Yes, I have heard them. I "think" I loved them but the NS 5000 are a little large for my room. I am thinking a new model in-between the NS3000 (monitors) and the NS5000 will be released soon, maybe NS4000. If they do not release a new model I am considering still buying the NS 5000 and put some DSP on the bass.
I had previously considered the Paradigm Persona 3F as the speaker to get. That speaker has the Be tweeter and mid-range. It is the second speaker to have that combo. The first was the Yamaha NS 1000 in the mid-1970's. The NS 5000 is the new version of the NS 1000.
The Persona was great to my ears, I know some people find it too bright. I love the detail from the Be drivers. Just sounded great to me. However, the Yamaha has all 3 drivers, including the 12 inch woofer made from Zylon. The Yamaha seemed to have the same detail as the Persona but it sounded even more coherent. The Persona has different material on the woofers than the other 2 Be drivers. I was thinking that having the same material for all 3 drivers made the NS5000 sound so coherent across the frequency range. A very realistic sound, especially realistic on piano.
My demo was in the same store, different room, during different months. The Persona was in a very good room and the NS5000 was in the worst room imaginable to put a stereo, a glass walled small conference room. However, even in that room I thought the NS 5000 sounded a bit better when you focused just on particular instruments. The room was idiotic, so that is why I "THINK" and it "SEEMED" better.
Since the store has both the Persona and the Yamaha I want to hear then again in the good demo room. I am hoping a smaller NS 4000 comes out before I go for that final demo. Covaid is also keeping my butt in the house for now. I will get 1 of those 2 speakers. The Persona 3F is a tremendous speaker and so is the NS 5000. The NS 5000 may have the advantage with the zylon woofer. The 3F has the advantage in the smaller space without DSP.
I had previously considered the Paradigm Persona 3F as the speaker to get. That speaker has the Be tweeter and mid-range. It is the second speaker to have that combo. The first was the Yamaha NS 1000 in the mid-1970's. The NS 5000 is the new version of the NS 1000.
The Persona was great to my ears, I know some people find it too bright. I love the detail from the Be drivers. Just sounded great to me. However, the Yamaha has all 3 drivers, including the 12 inch woofer made from Zylon. The Yamaha seemed to have the same detail as the Persona but it sounded even more coherent. The Persona has different material on the woofers than the other 2 Be drivers. I was thinking that having the same material for all 3 drivers made the NS5000 sound so coherent across the frequency range. A very realistic sound, especially realistic on piano.
My demo was in the same store, different room, during different months. The Persona was in a very good room and the NS5000 was in the worst room imaginable to put a stereo, a glass walled small conference room. However, even in that room I thought the NS 5000 sounded a bit better when you focused just on particular instruments. The room was idiotic, so that is why I "THINK" and it "SEEMED" better.
Since the store has both the Persona and the Yamaha I want to hear then again in the good demo room. I am hoping a smaller NS 4000 comes out before I go for that final demo. Covaid is also keeping my butt in the house for now. I will get 1 of those 2 speakers. The Persona 3F is a tremendous speaker and so is the NS 5000. The NS 5000 may have the advantage with the zylon woofer. The 3F has the advantage in the smaller space without DSP.