Classic Three Bookshelf Loudspeaker

I am very pleased to see you folks did not go under. There are many speaker makers but you guys offer products with the price to performance ratio that folks like me are looking for. Ride out the storm and prosper my friends. The 3's paired with my Nad c275 sounds fantastic. I am a convert and will stay with NHT for all my speaker needs.

After Reading the incredible review that the Absolute Sound gave the Threes, I bought some, and absolutely love them, so much so that I bought another pair for my rears, I thought that adding such a large speaker for my rear surround speakers would be unnecessary and would probably be unjustified. But to my amazement they made a huge difference. I wouldn't have it any other way!

I purchased these and paid much more for them... I see now they are $200.00 less a pair. What a deal. They were well worth the cash I put out for them last year. These are by far, let me say that again... By Far.... the best sounding book shelf speakers I have heard in all my years purchasing HiFi. Just buy them... you will not be disappointed.... I promise.

I bought these 2 years back, and sold them on a whim. I am the typical "audiophool" who keeps swapping gear just to hear whats out there. After going around for sometime, i have returned to all NHT setup. I love its sound and finish. I cannot find anything like this anywhere near its price and beyond.

These Speakers Sound Great !

Beautiful sound. I love these speakers. 3-way - acoustic suspension, it just makes sense to me for a more accurate sound, and the proof is hearing these speakers! Even at low volumes you can hear full dynamic range. The highs are clear and crisp yet never “over the edge”. The midrange is so very, very clean and never “over bearing”. Vocals and acoustic instruments sound natural and true. Drums and other percussion sound amazing. The lows are accurate and deep. I wanted accurate bass more than anything in a bookshelf speaker and the 3’s deliver it. The speakers do sound better with the grills off, but either way they sound great! If you can afford these speakers, buy them. If you can’t afford them, buy them anyway. All speakers should sound this good...

I just bought these on sale from an online retailer a few weeks ago, and already I'm impressed. I upgraded from KEF iQ's, and these definitely surpass them in terms of bass quality and overall sound tone. Easily the best looking speakers I've seen at this price range too. Very solid stuff.

I love these speakers. They are small but have a huge sound that fills up my living room. They are crisp and clear and I'm thrilled with the purchase. Not only do they have a powerful sound, they look great too. I'd buy them again in a heartbeat!

I can't believe after all these years (40+) of purchasing high dollar speakers that these inexpensive speakers surpass all of them. Midrange is great and do these beautiful speakers project an image? Yes! Great rythum and punch as well. Great job NHT! I have them on 24" Target MR stands driven by a Pass Aleph 5 amp, Benchmark DAC and an Olive D4 source. Bad a$. I'm finding stuff in the music that I've listened to for years that I've never heard before.Happy to own them.

I don't know how to describe what I hear in the proper audiophile terms, but I do know these speakers sound fantastic! I listen to a lot of music, I listen for the details, and I can hear the difference when speakers sound good. And these sound great! So clear, loud or soft. I'm using them with a mid range 90's Denon integrated amp, but nothing special. Given how great they sound, I can't even imagine how extraordinary they must sound with a proper amp (next on my list)! I think the three-way design reproduces the full range of tones nicely, along with a sub. I've been listening to them just about all day in my studio for a month, and I'm still excited to sit down and listen every time I walk in. As an artist, music helps my creative process, and I can tell you these definitely contribute. Now I need to justify spending the money for more for my living room and bedroom!

I've had a lot of high end speakers over the past twenty years and up until I purchased the NHT Classic three's, I never thought I would find one that could compete with the Paradigm Studio 20's ver. 2 (which I think is one of the best bookshelf speakers ever made.) Well, not only did I find the NHT Classic Three's could compete with the Paradigm's, they were actually better in almost every aspect! The midrange is fantastic and the bass is punchy and well controlled. The highs are detailed and smooth. The soundstage is also unreal... you definitely don't feel like you are listening to speakers. Nice job NHT, you have a customer for a very long time.

I am using the Classic Threes in my main listening area, which measures about 23'Wx15'D with very high ceilings, and the speakers fill the room with beautiful sound. They were my first NHT purchase and truth be told, when I bought them, it was mostly due to the positive reviews and for the "special dark" finish which I thought looked nice. But boy was I blown away by their performance. The mids and highs are extremely accurate and the bass is likely acceptable for many casual listeners. As a testament to how impressed I am with NHT products, I have since purchased a Classic 3 center, an Evolution U2 dual subwoofer system, an A1 sub amp, X1 crossover, and Superzero 2.0s - all from NHT! I couldn't be happier with the performance, quality and value of NHT products. BTW, I am powering everything with a Rotel 1075 amp.

Just wanted to let you know that I very much enjoyed visiting NHT's show room in Benicia this past Friday. Not only did I have the opportunity to audition and buy a great, affordable product, I received such excellent, personal touch service. The NHT Classic Three's are the best speakers I've ever owned. I managed to get everything set-up today. A break in time wasn't necessary; they sound terrific right out of the box. They truly compliment my classic SONY STR V5 85 watt/channel monster receiver. I'm listening to it right now as I write this e-mail. Today I listened to a 200 g vinyl pressing of Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" and a 180 g import vinyl pressing of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon". At my young son's request, who helped me set things up, we listened to some Beach Boys classic songs and a collection of theme songs from the James Bond films. The speaker output is solid and clear in the high, mid, and low ranges. I've found that the flat setting on my tone controls is just right, and the speakers produce great depth and texture in the music. Hearing Shirley Bassey sing the theme song to the film "Goldfinger" was a treat. I look forward to discovering new sounds and interpretations when I play the rest of my music collection on these great speakers.

took a leap of faith and ordered a complete set of the classic 3's 2 months ago and have been really pleased with the performance of these speakers. You can do all your online search and forums, most reviewers, from the casual listener who appreciates good sounding speakers to the expert with technical equipment to measure the output and everybody else in between, these speakers are as good as it gets. My concerns for ordering these speakers online and not seeing it in person were: 1. potentially receiving it damage 2. how these speakers would sound compare to PSB, Paradigm, B&W, Monitor Audio, Totem, et al. Regarding concern #1, I was very please with how carefully and well packed the speakers were with quality packing material that fit snug in the box and can be reuse too. Everything arrived in excellent condition. #2. I demo'd all the speakers mention above and I have to say NHT excelled in all areas including good depth, wide sound stage, clean and accurate sound, excellent channel separation, and the midrange is amazing! This is truly a unique design and the 3 way bookshelf speaker are a rarity at this price range. After a 1 month of listening to the classic 3's I realize that I do not realize the speakers are there anymore. I wonder if NHT has consider or is playing around with the idea of using bamboo as an alternative to the MDF for their cabinets...I've heard bamboo can do amazing thing and I hope NHT explores this possibility. Great product, people and company. Thanks!

I imagine there are speakers that produce better sound in a cabinet the size of the Classic Threes, but I would expect them to cost many times what these cost. A single 6.5" woofer in a sealed cabinet seems like a configuration for good, but not exceptional bass response ... but these deliver full, rich, and dynamic bass, to the envy of many full tower speakers. These currently serve as front L/R in my theater, and my Denon 4311 sets the crossover at 40Hz - NHT's not kidding! The first bookshelves I have heard that truly provide "full range" sound without a subwoofer. They deliver outstanding transient response, smoothness, and accuracy from low bass to the highest treble - this is especially noticeable in midrange by comparison, as other reviewers have indicated - but their low end is the most surprising. I do have to add that unless you use the theater for music listening, these are almost wasted in a home theater. Movie soundtracks often direct 50 to 70% of the sound to the center, and thus they don't get the opportunity to perform. (Which is why a ThreeC is essential.) The Classic Threes deserve to be heard, and thus I recommend them for dedicated 2.0 or 2.1 listening, where they'll deliver all of their value. (For music, they do pair excellently with a small sealed sub, I've used them very successfully with Emotiva's Ultra 12.) That said, they're not coming out of my theater anytime soon! Don't be surprised if you look forward to coming home every day just to spend a few hours listening to these. I know I did, and often still do.

I just wanted to heap some more praise on these terrific speakers. Imaging is fabulous, low end is deep and super-tight, mids and highs are amazingly smooth. I was unable to afford a sub at the time of purchase, and thought I'd really miss it. But, I can honestly say it's not necessary for music listening. I can't believe the solid low end from such a small box and driver. I'm using the Threes in a simple 2-channel setup and, as another reviewer said, I find myself just wanting to come home in the evening and spend time listening.

Funny finally after many years of being down the Canadian dollar is now at par with the US dollar . Yet in Canada at least in BC NHT prices are still way over inflated , is this to make the dealer look like a great human being by giving a huge discount ? hey buddy I like your shoes wanna a huge discount on some NHT? . Or is it to make a hella profit like cheap house brands from the 80z? I agree NHT isn't trash . I just see some sorta game being played around the Vancouver area perhaps some over inflation .

NHT Replies: 

Every Dealer in N. America (inc.  Canada) pays the same price for NHT products.  What a dealer chooses to sell them for is their decision - not NHT's.  Depending on where a dealer is located and how much products they buy will determine how much, if any shipping charges need to be added to the price (we help them with shipping costs too just like we do consumers) and again their decision to add or not add the shipping/duty cost to the products price. 

Where you choose to buy is your choice as well. You can choose to buy locally and enjoy local demonstration, service and support - keep in mind there may be a cost associated with that level of service and only you can decide if it is worth it.  You can buy direct from NHT as well and pay the shipping costs - that total cost to your door can be calculated on our website - keep in mind UPS charges some additional fees that are not included in the UPD shipping charges but are if you use FedEx/USPS.  Your local dealer may or may not choose to match this price - ask them!

I've owned NHT speakers for fifteen years. I recently took advantage of their sale and upgraded my SB2 fronts to Classic Three. I was already used to the disappearing speaker effect and the new ones didn't disappoint. While the SB2s gave me very nice detail in the mids and uppers, these new ones are that much better. I listen to a lot of classical music and vocals, bells, triangles, woodwinds and brass sections in the orchestras really shine with amazing clarity. I'm slightly disappointed with some louder choral music when the soprano section gets cranking, hoping for a bit more clarity. Just about everything else sounds wonderful so I'm not sure if this is a limitation of the speaker, the recordings or my room. Besides classical, while not quite my taste, I tried some concert videos on Netflix with loud pop style music. When blending the mains with the sub (NHT SubTwoi), it sounded excellent, even though it was streamed audio, so I know the system could handle things with the volume cranked up. Movies also sounded wonderful. As far as configuring things, I found that what worked best was to set the cutoff for the Threes and Sub at 80hz. One might think I'm wasting all the low end on these speakers by doing so, but it is what made the material sound the most natural. Anyway, I bought these speakers for the mids and highs since the sub already handles the low end with aplomb. I also find the Classic Three to be gorgeous, although I would have preferred the rails on the bottom to be all black as I find they detract slightly from the look.

I wanted you to know that I got a bug just after I received the 3’s and (B-12d) sub to go out and spend 4 or $5000.00 on a new set of main speakers. I was able to bring my Classic Three’s to the store’s to directly compare them. What Fun!! Well, my humble 3’s beat two out of three of the speakers I compared them to!!! Focal Chorus 836W @ $4950.00 a pair, and Totem Forrest at $3990.00 a pair. I cant tell you how amazed I was, as I was very impressed with both these speakers when I auditioned them on there own the first time. The ones that beat the Classic Three’s were the PSB Synchrony One @ $4995.00 a pair. Better yes, but not by much!! How the heck did you come up with these amazing speakers. Hell, my Classic Three and B-12d sub combination are only $1600.00 for the whole set. There seems to be some sort of magic at work some where here. Seriously, I can’t believe what I have for the money! I am using a Bryston B-135sst2 integrated amplifier (which I only just received) and a Simaudio Moon CD player as my source. I wish I knew a way you could let more people living in Canada know how incredible your speakers are! Suffice to say, after those experiences I will be keeping my Classic Three’s and B-12d combination for a very very long time. Thanks again for the gift of music...

I have owned about 15 pairs of high end speakers in the past several years. If you name the brand, I've probably tried it. I can honestly say none compare to the Classic Three. From the moment I opened the box and unpacked the speaker, I knew this was the one for me. Amazing quality in today's world of cost cutting. From the build quality to the ultra impressive sound, the speakers are amazing! It is the first time in a long time that I've thought I got more than I paid for with an audio product (especially compared to other brands I've tested at home). If you get these when NHT runs a sale they are an absolute steal. Heck,to me they are a steal at twice the full asking price. I have the Super Zero 2.0 and Super 8 sub in a second system now and highly recommend that product as well.I didn't think I could do much better but the Classic Three is a nice step up and worth the extra coin. If you are searching for "the best" like I was and wasting a lot of cash in the process, give these a shot. I think you would be very happy for a long time to come.

I once had a pair of rear-ported bookshelf speakers and I loved them until the day I moved and had to position them against the wall, yikes! They changed on me! The Classic 3 is a very impressive bookshelf speaker that sounds great on stands, but can also work positioned close to a wall or on a shelf or close to other boundaries thanks to the lack of a port, front or rear. Classic acoustic suspension here. Bass extension is impressive, and the clarity with which acoustic instruments are reproduced evokes descriptions like smooth and clean rather than harsh and forward. I auditioned them for a delightful week and was quite pleased with everything I played, the gamut included jazz, vocals, classical, rock, electronica. In many settings they will not need a subwoofer, but of course these critters will benefit from a companion that can deliver those lower octaves for impressive cinema sound effects or the full range of acoustic bass. Add the companion ThreeC and you have an amazing LCR set up for home theater which mates together perfectly in the sonic domain. Yes, there are better sounding speakers out there, I've heard many of them over the years at friend's houses and the CES High End Audio Show, however, I can say confidently that any speaker that out-performs the Classic Three will no doubt come with a higher price tag, there is no doubt as far as that's concerned. Forget what reviews say about these or any other speaker, trust your ears, Luke! My only serious gripe with the Classic Threes is that I'm not crazy about the shiny piano-black finish. I prefer warm tones in my visual field. I understand wood veneers add substantially to the cost of speakers and NHT is all about great sound at moderate prices and thus the one-finish-fits-all approach makes sense, put your money where the sound is, and yet, it would be nice if wood finishes were at least an option. I would gladly pay more for wood finish. because for my decor, shiny black speakers that look like something Darth Vader would have in his den just don't work for me in the end. But when you close your eyes you will quickly forget what the Classic Threes look like as you are transported right into the music, with the full range of sonic colors painting a picture of musical pleasure.

These have got to be, without a doubt, the best bang for your buck speakers on the market. I'm using 3s for my fronts, a 3C for the center and 2s for surrounds with a Classic 12 sub and all I can say is.....holy sh*t!!!!!Words just can't express how effing good these speakers are. Just buy 'em. You won't be disappointed, I promise. Oh, and just for fun, I go to audio dealers around town and listen to systems in their showroom. After hearing speakers costing many times the price of these, when the salesman asks me what I think, I like to tell him "Well, I've got NHTs at home.....". The look on his face is priceless. I always walk away smiling.

Traded up from my Super Ones to Classic Threes. Could have not made a better decision. I live near the NHT headquarters so I was abel to audition them in their showroom. The owners were my sales person, nice. A great experience. The Threes sound so rich and full. Do not need to use my Classic Ten sub sometimes. The do blend perfectly with the sub however. A great speakers at great price. My HT is now complete. Thanks NHT