NHT is a small speaker company out of California that has been making moderately priced high-end speaker equipment since 1987.  NHT stands for ‘Now Hear This’ and people tend to comment on the bold name when they first hear about NHT concluding they’re a bit cocky.  But they’re a speaker manufacturer who really tends not to make so much noise, letting their product line literally make sounds for them.  Credited with the creation of the worlds first powered sub in 1992, NHT aims at the audiophile who is ready to take that first step beyond the kind of equipment you find at the local big box store and try something truly amazing that will match well with those ‘better than average’ components you’ve been collecting.  These are not for your low-budget receiver and stock 20 gauge speaker wire.  You’ll need to treat your speakers a little better than that to make the NHT ST-4  really sing.

The ST-4 stands atop NHT’s “Super Audio” series as the only floor standing speaker in the line.  The piano lacquer finish and narrow footprint gives the NHT ST-4 an elegant, refined demeanor.  This is a three way speaker, with a highly sensitive aluminum dome tweeter, a single midrange and a woofer.  The ST-4 can get away with such a narrow face by using a side firing woofer.  The narrow design of the ST-4 is common in full sized speakers today, manufacturer’s have gotten away from front firing woofers and mounting them on the side saves valuable space, since the directional effects of low frequency is limited this won’t diminish one’s perception of bass.  Another space saving feature is NHT’s claim that these speakers are engineered so as not to require very much toeing in if any at all.  Definitely experiment with this when you get them into your living room as results with room acoustics will vary.  But I found the sound evenly dispersed culminating in a nice sweet spot when I did not toe in one bit, the sound seems to converge front and center quite nicely without.  As refined as this speaker looks, it’s also a smooth operator when it comes to sound.  The NHT-ST-4, like the entire “super audio” series specialize in neutrality, trying for neither a bright nor boomy sound.  The result is a smooth clarity that sounds well beyond this speaker’s price range.

Be warned however, if you care to venture into the NHT “Super Audio” line they all tend to have high impedance relative to other speakers of their size, power requirements are going to be rather high.  A benefit of NHT’s thoughtful design is that they’re bi-ampable.  This means I can use a separate two channel amp to power only their woofers and another two channel amp to power the tweeter and midrange.  Bi-amping half the of these speaker’s considerable load can be especially helpful when you’re already taxing a multi-channel receiver.

If you’re ready to delve into something on the higher end of the speaker room at Best Buy but don’t have the budget for those electro-stat hybrid’s that cost as much as a car, you might want to consider any of NHT’s lines.  The uppscale speakers sold any big box store will surely cost much more than the ST-4s, and some will look bigger and badder.  But if you close your eyes and let your ears decide you'll understand why NHT has won over a dedicated following.  Complimenting a variety of music, these speakers make the perfect match for a maturing eclectic musical taste.  They're just as at home with a bit of jazz or classical as it is with the latest pop sounds and give a transparent home theater performance.  It won’t emphasize middle-highs or give hard rock guitar that push it likes, and other speakers will certainly give you more kick and in your face for live performances.  The ST-4's strong point is their transparency, a feat only much higher end speakers apsire to.  But  when a female vocalist is accompanied by minimal instrumentation on a well recorded track, just close your eyes and they'll make the hairs on your arm stand on end.