Price Paid:  $4.00 from Norh website

Summary:
In summary I have to say I am impressed with the speaker, but I am not impressed with the company backing of their product.

Strengths:
These speakers sound GREAT. I have used them for almost a year now and I am still impressed. Coupled with a good subwoofer for surround sound, these can't be beat on a middle class budget. (Wife and three kids, Can't put too much into the audio system, have to put food on the table)

Weaknesses:
I am very unimpressed with the company backing of their product. I blew a tweeter approximately 4-6 months after buying the speakers. When I informed the company, I was told they are Vifa tweeters and I need to find a Vifa dealer and buy a new tweeter. They sent me instructions on how to install them. Well frankly, I am not real handy. I don't want to install them, but I guess there is no one to take them to. I ignored it for a couple months and just didn't turn the sound up too loud. (That is when you hear the blown tweeter) But I decided to try again recently. I contacted Norh and asked how much to get a new tweeter. I was informed 20.00 for the tweeter and 30.00 for shipping. A little steep. So I attempted to find Vifa on the internet, and in america for cheaper shipping. I went to www.partsexpress.com but was told they don't carry that speaker. It is not a standard speaker. At this point I am not sure what I will do. I have to admit this though. The tweeter blew because the sound was so good at loud volumes that I guess I just turned it up too loud. Any way don't blow a speaker as there is little company backing of their speakers.

Similar Products Used:
Bose 901

Price Paid:  $850.00 from norh.com

Summary:
I got 5 nOrh 4.0 ceramic speakers for my HT after reading reviews and auditioning many different products. After reading many good reviews from critics and users alike, I decided to give nOrh a try.

Originally, I liked the Energy Encore and Boston 9000 very much for home theater and the B&W's for music. After reading good reviews on speaker manufacturers that sell direct on the internet, I decided to take a chance and try them out.

The nOrh drum series looks unique, but may be too radical for some people. The protruding side binding posts may annoy some people, but they don't bother me. Their rear firing port can cause some placement problems, putting them too close to a rear wall may reduce performance. The stainless steel feet have a foot print of about 7" x 7", it is sometimes hard to find speaker stands big enough to accomodate them. Also, they almost produce no bass below 65Hz.

But all the minor flaws mentioned above don't stop me from giving it a 5-star rating. The soundstage produced by these speakers is wide and very deep. Sound is natural and detailed, no audible coloration or distortion. Bass is tight and fast. Intruments sound clear and accurate. When teammed with a good sub (Hsu Research, SVS, Adire), the performance is incredible for the money.

If you don't mind their looks and have a room and decor that fit them, these ARE the speakers for you. Highly recommended.

Strengths:
Big soundstage, detailed, loud w/o distortion, good highs and midrange.

Weaknesses:
Rear firing port, visible side binding posts, big foot print.

Similar Products Used:
Auditioned Energy Take 5.2, Encore, B&W DM 602, Boston Acoustics Micro System 9000, Bose Acoustimass 10, Klipsch Quintet, Polk Audio RM6600.

Price Paid:  $400.00 from Norh Website

Summary:
I actually sold my Contour 1.1s after getting these, despite the huge gap. Go and take a look at my Contour review over in the Danes's section. This speaker has slightly less bass, but actually does everything else at least as well, if not better.

You'll find these speakers to be neutral, quick, and very honest in their presentation. The 'sweetening' that one might find with a Dynaudio is gone, and replaced by a yet more neutral presentation.

I'm currently very satisfied with these, and for me, the next step up will be a speaker literally over 10 times the price (the JM-Reynaud Offrandes at $4,200)

Similar Products Used:
Dynaudio Contour 1.1

Price Paid:  $350.00 from audiogon

Summary:
I don't see what the fuss is about. People rave about the sound of these speakers. They are good, represent a good value, but are not the giant, world beaters that some of these over the top norh ravers say.

I bought a used pair at audiogon having to hear what the fuss is about. They are smaller than I thought they would be and are pretty light. The rosewood color is nice, the finish is terrible. Uneven laquer material and grills that do not fit right and tight.

The soundstage is wide and clear with good detail. The sound can get distorted at loud volumes. I have heard the marble versions are better, I hope so. The DIY Ed Frias AR speakers sound much better with the same source, electronics and songs and can be had for less. These are O.K speakers, nothing special but represent a nice bang for the buck. How can this be a 5 star speaker? What do you give wilson, proac and other great speakers?

Strengths:
imaging, soundstage

Weaknesses:
looks, quality control

Similar Products Used:
numerous, 30 years in this hobby!!

Price Paid:  $850.00 from http://www.norh.com

Summary:
Jack, ayan, Buddy, and Blitz -

Please do not comment or review the speakers that you have not heard. Talking about customer service is fantastic but doesn't come close to telling you how they sound. There is no place for "These speakers suck" without given a reason or "They look weird so I'm giving them one star." The looks are not for everyone. The looks of the speaker count toward the overall rating but should not be the primary basis for the rating. That being said:

I have the blue/silver 4.0s. The pictures do not do them justice but, in person, they are closer to silver than blue. I would have preferred more blue than silver but I can live with the color without a problem. I also noticed there are a few small black marks on the speakers due to the firing of the ceramic material. No problem there since it really isn't very noticeable and doesn't deter from the looks of the speakers. The feet are stainless steel and look wonderful. You also notice the design is closer to that of a jet engine rather than an inverted horn (although they could be seen as that too). They look very sleek indeed. Anxious and ready to get underway.

Having listened to them now for a couple of months, I felt it is about time to give them a review. More important than the way the speakers look is the way they sound.

When I first hooked them up, I played some country, jazz, rock, various songs over a period of several hours in order to get them broken in. They sounded good right out of the box. After being broken in (takes about 80 hours), they sound fantastic!

The highs are clear and warm. Extremely pleasant on the ears. The warmness, if you can call it that, is due to my upgrading from a Yamaha RX-V496 to an Onkyo TX-DS595. The Yamaha is a bit brighter but perfectly liveable without any problem or listening fatigue. The Onkyo is more relaxed and easier with the highs. More specifically, I should say with the horns (brass instruments). Please keep this in context. I am not a big fan of horns to begin with but movies use a lot of them so you learn to live with them. Perhaps what I am trying to say is the Onkyo made it a bit more liveable for me. Alas, I digress.

The mids painted a sound stage before me. Violins here, drums there, guitars there, etc. You can easily get caught up in your being present as the music is recorded vs. listening to the speakers as if it is coming out of a boom box. Very clear details. You can hear the breath of a vocalist and the pick of an acousitic guitar. They are very revealing and that can be both good and bad. They will tell you if your equipment is good or bad and if the recording is good or bad.

For bass, nothing real low but that wasn't unexpected. They definately need a sub but, if you do not have one, they are still passable.

So, what did I use to test the speakers? Again, mostly movies, since I watch them more than listen to the music. The Matrix was passed with flying colors, even as the bullets whizzed by my head. Helicopters and airplanes fly overhead as they are supposed to. Dialog comes from the center and, if an actor is talking while they are leaving the stage, the dialog follows them seamlessly. With Fantasia they performed beautifully! I never knew how much information was there. For SPR, you are at the beach. Good luck in getting out. :) Star Wars (DPL II), Imperial cruisers fly overhead and laser dart all around you. Titan AE is wonderful as you are in the battles and the dialog is before you. TV? Let's just leave it at I'm enjoying DPL II more and more! :) Perhaps the standout to me was Chicane's Behind the Sun. Overture and Low Sun sounded like you should have been in the IMAX theater rather than home as they were playing.

The speakers are truly wonderful. If I don't get the marble ones (much classier, IMO), they will stay with me for many years to come. The whole experience with nOrh was a very positive one and I wouldn't hesitate ordering from them again. The 3.0s also sound close to the 4.0s but will not play as loud or go as deep as the 4.0s do. The 4.0s have much better bass than the Wharfedales but do not go as low. However, they have clearer, cleaner bass and are not boomy at all. The AR, DCM, and KLH aren't even close to the 4.0s. Actually, the same can be said about the Wharfedales. The 4.0s offer tremendous value and performance for their cost. The sound is what counts and they performed above and beyond my expectations. Thank you Tyson and Marbles for introducing me to these wonderful speakers. :)

Current equipment:
Onkyo TX-DS595
Technics PD-5
Toshiba SD2109
ceramic nOrh 4.0 package
dual SVS 20-39CS subs w/Samson S700 amp

Strengths:
Sound, looks, price, quality, perfomance

Weaknesses:
None, but the looks (design) are not for everyone.

Similar Products Used:
Wharfedale Valdus 500s, AR 206HO, DCM KX-6 series 2, nOrh 3.0, KLH 9912