kono kopiiki ha mae no hodo hayaku arimasen ga, oto ha sorehodo ookiku arimasen.

この is the form you use when you are directly modifying a noun.

• このコピー機 = this copier
• これ = this one / this thing

So:

• このコピー機 is correct because コピー機 comes right after it.
• If the noun were omitted, you could say これは instead.

Here, 前の means the previous one.

It is short for something like:

• 前のコピー機 = the previous copier

Japanese often leaves out a noun if it is already clear from context. Since the sentence is about a copier, コピー機 after 前の does not need to be repeated.

Also, の is what lets 前 connect to a noun:

• 前 by itself can mean before / front / previous
• 前の + noun means the previous ...

So 前の here is basically the previous one.

This is the comparison pattern:

• A は B ほど adjective-negative
• meaning: A is not as adjective as B

So in this sentence:

• このコピー機は前のほど速くありません
• This copier is not as fast as the previous one

Here, ほど means something like to the extent of.

So 前のほど means to the extent of the previous one → as the previous one.

This pattern is very common:

• 今日は昨日ほど寒くないです。 = Today is not as cold as yesterday.

Both ほど and より are used in comparisons, but they work differently.

1. A は B ほど adjective-negative

This means:

• A is not as adjective as B

Example from your sentence:

• このコピー機は前のほど速くありません
• This copier is not as fast as the previous one

2. A は B より adjective

This means:

• A is more adjective than B

For example:

• 前のコピー機はこのコピー機より速いです。
• The previous copier is faster than this copier.

These are close in meaning, but the perspective is different.

• ほど pattern focuses on A not reaching B’s level
• より pattern states which one has more of that quality

So the original sentence sounds natural because it describes the new copier by saying it does not match the old one in speed.

Because they are い-adjectives, and this is the polite negative form.

Basic pattern

For an い-adjective:

1. remove the final い
2. add くありません

So:

• 速い → 速くありません
• 大きい → 大きくありません

This means:

• 速くありません = is not fast
• 大きくありません = is not big / is not loud
  In this sentence, 大きい describes sound, so it means loud, not physically big.

A less formal version would be:

• 速くない
• 大きくない

Because ありません is already a polite predicate.

So:

• 速くありません
• 大きくありません

are already complete polite sentence endings.

You do not say:

• 速くありませんです ✗

That would be incorrect.

Here, が means but.

It connects two contrasting statements:

• not as fast as the previous one
• but the noise is not that loud

So the sentence structure is:

• X ですが、Y
• X, but Y

In Japanese, が is often softer than a strong English but. It can sound like:

• but
• although
• while

depending on context.

In everyday speech, learners also often hear:

• けど
• けれども

which can serve a similar function.

The second は marks a new topic and creates contrast.

First part:

• このコピー機は = as for this copier

Second part:

• 音は = as for its noise

This helps organize the sentence into two contrasted aspects:

• speed
• noise

So the sentence is roughly saying:

• As for this copier, it isn’t as fast as the previous one, but as for the noise, it isn’t that loud.

This use of は is very common when comparing different qualities of the same thing.

それほど means to that extent or that much.

With a negative, it often means:

• not that ...
• not so ...
• not particularly ...

So:

• それほど大きくありません
• it isn’t that loud
• it’s not so loud

This is slightly different from the earlier ほど in the comparison.

• 前のほど = as the previous one
• それほど = that much / to that extent

Even though they both contain ほど, the grammar is different here.

Because Japanese often leaves out possessive expressions when they are obvious from context.

A fuller version could be:

• このコピー機の音はそれほど大きくありません。

But since the topic is already this copier, saying just 音は is enough.

So Japanese naturally understands it as:

• its noise
• the copier’s noise

This kind of omission is very common and makes the sentence sound less repetitive.

Yes, it could, but the nuance changes slightly.

それほど大きくありません

• not that loud
• not so loud
• often suggests comparison with some expectation or previously mentioned standard

あまり大きくありません

• not very loud
• a more general statement about degree

So both are natural, but:

• それほど feels more like not as much as you might think / not to that extent
• あまり feels more like not very

In this sentence, それほど works well because the sentence is already making a contrast and talking about degree.

Yes. In Japanese, 音が大きい means the sound is loud.

So:

• 音が大きい = the sound is loud
• 音が小さい = the sound is quiet / low

This is a very normal Japanese way to describe volume. Even though 大きい literally means big, with sound/noise it naturally means loud.