Short answer: the Yamaha NS-800A. It ranks #56 of 131 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $4,999.90. The McIntosh XR50 ranks #88, rated 3.4/5, at $4,000, $999.90 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
What the Yamaha NS-800A does well: Exceptionally well-built cabinet with no internal resonance issues at all: confirmed clean in both burst decay and impedance measurements. Watch for: A wide, roughly 2kHz-10kHz scoop in the upper-midrange/lower-treble gives it a laidback, soft, low-attack character: notably worse than the reviewer’s Audio First Fidelia reference in an A/B comparison.
What the McIntosh XR50 does well: The compact XR50 produces unexpectedly authoritative bass: Erin measured F3 at 43Hz and praised its low-end weight. The tradeoff: Erin measured roughly 80-81dB sensitivity, making the XR50 exceptionally power hungry despite its nominal eight-ohm rating.
Buy the Yamaha NS-800A. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $999.90 saving on the McIntosh XR50 is not enough to make up the difference.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Yamaha NS-800A | McIntosh XR50 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4,999.90 per pair | $4,000 per pair |
| Ranked | #56 of 131 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #88 of 131 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 35.6Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 4.3 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | 84.9dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner; 86.5dB manufacturer specified) | ~81dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 1.25” dome tweeter, 6.5” mid-woofer | 6-inch woofer; dual 2-inch inverted-dome mids; 0.75-inch titanium dome |
| Weight | 28.7 lbs (13.0 kg) each | 19.4 lbs (8.8 kg) each |
| Dimensions | 16.5”H x 9.1”W x 14.1”D (419.1 x 231.8 x 358.8 mm) | 17H x 8W x 11.75D inches |
| Woofer Cabinet | Bass reflex | - |
| Crossover Frequency | 2600Hz | - |
| Power Handling | 40W nominal, 120W max | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.66 | 4.99 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.43 | 6.80 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
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- KEF R3 Meta vs Yamaha NS-800A
- KEF Q Concerto Meta vs Yamaha NS-800A
- KEF R3 vs Yamaha NS-800A
- Wharfedale Super Linton vs Yamaha NS-800A
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The Two Speakers In Full
Yamaha NS-800A: $4,999.90 per pair The Music Room eBay
Pros: Exceptionally well-built cabinet with no internal resonance issues at all: confirmed clean in both burst decay and impedance measurements. Good, wide directivity (~75 degrees horizontal) that stays consistent enough to EQ successfully. Distortion is low, staying under 3% at 96dB, and dynamic range holds up well until right near its 102dB limit. A shallower, higher-frequency bass rolloff profile (F3 68Hz, F10 35Hz) means it can be placed closer to the wall (about a foot) without turning boomy, actually gaining bass presence rather than losing it. Measured bass extension of 68Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 84.9dB.
Cons: A wide, roughly 2kHz-10kHz scoop in the upper-midrange/lower-treble gives it a laidback, soft, low-attack character: notably worse than the reviewer’s Audio First Fidelia reference in an A/B comparison. On top of that, treble breaks up badly above 10kHz, swinging up as much as 8dB: a significant, named flaw. Sounds inconsistently voiced as a result (bright on some material like cymbals and shakers, dull/laidback on vocals and instrument attack) until corrected with real parametric EQ (the reviewer needed a +2dB boost around 4.5kHz at Q0.5 plus taming the treble spike to bring it to life) combined with near-wall placement and 30-degree toe-out. Without that combination, it’s a tough sale for a $5000 bookshelf speaker.
Full Yamaha NS-800A review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2600Hz |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 16.5”H x 9.1”W x 14.1”D (419.1 x 231.8 x 358.8 mm) |
| Drivers | 1.25” dome tweeter, 6.5” mid-woofer |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 4.3 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Power Handling | 40W nominal, 120W max |
| Sensitivity | 84.9dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner; 86.5dB manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.66 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.43 |
| Weight | 28.7 lbs (13.0 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | Bass reflex |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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McIntosh XR50: $4,000 per pair Crutchfield eBay
Pros: The compact XR50 produces unexpectedly authoritative bass: Erin measured F3 at 43Hz and praised its low-end weight. Horizontal radiation is exceptionally wide, and the four-driver three-way layout holds distortion and compression together reasonably well through the midband. The sealed-back 2-inch inverted-dome midranges isolate vocals from woofer pressure, while the heavily braced nonparallel cabinet, premium terminals and five-year warranty are genuinely high-grade. Measured bass extension of 43Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 81dB.
Cons: Erin measured roughly 80-81dB sensitivity, making the XR50 exceptionally power hungry despite its nominal eight-ohm rating. A broad treble excess sounds bright and sibilant on-axis; at least 20° toe-out or EQ is needed, but toe-out increases reflected energy and trades away image focus. Direct and reflected responses diverge through parts of the treble, limiting perfect EQ correction. At $2000/pair, its tonal flaws and low efficiency are hard to excuse as merely the cost of premium construction.
Full McIntosh XR50 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35.6Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 17H x 8W x 11.75D inches |
| Drivers | 6-inch woofer; dual 2-inch inverted-dome mids; 0.75-inch titanium dome |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | ~81dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.99 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.80 |
| Weight | 19.4 lbs (8.8 kg) each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons