AudioCircle
Industry Circles => Salk Signature Sound => Topic started by: DMurphy on 6 Sep 2011, 07:19 pm
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Hi I'm just trying to decide whether I should spend money I don't have on a ticket to Denver for the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest. Is anyone else Denver-bound to hear the SS12's?
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Hi I'm just trying to decide whether I should spend money I don't have on a ticket to Denver for the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest. Is anyone else Denver-bound to hear the SS12's?
Probably not. :-(
I am scheduled to have knee surgery on October 7th and I don't think I want to deal with long plane rides and walking all over hotels a week later.
George
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Is anyone else Denver-bound to hear the SS12's?
I am going to Denver. Just got my plane reservations today. I am going to Denver to hear the competition since I already have SoundScapes. :icon_lol:
Dennis, I hope you go.
Bob
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I plan on being there since I live in Denver--probably Saturday. Would love to meet up with some fellow Salk board members.
As for the SS12s, I can hardly contain myself as I got word from Jim that my SS12s will likely ship later this week! I do look forward to hearing the RMAF 12s in a different room/different electronics though.
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I'll be there Friday and Saturday. I can ask Jim if he likes working with mesquite.
Wayne
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I'll be there Friday and Saturday. I can ask Jim if he likes working with mesquite.
Wayne
Wayne:
Better ask him if he likes working with MONEY!!!. That will get his attention PRONTO!!!
Cheers
Charlie
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Wayne:
Better ask him if he likes working with MONEY!!!. That will get his attention PRONTO!!!
Cheers
Charlie
He already has my money. :)
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Which Salk speakers will be playing at this year's RMAF?
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I checked to see if I could arrange a last min. :x
trip :) It looks like most of the hotels are sold out :icon_twisted:?
Any recomendations on where to stay?????
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Which Salk speakers will be playing at this year's RMAF?
A final decision has not been made. But it looks like SoundScape 12's and SongTower "RT's" will most likely be in room 1107.
- Jim
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Just booked a flight
Been conversing with Jim on the soundscapes
And in a quandary on wood selection
I have ht3s. As for the soundscapes - The opportunity to hear them first is ideal
Also a good excuse to head off to the mountains
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I'll be there! Will there be doctors standing by to remove a kidney in case I accidentally hear the SoundScapes?
:lol: :lol:
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You fellas are in for a real treat! Those SoundScapes are superb, especially when considering their asking price.
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I am sitting across the street from RMAF staring at the light dusting of snow on Mt Evans contemplating that in a few short hours I will be catching up with Jim and hearing the Soundscapes
My HT3s are sitting at home fearful that they get relegated to the home theatre room
Can't wait
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Show is over. I am sitting at the show hotel waiting for tomorrow to fly back home. I had a great time. Jim had the stuff souding good in his room. See everybody tomorrow night!
Bob
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Any pics or more feedback about the SALK/AVA room?
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(http://www.wghwoodworking.net/RMAF2011/salk_songtower.jpg)
(http://www.wghwoodworking.net/RMAF2011/salk_soundscape.jpg)
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If it wasn't b-a-d-a-s-s enough, with that mood lighting, oh boy!
Congrats, gentlemen, wish I'd been there to hear and see it.
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Any pics or more feedback about the SALK/AVA room?
I see you have only gotten one reply to your request so I will add a few comments to my previous post. First let me say that shows usually aren’t the best place to hear a speaker as the room conditions can be bad. That said, I did hear many more systems sound good than at the RMAF 2008.
With the extra complication of the back ambiance wave from the SoundScapes, I was worried what I might hear. Although the sound wasn’t what they were capable of, I thought they sounded good. They were less warm than what I have at home. I am not sure why? I could tell that there was an increase in dynamic range. That was probably due to the increased efficiency of the 12s vs. my 10s and the increased horsepower of Frank’s amp. Jim had some stuffing in the midrange tunnel but it was less than I use. The clarity improves as you increase stuffing and the open baffle bloom reduces.
I thought the SongTowers sounded fantastic with the UltraValve. That is a good combo. The RAAL on the SongTowers was spectacular. For the price, I wasn’t a fan of the LCY on the SongTowers, but the RAAL is so good that it is worth it, even though there is an increase in clarity as the frequencies rise.
In spite of the great sounds at the show, nothing moved me to tears like firing up my SoundScapes and watching the XFactor show I recorded Sunday on my DVR.
Bob
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Bob-- I agree about the SongTowers and the Ultravalve being a killer combo.
I personally am ordering the ST's without the RAAL, as we spoke about after dinner.
They definitely are amazing with the Scapes.
Wayne-- Great shots of the gear. I did miss hearing the ST's with the 400R. I don't believe it was running at the time of your pic either.
Can anyone report on that combo?
James
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… I personally am ordering the ST's without the RAAL…
James
Congrats on your ST purchase! I'm confident you'll love them.
We met at the CAF in July, and you had asked to hear my STs. I see you were able to make your mind without that :D.
I've heard STs driven by many different amps including AVA Ultravalve, Insight 260, & FetValve 550s, but not the new 400R. In my opinion the STs sounded good with any of those amps.
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(http://www.wghwoodworking.net/RMAF2011/salk_songtower.jpg)
(http://www.wghwoodworking.net/RMAF2011/salk_soundscape.jpg)
So what are the Songtowers sitting on ? Something we should know aboout ?
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We met at the CAF in July, and you had asked to hear my STs.
Rich,
Sorry for the delay, and thank you again, for that gracious offer.
I had some health issues that precluded my accepting your kindness, and your offer
to preview the Salk ST's, in your home.
I hope that there may be a Mid Atlantic AC Group meeting soon, so that we can
compare the sound.
James
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Rich,
Sorry for the delay, and thank you again, for that gracious offer.
I had some health issues that precluded my accepting your kindness, and your offer
to preview the Salk ST's, in your home.
I hope that there may be a Mid Atlantic AC Group meeting soon, so that we can
compare the sound.
James
I'm sorry to hear about your health issues and hope you're on the mend. If getting SongTowers has a beneficial effect on one's health, we'd all love to hear about it first here! That would take the placebo effect to a new and different level. 4 out of 5 medical experts agree "take 2 aspirin, listen to SongTowers, and call me in the morning" :green:
A Mid Atlantic AC group meeting sounds interesting. Keep me posted.
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As a proud owner of Ht3s,and having been talking to Jim on finishes for a pair of Soundscapes 10s for several weeks, I decided to make a pilgrimage to RMAF. What an experience.
Upon arriving, I immediately rode up to the eleventh floor, directly into the exquisite Salk suite.As Jim and I were in the middle of a pleasant conversion, it happened. Even from where we were standing,off to the side kitchen nook of the room,it was immediately apparent that the Soundscapes were everything and more.
The music was instantly engaging and I felt completely immersed in the performance. The speakers disappeared in the room effortlessly. Pinpoint imaging and distinct separation of individual instruments. One of the most critical elements - Tonal balance is exceptional - with full body and ambience of each respective instrument. Dynamics - attack was stellar. Seamless integration top to bottom. To say I was stunned would be an understatement.
Song after song, the Soundscapes removed the veil around the music to reveal it's essence. Jim and Dennis had outdone themselves! I was speechless!
Jim then showed me the engineering behind the sound. A knock on the bass cabinet clearly demonstrated the lack of resonance with the 2inch thick cabinets. The baffle options certainly add the flexibility in tayloring and enhancing the musical experience. The opposing passive drivers providing tight precise bass response.
Jim's stream player is a perfect media option. The iPad interface option is a nice feature to manage all your music. We had been listening to it all day and combo with the Soundscapes impeccable. There were a lot of turntable front ends and the stream held it's own.
After having been blown away, I decided to spend the rest of the day on a speaker quest - to see just how others attempted to pull off the ultimate in sonic reproduction. Room after room, price no object, nothing else moved me. Wilson Sophias, kef $47k, Sonis Faber $45k,on and on. Only the Vanderstein 7 at $50k and backed by $50k in audio research and also in another room with $$$ aesthetix were in the same league.
after visiting some of the other stellar small companies that I own equipment from Galibrier, Zyx, Doshi, I felt what better way to end my only day at the fest than to be treated once more to the sounds of Salk.
Thank you Jim and Mary for the great experience. I will savor the day that Soundscapes grace my humble home.
All the best
Tom
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Question: Who makes the rack that was in the Soundscape room at RMAF?
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I am glad I got a chance to meet you before you flew away. The Vandersteen 7s are very sweet. They were the only speakers at the show that would be capable of replacing my SoundScapes. If they were the same price it would be a tough decision. At four times the price, the decision is not too hard! :wink:
Bob
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I really liked the Vandy 7's at the last RMAF I attended. And I think Nuance was also very favorably impressed. I would love to get the SoundScapes and the the Vandy's inthe same room and compare carefully.
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I really liked the Vandy 7's at the last RMAF I attended. And I think Nuance was also very favorably impressed. I would love to get the SoundScapes and the the Vandy's inthe same room and compare carefully.
Or listen to the SoundScapes driven by $132,800 of ARC electronics plus other stuff (http://www.stereophile.com/rmaf2010/audio_research_and_vandersteen/index.html) like the Model 7's were last year. I'm not saying Van Alstine electronics are chopped liver but...
There has to be a curious Model 7 owner out there somewhere.
Wayne (a happy AVA owner)
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Bob, great meeting you as well. I spent the next three days up in the mountains. I still can't thank you enough for your in depth reviews of the Soundscapes. And finally hearing them was an ethereal experience.
Bob, Dennis and Wayne
I also wanted to hear the Vanderstein 7s with the same equipment and source material. They were playing a classical piece with phenomenal dynamics in the Audio Research room and some smooth layered jazz guitar work in the Aesthetix room. Both rooms were spare no expense. From what I had heard the Salk's would have held their own quite favorably. An incredible accomplishment.
A side by side critical listening experience on either of those two systems would have been interesting
My own experience with my HT3s. -any upgrade immediately shows even more how dynamic and refined the speakers are. Jim had great results with the Van Alstine gear which performed beautifully at fractions of the other systems prices - I was very impressed.
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Or listen to the SoundScapes driven by $132,800 of ARC electronics plus other stuff like the Model 7's were last year.
Both speakers seem so damned transparent that separating sonic differences between speaker and room/electronics/source is probably more in the realm of faith than science.
Bob
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Question: Who makes the rack that was in the Soundscape room at RMAF?
That was a rack we built for audio shows. It breaks down for easy transportation.
- Jim
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The equipment rack at the other end, used with the Songtowers, was the lowest price Sanus rack available. List price is probably under $150 and worked just fine.
One further note, both systems used all Bluejeans cables, both interconnects and speaker wires. I bought a double set for two complete systems from them for the show, cost, about $450.00.
Regards,
Frank Van Alstine
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I really liked the Vandy 7's at the last RMAF I attended. And I think Nuance was also very favorably impressed. I would love to get the SoundScapes and the the Vandy's inthe same room and compare carefully.
Yes sir. They are simply amazing. I'd like to hear the 7's and SS's in the same room being driven by lower priced gear, though. When the front end costs more than a $45,000 pair of speakers, well...
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I'd actually like to hear both speakers on the cost no object equipment
in their glorious splendor
the Salk HT3s I have enhanced every upgrade in my system - showing just how incredible they are.
So I can't imagine running ARC Ref material and a high end turntable on the front end for the comparison of the Vandy 7 and Soundscape.
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In Denver, Jim had this track that he called the Laugh Track because when he played it with the SoundScapes at VOLUME, people would just look at each other and laugh. It was that dynamic.
He also said that at the California show people literally ran down the hall to see what it was that they were hearing.
The tracks title on his server is Jazz Variants.
Jim, I researched it and that track is the last segment of a song titled Jazz Variants by The O-Zone Percussion Group from their La Bamba album.
I downloaded the complete track, and it is awesome. It will shake the place.
Thanks Jim.
James
Edit:
I should have mentioned the fact that at both the California show and RMAF,
it was the AVA Gear that ensured the aforementioned tune to be reproduced so faithfully by the Scapes. And at RMAF it was the newest in the AVA line.
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Actually the Salk speakers at RMAF were being driven by cost is no object electronics.
its just that AVA equipment simply does not cost all that much.
Don't confuse misplaced decimal points in the equipment price sheet with musical quality. :)
Best regards,
Frank Van Alstine
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In Denver, Jim had this track that he called the Laugh Track because when he played it with the SoundScapes at VOLUME, people would just look at each other and laugh. It was that dynamic.
He also said that at the California show people literally ran down the hall to see what it was that they were hearing.
The tracks title on his server is Jazz Variants.
Jim, I researched it and that track is the last segment of a song titled Jazz Variants by The O-Zone Percussion Group from their La Bamba album.
I downloaded the complete track, and it is awesome. It will shake the place.
Thanks Jim.
James
Edit:
I should have mentioned the fact that at both the California show and RMAF,
it was the AVA Gear that ensured the aforementioned tune to be reproduced so faithfully by the Scapes. And at RMAF it was the newest in the AVA line.
I checked out that CD on Amazon and liked the samples, so I think I'll order it. Thanks. :thumb:
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Doug Schroeder at Dagogo posted his impressions of the Salk/Ava room. He said he is working on a full review of a pair of SoundScape 10s!
http://www.dagogo.com/View-Article.asp?hArticle=944 (http://www.dagogo.com/View-Article.asp?hArticle=944)
Bob
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Doug goes on to say
Individuals who like the more mellow sound of Vandersteen speakers may want to have a listen to Salk’s offerings along with Van Alstine; do not be put off by the ceramic mid and ribbon tweeter, as in the Soundscape 12 these were delicate without harshness.
The last thing I think about Jim's speakers is 'more mellow'
Having a warmth and body around the instruments with natural tonality would be my description
Dependant on the source material - jarring music is going to sound jarring, a cello is going to sound warm with nice overtones
the lower end Vandersteins (model 1 & 2s) do have a "mellow masking" tone to them
the V5's and V7's are a different matter as are the Salks
will look forward to the full Soundsape review
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Doug Schroeder at Dagogo posted his impressions of the Salk/Ava room. He said he is working on a full review of a pair of SoundScape 10s!
http://www.dagogo.com/View-Article.asp?hArticle=944 (http://www.dagogo.com/View-Article.asp?hArticle=944)
Bob
Just noticed that the new pricing Jim mentioned would be coming has taken effect.
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Doug goes on to say
Individuals who like the more mellow sound of Vandersteen speakers may want to have a listen to Salk’s offerings along with Van Alstine; do not be put off by the ceramic mid and ribbon tweeter, as in the Soundscape 12 these were delicate without harshness.
The last thing I think about Jim's speakers is 'more mellow'
Having a warmth and body around the instruments with natural tonality would be my description
Dependant on the source material - jarring music is going to sound jarring, a cello is going to sound warm with nice overtones
the lower end Vandersteins (model 1 & 2s) do have a "mellow masking" tone to them
the V5's and V7's are a different matter as are the Salks
will look forward to the full Soundsape review
I agree. I found it funny that a certain couple of "show attendees" this year reported that the SS's were harsh sounding, blaming it on the midrange (they liked the speakers last year), but then others talked about the warm or mellow sound, while still others praised them for their neutrality. It just goes to show you we all have our own preferences. The two show attendees seem to prefer a more laid back sound, while I strive for neutrality; I want the artist to set the standard for how their material is suppose to sound, even if it's harsh or too laid back. I'm free to not listen if I don't want to.:) For what it's worth, I don't think the SS's are mellow or harsh at all; quite the opposite in fact (they are extremely detailed and neutral). I feel the same way about the Vandersteen 5A's and Model 7's. It will be highly dependent on the room acoustics, of course, because we all know they can effect the sound more than the speakers themselves.
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The example I always use is - listen to a full jazz big band - LIVE without amplification. When all the horns are blowing on crescendos, man, all that brass sound is harsh!