Opinions on newest NHT Absolute Zero

Thanks for the suggestion, Null. But, as mentioned in the opening paragraph, I'm placing the speakers on a bookshelf. Here are some details on that:

the bookshelf is backless and where the speaker sits it will have wood below it, above it, and to the right of it, but nowhere else. I heard the NHT Super Zero would be good in this position since it uses acoustic suspension rather than a ported design. I'm just wondering if anyone has actually listened to this speaker and has an opinion on it before I pursue finding some to test for myself.

The NHT's are one of the few speakers that I have experienced that do well with inside bookcase placement. I used a pair of NHT SB2's in this way for a number of years. With a backless bookcase, the NHT's should do even better. In my friend's set-up mentioned previously, her bookcase is more of an glass and wood, open rack affair. Her room has only window/venetian blinds and light rugs, so the room is pretty minimalist/live. I was very much taken with how good the system sounded. The music played was Talking Heads, Morrissey, and Sinatra.

Besides acoustic suspension design speakers, you can also consider front ported designs. For the money though ($260 a pair at J&R Music with free shipping), this speaker is very hard to beat.

FWIW, other speakers that I have tried with bookshelf placement and how they fared: B&W 302 (dreadful), EPOS ESL3 (boxy/ nothing special), Wharefedale Diamond 8"s and 9's (good/ much better on stands), Omega Super 3 (if you are not using tubes, don't bother. If you are, then very good), NHT SB2 (very good), Rega Ara (very good).

Regards, Rich

I don't know the A-Zero, but I believe that NHT makes (or used to make) a different bookshelf model that features adjustable dispersion for bookshelf vs open space placement. Might be worth checking out for your application.

Marty

As an additional note, I listen to acoustic guitar music, independent rock (The Shins, Aberfeldy, Decemberists, etc.), Classical, Jazz, a little Electronic, and Motown. Most of this is from very high bitrate (320kbps+)digital music. I also use the system for home theater 20% of the time.

May I suggest you look at the NHT Evolution M5 instead of AZs if you have to put them in/on a bookcase/shelf?

They have a boundary adjustment feature which drops output below 300 Hz -6 dbs to compensate for the natural boost these frequencies response will receive from the proximity to the boundaries (shelves and walls).

I had Classic Threes in such a placement situation, but switched them out for the Evo M5s, and it was a bog improvement.