In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Yamaha. Yamaha NS-333 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the NS-555 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Yamaha NS-333 and Yamaha NS-555 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Yamaha NS-333 | Yamaha NS-555 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Aluminum Dome With Waveguide Horn | 1" Aluminum dome with waveguide horn |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" PMD Cone | 2 x 6.5" PMD cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-35k Hz | 35-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 60-150 watts | 100-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.49kg / 12.1lbs | 20.00kg / 44lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12.625" x 7.875" x 8.375"
320.7 x 200.0 x 212.7mm | 38.5625" x 8.75" x 13.5625"
979.5 x 222.3 x 344.5mm |
|---|
NS-333 and NS-555 are members of Yamaha's 777 Series series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Yamaha 777 Series Series
History
What size room are the Yamaha NS-333 and Yamaha NS-555 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Yamaha NS-333 |
Yamaha NS-555 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that NS-333 is a 2-way design whereas the NS-555 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Yamaha NS-333Yamaha NS-555
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Yamaha NS-333 |
Yamaha NS-555 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
NS-333 features a 1" Aluminum Dome With Waveguide Horn Aluminum Dome With Waveguide Horn Tweeter and 1 x 5" PMD Cone Woofer. On the other hand, the NS-555 features a 1" Aluminum dome with waveguide horn Aluminum dome with waveguide horn Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" PMD cone Woofer.
Frequency Response
NS-333 has a frequency range of 65-35k Hz whereas NS-555 has a frequency range of 35-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the NS-555 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the NS-333's min frequency of 65Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
NS-333 and NS-555 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. NS-333 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the NS-555's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Yamaha NS-555 a more sensitive speaker compared to Yamaha NS-333, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
NS-555 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas NS-333 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the NS-555.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier — change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
NS-333 features Binding post type posts and NS-555 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Yamaha NS-333's and Yamaha NS-555's external dimensions. Yamaha NS-333 has external dimensions of 320.7 x 200.0 x 212.7mm (12.625 x 7.875 x 8.375inch) whereas Yamaha NS-555 has external dimensions of 979.5 x 222.3 x 344.5mm (38.5625 x 8.75 x 13.5625inch).
Yamaha NS-555 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 22.3mm wider, 658.8mm taller and 131.8mm deeper than Yamaha NS-333.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Yamaha NS-333 is approximately 425.4cm2 / 65.9inch2 and base area of the Yamaha NS-555 is approximately 765.8cm2 / 118.7inch2. The NS-333 requires 44% less surface area than the NS-555 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.