BrianM -
Well, we can certainly customize the finish. However, I think the price differential would be a deal breaker. It would put you too close to the cost of the QW's and HT2's. Its all a matter of labor.
Which raises the question of how exactly you're going to market those two existing models vis a vis the new, er, Salk Synergy Composts.
It's simply not an issue. The market will sort it out.
For example, we have always offered the MBOW1's (another great Dennis Murphy design and a very good speaker in its own right). For some people, it is the perfect speaker for their budget and application. But the availability of the MBOW1's does not seem to impact the demand for Veracity HT1's. In fact, more than a few MBOW1 customers have gone on to purchase HT1's or HT3's and just moved their MBOW1's to another room.
For some, this new design will be a perfect fit. But for others, the Veracity QW's (another 2-way transmission line design) or the HT2's will make more sense.
With many customers, part of our job is to help them sort this out. It is a matter of discussing their budget, their room size, their application, their listening tastes and habits, and their aesthetic likes and dislikes. Taking all that into account, one model speaker may make more sense than others. I might note here that, while it rarely happens, we sometimes conclude we simply don't have a fit for them. In those cases, we either recommend some other brand of speaker or begin development of a new model to address those needs.
This new model will be a perfect fit for someone looking for a slim, floor-standing speaker with a high SAF and exceptional performance characteristics for an investment of under $1500.
With every potential design we consider, there are certain questions we always ask.
First, if this were the only pair of speakers in my home, would I be satisfied? If we can't answer yes to this question, we do not offer the model. Obviously there is a huge performance difference between, say, the MBOW1's and the HT3's. Yet, I listen to MBOW1's every day in my shop and find them quite enjoyable. For a small, bookshelf speaker, they are simply incredible performers.
The second question is whether or not the design constitutes a price/performance breakthrough. We feel that every speaker we offer represents an incredible audio value. Our HT3's, for example, are not inexpensive. But many HT3 owners have reported replacing much more expensive speakers because the HT3's simply out-performed them.
In the case of this new design, I am not personally aware of any commercial transmission line speaker using drivers and crossovers of this quality anywhere near this price point. In that regard, we are excited to be able to offer it to our customers.
Third, and perhaps most important, will customers purchasing a given model feel their money was well spent? Will the speaker's performance exceed their expectations at that level of investment?
In terms of this new model, if price were not an object, are there better speakers out there? Obviously there are. Are there better speakers available at or near this price point? We don't think so.
If these were the only speakers in our home, would we be happy? Absolutely.
Will customers who purchase this model feel they made a good investment? We feel confident they will.
I hope this makes sense.
- Jim
