Nakamichi Dragon 11.4.6 Soundbar - Top Gun Maverick Intro

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Some additional thoughts after a couple more days… I’ve had about 5 days with the Dragon so far and here are some more thoughts I have on it. First off, I had previously said the dialogue sounded weird. I’m taking that back. It sounds fine now. It must have been the content I was watching. The strength of this system is its power. When you let the Dragon roar it’s utterly phenomenal! Surrounds are strong and extremely present. You’ll 100% believe you’re in a theater. In fact sometimes it’s even better! I watched some scenes from Top Gun Maverick on 4k blu ray and they were absolutely stunning! Everyone needs to experience this. It’s sonic bliss. As you can see at the very end, my daughter was even in disbelief. I watched Edge of Tomorrow on 4k blu ray last night. Atmos effects were noticeable. The bass was strong but sometimes it felt like it was a generic rumble just for the sake of bass. The subs aren’t quite as tight and accurate as I was hoping for given the size and weight of them. But they can get loud which counts for something. Now for something slightly concerning. I’ve heard crackling and popping from the speakers on 2 different occasions while at high volumes. My 4k blu ray is plugged straight into the Dragon and when I had it on volume 25 that’s when I heard the crackling occasionally. I’ve also heard some faint pops when scrolling through titles in Netflix. It’s been suggested to me on AVS Forum that this could be due to the wifi network. There’s an option to change this but I haven’t tried it yet. Just wanted to report what I’ve experienced so far.

[@williamriker4889]

You may want to arc hdmi from tv to dragon arc hdmi and use tv hdmi connections for everything else. Digital trends said something about setting up that way. Perhaps that will change the popping sound, perhaps.

[@yeahright3733]

Better placement of the subs might help with the subs not integrating with the system.

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

@@yeahright3733 very true. It seems to work well enough for what I need most of the time. With my limited placement options it’s probably going to stay where it is.

[@yeahright3733]

@@Ryan_Butterfield Maybe try and rotate the subs 90 degrees? Maybe that could integrate the subs better? I heard someone else doing this with better results.

[@o.c.g.m9426]

I had that popping on the Original Nakamichi 11.2.4 from 2019. That started me on my home theater journey

[@shahnulislam9897]

Daughter : Bruh, you weren't smiling this much when I was born

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Lol. She would say bruh

[@StovallRyan]

Hearing that intro sold me man. Thanks for the video. Definitely gonna order it now

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Awesome!! There’s been a firmware update to it since this recording that people say has improved bass response too.

[@Shanks6039]

Hey that’s pretty good!

[@ryanhoneycutt9685]

God I want one so bad but I can’t justify 4k right now. Great video and thank you for sharing.

[@thesamsungexperiance8853]

I watched it on my 5.1 system and my living room is about same size as yours and those jets you can feel then in your heart its naughty lol

[@CPIITservices]

I received my soundbar early last week and, ironically, this is the first movie I popped in to test it too!

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Great choice!

[@omarzarate8674]

Sounds really clean,thanks for the demonstration!Ryan

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

You’re very welcome!

[@yeahright3733]

Thanks for sharing! I’m saving up for this as my next sound system. This makes a lot more sense to me than a receiver and speaker setup as dragon is designed to work harmoniously without all the extra work involved.

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Yeah it’s not too hard to set up. Happy saving!

[@sirdan357]

If it was half as much as it is it would make sense. At $4,000 you could get a more capable system.

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

@@sirdan357Mine was cheaper than that, but yes if you want maximum performance for the price you can build a better set up for the same money.

[@yeahright3733]

@@sirdan357 sure and it would take a lot more work to get it installed and setup.

[@sirdan357]

@@yeahright3733 Not nearly as long as people are making it out to be unless you plan on running wires through walls.

[@AdrianBaptiste]

your daughter watching, listening and appreciating was so wholesome.. system sounds NICE.. I just got mine delivered today while out of state. Can't wait to hook it up!

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Thank you! I’m excited for you to hear it!

[@ghostpimp]

Every time I see the intro it makes me rewatch the movie

[@spaley100]

Thanks for sharing this. I’m still waiting for mine to arrive and really appreciate getting to hear some examples and your impressions of the system. I can’t wait to get my hands on this system.

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

You’re very welcome! I think you’ll be happy with it. I sure am!

[@markryan304]

The Dragons nice - the kid and dog are precious. My dog watched movies with us since she was a pup. Sleeps through fireworks Thanks for posting.

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Thank you! I have 2 dogs. My yellow lab just happened to be outside when I was filming. They both don’t mind it.

[@JohnSeitz]

Great review!! So does the front (side) drivers do a good job with creating side effects- ie extending the reach of the front stage??

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Thanks! The side firing speakers do make the sound feel more spacious. However, it doesn’t make it feel like the sound is coming from the sides. It just sounds like there’s a speaker that’s not pointed at you. It adds a little bit to the experience but ultimately it’s not as convincing as I was hoping it would be. There’s still a lot to like about the Dragon it’s just that the “sound bounce” isn’t one of them.

[@Professor5180]

Thanks for creating this video for us!

[@michaelbaldwin8869]

I like that the sound is crazy I'm saving up for this I like the traditional speakers. But I'm tired of all the wires but this is all in one love it

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Oh it can get crazy loud. It’s spectacular. Yeah power cords are all you need to worry about. Hooking up the inputs to the dragon was a bit of a pain due to the size and weight of the soundbar, but once that’s done it smooth sailing.

[@michaelbaldwin8869]

I can imagine watching transformers on it

[@theMatch111]

The sound you should try is the transformers movie sound, sounds real good

[@philemon8597]

Awesome Dude Thanks for sharing ❤

[@anandpillay2359]

Great demo thanks hopefully more videos

[@joereid84]

wow i can really hear the atmos surround from my stereo headphones amazing clarity! 🤣

[@hellterskeltor]

Awesome system cannot wait for mine to get here. What settings did you use native or studio? Studio is for loudness uncompressed format. Also the poping sound is probably due to wfi interface trying switching wifi channel. Also height channels turn the volume up and set to maximum and see then what happens with height channels..

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

I just updated the description area to include all the settings I was using. I’m excited for you to get yours!

[@hellterskeltor]

​@Ryan_Butterfield thank you for the demo as well, your daughter's, right it is awesome wow, sounded great...

[@thangvu7369]

Hey. I suggest playing the system at lower volume and incremental ly increase the volume in the next few weeks. all speakers need a break in period in order to sound their best

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Thanks for the tip. I may have already ruined that option but I’ll remember that.

[@Mr21scott]

No they don't. Especially smaller speakers like those found here.

[@ErikT595]

Best intro ever! 💪🔊

[@leatijoseph828]

Have you checked how dolphy digital works? all soundbars sound good in dolphy atmos, but only bass is heard in digital mode, have you checked them??

[@biswajeetsingh4994]

That was awesome 👌 👏 😎 🙌

[@paulbludov5291]

Thanks for the demos! How would you compare it to traditional 5.1.2 / 7.1.2 setups of the same $3-4k budget?

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

You’re welcome. I wish I could give you a good answer on that but I’ve never actually owned a traditional set up like that with a receiver. I imagine the front left and right separation would be better. Being a soundbar does present some limitations in that regard. However the dragon’s surrounds do provide great immersion and separation.

[@spdcrzy]

I've had a 7.1.2. The Dragon just blows it out of the water for two reasons: 1) AMT tweeters and 2) true AVR Dolby codecs.

[@sirdan357]

@@spdcrzy Must have been a crappy 7.1 system.

[@spdcrzy]

@@sirdan357 most 7.1 systems are. It was an Onkyo/Yamaha system with a Denon AVR from the mid 2010s. And it was EXPENSIVE.

[@secondamazonprime-kv5xo]

Thanks for sharing! Even at the high price, it’s currently sold out!!

[@willmeeks7168]

Are you buying one?

[@secondamazonprime-kv5xo]

@@willmeeks7168 of course aren’t you?!

[@willmeeks7168]

@@secondamazonprime-kv5xo yes purchased mines yesterday, which is why I asked you that because they have some for sale on the website. Not the new package tho. Tracking says I will get it Thurs. Also bought the wall mounts for rears off Amazon.

[@secondamazonprime-kv5xo]

@@willmeeks7168 tell us if it’s worth the hype! I’m due for an upgrade from my JBL SB400 from 10years ago! I actually only reusing 3 years ago because I had the Bose surround sound cubes and would switch back and forth depending on what I was watching. All the reviews have been nothing but positive but would like to hear from a non-KZbinr. Update: Amazon has it for $3,199.99 as I was responding to you!! How much did you pay?!

[@factsonly3685]

That was great sound that opening scene from Top Gun is great to test a system, it sounded impressive sharp and clear but I didn’t hear the loud bass as I would have imagined, maybe with changed settings it will sound better. Thanks for sharing, it’s the first video where someone is showing the power of sound emitted through this sound system.

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Trust me the room was full of bass. It sounds a lot better in person than it does here on KZbin. That slam around 2:09 when the title appears was intense.

[@factsonly3685]

@@Ryan_Butterfield the sound from your video was better than these professionals making these videos but always choose the wrong sound. I originally heard this scene on older 801 B&W speakers with a Bryston receiver and that sound is engrained in my mind. So I have a reference point, i noticed your ceilings are higher than eight feet and can have an impact also, there are too many variables to consider here, anyway i enjoyed your video because the sound came across very close to my experience with an AVR.

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

@@factsonly3685 Yes my ceilings are 9 feet. Glad you enjoyed this video!

[@TheRokaphella]

Thanks for the Demo!🖖

[@jasonedwards172]

TGM sounds phenomenal with my Samsung Hw-Q930 - I can imagine this is on a whole new level with your Dragon!. Enjoy.

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

I bet it does! I just upgraded from a $250 Vizio sound bar system, so this dragon was a big jump for me. I’m definitely enjoying it.

[@NeelkanthJadhav]

Kids must be saying, my dad's toys are built different 😂 3:20

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Yes they most certainly are! Lol

[@xXhikashiXx]

I'm not saying it doesn't sound good it does but I just feel woth a price like that you can get something from svs of klipsch and have a much better expirence

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

That’s exactly what I ended up doing. I put together a Klipsch system. And yes, it’s better than the Dragon. But the Dragon would be a good choice for some.

[@cmorichie7202]

Seems more suited for a nice projector setup. Sounds good though for sure..

[@nekerrivera]

Awww look at your little one. I have three girls and one boy and I hope they react the same way when I receive mine. Mommy won’t react the same way when she found out how much I paid for it 😂.

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

I hope so too! One of my boys liked it but my youngest didn’t lol. Oh well. I’ll say a prayer for mommy lol

[@876oprah-winfrey9]

All the dragon set up videos guys are have to sub port facing the front of the room. Wouldn’t you get deeper base with the room gain by turning the port to the wall or does it sound boomy?

[@0527jkmaster]

why is my nakamichi dragon 11.4.6 subwoofer only one is working?

[@solaceight7361]

Wow! Thanks Ryan for posting demos for the Dragon 🐉 !!! Top Gun sound amazing… Your videos give great perspective. My Dragon has not shipped yet, hopefully this month! How are the height channels with your testing? Do you have any thoughts on Dragon Music 🎵??? Lossless Music with Apple Music/ Apple TV etc… Thanx.

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

You’re welcome! I just finished watching Dune on 4k blu ray. It sounded terrific! The heights added a nice touch to the sound field. When I isolate the height channels with test tones built into the dragon for calibration I find the 2 height channels in the front sound bar to sound elevated compared to the bar, but not quite above me. The heights in the rear surrounds are the most effective at sounding like they’re actually above me. Music is more of a mixed bag so far. The subs can produce a good rumble for movies but I haven’t been able to get them to sound as accurate or punchy as I’d like for music. They can’t touch the subs I used to have in my car back in the day. That’s what I was hoping for the the dragon subs, but no dice. The sound bar and surrounds do a great job with music. I prefer “all channel surround” for music. I don’t have access to lossless music unfortunately. I hope you get the experience you want when yours arrives. Thanks for watching!

[@factsonly3685]

Read your comment on NE channel you returned your system, did you replace with an avr system.

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

I did actually return it. And yes I replaced it with a traditional AVR system. I have a video on my channel showing it. Part of what you pay for with the Dragon is convenience. I decided to go a different route and I’m happier. That being said the Dragon is quite good for what it is.

[@Rapg8029]

Great demo, thank you so much for sharing. I’ll be getting mine in October, I can’t wait! Question: Did you change any settings in the system settings? Or it’s all factory? If you did change anything in settings, could you share which sound options you picked? My living room is small as well so I’m trying to find out what settings work best for small rooms. Thanks again 👍🏻

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

You’re welcome. I calibrated the distances for all the speakers. I also and had it on Dolby surround, Movie 2 EQ. AHD was max.

[@amitaphale18]

Waiting for your next video.. can you play some music genres..? How long did they take to deliver after you reserved it?

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Music…that’s a good idea. Perhaps I’ll try to make a video like that. Mine actually took 4 months to arrive after I bought it but that’s because I was one of the first 500 to get the limited edition version. I think if you order it now it only takes about 2 months. Don’t quote me on that though.

[@amitaphale18]

@@Ryan_Butterfield your dragon sounds awesome and pretty sure it was worth the wait. Thanks for your response.

[@emiliohernandez9486]

No manches, quisiera estar ahí pará apreciar el sonido y la imágen, es oled verdad??🎉🎉

[@suasponte4968]

Thanks for the demo. And that sweet little Angel watching daddy in the corner 🙂

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

She has FOMO….she always has to be where the action is, lol. I love her though :)

[@dannewhouse5333]

Thank you Ryan for opening up your room for us! Beautiful daughter! I really appreciate all the info you are giving. I do very little streaming and mostly watch actual discs. I feel they have better sound as thats what I feel is sacrificed more than the picture with streaming. I have a hunch whats causing your pops is the streaming. Have you heard it at all with an actual disc??? just curious for my own knowledge and troubleshooting if needed.😏 Thank You again!!! Dan Newhouse AKA Dartman😊 ***My Dragon should be here in about 7-10 days…got my shipping soon message from Nakamichi today!😊

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Thanks Dan! I know there’s a lot of people looking for info and reviews of this so that’s why I’ve posted a couple videos. Unfortunately the pops and crackling have only occurred with 4k discs. It’s not often I’m able to push things that loud so I haven’t been able to recreate that problem and/or attempt to fix it yet. Terrific news on getting your message from Nakamichi today!

[@danemoreno88]

How big is your room ? Pretty cool for a all in one system but damn this thing is expensive

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

The room is 17x12 with a 9 foot ceiling. It more than fills the room.

[@keyranger9749]

Awesome , the price went up another $500 for the dragon!!!!

[@korveboa]

Awesome!! Cant wait for mine to arrive in november. Is the surrounds all plastic or plastic and metal?

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

The surrounds appear to be metal on the grille side and plastic on the back and top. I think you’ll be happy with yours when it arrives.

[@theweirdbeard6289]

Please upload a demo of the batmobile startup sequence and chase from “the Batman”(2022) always wanted to hear what that sounded like on this system at a fairly high volume!

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

I haven’t seen that movie yet. I’ll add it to my list to eventually get around to.

[@ahamedalthaf5824]

The best in the world.

[@Mandooku]

Have you heard/used the previous nakamichi 9.2.4 before this? If so how would this compare to that? Think its worth the upgrade for a smaller room?

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Sorry but this is my first Nakamichi product. The Soundbar it’s replacing is a Vizio from 2015.

[@alvidrez7956]

Very impressive

[@robertmarquez1137]

What is your opinion of the system?

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

I pinned a comment up top for you.

[@oldsnwbrdr]

Do you have Master and Commander on blu ray (DTS)? Curious to know how the Nak processes older surround mixes.

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

No I don’t. But I did pick up Gladiator on 4k blu ray and that is DTSX. I still need to play it but I’m curious as well how it will sound.

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

No I don’t. But I did pick up Gladiator on 4k blu ray and that is DTSX. I still need to play it but I’m curious as well how it will sound.

[@johndao4660]

Where I buy system 11.4.6 Best Buy sale old system

[@Saintgermaingreatdanes]

Nice!

[@andrewe1253]

I really don't see much difference between the 2022 nakamichi 9.2.4 earc. The only thing I see here is that it has more highs at lower volume due to amt tweeter. It is basically same sound quality as the 9 2.4 earc and both system have same immersion if set properly. The dragon is just same system in an expensive enclosure. I think the selling point is the wireless ability, casing and four subwoofer.

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

I can’t speak to that with certainty since I haven’t heard the 9.2.4, but if you do some research you’ll see it’s an entirely different system. It’s shares no components. Also there are people who have owned both systems who state the dragon is far superior. You can check AVS forum for this if you’re interested. This KZbin video is more a novelty than an accurate audio demonstration.

[@swaroop760]

Omfg 🫡🫡

[@HulkCinem4566]

👌👌

[@anandpillay2359]

How it is on music listening

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

I'd say it's pretty solid. It's making me want to listen to music more, so that's good.

[@Ziontrainism]

I hope your neighbors are 80s music fans 😂

[@Cocker_Spaniel]

This is the new model right?

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

It’s a brand new sound system that just came out a couple months ago. It’s the only version of the Dragon they offer as a sound bar.

[@Cocker_Spaniel]

@@Ryan_Butterfield what's the name of the model?

[@Tanulku]

I can’t believe my eyes. You own the best speaker setup and the worst standing lights…

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Priorities brother, lol. They were purchased during a rough time in my life and I needed something cheap. Fortunately things have improved since then. Perhaps it’s time to upgrade them.

[@gauravampire2201]

Also use Govee…

[@erospistaa]

What TV you got?

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Last years Samsung QN90B. 85 inches. It’s wonderful.

[@erospistaa]

@@Ryan_Butterfield It sure is. Congrats 👍🏻

[@moharsai2188]

Not available in india

[@roguewarr4662]

Is it worth the 3.5k to you .

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Part of what you pay for with the Dragon is the convenience. It's worth it if you want really good sound quality with minimal effort to set it up. Every part of it matches and works seamlessly. However a more traditional AVR set up will give you even better sound quality for the same money. It just takes more research and work choosing all the gear, running wires and setting it all up. It all comes down to what your priorities are in a sound system.

[@roguewarr4662]

@@Ryan_Butterfield Thanks for the feed back .

[@toxin7883]

I’d put the second sub by the couch you sit on

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

Since I made this video I actually have moved one of the subs behind my couch. It’s a small improvement.

[@Manikanta-pl7dd]

Chance to win 😁 a give away

[@TheMerlin1984]

Sounds awesome, but aesthetically…… personally, I think it’s hideous

[@Ryan_Butterfield]

It has a commanding presence. I happen to love the way it looks, but to each his own.

[@garretts431]

Lol 1yr warranty for a $4k product. Garbage.

[@Questions4ALL]

What else is out there that sounds just as good or better for cheaper price

[@garretts431]

@@Questions4ALL probably an ambeo plus with a pb2000 or 3000 subwoofer. Get it on sale and it’s even better. Once surrounds are released the ambeo will be an even stronger contender. Your reply also doesnt combat the 1yr warranty for a $4k product. Nakamichi clearly does not stand behind their product and it’s quite terrible.

[@donrichter3523]

The poor is whining

[@garretts431]

@@donrichter3523 you think $4k is expensive? Hahaha you really don’t own any home theater products do you? An avg home theater (not soundbar) starts at around $10k. Good try though

[@garretts431]

@@Questions4ALL sonos full system, Samsung 990D, ambeo if you want single bar solution, the new Sony Bravia quad. plenty of competition for cheaper dummy. Digital trends also mentions the atmos on the Sonos system edges out the dragon..haha. The dragon also neglects calibration (unlike real receivers) can’t support a 3rd party subwoofer, no wifi, manual updates via usb stick, the subwoofers roll off at 32hz (lolol $4k for trashcans) looks like a cheap plastic toy, and a really poor 1yr warranty. And you get all of this for a whopping $4k!!! What a deal But hey, at least its dynamics are good