At NHT, we believe that a loudspeaker of this caliber should demand little compromise from the listener. That's why every- thing we know went into the 3.3...all our technology, our experience, our listening abilities. We admit we can't quite offer you perfection, but we can deliver sound beyond anything you have ever heard in your home.
!Design Goals
•Extremely flat, smooth frequency response for a new standard in neutral, transparent sonics
•Ideal impulse response and radiation pattern for state-of-the-art imaging
•Extremely low distortion and high power handling for natural dynamics
•Optimal wave loading at all frequencies for position insensitivity
•Superb transducers for frequency extension to the limits of human hearing
!Technology
The Model 3.3 incorporates NHT's proprietary Focused Image Geometry design. This unique technology determines the
21-degree angle that defines the Model 3.3's unique 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 energy in the listening area. This greatly minimizes the effects of room acoustics on spectral balance.
•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 inter-aural cross-correlation. This technique allows the Model 3.3 to prop- erly recreate the natural acoustic ambiance and perspective contained in good recordings.
•The radiating axes of the left and right speakers are crossed, providing time-intensity trading, so that the stereo image remains focused and stabilized for a wider range of listening positions.
•The cabinet shape also reduces the formation of internal standing waves, resulting in smoother midrange response.
The thick-walled and heavily braced cabinet not only provides a solid foundation for the sound producing elements, it is also specially designed to provide each driver with the optimal radiating environment for its frequency range, creating its own "acoustical room." With the speaker correctly set up against the front wall, the massive, overdamped floor-loaded woofer always sees a 90° corner, the ideal environment for the propagation of low frequencies. Simultaneously, the upper range drivers are located on a narrow front baffle that extends out into the room, much like a minimonitor on a stand. This configuration minimizes room boundary effects such as side wall reflections, resulting in superior imaging and a natural tonal balance.
!The Model 3.3 and Home Theater
With the increasing popularity of home theater systems and the advent of 5-channel music recordings, many audio / video enthusiasts are building combined entertainment systems for both music and movies. When the Model 3.3 is used in a home theater system, be sure to augment it with timbre-matched speakers to ensure a seamless soundfield. The NHT AudioCenter-2 is the appropriate matching center channel speaker, while the Models 3.3, 2.9, 2.5i or 1.5 will function as matching surround speakers. Alternately, the NHT HDP-2 hybrid dipole surround speaker is a good choice for rooms where a full-range dipolar surround speaker is preferred.
!SpikeKit Installation
A SpikeKit is included with the Model 3.3 to provide optimum stability and to firmly couple the speakers to the floor for improved bass performance. Each 3.3 loudspeaker is shipped with its own SpikeKit. Caution: the 3.3 is unstable with- out the SpikeKit (or at least the stabilizer bars) installed.
