Yamaha HS7 Pair

Excellent performance for the money.Frequency response is very flat and it is tonally well balanced - perfect for mixing and editing. Bass is well proportioned and deep enough to cover kick drum and bass without the need for a subwoofer.As a near-field monitor, it goes sufficiently loud for any sensible mixing task, but does start to sound compressed (there is an inbuilt limiter circuit) at higher volumes (not so good for demos).As a production tool, it is very neutral, however the tweeter waveguide is a bit too small to control directivity at the bottom of its pass-band, and this can present as excess energy in the lower treble. This is most noticable if the room side-walls are too close, so side wall treatments may be beneficial.The adjustable baffle-step ... MoreExcellent performance for the money.Frequency response is very flat and it is tonally well balanced - perfect for mixing and editing. Bass is well proportioned and deep enough to cover kick drum and bass without the need for a subwoofer.As a near-field monitor, it goes sufficiently loud for any sensible mixing task, but does start to sound compressed (there is an inbuilt limiter circuit) at higher volumes (not so good for demos).As a production tool, it is very neutral, however the tweeter waveguide is a bit too small to control directivity at the bottom of its pass-band, and this can present as excess energy in the lower treble. This is most noticable if the room side-walls are too close, so side wall treatments may be beneficial.The adjustable baffle-step correction (bass attenuation switch) is very effective, and the speaker can be placed reasonably close to a back wall without sounding too boomy.The speaker is quite detailed and analytical, with enough resolution to hear well into a mix. Compared to more expensive monitors, it does have a slightly artificial quality to the higher frequencies, which makes achieving 'natural' instrument sounds a little bit fiddly, but is fine at this price-point.Imaging is quite good for left-right placement, and stable with head movement over a reasonably large area. Image depth is not so well resolved, but acceptable.Build quality is solid. The cabinet is made of reasonably thick MDF board and does not contribute any noticeable colouration to the sound. The reflex port is big enough (and flared at both ends) so that no chuffing noises are heard. The plate amplifier has good quality components, reasonable heatsinking (internal and external). It has a conventional linear power supply, with modest transformer. Drivers appear good quality at this price point, with generous magnets.Cosmetics are fine with good fit and finish. The vinyl cabinet wrap appears durable, but the sharp front and back edges may be vulnerable to damage.There is no power standby or automatic signal-switching. I measured about 7 Watts power draw at idle (per speaker) so they can be left on without too much power consumption.Overall, the HS7 has everything required to help produce a great mix. It has an excellent balance of performance and build qualilty. You would be hard pressed to find a better monitor for the money - some alternates may be better in certain aspects, but will only come down to personal preference.

Best of the bunch!

I've been involved with recording for 30-40 years. I actually listened to the wall of monitors, expecting to really like some of the newer brands. Some were great as a HiFi speaker, but probably not a reference monitor. Yamaha speakers deliver great detail in the highs. The low end was full, without being exaggerated. This was my favorite on the wall.It is also nice that these put out significantly less heat than my older monitors. These will feel warm to the touch, but my old ones were straight up hotplates. Certainly helps keep the room temperature under control!

Best speakers I've ever used!

As a video editor, I've used a lot of different speakers, some pro and some not so pro. I wanted to move away from multimedia/gaming speakers and graduate to what the professionals use. I was advised to stay clear of 4 or 5" as that's what my old pair of Mackie's had, so I went with 6.5/7" active monitors and decided to rely on the Yamaha brand. The HS7 model is an amazing speaker system! The quality and richness of the sound is something I haven't anticipated. And the size of these speakers are just small enough to fit on my desk - I was afraid they would be too big. The cabinet is made from wood with a great finish. The power cords are nice and thick - well made, too. I've had my set for a few weeks now, and they're a pleasure to use for video editing, but also ... MoreAs a video editor, I've used a lot of different speakers, some pro and some not so pro. I wanted to move away from multimedia/gaming speakers and graduate to what the professionals use. I was advised to stay clear of 4 or 5" as that's what my old pair of Mackie's had, so I went with 6.5/7" active monitors and decided to rely on the Yamaha brand. The HS7 model is an amazing speaker system! The quality and richness of the sound is something I haven't anticipated. And the size of these speakers are just small enough to fit on my desk - I was afraid they would be too big. The cabinet is made from wood with a great finish. The power cords are nice and thick - well made, too. I've had my set for a few weeks now, and they're a pleasure to use for video editing, but also for gaming, or just listening to music. So glad I moved up!

Close to Perfect

Crisp, clear and honest sound. Timeless and elegant design. High quality feel and craftsmanship.I bought two white HS7's that I use as studio monitors, and am mostly satisfied. The only issue is that one of the speakers pics up RF interference from our iMac and constantly makes little sounds. I taped some tin foil to the side of the speaker which solved the issue. I assume that the speakers usually have internal RF shielding since my other speaker doesn't have the same issue. Been contemplating to take the speaker apart and shielding it from the inside instead, but I don't want to mess these beauties up. What do I do?I still recommend these products and they are well worth the money. Would give it 4.5 stars if I could.

Great Value

Coming from the Reveal 802's, these are in another category of sound production quality. The 802's entire mid range of frequencies were drowned out by bass, particularly the mid low was smeared. You could EQ some low mid frequencies and hardly hear a thing. The highs were just fighting a losing battle with the bass. They did not reveal much other than bass, and not very detailed at that. The HS8's were far better and I was planning on those originally until listening to every monitor in my local Guitar Center to include the HS5 which I do not recommend at all unless you plan on mixing pink noise. The HS8's bass however, was drowning out critical mid frequencies although not nearly as bad as my previous monitors. What sold me on the HS7's was that in comparison with ... MoreComing from the Reveal 802's, these are in another category of sound production quality. The 802's entire mid range of frequencies were drowned out by bass, particularly the mid low was smeared. You could EQ some low mid frequencies and hardly hear a thing. The highs were just fighting a losing battle with the bass. They did not reveal much other than bass, and not very detailed at that. The HS8's were far better and I was planning on those originally until listening to every monitor in my local Guitar Center to include the HS5 which I do not recommend at all unless you plan on mixing pink noise. The HS8's bass however, was drowning out critical mid frequencies although not nearly as bad as my previous monitors. What sold me on the HS7's was that in comparison with the HS8's the mid range comes in to focus a lot more while bass is enough to let you know it's there, certainly not lacking unless you're producing hipity hopity garbage where you're trying to get your neighbors house to rattle. For rock and metal, in a 300 square foot space the 6.5" drivers are perfect. For that genre I wouldn't go any bigger than 7" for EQing guitars. The bass response sounds even with the rest of the spectrum so it's easy to tell if the kick drum is too much or not. As mentioned the mid to mid high range comes in to focus with the HS7's. I'm able to hear notes I didn't know where there on other metal recordings and casual listening as well as hearing separation of layered guitars quite well. Personally I disagree with people who say they sound terrible. While no, they're not hyped, if you're listening to properly mixed/mastered music the detail is quite pleasing. I agree with other people's statements of, "If you get it to sound good on these, it'll sound good on everything". If you're still having problems, either your room has too many reflections or let's be more realistic, you just suck. Keep practicing. Professional studio's, while not their main monitors, have these for a reason.

Great speakers. Eventually.

The headline of this review is that they're amazing speakers. A lot of these powered types of this size overhwlem the bass end because of some kind of inferiority complex (I'm thinking Rokit). But these are crystal clear. The bass is exactly how it should sound - as are the Mid and high. And nothing looks better than these speakers with the white cone. One word of caution. I connect them to my PC for video editing. And no matter what I used, direct out of the box - I got the awful ground loop digitial gremlin noise. It took a while to work out what the issue was - trying all the different outputs on the PC. Analogue / digital / decklink / HDMI - but they all caused this noise. Two solutions. 1) Make sure to get BALANCED cables from the PC to the speakers if you hear ... MoreThe headline of this review is that they're amazing speakers. A lot of these powered types of this size overhwlem the bass end because of some kind of inferiority complex (I'm thinking Rokit). But these are crystal clear. The bass is exactly how it should sound - as are the Mid and high. And nothing looks better than these speakers with the white cone. One word of caution. I connect them to my PC for video editing. And no matter what I used, direct out of the box - I got the awful ground loop digitial gremlin noise. It took a while to work out what the issue was - trying all the different outputs on the PC. Analogue / digital / decklink / HDMI - but they all caused this noise. Two solutions. 1) Make sure to get BALANCED cables from the PC to the speakers if you hear this. or 2) Get a 'Ground Loop Isolator' - which has been more effective for me. Hopefully you won't encounter the same issue as me though.

Great workhorse monitors: Yamaha HS7

It's funny, when the delivery man brought my HS7s, he said "I nearly had to put a guard on these at the depot! Every muso in the place knew what they were and I thought they'd get pinched!". I'm sure he was joking really. Anyway, they've been getting a good workout. I can tell you, if you're working in a home studio environment which is less than acoustically perfect, these monitors are fantastic. Clear, linear response that you can tune to your environment. They'll let you know straight away how your mix is, no lies, just the truth. If you sound good on the HS7s, you can trust that you'll sound great through anything; home or car sound system, ear buds, PA, etc. I trust them to get the job done right first time.

Some of the best monitors I've ever heard

I've had a number of different near field monitors over the past 25 years (KRK, Mackie, and JBL) and I'm very happy to report that these HS-7's in my acoustically treated room sound PERFECT. They sound as good as any speakers I've ever heard, anywhere. The balance is flawless from bass to highs. The stereo imaging is stunning. The bass won't thump you in the chest like bigger speakers will, but in my experience the larger 10" drivers in some monitors tend to overpower or obscure some of the mids and highs a bit. So if you want to hear EVERYTHING in a balanced mix when you listen to or record music, these totally rock. 10/10 and I'd buy them again in an instant. Also I strongly recommend that you treat your room regardless of what monitors you buy. It's worth the ... MoreI've had a number of different near field monitors over the past 25 years (KRK, Mackie, and JBL) and I'm very happy to report that these HS-7's in my acoustically treated room sound PERFECT. They sound as good as any speakers I've ever heard, anywhere. The balance is flawless from bass to highs. The stereo imaging is stunning. The bass won't thump you in the chest like bigger speakers will, but in my experience the larger 10" drivers in some monitors tend to overpower or obscure some of the mids and highs a bit. So if you want to hear EVERYTHING in a balanced mix when you listen to or record music, these totally rock. 10/10 and I'd buy them again in an instant. Also I strongly recommend that you treat your room regardless of what monitors you buy. It's worth the extra cost and effort.

This kit is polished and PHAT!

Many big studios used NS10s back in the day - some with a thin piece of tissue over the tweeter - lol. I have worked in a lot of A studios and listened to many high end speakers. They are all a little different. The very most precise sound pretty sterile and cold to me = accurate vs musical. The bottom line is, you have to 'learn' how your speakers sound by taking the same tunes - or your mixes - and playing them over as many systems as you can - to then try to figure out how to go back and re-mix to sound best on all.After I got the new kit hooked up, I started by playing those same songs I have listened to over countless speakers, headphones and PA systems. WOW! This kit sounds amazingly good right out of the box. I love it's phat quality, and I can really hear ... MoreMany big studios used NS10s back in the day - some with a thin piece of tissue over the tweeter - lol. I have worked in a lot of A studios and listened to many high end speakers. They are all a little different. The very most precise sound pretty sterile and cold to me = accurate vs musical. The bottom line is, you have to 'learn' how your speakers sound by taking the same tunes - or your mixes - and playing them over as many systems as you can - to then try to figure out how to go back and re-mix to sound best on all.After I got the new kit hooked up, I started by playing those same songs I have listened to over countless speakers, headphones and PA systems. WOW! This kit sounds amazingly good right out of the box. I love it's phat quality, and I can really hear the mid and upper frequency detail in the arrangements whilst grooving to both the old and new songs. For the money, or even a lot more money, Yamaha has delivered a really good sounding package (yes, the sub is a _must_) for less than what some others want for just one box. The isolators are nice and hold the speakers where placed on my slippery desktop and under the desk. What is not to love?

the best for work

In 30 years as an analog synth producer I have used many different pairs of monitors in mostly non-optimized rooms. I mostly worked with high-end near-field monitors from Adam, Focal, Genelec and Neumann, but I did some productions exclusively on the Yamaha NS10, for example. Despite the very high resolution of high-end monitors, the tracks produced on the NS10 sound better than any other. In recent years I have only worked with Neumann (KH120/KH80) because they offer the best resolution in their price range. But the mix results didn't get any better or everything always sounded good on these speakers. Only loudspeakers with a paper cone deliver this special tight and direct sound that is necessary for an acoustic assessment of a piece of music. So I went back to ... MoreIn 30 years as an analog synth producer I have used many different pairs of monitors in mostly non-optimized rooms. I mostly worked with high-end near-field monitors from Adam, Focal, Genelec and Neumann, but I did some productions exclusively on the Yamaha NS10, for example. Despite the very high resolution of high-end monitors, the tracks produced on the NS10 sound better than any other. In recent years I have only worked with Neumann (KH120/KH80) because they offer the best resolution in their price range. But the mix results didn't get any better or everything always sounded good on these speakers. Only loudspeakers with a paper cone deliver this special tight and direct sound that is necessary for an acoustic assessment of a piece of music. So I went back to rather ugly Yamaha boxes and compared the HS5 to the HS7 in a 12pm room.The HS5 separate the individual tracks extremely sharp. One could use this box as an analytical tool and hard workhorse. However, you could have problems with the basses because they drop off sharply below the cut-off frequency, which is basically good for rooms that are not optimized.The HS7 offers much more depth and rounds off the bass. Here you can hear immediately whether a track has too much bass content. This is not possible with the HS5. And despite their considerable size, they work in my room and at a very short listening distance without any problems. This makes the HS7 the largest speaker I can recommend for small rooms.