Yamaha ns 5000

The NS500 is the an incredible speaker (likely my second fav now). I wanted to buy the NS5000 for my Livingroom but recently figured out that the KEF Blade 2 Meta will work in this space, so I am going with that instead. Keep in mind that the NS5000 is very powerful and you need some space for them.

I then thought about getting the NS3000 for my home office, it is a small room, 12 x 11 x 9. The NS3000 is not available in the USA, but I can get it from a Toronto, Canada dealer. I liked the NS5000 so much I am willing to buy the NS3000 unheard because it is supposed to be like the NS5000 without the low end.

My son accidently poked a hole in my 10 year old KEF LS50 that I had moved back into my office. So I thought I would give the LS50 Meta a try, since I always wanted to keep a LS50 around. I was planning on getting the NS3000 too.

However, after hearing the LS50 Meta I decided to not get the NS3000. LS50 Meta is amazing with the gear I have on it. The same gear I was going to use with either the NS5000 or NS3000 (gear with an overall neutral gear sonic signature).

Benchmark AHB2 mono | Benchmark LA4 preamp | Musetec 005 DAC | Audience FrontRow speaker cable.

I am not sure how your Esoteric would work with the Yamaha’s. I have warmer gear in the CODA 07x preamp and the KRELL Dou 175XD and I would not use that with the Yamahas. I plan to use the KRELL with the Blades (maybe an upgraded Krell). and I know it sounded great with my old LS50.

I will use the Musetec 005 DAC for both the office and Livingroom system. Getting a used second 005 this Saturday.

BTW - I was going to go back to the NS5000 as my choice over the Blade 2 Meta because of this poked driver issue. However, I found a company that makes speaker dust covers for the Blade 2, that I can use like the NS5000’s driver covers.

The ns 5000 looks promising and I was also interested. I believe you can get a 30 day return policy with purchase. I bought a pair of blade’s because sometimes I like to listen at concert levels and now am hooked on the blades. If mine sell I’ll upgrade to the meta but if not that’s good too.

The NS3000 and NS5000 are amazingly neutral and fast, but out of these two for near field I would choose NS3000.

I’ve heard these two near-field in all Yamaha setup with Yamaha CD-S2100 and AS-2200. These setups sounded very live front-row seat experience, but even with NS3000 the setup was already powerful enough. NS5000 definitely needed more space to breathe.

Because you listed Kef Ref 1 and Utopia, I believe you are looking for slightly warmer tone? If so, then yes, Esoteric F-03A and a warmer sounding DAC like MSB Discrete would help.

If you want speakers similar in sound to NS3000 and NS5000, consider auditioning Cabasse Baltic, Audiovector R1 Arrete, and ATC SCM100 as well. Slightly more laid back in sound you could get Kaya S12 or Harbeth SHL5Plus.