NHT Classic Four, Classic N-3B, Classic Three N3, Classic Two, Absolute Zero Setup Manual

Classic

Loudspeakers

Four

Three

Setup Guide

The Four may require a friend to help you unpack it as it
is large and weighs close to 50 lbs. The Four has a flat
bottom and comes with very cool-looking stablizers
which attach to the bottom of the speaker. Position the
speaker on its back and fasten the stabilizers using the
machine screws (See Fig. 2). Caution: The stabilizers
for the Four also include metal spikes and rubber pads.
We recommend you use spikes when placing the Four
on heavy carpet to add stability. Be careful, the spike
points are sharp. The rubber pads have an adhesive
back that should be applied (where the spikes would nor­mally screw in) when they are to be placed on wood or
tile floors.

NHT's Classic Series represents our best efforts to date
in passive loudspeaker design. Classic starts with the
design fundamentals that have made NHT's reputation
for accuracy and high performance, and adds new driver
and cabinet technologies which reduce distortion and
improve dispersion. The benefit to you is a more
articulate, more musical listening experience.

All Classic Series models share a similar "voice" or
tonality so that you are assured a matched system no
matter which models you decide to add as you build your
system.

The following Setup Guide will help you unpack, connect
and place your new Classic loudspeakers in your
listening room. If you are interested in specifications or
the technology used in the design, please visit our web­site at www.nhthifi.com and look up information on your
specific model. If at any time during or after setup you
require assistance, feel free to call our Customer Hotline
at 1-800-NHT-9993 (800-648-9993).

This Setup Guide addresses the following models: NHT
model Three bookshelf speaker, and the Four tower
speaker. The model Three is a 3-way bookshelf
employing a completely new driver set developed by
NHT engineers. The model Four takes the driver
compliment from the Three and adds a 10" side-loaded
subwoofer, providing a full range system capable of
delivering sound at near live performance levels. Both of
these models offer wider dispersion than previous NHT
designs, and a level of detail that will appeal to most
serious music enthusiasts, combined with output neces­sary for a true home theater experience.

Unpacking your Speakers

As you unpack your model Three, you will notice two
silver aluminum bars with attached rubber rails included
in the carton. These will require mounting to the bottom
of each speaker if you decide to place your speakers
either on stands or on shelves. Fig. 1 demonstrates
how to mount the bars to the bottom of the cabinet.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Here are some tips for maximizing the performance of
your speaker system:

Position the speaker 1.5 times as far away from you

as they are from each other. (Fig. 4)

Left and Right speakers should be equidistant from

the listening position.

Try to keep tweeter height close to ear level when in

the listening position.
Bookshelf speakers should be placed upright.
Try to keep the speakers near the front edge of

shelves or cabinets.
Point them inward slightly toward the listening

position.

For surround systems, use the same basic setup - all
shown in Fig. 5 - and when possible:

You will also notice an unusually shaped piece of foam
with an adhesive backing. The purpose of this foam is to
reduce unwanted reflections caused by interaction
between the tweeter and midrange drivers. To get the
best performance from the Three or Four, install this
foam part. Fig. 3 demonstrates where to mount the foam
part.

Placement

NHT's Classic Three can be placed on stands, on
shelves or hung on the wall. Given the high performance
of this model, NHT recommends placement on either
stands or on a shelf at close to ear level to achieve
maximum fidelity.

If you decide to wall mount the Three follow these simple
instructions. The model Three has threaded inserts on
the rear of the cabinet for wall mounting. NHT recom­mends the use of OmniMount 20 series brackets. You
will need to purchase two, ¼-20 x 5/8" (length) pan head
machine screws to attach the bracket to the back of the
speaker. For more information, visit
www.omnimount.com or call them at 800-668-6848.

The model Four can be placed with the side-loaded
woofers pointing either inward towards each other or
outward. Choose the orientation that provides the most
free space around the woofer.

It is important to know that small changes in speaker
position can have an effect on sound quality. Moving
speakers nearer to walls or corners will increase bass
output, but also may make them sound "boomy .” Placing
them farther away from room boundaries tends to
decrease bass output, but can improve stereo imaging.

Room furnishings also play an important role. Soft
furnishings (sofas, carpets, curtains) absorb mid and
high frequencies, which can dull the sound, while hard
surfaces and sparse furnishings tend to brighten it.

These are typically minor variations in sound.
Experimenting with the effects of different placements in
your own listening environment is the key to finding the
sound you like best.

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Place the center channel speaker right above or

below the TV

Place the rear speakers in an equilateral triangle

with the listening position, at least 5' apart.

Rear speakers should be at the same height, or

higher than, the front channels.

Obviously many rooms will not allow ideal placement. As
a general rule, try to keep the rear channel speakers
equidistant from the center of the listening area. If the
rear speakers have to be close to the main seating area,
add time delay to them in your surround processor to
make them seem farther away, and make sure they are
placed high, above the heads of the listeners.

Connections

Before connecting your Classic speakers to your
receiver/amplifier, turn off the AC power to avoid
potential damage to your components.

Take a look at the terminals on the back of your
speakers. They can accept raw wire, banana plugs or
spade lugs. Note that these terminals should be
tightened only by hand, as excess force can break them.
We recommend your speaker wire be at least 16 gauge.
Your NHT dealer can recommend the correct wire. Use
the same length of wire for each channel.

Prepare the wires by stripping ¼" - 3/8" of insulation from
the ends and tightly twist the exposed strands.

Finally, connect your speakers to your amplifier or
receiver, making sure that the speakers are "in phase,”
that is, the same half of the wire pair connected to the
Positive terminal (+, usually red) on both the amplifier
and the speaker. The other half of the same wire
connect to the Negative (-, usually black) terminals on
both amplifier and speaker.

Most speaker wire has one half of the pair marked with
either lettering, ridges, the "+" sign or color to help you
make the proper connections.

Before powering up your receiver/amplifier, make sure
there are no stray strands from one terminal touching the
other terminals. Also, try to keep speaker wires from
laying across AC power cords.

Bi-amplification (model Four only)

On the back of the Four, you will find two sets of binding
posts (Fig.5) and a metal jumper strap connecting them.
If you are not planning on bi-amping your Four system,
connect the speaker wires to the + and - terminals on the
top, leaving the jumper strap connected.

If you choose to bi-amplify the system, you will need at
least one NHT A1 amplifier and the NHT X2 active
crossover. One A1 amplifier will provide monaural bass
to the system, two A1 amplifiers can be used with one X2
crossover for stereo bass (one for each speaker).
Consult the manual included with your X2 for connection
methods and crossover settings.

Warning: When connecting more than one
amplifier to the Four, make absolutely sure that
the jumper straps are removed. Otherwise
sever damage to your amplifiers will result.

Operation

All NHT Classic speakers are compatible with most
amplifier power ranges and are designed to handle a
wide range of listening levels. Every speaker, however,
has limits and it is important to listen for them. Speaker
damage most often occurs from sustained high volume
levels in some or all frequencies. Try to avoid excessive
bass or treble settings or equalizer boosts.

The best tool you have is your ears. If you hear
unusual distortion or breakup, decrease the volume
immediately. If you are unsure, place your hand close
the woofer. If you feel heat radiating from the driver, you
are playing the system beyond its limits.

Maintenance

Your NHT speakers will require little if any maintenance
under normal use. Try to avoid exposing them to direct,
sustained sunlight, high temperatures or moisture.
Cabinets can best be dusted using a clean, soft chamois
cloth. The finish on your speakers is durable but dry
rough cloth can leave fine scratches over time. Try to
avoid using liquid cleaners and household furniture
polish, particularly around the speaker components. To
clean grilles, remove them from the speaker and use a
soft brush or a vacuum on its lowest setting. Do not
attempt to clean the speaker components.

Satisfaction

We hope you enjoy the sound of your NHT Classic
speakers as much as we do. Your warranty is printed on
the back of this Setup Guide. Once again, if you have
any questions or problems, please call us at our
Consumer Hotline.

Fig. 5

Absolute

Zero

Two Three Four Two C

Ten

Specifications

System Type

Driver Complement

Tweeter-

Woofer-

Video Shielded Unless Noted

Response

Sensitivity

Impedance

Recommended

Amplifier Power

RMS

Weight

Dimensions

Finish

2-Way Acoustic

Suspension

2-Way Acoustic

Suspension

3-Way Acoustic

Suspension

0.75” fluid cooled aluminum dome
with neodymium magnet structure

1” fluid cooled aluminum dome

with neodymium magnet structure

Midrange-

2” fluid cooled aluminum dome with neodymium magnet structure

4-Way Bass

Reflex

5.25”

Polypropylene

Maximum 100 watts Maximum 125 watts

Maximum 150 watts Maximum 250 watts Maximum 175 watts

71Hz - 20kHz

+/- 3dB

86dB / 2.83v 86dB / 2.83v 86dB / 2.83v 86dB / 2.83v 87dB / 2.83v

51Hz - 20kHz

+/- 3dB

45Hz - 20kHz

+/- 3dB

27Hz - 20kHz

+/- 3dB

78Hz - 20kHz

+/- 3dB

6 ohm nominal 6 ohm nominal 8 ohm nominal 6 ohm nominal 8 ohm nominal

9.75 x 5.625 x 7.25

8 lbs.

12.7 lbs. 17 lbs. 64.3 lbs. 20 lbs. 41 lbs.

12.125 x 7 x 8.875 13.75 x 7.5 x 10.375 41 x 7.5 x 16 6.5 x 19.875 x 7.375 18.125 x 11.25 x 15

White or Black

High Gloss Piano

Finish

White or Black

High Gloss Piano

Finish

Black

High Gloss Piano

Finish

Black

High Gloss Piano

Finish

Black

High Gloss Piano

Finish

Black

High Gloss Piano

Finish

6.5”

Polypropylene

6.5”

Aluminum

(2) 5.25”

Aluminum

10”

Aluminum

(Not Video Shielded)

6.5” and 10”
Aluminum

3-Way Acoustic

Suspension

Bass Reflex /

Powered - 150 watts

Class G Amplifier

H” x W” x D”

Classic

Three C

Maximum 200 watts

87dB / 2.83v

73Hz - 20kHz

+/- 3dB

8 ohm nominal

23 lbs.

7 x 21.875 x 8.25

Black

High Gloss Piano

Finish

(2) 6.5”

Aluminum

3-Way Acoustic

Suspension

Limited Warranty

Valid Only in the U.S.A.

Warranty Period

For a period of 5 years for parts and 5 years for labor (1 year parts and 90 days labor for electronics) from the date this product is first purchased from an authorized NHT
dealer, Now Hear This (NHT) warrants that if it fails to function properly due to a manufacturing defect, despite its being installed and operated according to these instruc­tions and used under normal conditions, it will be either replaced or repaired with new or rebuilt parts (both at NHT's option) with a unit of comparable value without charge
to you.

What's Not Covered

Altered, defaced or removed serial numbers void this warranty.

This warranty does not cover any product used in trade, business, industrial or commercial applications.
This warranty also does not cover the cabinet or appearance factors, or costs, defects or damage resulting from misuse, abuse, accident, improper maintenance, alter-

ations or modifications not authorized in writing by NHT, or parts or labor from any source other than an authorized NHT service location.
Damage due to power exposure in excess of the speaker's published power ratings; ie, overpowering, lightning or power surges, are also not covered.

Your Rights

This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other rights which vary from state to state.
NHT limits this warranty to the purchase price of the product, excludes incidental or consequential damages, and limits its obligations under any implied warranties under

state laws to a period not exceeding their warranty periods. As some states do not allow the above limitations, however, they may not apply to you.

To Obtain Service

To find the name and address of the nearest authorized NHT service location, call or write:

Customer Service Department, NHT, 6400 Goodyear Rd., Benicia, CA 94510, 1-800-NHT-9993 (648-9993), www.nhthifi.com

For your future convenience, please keep this warranty with your sales receipt, and record date and place of purchase for further reference

.

All Classic Series products are sonically matched for seamless integration into multichannel systems.

31Hz - 180Hz

+/- 3dB

Twelve

49 lbs.

20.125 x 13 x 15.75

Black

High Gloss Piano

Finish

12”

Aluminum

(Not Video Shielded)

Bass Reflex/

Powered - 250 watts

Class G Amplifier

27Hz - 180Hz

+/- 3dB