Overview

The Yamaha NS-F500 is a 3-way, bass-reflex floorstanding speaker first announced on August 26, 2010 and released in early October 2010 in Japan. Yamaha lists it as a completed item on the current Japanese site, with original MSRP noted there; the model is no longer in production. Key design elements include a DC-Diaphragm™ 3 cm aluminum tweeter (voice coil wound directly on the diaphragm), A-PMD cones for the 13 cm mid and 16 cm woofer, aluminum die-cast baskets, square woofer voice coil, and a Soavo-style cabinet with three-way mitered joints and extensive internal bracing.

Scientific Validity

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Official specifications (per unit, passive): frequency response 40 Hz–50 kHz, sensitivity 88 dB (2.83 V/1 m), impedance 6 Ω, nominal input 40 W / max 160 W, crossover 580 Hz and 4.1 kHz, 19.1 kg. We did not find credible third-party Klippel/anechoic datasets for this model; therefore audible fidelity beyond catalog specs remains unverified and provisionally evaluated.

Technology Level

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This section evaluates technology itself, not data disclosure. The NS-F500 implements several concrete engineering choices:

• DC-Diaphragm™ tweeter: the voice coil is directly wound on an aluminum-magnesium diaphragm, reducing adhesive interfaces and potential mechanical losses, aiming at extended HF and fine detail retrieval.
• A-PMD cones and solid rubber surrounds for mid/woofer: a light but stiff cone recipe targeting controlled breakup and stable pistonic behavior.
• Square woofer voice coil for increased surface area and space factor versus round coils, improving motor efficiency at a given gap size.
• Aluminum die-cast baskets for the 13 cm mid and 16 cm woofer to maintain motor/basket rigidity under load.
• Soavo-inspired cabinet using three-way mitered joints, slanted partitions, and ladder bracing to suppress panel resonance; supplied with tuned spikes.

These are legitimate, mainstream acoustic engineering measures for a passive 3-way tower. There is no DSP, waveguide-controlled directivity, or cardioid/active bass system, but within a conventional architecture the implementation is technically coherent and moderately sophisticated.

Cost-Performance

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Reviewed price (current used market, pair): USD 600.

Cheapest equal-or-better comparator (pair): Sony SS-CS3—a current 3-way passive tower with comparable user-facing functions (3-way, similar sensitivity/impedance) and publicly available Klippel NFS data indicating competent linearity. Typical new street pricing is USD 137.99 each at a major US retailer (USD 275.98 per pair).

Equivalence note (user perspective): both are passive 3-way towers with similar basic catalog specs; SS-CS3 additionally has independent NFS data indicating controlled FR deviation, so it is judged equal-or-better for CP purposes.

CP calculation: 275.98 USD ÷ 600 USD = 0.46 → score 0.5 (rounded to one decimal).

Reliability & Support

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Evaluation focuses on warranty/repair systems and typical serviceability for a passive loudspeaker. As a passive design there is no firmware/software domain. Yamaha provides manuals and product pages remain accessible; repair pathways generally rely on part availability via Yamaha’s service channels or third-party parts/repair for legacy models. No field-wide systemic failure pattern is documented in reliable sources. In the absence of RMA/MTBF data, we assign a neutral, average-level score.

Rationality of Design Philosophy

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Independently of measured outcomes, the development direction is rational for a conventional passive tower: reducing moving-system losses (DC-Diaphragm), increasing motor efficiency (square voice coil), stiffening the mechanical structure (die-cast baskets, braced/mitered cabinet), and controlling resonance. These choices plausibly contribute to measurable improvements (FR smoothness, breakup control, lower parasitic resonances) without resorting to non-scientific claims.

Advice

If you want a current, inexpensive tower with documented measurements, the Sony SS-CS3 is a strong baseline. If you prefer a current Yamaha tower with active support (2-way), NS-F150 is the brand-consistent option. For higher confidence in neutrality and directivity control, prioritize models with complete spin data or equivalent anechoic measurement sets.

References

1. Yamaha (JP). “NS-F500 — Overview (生産完了品).” Accessed 2025-08-16. https://jp.yamaha.com/products/audio_visual/speaker_systems/ns-f500/index.html
2. Yamaha (JP). “NS-F500 — Specs.” Accessed 2025-08-16. https://jp.yamaha.com/products/audio_visual/speaker_systems/ns-f500/specs.html
3. Yamaha (MEA). “NS-F500 — Specs.” Accessed 2025-08-16. https://mea.yamaha.com/en/audio/home-audio/products/speakers/ns-f500/specs.html
4. Yamaha (EU). “NS-F500 — Specs.” Accessed 2025-08-16. https://europe.yamaha.com/en/audio/home-audio/products/speakers/ns-f500/specs.html
5. Yamaha (JP). “Archive listing for NS-F500 (生産完了品).” Accessed 2025-08-16. https://jp.yamaha.com/products/archive/?p=75&search=
6. AV Watch (JA). “3ウェイフロア型の『NS-F500』…10月上旬発売.” 2010-08-26. Accessed 2025-08-16. https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/389485.html
7. Yamaha (MEA). “NS-F500 — Overview (design features: DC-Diaphragm, A-PMD, cabinet/bracing, square voice coil).” Accessed 2025-08-16. https://mea.yamaha.com/en/audio/home-audio/products/speakers/ns-f500/
8. Best Buy (US). “Sony SS-CS3 (each) — current price.” Accessed 2025-08-16. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-core-series-dual-5-3-way-floorstanding-speaker-each-black/5926456.p
9. spinorama.org. “Sony SS-CS3 — Klippel NFS dataset (Erin’s Audio Corner).” Accessed 2025-08-16. https://www.spinorama.org/speakers/Sony%20SS-CS3/ErinsAudioCorner/index_eac.html

(2025.8.16)