Yamaha NS-690

pitabread

Super duper.
Hi, I have been asking about these speakers over on vinylengine and was told there is a wealth of info about them on here.
I have a few questions for any 690 owners if that's OK?

I have read about the drivers being doa and was wondering how to test them with a multimeter should the seller have nothing to test them with?

Are they nearfield speakers? I have often seen them described as monitors.

My amp is a modern (ish) Marantz PM6010 KI , would these be a good match? I mosty listen to vinyl.

Are they floor standers or are stands absolutely necessary?


Lastly, with them being quite old what do you guys think about recapping them?

Any info, especially what to look out for would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Pitabread.

Oh, and is 80 quid a fair price to pay?
 
First welcome to AK!

The NS690's come in MkI, MkII, and MkIII versions. I run a pair of MkI's with a CR2040 and 6L6PP Tube monoblocks. They are wonderful speakers that will require stands to do their best. I have not recapped mine, and don't plan to unless they stop sounding so good. The MkI's have vented dustcaps in the woofers, and can be triamped with an separate set on connectors in the middle of the backs. FWIW
Regards,
Jim
 
Hi, I have been asking about these speakers over on vinylengine and was told there is a wealth of info about them on here.
I have a few questions for any 690 owners if that's OK?

I have read about the drivers being doa and was wondering how to test them with a multimeter should the seller have nothing to test them with?

Are they nearfield speakers? I have often seen them described as monitors.

My amp is a modern (ish) Marantz PM6010 KI , would these be a good match? I mosty listen to vinyl.

Are they floor standers or are stands absolutely necessary?


Lastly, with them being quite old what do you guys think about recapping them?

Any info, especially what to look out for would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Pitabread.

Oh, and is 80 quid a fair price to pay?

You don't really need a multimeter to test drivers. Put on some good jazz or blues music and play with the potentiometers on the front. First turn down the midrange and high range all the way and hear the bass, then turn the mid range up, then turn the midrange back down and the high range up. You can hear if the drivers are working.

I recapped mine twice - first with cheap Solen capacitors, and then with expensive Mundorfs. I heard a noticeable improvement each time.

Have fun. These speakers rock.
 
Thanks guys, the reason I asked about a multimeter is that the seller may not have a source to play through the speakers.
I am driving a easy 150 mile round trip so I need to make sure they work before taking them away.
Although the seller described them as being in full working order and in excellent condition but I'd still like to be sure before I drive away.
They said the model No is ns-690 so I assume it's the MK1's.
 
Thanks guys, the reason I asked about a multimeter is that the seller may not have a source to play through the speakers.
I am driving a easy 150 mile round trip so I need to make sure they work before taking them away.
Although the seller described them as being in full working order and in excellent condition but I'd still like to be sure before I drive away.
They said the model No is ns-690 so I assume it's the MK1's.

bring a little integrated amp and an iPod.


Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
 
Just got back guys, not a happy ending I'm afraid.

This was the speakers auction,

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160901528180&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123

I went there and had no way of testing them , I drove from Suffolk to Hastings as I had to visit a friend, a21 closed, 3 hours traffic jam.

Then drove to Twickenham to collect the speakers, by the time I got there I was knackered.

I gave the speakers the once over, they really do look mint, one owner from new, old couple , a really nice clean set of speakers. I had no way to test them but the lady assured me they worked.

I handed over my cash and put them in the car and drove the 122 miles or so home, M25 was chokka and it chucked it down all the way.

Anyhow , I got them home and hooked them up, volume pots are crackling, no biggie , I can clean them.
And one tweeter isnt working.

Then I noticed, at the back, in small writing , NS670. Not the 690's as advertised.:tears:

Still , the do look like a very well built speaker.

Any ideas what to check on the tweeter?

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NS-670,s are a fine sounding speaker as well. Pull the tweeter from the cabinet and measure its resistance.
BTW--
The 670 tweeter is the same part number as the 690's
JA0509

Still got a good price on them..The 670's that is..
 
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Thanks , they are really solid and even with a blown tweeter they sound good.
The pots have stopped crackling after turning them a few times.

I have a signal to the tweeter (i tested it with a spare speaker) but no sound.

I take it it is probably a broken wire inside the tweeter, are they easy to dismantle? I have a soldering iron.

The four screws holding the face plate on , if I remove them does the speaker just come apart?
 
Yes... Good price, and solidly built for sure! I have both, and both models are surprisingly heavy.

I still need a midrange for one of my 670s.


Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
 
Thanks , they are really solid and even with a blown tweeter they sound good.
The pots have stopped crackling after turning them a few times.

I have a signal to the tweeter (i tested it with a spare speaker) but no sound.

I take it it is probably a broken wire inside the tweeter, are they easy to dismantle? I have a soldering iron.

The four screws holding the face plate on , if I remove them does the speaker just come apart?

There is a pair of 690 tweeters on ebay right now..just in case.:D
 
Thanks , they are really solid and even with a blown tweeter they sound good.
The pots have stopped crackling after turning them a few times.

I have a signal to the tweeter (i tested it with a spare speaker) but no sound.

I take it it is probably a broken wire inside the tweeter, are they easy to dismantle? I have a soldering iron.

The four screws holding the face plate on , if I remove them does the speaker just come apart?

Remove the rubber gasket and screen. Unscrew the diaphragm faceplate, locate the voice coil wire break and re-solder.
Of course 50 quid plus the cost of those tweets on Ebay would work also:)
 
Thankyou Sam , I will attempt to take it apart later today, I will try to post some photos for anyone else who might need a step by step.
There is a rubber gasket/seal set into the face plate, does it seperate here where this seal is?
 
The only difference between the 690 and the 670 (as far as I know) is the size of the woofer.

Add a sub and you won't know the difference.

I've been playing with a sub in combination with my 690s lately and, while the 690s don't really need any help above, say 80Hz, I'm definitely keeping the sub.

The sub adds the final dimension that really makes finely recorded music sound "live".
 
Hope you get them squared away.Regardless,you have made a quality purchase that will pay sound dividends.I have some 670's as well,adding a sub did help with my needs.
 
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