AudioCircle
Industry Circles => Salk Signature Sound => Topic started by: jsalk on 26 May 2015, 03:21 pm
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(http://salksound.com/gallery/newport/newportlogo.jpg)
http://theshownewport.com/ (http://theshownewport.com/)
Getting ready to shove off for The Show in Newport Beach, CA. This will be the first time we have shown in the LA area.
While at AXPONA, we were asked to supply speakers for this show. We will be showing the Exotica 3's and will be joined by Ginko Audio, Dana Cables, Lampizator (DAC) and Wells Audio (amplifier). It should be an interesting mix.
If you get a chance to attend, be sure and stop by and say hello. See you there!
- Jim
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Early comments on the Exotica 3's.
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=134533.msg1432812#msg1432812 (http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=134533.msg1432812#msg1432812)
Bob
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Stopped by the Newport show today, specifically room 1144, and got to hear the Exotica's. Truly amazing!!!!
It was really awesome to talk to Jim in person. Can't wait to get my Exotica's. I brought my camera with me so below are the photos to share:
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=121924)
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=121925)
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=121926)
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=121927)
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=121928)
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=121929)
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=121930)
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=121931)
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Stopped by the Newport show today, specifically room 1144, and got to hear the Exotica's. Truly amazing!!!!
It was really awesome to talk to Jim in person. Can't wait to get my Exotica's. I brought my camera with me so below are the photos to share:
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=121924)
Wow! :o
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The Exotica's sound even better than the look. Jim put on a track that was very prodigious in bass and the Exotica's delivered it in the most realistic way I have ever heard. The bass was tight but really, really, slamming and perfectly coherent with the mid and tweeter from top to bottom. Words can't really describe it.
Kyle
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I didn't realize the Exotica's had onboard amps. Wow! I'd love to hear them but maybe that wouldn't be a good idea ;).
Bill
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I didn't realize the Exotica's had onboard amps. Wow! I'd love to hear them but maybe that wouldn't be a good idea ;).
Bill
Yep, and what I didn't know is each woofer has its own 300 watt amp powering it. They were lovely Bill! If you know what's good for your wallet don't listen to them! :D
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Not each woofer. Two woofers per plate amp.
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Not each woofer. Two woofers per plate amp.
Ok, so 300 watts powering both woofers. I could have sworn at least two people said each woofer was powered individually. Must have meant each speaker.
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There is one Ucd (class D) amp for each woofer. So there are two amps per speaker, both servo controlled.
- Jim
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There is one Ucd (class D) amp for each woofer. So there are two amps per speaker, both servo controlled.
- Jim
I thought that was what I heard, and it was probably you Jim that told me. It was a real pleasure to meet you!
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Well, that was dumb of me. Two modules in one plate... Sigh. I have to learn to keep quite when I forget things... Hope the show went well.
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Jim, do you have them bi-wired or bi-amped? I notice two sets of cables plugged in.
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This one I can field. It's biwired becuase the Dana Cables are biwire cables. I don't think you could biamp the E3s as there is only one set of binding posts.
Shawn
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This one I can field. It's biwired becuase the Dana Cables are biwire cables. I don't think you could biamp the E3s as there is only one set of binding posts.
Shawn
Thanks. I thought Jim was using BJC all around? Right they can't be bi-amped, since the woofer is already amped. I knew this but hadn't had sufficient coffee.
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No. Dana Cable at this show.
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Got a dumb question, cause I'm dumb about wiring. Is the bi-wire look on the hookup of these E3s due to the desire to use the better Dana Cables but they only come in bi-wire configuration and rather than leave two of the wires hanging out in midair, they are also attached to the appropriate binding posts? This must not hurt the sound or otherwise it would not be done this way, but does it help the sound of the speakers in any way?
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Although these cables could certainly be used to bi-wire, that wasn't the concept here. As I understand it, there are four 4 gauge conductors woven together. They are obviously thick and heavy. So there are spades on one pair and banana plugs on the other. You probably couldn't get those connectors on two cables. But you can attach the spades first and then the banana plugs. The result is two 4 gauge cables on each terminal.
As for sound, since it was the only way we had them set up, I don't know how they might have improved the sound. With a new DAC, new amp and new cables involved (new to us), I don't have any way to know what contributed what to the sound. But the synergy was excellent.
- Jim
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The best I've heard any Salk speakers sound, an opinion I've already seen echo'ed around the Internet. Perhaps a new direction? Keep (and keep improving) the older models for those who prefer them, and add more models like the Exotica for those who like this sound?
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The best I've heard any Salk speakers sound, an opinion I've already seen echo'ed around the Internet. Perhaps a new direction? Keep (and keep improving) the older models for those who prefer them, and add more models like the Exotica for those who like this sound?
Yes, we will definitely continue working in multiple directions. Later this year, we will probably have even more directions to explore (at the risk of too many choices).
- Jim
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Jim,
It was a great ride and I'm really pleased to have had the opportunity to work with you. Your Exotica 3s are awesome and a ridiculous value--made for a very solid show partnership!
Keep on making a great product and I wish you all the best :thumb:
Fred
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Well, the dust is starting to settle from our trip to the West Coast. So I thought I'd share a few thoughts...
The Newport show equipment started with our StreamPlayer feeding a Lampizator 7-Lite DAC ($6000) using 300B tubes. The Lampizator featured a passive volume control and also served as a preamp. This fed a Wells Audio Innamorata Signature amp ($15000). Dana Cables provided their $9000 per pair Ultra Summa 2AWG speaker cables and we rounded out the system with a pair of Exotica 3's.
Since this was the first time we showed with most of this upstream equipment, it is difficult to say what each of the various components contributed to the overall sound. But if I had to guess, I would say that the 300B tubes had the most impact on the sound quality.
Many audiophiles feel the 300B represents the ultimate in terms of tube technology. We rolled quite a few tubes (300B's, 2A3's, 101D's, 6A3's etc. from a number of manufacturers - some NOS, some new) and each imparted its own character to the sound. Yet all of them imparted that classic 300B type character to one extent or another. If that is the type of sound you prefer, I think we had it in spades.
This was a very large show and reviewers had a lot to digest. Many of them tend to concentrate on more main-stream brands. So I wouldn't expect a whole lot in terms of reports on our room. But here are a few comments:
Stereophile - Sasha Matson:
"The Salk loudspeaker is a very impressive multiple-driver piece of kit, throwing out a huge amount of full-range sound. Perhaps a bit too much for the room here, but given a proper space to work in, it delivers the goods, and then some—and all the upstream elements are playing their part as well."
Whatsbestforum.com -
Keith R:
"Salk/Lampi: Jim Salk has gone in a different direction with this higher efficiency speaker and was rewarded. Very open, musical sound for 12k. As far as how much the Lampi influence was? I wouldn’t pretend to know."
Bruce B (StereoMojo reviewer):
"The Salk/Lampi room that I heard was just the best digital possible. I wasn't too familiar with the electronics/speakers, so trying to gauge what the Lampi was doing is just a crap shot. But you can certainly tell when a digital system does something bad. The Salk/Lampi room was another Oasis that I could sit and listen to for a long time!"
Vihn from Ginko Audio (distributor of Dana Cables) is nice enough to send links to comments and reviews as they come it. There will probably be more and I will update this thread when they are available.
- Jim
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Jim,
It was a great ride and I'm really pleased to have had the opportunity to work with you. Your Exotica 3s are awesome and a ridiculous value--made for a very solid show partnership!
Keep on making a great product and I wish you all the best :thumb:
Fred
Fred -
Thanks. With that many companies in the same room, you run the risk that personalities will not mesh. But in this case, I enjoyed working with everyone involved and I think everyone made a significant contribution to the outcome. Looking forward to working with you again down the line.
- Jim
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Having bought one thing or another from all three of the people in the room, I would never imagine there would be a conflict. Though if I were there, I probably would not have shut up.
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Corrected image below!
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Doesn't mention Salk though! :evil:
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Doesn't mention Salk though! :evil:
Maybe you'll like this version better...
(http://salksound.com/gallery/PostiveFeedback/AudioOasis2015.jpg)
- Jim
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That's better! Congrats to Jim and crew, and the others!
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wait till Jim starts fooling with a stellar analog rig!
congrats on a great sounding show
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This is a nice, albeit brief, review: http://theaudiotraveler.com/2015/06/29/newport-2015-lampizator-salk-sound-wells-audio-danacable-gingko-audio/
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This is the link to the Positive Feedback award mentioned above.
http://positive-feedback.com/show-reports/impressions-my-audio-oasis-awards-for-the-show-newport-beach-2015/
(http://positive-feedback.com/show-reports/impressions-my-audio-oasis-awards-for-the-show-newport-beach-2015/)
This is a quote from the article.
I think that this is the best that I've heard one of Vinh Vu's rooms ever sound…a wonderfully transparent, dynamic, and detailed audio presentation, one that was a pleasant interlude for me.
The main difference in Ginko's room from previous rooms is the Salk Streamer and Exotica 3.
Bob
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And the Lampizator DAC... They were showing the Lite 7 for the first time.
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And the Lampizator DAC... They were showing the Lite 7 for the first time.
Yes, but the Lite 7 is just a Big 7 with a solid state power supply vs a tube power supply. Ginko had the Big 7 at Axpona. One person who heard both said that it would be difficult to tell the difference in sound with a double blind test. That is why I didn't consider it a "main" difference. That they had a 300B tube instead of a 101D tube might make a noticeable difference so I might have been hasty.
Bob