Since the time I decided upon a surround sound speaker system for my computer, I took some time to analyze/review a good amount of decent low to middle end speakers and subwoofers, since I’m not trying to break the bank, while looking for a good/high quality audio receiver. For those interested in finding the best deals on quality items, you’ll have to search as I do, which means scrolling through pages upon pages of deals on websites including Craigslist, Slickdeals, Ebay, Amazon, Newegg, and Parts-Express.
As such, the first big break for my set-up occurred when I was scrolling through craigslist advertisements and stumbled upon an individual offering two Yamaha NS-A1738 floorstanding speakers for $50 each ($100 pair). After contacting the seller and texting back and forth about the audio quality (no diminished audio production), any damage to the speakers (minor cosmetic damage to the finish), and the logistics of pick-up, I made the relatively impulsive decision to buy them and go through with pick-up within two hours. In order to obtain a second opinion, I brought my friend, an audiophile, along to be there when the seller tested the speakers (and also to help with moving the massive 56.5 lb. speakers). After thoroughly testing the speakers at the seller’s residence with some amazing classical and dubstep music, we confirmed the Yamaha speakers were in good working condition and close the sale. The seller stated he was only selling them to make room for his new Polk floorstanding speakers which matched his center channel, two rear speakers, and dual subwoofers. With the payment made, the speakers were transported home, and I began my search for some speakers for surround sound.
Now, you may not have recently heard, if at all, of the Yamaha NS-A1738 4-way floorstanding speakers as these speakers have been discontinued (out of production) and are quite hard to find even with a plethora of online resources. The Yamaha NS-A1738s feature a four-way speaker system: each 4-way speaker has four unique drivers including one 1” dome tweeter for high frequencies, two 6 1/2” midrange, and one 15” side firing woofer for low frequencies. The speaker tower cabinets were designed to eliminate resonances, provide separate chambers for the two midrange drivers to respond differently to the audio input yet still work in conjunction, and prevent the entry of dust. Functionally, these speakers can also be bi-amped, whereby multiple audio amplifier channels, two in this case, can be used to independently power speakers with multiple drivers. As of yet, I have not tested the bi-amping capability. Regarding power handling, these speakers have a nominal power rating, which refers to the amount of power a speaker can comfortably handle for a sustained period of time, of 120 watts. Finally, the speakers were magnetically shielded to prevent any negative effects/impact on nearby TV or computer monitors.
In regards to the aesthetics and physical aspects/design of these speakers, each speaker’s grille has a protective satin grille cloth cover and is designed to be acoustically transparent. On my pair, the grille continues to function as intended with only small tears in the satin grille cloth cover at the corners of the grille (where the cover is pulled around the grille and secured). Meanwhile, although my used pair has some dents and scratches, the micro-pebble black laminate finish looks fantastic and I have no qualms about its durability/protection of internal components (not that I plan on the speakers falling over). Also, each speaker has two sets of gold-plated five-way binding posts, for purposes of bi-amping, which have so far been used to connect the speakers to the receiver through direct connection with the speaker wire or connection through use of banana plugs. Finally, each speaker weighs 56.5 lb. and dimension-wise, each speaker is 39 1/4” tall (yes, over three feet tall), 8 1/16” wide, and 19 1/14” deep.
After a few months of both short and extended use, I couldn’t be more pleased with these used Yamaha NS-A1738 floorstanding speakers. I am well aware that Yamaha is not well known for their speakers, but these speakers have earned their reputation for great quality and amazing performance. High frequencies, low frequencies, and everything in between is handled smoothly. Many of my regular gaming friends are even quite aware of and can attest to the quality of the audio produced by these speakers as they can even listen to the pure sound as it is transmitted over my Cyber Acoustics AC-840 Headset! If you can find a pair of these speakers, I would definitely recommend them. Of course, I’m searching for a few more myself!
