In this review, we will be comparing NS-5000 and SourcePoint 10, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Yamaha and MoFi.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Yamaha NS-5000 and MoFi SourcePoint 10 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Yamaha NS-5000 | MoFi SourcePoint 10 |
|---|
| Brand | Yamaha
Japan · founded 1887 | MoFi
United States · founded 2016 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.25" Dome | 1.25" wide roll soft dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 3.25" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 12" Cone | 10" Paper-pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 26-40k Hz | 42-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 91dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 200-600 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 35.02kg / 77lbs | 21.00kg / 46.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 27.125" x 15.5" x 15"
689.0 x 393.7 x 381.0mm | 22.5" x 14.5" x 16.6"
572.0 x 368.0 x 422.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Yamaha NS-5000 and MoFi SourcePoint 10 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-5000 |
MoFi SourcePoint 10 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that NS-5000 is a 3-way design whereas the SourcePoint 10 is a 2-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-5000MoFi SourcePoint 10
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-5000 |
MoFi SourcePoint 10 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25-inch
|
1.25-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12-inch
|
1 x 10-inch
|
NS-5000 features a 1.25" Dome Dome Tweeter, a 3.25" Midrange and 1 x 12" Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 750 Hz / 4.5 kHz. On the other hand, the SourcePoint 10 features a 1.25" wide roll soft dome Tweeter and 1 x 10" Paper-pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1600 Hz.
Frequency Response
NS-5000 has a frequency range of 26-40k Hz whereas SourcePoint 10 has a frequency range of 42-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 26Hz, the NS-5000 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SourcePoint 10's min frequency of 42Hz.
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-5000 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the SourcePoint 10 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. NS-5000 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the SourcePoint 10's is rated at 91dB. This 3 dB difference makes the MoFi SourcePoint 10 a more sensitive speaker compared to Yamaha NS-5000, 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-5000 can handle a max power of 600 watts RMS, whereas SourcePoint 10 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 400 watts less than the NS-5000.
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-5000 features 5-Way post type posts and SourcePoint 10 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MoFi SourcePoint 10's 5-Way post terminals
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-5000's and MoFi SourcePoint 10's external dimensions. Yamaha NS-5000 has external dimensions of 689.0 x 393.7 x 381.0mm (27.125 x 15.5 x 15inch) whereas MoFi SourcePoint 10 has external dimensions of 572.0 x 368.0 x 422.0mm (22.5 x 14.5 x 16 inch).
MoFi SourcePoint 10 is 25.7mm narrower and 117mm shorter than Yamaha NS-5000 but it is also 41mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Near-identical footprints. MoFi SourcePoint 10 is 41mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Yamaha NS-5000 is 117mm taller.
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-5000 is approximately 1500.0cm2 / 232.5inch2 and base area of the MoFi SourcePoint 10 is approximately 1552.0cm2 / 240.6inch2. The NS-5000 requires 3% less surface area than the SourcePoint 10 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Yamaha NS-5000 weighs 35.02kg / 77lbs and the MoFi SourcePoint 10 weighs 21.00kg / 46.2lbs. This makes the NS-5000 67% heavier than the SourcePoint 10.
Here is a comparison of how NS-5000 and SourcePoint 10's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
 Max Input Power |
600 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
30k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1500cm2
vs
1552cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Minimum Impedance |
6.2 ohms
vs
3.5 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Height |
572mm
vs
689mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
3699USD
vs
22000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Yamaha NS-5000 |
MoFi SourcePoint 10 |
| Brand |
Yamaha |
MoFi |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
200-600 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
91dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.5 ohms |
6.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
26-40k Hz |
42-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cone |
Paper-pulp |
| Tweeter Size |
1.25" |
1.25" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
wide roll soft dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3.25" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
750 Hz / 4.5 kHz |
1600 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
689.0mm (27.1") |
572.0mm (22.5") |
| Width |
393.7mm (15.5") |
368.0mm (14.5") |
| Depth |
381.0mm (15") |
422.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
35.02kg (77lbs) |
21.00kg (46.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
real wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Satin Walnut, Satin Black Ash |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
These sit in different price classes - Yamaha NS-5000 costs roughly 5.9x what MoFi SourcePoint 10 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Yamaha NS-5000 digs deeper - 26Hz against 42Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | MoFi SourcePoint 10 is more sensitive (91dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | MoFi SourcePoint 10 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | Yamaha NS-5000 takes more power (600W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. MoFi SourcePoint 10 sits in a wider range (4 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | MoFi SourcePoint 10 is cheaper - $3,699 against $22,000, about 83% less; arguably a different class. |
A Yamaha NS-5000 B MoFi SourcePoint 10
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 42Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper MoFi SourcePoint 10 much easier to justify. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, MoFi SourcePoint 10 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.