Numark NPM100 DJ monitor speaker – A Hidden Gem

It has stereo hook up, but only on the RCA’s. If it then outputs a left/right stereo signal I really never (bothered to) check(ed). As I only use it as booth and practice speaker and my other ear will be in my headset, I don’t really feel the need for stereo sound.

Just to clarify, soundwise it’s not gonna beat the KRKs obviously. Those are studio speakers and made with a totally different purpose in mind. They WILL however survive the road. I love them in the booth. So compact and hardly visible from the room as oppossed to a set of 15″s on stands (it DOES happen!) sitting pretty about 2 feet from your ears LOL.

Yamaha has a mixer/mic stand adapter that you can screw to the bottom of the NPM and then you can just screw on a mic stand. It has tilting action too, so you can angle it to aim it right at your ear.

Let me know what you think when you get it!

Greetinx.

What I think it might do (again, not tested since I only got one), is take stereo input (on the RCA) and then send out one half on the link connector (XLR under the cover). That way you could hook up, say, an iPod with a 3.5mm to stereo RCA and then run just and xlr cable to a second one. Just my thought, but that would make sense and perhaps explain any reference to it being usable in a stereo setting.

The connector I found is not cheap, but with it’s tilting action it truely fit my need sitting on top of a “arm”-less mic stand (get the ones with legs, not the heavy round base plate).

It’s actually made for small form factor Yamaha mixers that you would then set on a mic stand.

This is A link for it: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6297440

You might have to shop around for one, the Yamaha partnumber is BMS10A. I seem to recall that I went to the hardware store to get the correct screws as the ones it comes with have another thread.

Depending on where you are, this place has them in stock:
http://www.bax-shop.nl/statief-adapter-mixer/yamaha-mengtafel-statief-adapter/product-details.html?gclid=CIrLo53NgL4CFQcewwodpHsAbw

They cost about 30-odd euro.

Greetinx.

It’s actually a nice piece of engineering and full metal, so durable. But yes, it’s not a 10 dollar fix.

I have used mine for a while now and frankly I think there is enough bass for my purpose (beatmatching in practice and with the NPM as booth speaker), especially if the alternative is standing next to a 12″ or 15″ speaker all night :-).

Let’s face it, superior bass is a combination of driver surface (the bigger the speaker cone, the easier it is to displace the needed amount of air) and enclosure size and shape (a big, bass reflex or folded horn will provide more oomph). The NPM has only 2 5″ drivers that are full range on top of that and a very compact pressure cabinet.

I’ll tell you that walking into a place with my mic stand bag and my NPM in a softbag is a lot easier than with a full speaker stand and the big monitor speaker.

For me personally, I am so used to this speaker that I can make good beatmatched mixes in all but the most loudest of places, in which case I usually switch to full headphone mixing anyway, if only to protect my ears somewhat.

Keep me updated and good luck!

Greetinx.

Just a straight stand, without boom. I use a good brand (here in Europe K&M is the main brand) with those foldable legs.

It’s pretty stable. You don’t want to bump into it full force, but any normal use it will suffer without any problem.

As I said, I keep mine at about hip height (helps with the stability) and then the NPM angled upward pointing at my ear.

Hey.

I just remembered something. I think there is two places you can attach the mount, the side I have it on (because I don’t want the upright and I want to be able to tilt them back so they aim at my ear) and the bottom. If you’d attach a simple mount without tilt (if you can find a 35mm one that should work too) and stick the whole thing on top of a mic or speaker stand, depending on the mount you get, you could just raise it ear height and have it next to you. Many guys will have their monitor speaker there, because the don’t have the tilt option. It might save you some money and/or fit your position wishes better.

Glad to hear you like them. As I said in the title, I think they are a missed opportunity for many. I know they weren’t a big sales hit, but not selling many doesn’t always mean it’s a bad product. This speaker, imho, proves that point.

Greetinx.

Hey, I think I wrote earlier that the screws wouldn’t fit. But I got myself a 75 cent bag of the correct (standard european) size screws at the local hardware store and fitted it directly. If you can’t find them I’ll be more than happy two send you some.

As far as the buzz goes, the ferrite core could do the trick. I mentioned it was there in my OP. I only use mine for practice and as soon as I open the faders just a little I can’t hear it anymore. Now I am 51 with matching hearing and some tinnitus, so not the best ears in the business anymore. I probably would not have kept them if my goal was a very low levelling listening, but it never was. Nor would I ever advertise them as hifi speakers. Really I only notice when sound is off and even then I don’t hear it after a minute anymore.

Getting 100W RMS and two speakers into such a small enclosure I guess must have had some design issues. Perhaps the close proximity of all the components is at fault here. Since you have it too, I am guessing it’s a desing flaw and not an individual unit issue.

Again, these are workhorses, ment to be used as DJ monitors, not studio monitors. I had them on during a house party recently (just for background music) and as soon as the first two people where inside the room and talking (and no music was on yet) I couldn’t hear it anymore.

In conclusion, I still believe in them for doing what they are supposed to be doing, namely helping me in practice and as monitor in the rather loud club/venue environments when playing out.

I can’t decide for you of course and perhaps your hum/buzz is louder than mine (I haven’t measured it, but it way low). I do know that if you send them back, you’ll be hard pressed to find something that combines compact size and power in the same prize range (or any price range really) that is still fully roadworthy.

Good luck and keep me posted. Also let me know if you can find the (I believe they are M3 but not 100% sure) screws locally.

Greetinx.