The accurate presentation of
reproduced sound depends on the ability of the sound reproduction
system to reproduce the tonal qualities and the lateral, vertical
and depth perception cues of sound. This ability to reproduce
three dimensional sound is called soundstaging. An accurately
reproduced soundstage conveys the acoustical and spatial cues
that allow you to locate performers and instruments in three
dimensional space as you do during a live performance. To achieve
accurate soundstaging, symmetrical cue encoded in the left and
right channel (s) information must be preserved in amplification,
and most critically in loudspeaker reproduction.
For loudspeakers to preserve
symmetry, each driver must "see" the same resistance,
the same capacitance, the same inductance as the other, over
its entire frequency range. When there is unevenness between
a pair of components the soundstage deteriorates and the sound
is perceived as coming from the loudspeaker cabinets. NSM's approach
to preserving symmetry in the soundstage is to hand craft its
loudspeakers with hand matched components in A-B pairs. Every
component--resistor, capacitor, coil, transducer--in speaker
'A' is matched with its equivalent in speaker 'B', some to two
decimal places, which is unheard of in the industry.
Phase Linearity
For a loudspeaker to reproduce
the nuances, subtleties, and ambiance of music, the loudspeaker
must have exceptional phase characteristics. Therefore we use
minimalist, minimum phase crossovers because of their inherent
superior phase characteristics and their ability to produce seamless
transition between drivers. We believe that synergy between components
is very important to achieve accurate sound. Because every component
has its own tonal characteristics, it is better to use fewer
components that are synergistic. Therefore we spend considerable
research time determining which components work well together
and in what manner. We use only the highest quality components
which are sourced from around the world. Furthermore, each component
is hand selected and rigorously tested before it is used in one
of our loudspeakers.
Cabinet Design
Cabinet design is the most underrated
aspect of loudspeaker design. Our cabinets must be well designed
in order to be synergistic with our drivers. Because we believe
in minimalist, first order transient perfect crossovers, the
cabinet design must match the drivers characteristics in order
for us to use very few crossover components. A well designed
loudspeaker cabinet can be made to work synergistically with
the drivers and eliminate many corrective crossover parts. Cabinet
design is so important to us that we manufacture all our cabinets
in-house. Cabinets are the most expensive cost factor in loudspeaker
production, therefore by manufacturing our own cabinets we keep
our prices low and our quality very high.
Quality
Control
Our commitment to quality control
is reflected in our matched-components designs, in the quality
of the components we use, in our production technology, and,
most of all, in the end product- our loudspeakers. We hand craft
all our loudspeakers. Our crossover networks are hard-wired and
hand-soldered. Every pair of loudspeakers that we produce is
subjected to several critical tests including a listening test,
before it leaves the factory.
The Result
The results of our design and
manufacturing approach are loudspeakers that image and soundstage
accurately and produce a natural, airy, box-less, musical, symmetrical
soundstage. Hence, our loudspeakers are described as, "crafted
with jewel-like precision," with a smooth "tube-like"
sound that is, "breathtaking."
