In this review, we will be comparing NS-555 and NS-777, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Yamaha.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Yamaha NS-555 and Yamaha NS-777 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Yamaha NS-555 | Yamaha NS-777 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Aluminum dome with waveguide horn | 1" Aluminum dome with waveguide horn |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" PMD cone | 2 x 8" PMD cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-35k Hz | 30-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 100-250 watts | 100-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.00kg / 44lbs | 24.36kg / 53.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38.5625" x 8.75" x 13.5625"
979.5 x 222.3 x 344.5mm | 43.3125" x 10.875" x 15.375"
1100.1 x 276.2 x 390.5mm |
|---|
NS-555 and NS-777 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-555 and Yamaha NS-777 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-555 |
Yamaha NS-777 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* 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
Both NS-555 and NS-777 are 3-way speakers.
Yamaha NS-555Yamaha NS-777
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-555 |
Yamaha NS-777 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the NS-777 features a 1" Aluminum dome with waveguide horn Aluminum dome with waveguide horn Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 8" PMD cone Woofer.
Frequency Response
NS-555 has a frequency range of 35-35k Hz whereas NS-777 has a frequency range of 30-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the NS-777 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the NS-555's min frequency of 35Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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-555 and NS-777 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. NS-555 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the NS-777's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Yamaha NS-777 a more sensitive speaker compared to Yamaha NS-555, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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 and NS-777 have the same power range of 100-250 watts.
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-555 features Binding post type posts and NS-777 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-555's and Yamaha NS-777's external dimensions. Yamaha NS-555 has external dimensions of 979.5 x 222.3 x 344.5mm (38.5625 x 8.75 x 13.5625inch) whereas Yamaha NS-777 has external dimensions of 1100.1 x 276.2 x 390.5mm (43.3125 x 10.875 x 15.375inch).
Yamaha NS-777 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 53.9mm wider, 120.6mm taller and 46mm deeper than Yamaha NS-555.
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-555 is approximately 765.8cm2 / 118.7inch2 and base area of the Yamaha NS-777 is approximately 1078.6cm2 / 167.2inch2. The NS-555 requires 29% less surface area than the NS-777 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-555 weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs and the Yamaha NS-777 weighs 24.36kg / 53.6lbs. This makes the NS-777 22% heavier than the NS-555.
Here is a comparison of how NS-555 and NS-777's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Height |
979mm
vs
1100mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
765cm2
vs
1078cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1000USD
vs
1200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Yamaha NS-555 |
Yamaha NS-777 |
| Brand |
Yamaha |
Yamaha |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
100-250 watts |
100-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35-35k Hz |
30-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
PMD cone |
PMD cone |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Aluminum dome with waveguide horn |
Aluminum dome with waveguide horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
5" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
979.5mm (38.6") |
1100.1mm (43.3") |
| Width |
222.3mm (8.8") |
276.2mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
344.5mm (13.6") |
390.5mm (15.4") |
| Weight |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
24.36kg (53.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Siblings in Yamaha's 777 Series series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
B |
Yamaha NS-777 digs deeper - 30Hz against 35Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom |
evenly matched |
Similar power handling (250W vs 250W). |
| Size |
depends |
Yamaha NS-555 is easier to place; Yamaha NS-777 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price |
A |
Yamaha NS-555 is cheaper - $1,000 against $1,200, about 17% less. |
A Yamaha NS-555
B Yamaha NS-777
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
The usual trade-off: Yamaha NS-777 measures better, Yamaha NS-555 costs about 17% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 35Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Yamaha NS-555 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Yamaha NS-555 the better fit for a small room and a mid-size room, and Yamaha NS-777 for a large room and a very large room.
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.