Amp and Preamp recommendations for Yamaha NS5000

@yyzsantabarbara how does m900u compare to your coda no 16 and krell? Have you ever compared directly to pass ?

@paullb im pretty sure ns5000 will be much brighter (more neutral) than the harbeth which is known to be very thick and warm. But I haven't heard the harbeth and will allow someone else to chime in.

I was listening to a bit from my upstairs office today as my speakers were played loud for some break-in. I was reading some online comments that said the NS5000 sounds like a musical instrument. I had some Moby playing and he had some slow piano on a track. I understood the musical instrument comment from that track. Sounded like I had a piano in the room. This is a really hi-end speaker. I have not even set it up properly or got the gear I want to use with it.

When I demoed the NS5000 it was in the worst possible room, and they did not want to move the speaker for me. I bought from someone else after that, though they did get my business for the LRS+. I have never really heard what the NS5000 is capable of. I just knew that even in that crappy glass walled conference room, the NS5000 was way more coherent than the other speakers from Vivid and Magico that I had demoed at other dealers.

My fav speaker is the KEF Blade and I think I like that more but the drivers on the NS5000 are likely better and some of the best in the world. I got the NS5000 over the Blade for safety issues with young kids around the gear.

I heard a Harbeth SLH 6.5+ (or something like that version) with, at that time, the most expensive Luxman stack. It was surprisingly good, but I think the NS500 is cleaner or clearer sounding, and that 12-inch bass driver matches the mid and tweeter so nicely. The coherency with the 3 drivers is amazing. That was the main reason I did not buy the Magico A3 after hearing the NS5000. All 3 drivers are made from the same Zylon material which is supposed to be lighter and stronger than the very popular Beryllium. The Yamaha NS1000 was supposed to be the first speaker using Beryllium in the 1970’s.

When I heard the Harbeth + Luxman I said this is really nice but I did not want to buy it. With the NS5000 I have goosebumps and my setup is not good yet nor is the speaker broken in. I am also using a modded PeachTree GAN1 (while an amazing modded unit) I do not think it is the very best I could do.

As I listen to the Magnepan LRS+ with my CODA #16 in my small ofiice, I am starting to think a CODA #8 should be what I use with the NS5000. I need something smaller in the Livingroom, so no CODA #16.

@smodtactical I have never had a Pass in the house but hear it as a warmer amp than the CODA and new KRELL XD (from shows and dealer). I spent close to 2 hours listening to the Luxman c900u+m900u and also the 509x with Harbeth. I liked it at that time and thought the m900u was what I would get. The c900u was too warm for me. I like a super neutral preamp like my Benchmark LA4 and hopefully the soon to arrive Holo Serene.

I think the m900u would likely be excellent with the NS5000. I heard the Yamaha M-5000 separates and they did not move me like the c900u and m900u. The modded Peachtree GAN1 with the NS5000 maybe the best experience listening to a system. Kind of crazy.

I never got the Luxman because I heard the KRELL K-300i integrated and then upgraded to the KRELL Duo 175XD and I said to myself that I like this more than the Luxman. If fact, the plan was to buy the new uber KRELL i400 amp, but it is too big and heavy, and I now want to use those funds on a DAC (next year).

I think you would like the Luxman a lot since you like a bit more warmth in the tone than me. I think it is an amazing amp, just like the KRELL XD and CODA.

The Luxman may not be as powerful as the other 2. I only say this based on online comments. I would never say that about the KRELL or CODA.

I hear many people saying luxman is pretty neutral but has a relaxed tone so ya  I dunno maybe. Still thinking about what direction  I should go.