It's been a good week for NHT. Both TAS and SoundStage have published reviews of the $6000 NHT Xd system much praised by Stereophile and in show reports around the net. What makes this system unusual is the active amplification and digital crossover. Active amplification is one of the bad boys of audio. Pairing the amps specifically for the speakers and doing it before the crossover has worlds of benefits but the audiophiles give this practice the big thumbs down. Why? Who knows. Paradigm's Reference Active/40 speakers are universally loved but were canceled due to low sales. ATC, PMC and others do active speakers, but are only able to survive from their professional background were people don't switch out their amps every other week.

Active amplification is one thing, but the really interesting part of the NHT system is that digital crossover sourced from DEQX. The DEQX digital crossover is actually a super equalizer -- you know, adjust the dBs to get the sound how you want it. As anyone knows who has played with a Velodyne subwoofer with active room control via TV, tailoring the sound perfectly to the room so there are no dips or bumps is addicting. You can hear it immediately and there's something so satisfying just cutting away the nastiness in the frequency range.

The baby DEQX in the NHT Xd is only a digital crossover, no room correction. This means one can adjust the crossover points and do fun magic only available in the digital realm. The NHT Xd system is $6000 while a stand alone DEQX digital equalizer will run you $3000. Interestingly, other companies have begun to take the DEQX into the ultra high end. In the last year, we've seen Wasatch release its $40k Musina system, Solicweld with their $64k Pulserod system and Magico with their $225k Ultimate speakers. Companies like Magico and Wasatch are also creating custom DEQX products with up to five customizable outputs above the DEQX's normal three.

Active amplification just makes sense and DSP room correction is becoming so seamless that one can only imagine we're beginning to see a trend towards complete digital systems. If the comments coming out of the shows and auditions are anything to go by, other big name manufacturers may begin to jump on the boat. At the very least, we may begin seeing separate adjustable bass modules much like the Vandersteens getting big press over at Stereophile. After all, there's only so much you can do with drivers in a box before room reflections come into play.