by Barry Montgomery
If you crave the big, bass-rich sound of floor-standing speakers, but prefer the dimunitive design of a bookshelf unit, you'll love the NHT SB3. Standing just over a foot tall, this compact speaker packs a surprisingly full-sized wallop, with frequency response all the way down to 39 Hz — phenomenal bass for a bookshelf speaker! And it sports great looks, too, with its handsome high-gloss black laminate finish. Overall performance is superb. In the words of Stereophile reviewer Robert. J. Reina, the NHT SB3, "at its price, sets a new standard for bookshelf designs in the areas of detail resolution, bass extension, and dynamic articulation." (Stereophile, November 2002)
The SB3's acoustic suspension enclosure houses a 1" fluid-cooled aluminum dome tweeter and a 6-1/2" polypropylene woofer. While the woofer is the same size as that of NHT's SB2 speaker, the SB3's woofer employs a longer voice coil and a larger motor, which allows it to play louder at lower frequencies with less distortion, and provides even better power handling. You'll enjoy spacious, full-bodied sound, with the exceptional imaging and accuracy NHT is known for. For best performance, place them on high-quality speaker stands.
A pair of SB3s makes a great set of stand-alone stereo mains, but for even more impressive bottom end, mate them with an NHT powered subwoofer. Or, if you're seeking a seamless surround sound experience, add an additional pair of SB3s, a subwoofer, and a voice-matched NHT center channel. A full complement of NHT Super Series speakers not only makes the most of home theater sound, but also lets you take full advantage of the five full-bandwidth channels you get with multichannel audio formats like DVD-Audio and SuperAudio CD!
Details:
acoustic suspension
video-shielded
frequency response 39-22,000 Hz (±3dB)
8-ohm impedance
sensitivity 86 dB
handles up to 175 watts
high-gloss black laminate finish
13"H x 8-1/16"W x 10-11/16"D
Why choose bookshelf speakers?
Bookshelf speakers may be small in size, but they can deliver surprisingly big sound. Some ultra-compact models even fit on a desktop. Most are right at home in tight spaces like shelves, so they're usually good choices for your home theater's rear channels. For the best performance, try placing bookshelf speakers on solid speaker stands to help the sound really "open up." If you want full bass impact, add a powered subwoofer and enjoy punchy sound that's as deeply satisfying as that of floor-standing speakers.