Yamaha NS-AM100 for home theatre

[El_Scorcho]

Hey everybody. New to the forums. Figured I'd pick some brains to see what people think.

Just so you guys know, I'm a live audio engineer that specializes in FOH mixing and monitor mixing for concerts, etc.

Needless to say, I like my audio to sound "live".


I put my hands on a pair of Yamaha NS-AM100's a few years ago and started using them as the main L/R's for my home theatre system to see how they sounded. Come to find out, they sound REALLY nice in that application. More than enough meat out of the 8" for DVD/Blu-Ray playback and the compression driver on the top end is nice and open without being too harsh or overbearing. To boot, they're nice and small, which the wife LOVES. LOL.

I love 'em too.

I'm sure there will be a ton of people willing to explain to me why I shouldn't use them in that application, but hey, audio is THE subjective media form. What sounds good to one person sounds like hell to another. I've learned that after mixing live for so many years. (If I had $5 for every time a 'guest engineer' put together a mix he loved that shredded my eardrums with brutal highs and overly brassy mids... a 58 doesn't need to sound like a bullhorn boys and girls! )

So long story short, here's my question.

My center channel is getting old. It's loosing its punch on the top end and the NS's are leaving it behind. (Ferro fluid cooled 1" dome. Removed some of the fluid to relieve some of the dampening and brought some life back in to the tired dome, but still not what it used to be. I don't listen to movies really loud, so I'm not worried about the lower heat dissipation with less fluid.)

I want to purchase a new center channel that is more along the lines of the NS-AM100's in the overall tone of the box.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
Scorcho

 

[El_Scorcho]

No input from anyone?

Bummer.


Either way, I've come across the Yamaha NS-C444 center channel and seems pretty nice. Anyone have one of these? How do you like it?

I'm thinking I may sell off the NS-AM100's and pickup a pair of NS-555's or NS-777's. Anyone have a pair of either? How do you like them?

 

[jamie2112]

Hey there I am a live engineer myself.I also would suggest you match the fronts with your center so I would look into yamaha and see what they suggest as a good match to your mains....

 

[jamie2112]

Also those speakers you mentioned are not very good choices in my honest opinion.....What is your budget for new speakers if you have one?

 

[El_Scorcho]

Which ones don't you care for? The C444, or the 555/777.

Haven't heard the 555 or 777's yet, but they have the same waveguide horn as the C444, so I'd imagine they are the closest match.

I'm not sold on any of them yet, but budget is tight as hell.

(Read, I'm selling my Polk CS245I for $90. I can add $50 to that for a new center, that's all.)

I'll eventually replace the L/R as well with something to match, but that will be down the road a bit.

Wish I could spend more, but just spent the past 4 years rebuilding my house from scratch (i.e. new wiring, plumbing, drywall, roof, kitchen, bath, siding, etc, etc, etc.)

Now I have a beautiful house, and it's paid for in cash, but I'm broke as a joke! LOL!

Not trying to do new boxes on the cheap, but that's about where I'm at.

A buddy of mine has a Paradigm center that I tried out with the AM100's. The horn on the center was AWESOME. Bright and clear without being overbearing or harsh. Not sure what model is was, but it was considerably bigger than the Polk.

Thanks for the input!