NHT 2.5i Floorstanding Speaker (Right/Single Speaker)

by NHT

Product Details

Product Manual [94kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 15.5 x 7 x 38 inches ; 53 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 56 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00001ZWSF
• Item model number: 2.5i
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #402,678 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1973

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

NHT loudspeakers are designed to deliver refined music in an attractive and affordable package. Every NHT speaker undergoes rigorous testing and quality control at the factory to ensure years of listening pleasure.

The Model 2.5i represents a new approach to three-way loudspeaker design. By integrating the components and design principles of NHT's critically acclaimed compact speakers with a built-in subwoofer, the 2.5i delivers the clarity and precision of the finest two-way designs along with the dynamic range of much larger loudspeaker systems. Inside the Model 2.5i are two separate chambers. The midrange and high-frequency drivers are housed in a sealed subenclosure and are located on a narrow front baffle to improve imaging. The 8-inch long-throw subwoofer is housed in a separate vented enclosure and is mounted on the side of the cabinet for consistent bass loading. Incorporating NHT's proprietary Focused Image Geometry design, the Model 2.5i's custom-designed drivers and enclosure achieve a level of tonal neutrality and imaging precision unsurpassed at their price.

NHT's Focused Image Geometry design determines the 21-degree angle that defines the 2.5i's cabinet, as well as the sound-radiation pattern of the system. The irregular enclosure shape greatly increases the ratio of direct-to-reverberant sound, reducing side-wall reflections and concentrating sound in the listening area. The exact angles at which the sound from the speakers reaches the ears of centrally located listeners is calculated to create what is known in acoustics as minimum "interaural cross-correlation." This technique allows the Model 2.5i to properly recreate the natural acoustic ambiance and perspective contained in good recordings. In addition, the radiating axes of the left and right speakers are crossed, providing "time-intensity trading," so that the stereo image remains focused and stabilized in a wide range of listening positions. The cabinet shape also reduces the formation of internal standing waves, resulting in smoother midrange response.

Focused Image Geometry is the heart of NHT's high-performance audio loudspeakers. The Model 2.5i employs custom-designed European drivers, including an offset aluminum-dome tweeter that boasts extremely smooth response, even at high listening levels. Its 6.5-inch midrange and 8-inch woofer are the result of extensive in-house development and are custom manufactured for precise roll-off and radiation characteristics.

With the increasing popularity of home theater systems, many audio-video enthusiasts are building combined entertainment systems for both music and movies. When the Model 2.5i is used in a home theater system, be sure to augment it with timbre-matched speakers to ensure a seamless soundfield.

Some audio enthusiasts have found that bi-wiring can bring about improvements in sound. Bi-wiring is the use of two pairs of speaker cable and one amplifier, with each pair connected to one set of binding posts on the amplifier (some two-channel amplifiers provide two sets). To bi-wire the 2.5i's, connect the top pair of binding posts to the amplifier with one speaker cable, and the bottom pair with a second cable. The two sets of speaker cable are both connected to the same pair of terminals on the amplifier.