong, so in all but the most cavernous of rooms, you will not need any more bass. Put on some Motley Crue. Tommy Lee's drums aren't as tight and powerful as they should be. His cymbals lack the silvery sheen you find with more expensive speakers. Nikki Sixx's bass playing goes in and out, due to the lack of true deep bass. But, the rhythm manages to hang together, and you never stop rockin' or bustin' out your air drums and guitar.

Here's what you do. Start off with the SuperOne. Upgrade everything else in your room and system. Buy Krell, put up ASC tubetraps, put everything on Black Diamond Racing Cones and The Pits, hook up the VPI. When you've taken care of the rest, THEN you replace the SuperOnes. But here's the kicker. The NHT SuperOnes are so good, that there is no need for $1000 speakers. If, lucky you, you feel you've outgrown the SuperOnes, head straight for the superduper >$2000 speakers. Only when you upgrade to the likes of the $1995 Totem Model One and $2500 (in bird's eye maple) ProAc Response One SC, will you find significantly better speaker performance. The NHT SuperOnes really are that good.

And if you are not a hard-core audio nut, buy the SuperOne, stop there, and never again worry about speakers. Just set them up and enjoy! Bravo, NHT! Since the ProAC Response One SC garners a five-star rating, the NHT SuperOne gets four big, golden stars with a bullet!

Had the NHTs for a year now. Recently upgraded my amplification from Harmon/Kardon AVR40 to Parasound HCA-750A ($430). The SuperOnes now really sound Super ! The bass is much (much, much !) more stronger and tighter. The midrange has cleaned up a lot. And the highs are more detailed. What they say about these speakers is true. You need really good amplification to see what they're capable of. I have them mounted on stands a couple of feet from the walls and the bass levels are still very good. However, the HK, which I'm using as a preamp now is a little too bright.
A recommendation to all current SuperOne owners who are using receivers for amplification. Audition a good inexpensive amp from Parasound, Adcom, NAD, etc.
You'll find a big difference in your sound. 5 stars to a great tight sounding speaker !