Review: Yamaha HS80M

Gear options these days seem to be expanding exponentially and there are very few genuine ‘de facto’ standards left in the studio. However, one stalwart of the recording industry that has transcended musical genres, studio budgets and even technological eras is the ubiquitous NS10M nearfield monitor. Since retiring the NS10M, Yamaha has attempted to offer a modern day update with its MSP10 Studio, but the MSP series has never achieved the classic notoriety of the NS10. The market is vastly more crowded now, with quality offerings from Mackie, Tannoy, KRK, JBL, Genelec, Quested and the like having ensured far more competition and variety in the nearfield sector.

Perhaps in reaction to this, Yamaha has now released the HS series at a lower price point, which, at least cosmetically, are much more reminiscent of the original NS10M. Apart from the HS80M there’s the smaller five-inch driver version, the HS50M, and the HS10W subwoofer, which integrates with either of the above models.

The Yamaha HS80M is a bi-amp’ed two-way powered monitor. It utilises an MDF bass reflex enclosure with rear porting, an eight-inch coated paper driver and one-inch tweeter that are crossed over at 3kHz. Physically, it’s a good-looking medium-sized cabinet measuring 25 x 39 x 33cm, weighing in at just over 11kg and being immediately recognisable thanks to the trademark white paper cone, replete with the two dark wiring splodges that graced the classic NS10M. Subtle refinements include an unspecified glossy synthetic coating on the cone paper, rounded edges on the sides of the enclosure and a tastefully backlit Yamaha emblem which indicates that the speaker is powered up. The rear panel features standard balanced XLR and unbalanced jack inputs, a continuously variable pot with a middle detent at +4dB to control output volume and a series of EQ switches to optimise performance in your monitoring environment. The three EQ controls allow boosting or cutting 2dB in the treble and midrange and a 12dB/octave low cut at either 80Hz or 100Hz (this is mainly designed for use with the HS10W subwoofer). There is an additional low cut filter (–2 or –4dB at 500Hz) called ‘room control’ which is aimed at correcting those banes of the home studioist – the unwanted effects of reflections from proximate walls and corners.

Overall the design of the HS80M seems well-conceived, and its looks, flexibility and heftiness inspire confidence in a way relatively few monitoring solutions do for its asking price.

LISTENING TESTS

I warmed to the HS80Ms as soon as I fired them up, and I was happy to use them for substantial mixing and tracking duties. Tonally, these speakers deliver a forward upper range with an emphasis centred around 10kHz and a solid bottom end (they’re only down 10dB at 40Hz so there’s a good amount of grunt down low), while the midrange is comparatively restrained. Stereo imaging is good, as is the off-axis performance and, with 120W of power, there’s plenty of juice available.

An A/B session with a pair of original NS10s quickly revealed the HS80Ms to be an altogether different beast to their famous forebears. The HS80Ms have a far more modern-sounding broad frequency response, with the extended highs providing a level of detail altogether absent from the earlier model. The bottom end also provides much more definition on low frequency sources. The NS10s were essentially a midrange speaker, which emphasised the vocal area of the spectrum – and it’s here that the HS80Ms are least like their predecessors. Vocals sound distinctly brighter and sometimes harder, while the familiar lower-midrange emphasis is noticeably absent.

The HS80M’s brightness may become slightly fatiguing over prolonged mix sessions and I would suggest judicious use of the trim EQ in such situations. It didn’t bother me, however, as I tend to switch between several sets of headphones and monitors while mixing; but be warned – these speakers can sound harsh at loud volumes depending on your monitoring environment. Having said that, the HS80Ms are great on contemporary hip hop and R’n’B material, delivering a very punchy and contemporary sound while providing detail at either end of the spectrum, allowing you to hone your mixes in ways that ‘sweeter’ sounding monitors will not.

HORSES FOR COURSES

Choosing monitors, like everything in the world of audio, is a highly subjective business. You’ve got to like how they sound and look, but they’ve also got to work in your particular monitoring environment. I recently had the ear-opening experience of hearing the same (well-regarded) monitors in two separate mixing rooms in one of our nation’s finest studios. In one room they sounded fantastic, in the other they sounded utterly crap. Ideally you want a monitor that suits your workspace, style of production and mixing; one that gives you the brutal truth about your sounds while rewarding you for getting it right. So, like any monitor, it’s worth auditioning the HS80Ms in your own room if at all possible. At this competitive price point the HS80Ms are genuine contenders, and I’d recommend checking them out for yourself.