Bookshelf Speakers — Yamaha NS-333

The NS-333 is a compact passive two-way model from Yamaha, designed specifically for home theater use, where it can serve as a main or a surround channel. It belongs to Yamaha's EF series, which is built around an Elliptical Form cabinet, and it sits in the same home theater family as the NS-555 and NS-777 floorstanders and the NS-C444 center speaker.

Key specs that matter

The NS-333 uses a bass-reflex enclosure with a 5 inch PMD cone woofer and a 1 inch aluminium dome tweeter mounted in a waveguide horn. Magnetic shielding is standard. Yamaha lists a frequency response of 65 Hz to 35 kHz. Sensitivity is 87 dB at 2.83 V and 1 m, and the nominal impedance is 6 ohm. Input power is 60 W nominal and 150 W maximum. Each speaker measures 200 x 321 x 213 mm and weighs 5.5 kg.

Engineering and use context

PMD stands for Polymer-Injected Mica Diaphragm, the cone material Yamaha uses for the woofer. The waveguide horn around the tweeter is intended to reduce the share of sound reflected from walls and raise the proportion of direct sound reaching the listener. Yamaha draws the comparison with cinemas, where absorbing material on walls and ceilings means the audience hears mainly the direct wave from the speakers. Some of the internal connections between the crossover network and the drivers are made with Monster Cable wire. The drivers are magnetically shielded, so Yamaha notes it can be placed on top of a TV or video monitor without stray magnetic fields degrading the picture. The elliptical enclosure carries a high gloss black piano finish, and its curved form is meant to give solid construction with minimal diffraction. A redesigned grille with acoustically transparent cloth covers the drivers.

Pairing

The NS-333 is meant to run from an AV receiver in a surround setup. Since the same model can serve the front left and right channels as well as both surround positions, four identical cabinets can cover those roles in a 5.1 layout, with matching drivers, shielding and gloss finish at each position. The obvious partners are other members of the same EF series, with the NS-C444 in the center position and the NS-555 or NS-777 at the front, so that tweeter type and finish stay consistent around the room.

Alternatives

The Yamaha NS-600A, from the company's current hi-fi range, is a two-way bookshelf alternative, with a piano-finished cabinet.