After two more days of listening to the HT2-TL, I have some more thoughts.
Many ST owners or prospective owners, myself included, want or wanted to compare the HT2-TL to the ST and particularly the ST RT, since both speakers are an MTM design with the same tweeter. Additionally, both speakers have MK QWTL type cabinets, and with the HT2-TL's black baffle, the speakers appear remarkably similar, seemingly moving the HT2-TL in to the role as an ST RT on steroids rather than an HT2 with a TL cabinet.
I have never heard the HT2 (or the HT3), but the differences between the HT2-TL and the ST RT, based on my memory of the ST RT, and the way that the HT2-TL interacts with my room, are substantial enough that, in my opinion, the ST RT cannot be fairly compared to the HT2-TL.
Although Salk speakers are "voiced" the same (with a big thank you to Dennis), the HT2-TL has deeper and more powerful bass. There is also more midrange presence, and the midrange seems both more detailed and smoother, based upon my recollection. I listened to Shelby Lynn's Just a Little Loving CD this morning, and her voice was, without doubt, clearer than on the ST RT, and I believe that I heard a little momentary distortion from the recording. Her voice was so clear and smooth, it was "better than live." The detail that was reproduced by the HT2-TL was incredible.
Although I have a small room, the ST RT's sound didn't engulf me (in a good way) as does the HT2-TL's sound. If the HT2-TL is "being there," the ST RT was "being near there." In comparison to the HT2-TL, the ST RT's sound was "distant." Even in my small room, the HT2-TL's sound is not coming from boxes. Although the ST RT are beautifully sounding speakers, and I thought that the speakers disappeared in my room, when I initially hooked up the HT2-TL, and my mind wandered back to my experiences listening to the ST RT, I didn't think that the ST RT disappeared as well in comparison, even though the HT2-TL is a larger speaker, particularly because the ST RT's sound seemed more distant.
I made a lot of changes to my room's acoustic treatments between owning the ST RT and HT2-TL. I increased the thickness of the absorption in every position except the 1st and 2nd side wall reflection points, and this undoubtedly changes the listening experience, and I think that the changes are more significant for the HT2-TL with the HT2-TL's deeper bass, although I suspect that most rooms will be served by increased low end absorption, even with speakers that don't have deep bass extension.
I think that the HT2-TL is far superior to the ST RT. The HT2-TL is also more expensive. For me, the rather minimal difference in price between the two speakers, based upon their production costs and performance, would knock the ST RT out of contention. In my opinion, the HT2-TL's quality easily justifies the additional cost. I haven't heard the ST dome, but at half the price of the HT2-TL, I can't imagine that the HT2-TL is twice the speaker, but if I were choosing between the three speakers, after owning the HT2-TL, I would buy the ST dome or the HT2-TL rather than the ST RT. On the other hand, both the ST RT and HT2-TL are great speakers regardless of price, but price obviously plays a role in a buyer's decision.
This isn't a scientific comparison. This isn't even an A-B comparison. There could be psychoacoustics involved in the formulation of my opinion, and the modification of my room's treatments could have also improved the sound. I could also want to rationalise my increased spending. However, objectively, and this does not necessarily relate to sound quality, the midwoofers in the HT2-TL are at least, I believe, $500.00 more expensive than in the ST RT, and the larger and thicker cabinet materials also cost more, and the increased material costs appear to contribute to a significant portion of the cost differences between the speakers.
With the HT2-TL's deeper bass, better midrange, better power handling capabilities, and more "being there," I think that the HT2-TL is a better speaker than the ST RT, and a fairer comparison, in my opinion, would be to compare the HT2-TL to the HT2 (the HT2-TL is an HT2, after all), the V3, or the HT3 rather than to the ST RT.
Just my $.02. I suspect that others might not agree.
I invited Jim to join us at the Indiana DIY gathering held today in Auburn, IN - even though his speakers are a bit beyond DIY, the guys always love checking them out. Jim took me up on the offer and brought down a beautiful pair of HT2-TL's. To top it off, Paul Kittinger, who worked on the transmission line tuning, came in from Ohio too, and the three of us had a nice lunch together, but I digress.
We listened to a lot of speakers today, the HT2-TL being one pair of them. However, I think of couple of comments are in order. First, these are big and HEAVY speakers. I helped set them up, and these towers made from 1" MDF are not whimpy by any means. Second, the had the typical Salk finish, which is to say that they were spectacular. Jim will have to say what the veneer was, I saw too many speakers and can't remember exactly what he said these were, but they were beautiful, and finished perfectly in every way.
So how did they sound? Glad you asked. I felt the voicing through the crossover and the tweeter balance was absolutely perfect. (And I'm pretty tough on this sort of thing). The drivers integrated wonderfully, and seamlessly, and the taller tower placed the MTM at just the right height. Where the crossover and driver balance is concerned I think Dennis did a fabulous job, and I think you would be hard-pressed to find anything better.
The Seas Excel woofers are very revealing drivers compared to most others out there, and the LCY tweeter (my first experience with it) was very, very clean. These are detailed speakers, and they are detailed speakers with bass. Honest bass, and a lot of speakers today don't have this.
There were times I thought they were a little shy of deep bass, then a passage would play that had the deep bass and it was all there, with no bloat or overhang - just honest bass. If you listen to speakers that have a little more boom, they sound a little impressive until you hear an accurate speaker that is also deep, and then you realize which is right and which is not. The HT2-TL's are right. If you have ever experienced a speaker that has clear detail in the bass range then you know what I mean. Paul K. did a great job on the TL tuning, and even though the room we were in left a lot to be desired the bass was very clean, tight, deep, and very very accurate.
So, in the end, I guess I would sum these speakers up by simply saying they are extremely accurate and honest in everything they do. If you are interested in a flashy speaker with lots of punch and zing don't get a pair of these. However, if you want a speaker that is extremely accurate from the top to the bottom, one whose bass is as clean and detailed as its mids and highs, and all you get back from them is the music, then Jim has a winner here in my book, and these are the speakers. Only if you do get them, get some help carrying them in, these puppies are heavy.
Oh, and we probably played these louder than we did almost anything else today, and loud they were just as clean and revelaing as they were at softer levels. They never got harsh - just louder, and they sounded great cranked up a little. I was sitting by Jim during the demo and he looks over at Ben running the controls and says "turn it up.....no, more". Well, they were getting pretty loud and sounded like they were just beginning to stretch their legs with a lot more in reserve. With a little power thrown at them they left everything else we listened to back in the dust somewhere. So, don't be afraid to really play some music through these things.
Dennis, Paul, JIm, - you guys did a great job on these.
Jeff B.
